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California city profile

What Is It Like to Live in Oakland?

What it costs to live in Oakland, and how it compares with other California cities, in plain numbers.

Value score

34

342nd best value in California

How much you get for what you pay, versus other California cities.

Overall livability

44

251st overall in California

Cost, safety, schools, jobs and quality of life combined.

Oakland is home to about 437,548 people. A typical home runs $772,400 and a household earns around $85,600, a price-to-income ratio of 9.0. Among California's largest cities, it ranks 342nd for value and 251st overall.

Oakland at a glance

Median home price

$772,400

355th in CA of 406

Median rent

$1,676/mo

Median household income

$85,600

Home price to income

9.0x

Unemployment

6.2%

204th in CA of 406

School rating

8/10

182nd in CA of 406

Air quality (AQI)

45

0th in CA of 406

Walk score

54/100

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‹ See all top California cities ranked  ยท  California state profile ›

Sources: Home prices and rent from Zillow; income, unemployment and commute from the U.S. Census; school ratings from state education data; crime from the FBI; air quality from the EPA. City rankings are within California only. Updated 2026.