Oakland CA
California · Pop. 439,418
Oakland, CA: median household income of $101,600, median rent of $1,979/mo, 6.4% unemployment. Our verdict: Needs Work.
Score Breakdown
Key Metrics
Median Income
$101,600
per year
Median Rent
$1,979
per month
Median Home
$930k
home value
Unemployment
6.4%
of labor force
Poverty Rate
13.4%
below poverty line
Avg. Commute
30 min
one way
City Reality Check honest
"Oakland, CA Reality Check"
In Oakland, the rent-to-income burden runs around 23% — refreshingly manageable by national standards. Median income sits at $101,600 and median rent is $1,979/month. 49% of renters are cost-burdened (30%+ of income on housing). Landlords are winning; everyone else is treading water. Median home value: $929,900 — that's 9.2× the median income. 49% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher — a highly educated workforce that drives (and inflates) this local economy. Employment picture: 6.37% unemployment — a average employment landscape. Poverty rate: 13.4%. Average commute: 30 minutes — acceptable. Oakland was founded in 1852 — that's 174 years of history baked into the streets. The city covers 77.9 sq miles at 5,644 people/sq mile — moderately dense. Elevation: 141 ft — essentially flat — floods are a real conversation. Oakland has 13 sister cities — cosmopolitan on paper, at least. RoastMyCity overall score: 52/100 — Needs Work.