Alameda County, CA

County

Add Comparison

2023 Population

1.65M

0.714% 1-year decline

US Senator

Alex Padilla

Democratic Party

US Senator

Adam Schiff

Democratic Party

2023 Median Age

38.7

0.781% 1-year increase

2023 Poverty Rate

9.22%

0.747% 1-year increase

2023 Median Household Income

$126,240

3.06% 1-year growth

2023 Median Property Value

$1.06M

5.82% 1-year growth

2023 Employed Population

861,809

0.953% 1-year decline

About

In 2023, Alameda County, CA had a population of 1.65M people with a median age of 38.7 and a median household income of $126,240. Between 2022 and 2023 the population of Alameda County, CA declined from 1.66M to 1.65M, a −0.714% decrease and its median household income grew from $122,488 to $126,240, a 3.06% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Alameda County, CA are Asian (Non-Hispanic) (32%), White (Non-Hispanic) (28.2%), Other (Hispanic) (12.3%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (9.63%), and Two+ (Hispanic) (6.05%).

None of the households in Alameda County, CA reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

84.8% of the residents in Alameda County, CA are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Alameda County, CA are University of California-Berkeley (15,913 degrees awarded in 2023), California State University-East Bay (4,423 degrees), and Chabot College (2,514 degrees).

In 2023, the median property value in Alameda County, CA was $1.06M, and the homeownership rate was 54.1%.

Most people in Alameda County, CA drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 31.8 minutes. The average car ownership in Alameda County, CA was 2 cars per household.

Alameda County, CA borders Contra Costa County, CA, San Francisco County, CA, San Joaquin County, CA, San Mateo County, CA, Santa Clara County, CA, and Stanislaus County, CA.

About the photo: East Bay sunset over the Marin Hills

Photo by W. Tipton

United States California San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA

Population & Diversity

Alameda County, CA is home to a population of 1.65M people, from which 84.8% are citizens. As of 2023, 34% of Alameda County, CA residents were born outside of the country (561k people).

In 2023, there were 1.13 times more Asian (Non-Hispanic) residents (528k people) in Alameda County, CA than any other race or ethnicity. There were 466k White (Non-Hispanic) and 203k Other (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

84.8%

2023 Citizenship

85.2%

2022 Citizenship

As of 2023, 84.8% of Alameda County, CA residents were US citizens, which is lower than the national average of 93.4%. In 2022, the percentage of US citizens in Alameda County, CA was 85.2%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Alameda County, CA compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Alameda County, CA

Asian (Non-Hispanic)
528k ± 2.27k
White (Non-Hispanic)
466k ± 1.17k
Other (Hispanic)
203k ± 5.03k

23.3%

Hispanic Population

385k people

23.3% of the people in Alameda County, CA are hispanic (385k people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Alameda County, CA as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the County level, so we are showing data for California.

Most Common Origin

Mexico
3,899,021 ± 46,015 people
Philippines
824,230 ± 22,055 people
China
685,370 ± 20,148 people

In 2022, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of California was Mexico, the natal country of 3,899,021 California residents, followed by Philippines with 824,230 and China with 685,370.

Foreign-Born Population

34%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

561k people

33.2%

2022 Foreign-Born Population

552k people

As of 2023, 34% of Alameda County, CA residents (561k people) were born outside of the United States, which is higher than the national average of 13.8%. In 2022, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Alameda County, CA was 33.2%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Alameda County, CA compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
13,754 ± 759
Gulf War (2001-)
8,795 ± 902
Gulf War (1990s)
5,599 ± 609

Alameda County, CA has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.56 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Alameda County, CA employs 862k people. The largest industries in Alameda County, CA are Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services (146,314 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (110,222 people), and Manufacturing (86,260 people), and the highest paying industries are Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($163,750), Information ($142,779), and Management of Companies & Enterprises ($141,364).

Males in California have an average income that is 1.26 times higher than the average income of females, which is $75,777. The income inequality in California (measured using the Gini index) is 0.498, which is higher than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

862k

2023 Value

± 7,281

−0.953%

1 Year decline

± 1.21%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Alameda County, CA declined at a rate of −0.953%, from 870k employees to 862k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Alameda County, CA, are Management Occupations (118,539 people), Computer & Mathematical Occupations (78,433 people), and Office & Administrative Support Occupations (77,209 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Alameda County, CA.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for false.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in California (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

View Full Dashboard

Industries

Employment by Industries

862k

2023 Value

± 7,281

−0.953%

1 Year decline

± 1.21%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Alameda County, CA declined at a rate of −0.953%, from 870k employees to 862k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Alameda County, CA, are Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services (146,314 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (110,222 people), and Manufacturing (86,260 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Alameda County, CA, though some of these residents may live in Alameda County, CA and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$79,927

Median earning men ± $1,312

$61,970

Median earning women ± $866

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2023 are Information ($171,404), Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($124,094), and Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($111,094).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2023 are Information ($108,221), Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($97,530), and Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($92,061).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for California.

Y-Axis

2.57%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 17.9M people employed in California. This represents a 2.57% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during April 2020, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall decline in employment by 14%.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in California.

Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

4,598
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
2,749
Health Care and Social Assistance
2,446
Other Services (except Public Administration)

The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

Depending on the option selected, the visualization shows the number of employees or number of establishments and its share across establishment sizes.

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$13.6M
Manufacturing
$10.3M
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
$8.57M
Health Care and Social Assistance

The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

Civics

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Alameda County, CA went to Joseph R Biden Jr. with 80.2% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (17.7%), followed by Other (1.27%).

Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff are the senators currently representing the state of California. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

California is currently represented by 52 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Elections

Presidential Popular Vote Over Time

2020 Election Results

Joseph R Biden Jr. (80.2%)
Democratic Party
Donald J. Trump (17.7%)
Republican Party
Other (1.27%)
Green and Other Party

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Alameda County, CA went to Joseph R Biden Jr. with 80.2% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (17.7%), followed by Other (1.27%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Alameda County, CA for each registered party from 1976 to 2020.

Senator Elections

US Senators from California

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for California.

Alex Padilla

Senator from California

Assumed office on January 20, 2021
Appointed to the seat following the resignation of Kamala Harris, who had become Vice President of the United States.

Adam Schiff

Senator from California

Assumed office on December 8, 2024
Elected to the seat to succeed Laphonza Butler, who had been appointed to the seat following the death of Dianne Feinstein.

Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff are the senators currently representing California.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in California over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

US Representative Elections

US Representatives from California

California is currently represented by 52 members in the U.S. house.

Members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms, and the following chart shows the how the members for California have changed over time starting in 2008.

Education

In 2023, universities in Alameda County, CA awarded 33,965 degrees. The student population of Alameda County, CA in 2023 is skewed towards women, with 57,028 male students and 73,892 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Alameda County, CA are Asian (9,353 and 31.3%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (7,753 and 26%), White (6,997 and 23.4%), and Black or African American (1,985 and 6.65%).

The largest universities in Alameda County, CA by number of degrees awarded are University of California-Berkeley (15,913 and 46.9%), California State University-East Bay (4,423 and 13%), and Chabot College (2,514 and 7.4%).

The most popular majors in Alameda County, CA are Liberal Arts & Sciences (2,445 and 7.2%), General Business Administration & Management (1,880 and 5.54%), and Computer Science (1,431 and 4.21%).

The median tuition costs in Alameda County, CA are $12,374 for private four year colleges, and $8,788 and $30,117 respectively, for public four year colleges for in-state students and out-of-state students.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2023 in Alameda County, CA, the percentage of applicants admitted was 19.5%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 26.9%. The number of students enrolled in 2023 was 130,920 (43.6% men and 56.4% women).

The line chart shows the evolution of the percentage of applicants admitted, admitted who enrolled or the number of students enrolled according to the option selected in the upper button.

Enrollments by Gender and Races

Universities

In 2023 there were 130,920 students enrolled in Alameda County, CA, 43.6% men and 56.4% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in Hispanic or Latino with 35,144 records, of which 60.1% were women and 39.9% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

Computer Science
1,171 degrees awarded
Econometrics & Quantitative Economics
909 degrees awarded
General Business Administration & Management
1,172 degrees awarded

In 2023, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Alameda County, CA was Computer Science with 1,171 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Bachelors Degree from schools in Alameda County, CA according to their major.

Universities

Gender

Race

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

University of California-Berkeley
15,913 degrees awarded
California State University-East Bay
4,423 degrees awarded
Chabot College
2,514 degrees awarded

In 2023, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was University of California-Berkeley with 15,913 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2023, 13,759 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Alameda County, CA, which is 0.681 times less than the 20,206 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2023, the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was Asian students. These 9,353 degrees mean that there were 1.21 times more degrees awarded to Asian students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Hispanic or Latino, with 7,753 degrees awarded.

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Universities

Private for-profit, 2-year ($16,520) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2023.

Public, 4-year or above ($2,165) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2023.

Public, 2-year ($1,724) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

Working Population

Educational Pyramid

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for California.

Measure

In 2022, 2.08% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 2.26% of women were in the same situation.

This visualization shows the gender distribution of the population according to the academic level reached.

Educational Attainment

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for California.

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2022 were Some college (6.9M), High School or Equivalent (6.8M), and Bachelors Degree (6.36M).

This visualization illustrates the percentage distribution of the population according to the highest educational level reached. You can filter the data by race by using the selector above.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Alameda County, CA was $1.06M in 2023, which is 3.49 times larger than the national average of $303,400. Between 2022 and 2023 the median property value increased from $999,200 to $1.06M, a 5.82% increase. The homeownership rate in Alameda County, CA is 54.1%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 65%.

People in Alameda County, CA have an average commute time of 31.8 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Alameda County, CA is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Median household income in Alameda County, CA is $126,240. In 2023, the tract with the highest Median Household Income in Alameda County, CA was Census Tract 4001 with a value of $250,001, followed by Census Tract 4047 and Census Tract 4051, with respective values of $250,001 and $250,001.

In 2023, 23.3% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Alameda County, CA. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator declined 2.15%.

Housing

Property

$1.06M

Median Property Value 2023

±$6,624

$320,712

Median Property Taxes

±$3,621

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Alameda County, CA the largest share of households pay taxes in the $3k+ range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Alameda County, CA compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

54.1%

Homeownership

2023

69.9%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2023

In 2023, 54.1% of the housing units in Alameda County, CA were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 54.2%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Alameda County, CA compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

Census Tract 4001
Census Tract 4047
Census Tract 4051

In 2023, the tract with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Alameda County, CA was Census Tract 4001 with a value of $250,001, followed by Census Tract 4047 and Census Tract 4051, with respective values of $250,001 and $250,001.

The following map shows all of the tracts in Alameda County, CA colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$126,240

Median Household Income

± $1,364

593k

Number of Households

± 5,424

In 2023, the median household income of the 593k households in Alameda County, CA grew to $126,240 from the previous year's value of $122,488.

The following chart displays the households in Alameda County, CA distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $200k+ range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Alameda County, CA is from California.

0.498

2022 Wage GINI in California

0.497

2021 Wage GINI in California

In 2022, the income inequality in California was 0.498 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.107% growth from 2021 to 2022, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat less even. The GINI for California was higher than than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed less evenly in California in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in California across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2023

Drove Alone (53.6%)
Worked At Home (23.2%)
Public Transit (9.23%)

In 2023, 53.6% of workers in Alameda County, CA drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (23.2%) and those who used public transit to get to work (9.23%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

31.8 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Alameda County, CA have a longer commute time (31.8 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.6 minutes). Additionally, 3.69% of the workforce in Alameda County, CA have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Alameda County, CA compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Alameda County, CA distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Alameda County, CA have 2 cars.

Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2023, 23.3% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Alameda County, CA. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator declined 2.15%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the population living with severe housing problems.

Poverty & Diversity

9.22% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Alameda County, CA (150k out of 1.62M people) live below the poverty line, a number that is lower than the national average of 12.4%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 25 - 34, followed by Females 18 - 24 and then Males 18 - 24.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Alameda County, CA is Hispanic, followed by Asian and White.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Children in Poverty

In 2023, 9.9% of the children was living in poverty in Alameda County, CA. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator declined 7.4%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the children living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Health

95.9% of the population of Alameda County, CA has health coverage, with 58.3% on employee plans, 15.8% on Medicaid, 10.1% on Medicare, 11.3% on non-group plans, and 0.491% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Alameda County, CA see 884 patients per year on average, which represents a 2% decrease from the previous year (902 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 993 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 140 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 48.9% were men and 51.1% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

884 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Alameda County, CA

Primary care physicians in Alameda County, CA see an average of 884 patients per year. This represents a 2% decrease from the previous year (902 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Alameda County, CA in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Health Care Diversity

In 2023, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 21.5% under 18 years, 22.4% between 18 and 34 years, 41.4% between 35 and 64 years, and 14.8% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 48.9% were men and 51.1% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

4.08%

Uninsured

58.3%

Employer Coverage

15.8%

Medicaid

10.1%

Medicare

11.3%

Non-Group

0.491%

Military or VA

Between 2022 and 2023, the percent of uninsured citizens in Alameda County, CA grew by 1.62% from 4.02% to 4.08%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Alameda County, CA changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

Health Indicators

Health Outcomes

Indicator

In 2023, the number of deaths among residents under age 18 per 100,000 population was 31.3 in Alameda County, CA.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Alameda County, CA.

Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2023, the percentage of the adult population (age 18 and older) that reports a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 30 kg/m2 (age-adjusted) was 24.3% in Alameda County, CA.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Alameda County, CA.