Berkeley CA
California · Pop. 120,257
Berkeley, CA: median household income of $108,092, median rent of $2,133/mo, 5.6% unemployment. Our verdict: Needs Work.
Score Breakdown
Key Metrics
Median Income
$108,092
per year
Median Rent
$2,133
per month
Median Home
$1,414k
home value
Unemployment
5.6%
of labor force
Poverty Rate
17.3%
below poverty line
Avg. Commute
28 min
one way
City Reality Check honest
"Berkeley, CA Reality Check"
In Berkeley, the rent-to-income burden runs around 24% — refreshingly manageable by national standards. Median income sits at $108,092 and median rent is $2,133/month. 52% of renters are cost-burdened (30%+ of income on housing). Landlords are winning; everyone else is treading water. Median home value: $1,413,900 — that's 13.1× the median income. 75% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher — a highly educated workforce that drives (and inflates) this local economy. Employment picture: 5.58% unemployment — a average employment landscape. Poverty rate: 17.3%. Average commute: 28 minutes — acceptable. Berkeley was founded in 1866 — that's 160 years of history baked into the streets. The city covers 17.7 sq miles at 6,798 people/sq mile — moderately dense. Elevation: 171 ft — essentially flat — floods are a real conversation. Berkeley has 8 sister cities — cosmopolitan on paper, at least. RoastMyCity overall score: 52/100 — Needs Work.