Berkeley, CA

Census Place

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2023 Population

120,223

0.957% 1-year decline

US Senator

N/AAlex Padilla

Democratic Party

US Senator

N/AAdam Schiff

Democratic Party

2023 Median Age

32.9

1.23% 1-year increase

2023 Poverty Rate

16.8%

5.18% 1-year decrease

2023 Median Household Income

$108,558

3.67% 1-year growth

2023 Median Property Value

$1.35M

5.53% 1-year growth

2023 Employed Population

62,134

0.09% 1-year decline

About

In 2023, Berkeley, CA had a population of 120k people with a median age of 32.9 and a median household income of $108,558. Between 2022 and 2023 the population of Berkeley, CA declined from 121,385 to 120,223, a −0.957% decrease and its median household income grew from $104,716 to $108,558, a 3.67% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Berkeley, CA are White (Non-Hispanic) (51.7%), Asian (Non-Hispanic) (20.6%), Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (7.31%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (7.12%), and Other (Hispanic) (4.02%).

None of the households in Berkeley, 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.

88.8% of the residents in Berkeley, CA are U.S. citizens.

In 2023, the median property value in Berkeley, CA was $1.35M, and the homeownership rate was 43.3%.

Most people in Berkeley, CA worked at home, and the average commute time was 29.9 minutes. The average car ownership in Berkeley, CA was 1 car per household.

About the photo: Claremont Canyon at Dawn

Photo by David Abercrombie

United States California Alameda County, CA San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA Alameda County (North)--Berkeley & Albany Cities PUMA, CA Alameda County (Northwest)--Oakland City (Downtown/West Oakland/North Oakland) PUMA, CA Alameda County (Northwest)--Oakland City (Oakland Hills) PUMA, CA Alameda County (West)--San Leandro, Alameda, Emeryville & Piedmont Cities PUMA, CA Contra Costa County (Far Northwest)--Richmond (North), Hercules & El Cerrito Cities PUMA, CA Contra Costa County (West)--Concord (West), Martinez & Pleasant Hill Cities PUMA, CA Contra Costa County (West)--Walnut Creek (West), Lafayette & Orinda Cities PUMA, CA San Francisco County (Northeast)--Chinatown, North Beach & Russian Hill PUMA, CA

Population & Diversity

Berkeley, CA is home to a population of 120k people, from which 88.8% are citizens. As of 2023, 21.1% of Berkeley, CA residents were born outside of the country (25.3k people).

In 2023, there were 2.51 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (62.1k people) in Berkeley, CA than any other race or ethnicity. There were 24.8k Asian (Non-Hispanic) and 8.79k Two+ (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

88.8%

2023 Citizenship

88.4%

2022 Citizenship

As of 2023, 88.8% of Berkeley, CA residents were US citizens, which is lower than the national average of 93.4%. In 2022, the percentage of US citizens in Berkeley, CA was 88.4%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

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

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Berkeley, CA

White (Non-Hispanic)
62.1k ± 1.52k
Asian (Non-Hispanic)
24.8k ± 1.29k
Two+ (Non-Hispanic)
8.79k ± 664

12.1%

Hispanic Population

14.6k people

12.1% of the people in Berkeley, CA are hispanic (14.6k people).

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

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the Place 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

21.1%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

25.3k people

21.3%

2022 Foreign-Born Population

25.8k people

As of 2023, 21.1% of Berkeley, CA residents (25.3k 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 Berkeley, CA was 21.3%, meaning that the rate has been decreasing.

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

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
713 ± 210
Gulf War (2001-)
427 ± 147
Gulf War (1990s)
234 ± 98

Berkeley, CA has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.67 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Berkeley, CA employs 62.1k people. The largest industries in Berkeley, CA are Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services (13,078 people), Educational Services (13,076 people), and Health Care & Social Assistance (6,749 people), and the highest paying industries are Management of Companies & Enterprises ($236,719), Finance & Insurance ($118,005), and Public Administration ($115,446).

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

62.1k

2023 Value

± 1,891

−0.09%

1 Year decline

± 4.36%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Berkeley, CA declined at a rate of −0.09%, from 62.2k employees to 62.1k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Berkeley, CA, are Education Instruction, & Library Occupations (8,590 people), Management Occupations (8,371 people), and Computer & Mathematical Occupations (5,293 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Berkeley, 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.

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Industries

Employment by Industries

62.1k

2023 Value

± 1,891

−0.09%

1 Year decline

± 4.36%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Berkeley, CA declined at a rate of −0.09%, from 62.2k employees to 62.1k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Berkeley, CA, are Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services (13,078 people), Educational Services (13,076 people), and Health Care & Social Assistance (6,749 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Berkeley, CA, though some of these residents may live in Berkeley, CA and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$75,440

Median earning men ± $5,600

$54,032

Median earning women ± $4,724

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2023 are Wholesale Trade ($178,092), Public Administration ($123,843), and Information ($120,278).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2023 are Public Administration ($97,396), Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($89,583), and Manufacturing ($84,795).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for N/A.

Y-Axis

N/A%

Year-over-year N/A

Employment change between N/A N/A and N/A N/A

As of N/A N/A, there are N/A people employed in N/A. This represents a N/A% N/A in employment when compared to N/A N/A.

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

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in N/A.

Civics

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in California went to Kamala Harris with 58.5% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (38.3%), followed by Robert Kennedy (1.25%).

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

2024 Election Results

N/AKamala Harris (58.5%)
Democratic Party
N/ADonald J. Trump (38.3%)
Republican Party
N/ARobert Kennedy (1.25%)
Independent Party

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in California went to Kamala Harris with 58.5% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (38.3%), followed by Robert Kennedy (1.25%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in California for each registered party from 1976 to 2024.

Senator Elections

US Senators from California

N/AAlex 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.

N/AAdam 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

Completions

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.

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 Berkeley, CA was $1.35M in 2023, which is 4.45 times larger than the national average of $303,400. Between 2022 and 2023 the median property value increased from $1.28M to $1.35M, a 5.53% increase. The homeownership rate in Berkeley, CA is 43.3%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 65%.

People in Berkeley, CA have an average commute time of 29.9 minutes, and they worked at home. Car ownership in Berkeley, CA is lower than the national average, with an average of 1 car per household.

Median household income in Berkeley, CA is $108,558. In 2023, the place with the highest median household income in Berkeley, CA was Census Tract 4212 with a value of $250,001, followed by Census Tract 4211 and Census Tract 4214, with respective values of $244,276 and $235,000.

Housing

Property

$1.35M

Median Property Value 2023

±$41,331

$20,262

Median Property Taxes

±$823

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 Berkeley, CA the largest share of households pay taxes in the $3k+ range.

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

Rent vs Own

43.3%

Homeownership

2023

68%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2023

In 2023, 43.3% of the housing units in Berkeley, CA were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 43.3%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Berkeley, 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 4212
Census Tract 4211
Census Tract 4214

In 2023, the place with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Berkeley, CA was Census Tract 4212 with a value of $250,001, followed by Census Tract 4211 and Census Tract 4214, with respective values of $244,276 and $235,000.

The following map shows all of the places in Berkeley, 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.

$108,558

Median Household Income

± $5,135

N/A

Number of Households

± 0

In 2023, the median household income of the N/A households in Berkeley, CA grew to $108,558 from the previous year's value of $104,716.

The following chart displays the households in Berkeley, 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 Berkeley, 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

Worked At Home (32.5%)
Drove Alone (27.4%)
Public Transit (15.8%)

In 2023, 32.5% of workers in Berkeley, CA worked at home, followed by those who drove alone to work (27.4%) and those who used public transit to get to work (15.8%).

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

29.9 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Berkeley, CA have a longer commute time (29.9 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.6 minutes). Additionally, 3.27% of the workforce in Berkeley, CA have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

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

Car Ownership

1 car

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Berkeley, CA distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Berkeley, CA have 1 car.

Poverty

Poverty & Diversity

16.8% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Berkeley, CA (18.2k out of 108k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.4%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 18 - 24, followed by Males 18 - 24 and then Females 25 - 34.

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

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.

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

97.1% of the population of Berkeley, CA has health coverage, with 55.5% on employee plans, 9.86% on Medicaid, 11.9% on Medicare, 19.3% on non-group plans, and 0.562% 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.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

Data is only available at the country level. Showing data for Alameda County, CA.

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 16.1% under 18 years, 36.9% between 18 and 34 years, 30.7% between 35 and 64 years, and 16.4% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 47.6% were men and 52.4% were women.

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

Uninsured People

2.86%

Uninsured

55.5%

Employer Coverage

9.86%

Medicaid

11.9%

Medicare

19.3%

Non-Group

0.562%

Military or VA

Between 2022 and 2023, the percent of uninsured citizens in Berkeley, CA declined by 1.07% from 2.89% to 2.86%.

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

Keep Exploring

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State

San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA