Oakland, CA

Census Place

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2021 Population

437,548

3.54% 1-year growth

US Senator

Dianne Feinstein

Democratic Party

US Senator

Alex Padilla

Democratic Party

2021 Median Age

36.9

0.82% 1-year increase

2021 Poverty Rate

13.5%

7.67% 1-year decrease

2021 Median Household Income

$85,628

6.84% 1-year growth

2021 Median Property Value

$772,400

5.81% 1-year growth

2021 Employed Population

232,256

3.08% 1-year growth

About

In 2021, Oakland, CA had a population of 438k people with a median age of 36.9 and a median household income of $85,628. Between 2020 and 2021 the population of Oakland, CA grew from 422,575 to 437,548, a 3.54% increase and its median household income grew from $80,143 to $85,628, a 6.84% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Oakland, CA are White (Non-Hispanic) (28.6%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (21.6%), Other (Hispanic) (17.3%), Asian (Non-Hispanic) (15.6%), and Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (5.66%).

None of the households in Oakland, 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.

86.3% of the residents in Oakland, CA are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Oakland, CA are Merritt College (1,048 degrees awarded in 2021), Laney College (117247) (988 degrees), and Samuel Merritt University (918 degrees).

In 2021, the median property value in Oakland, CA was $772,400, and the homeownership rate was 41.3%.

Most people in Oakland, CA drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 32.3 minutes. The average car ownership in Oakland, CA was 2 cars per household.

About the photo: The hills and downtown at sunset from the border of Sibley Volcanic and Huckleberry Preserves.

Photo by Daniel Parks

United States California Alameda County, CA San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA

Population & Diversity

Oakland, CA is home to a population of 438k people, from which 86.3% are citizens. As of 2021, 26.6% of Oakland, CA residents were born outside of the country (116k people).

In 2021, there were 1.32 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (125k people) in Oakland, CA than any other race or ethnicity. There were 94.5k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 75.6k Other (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

86.3%

2021 Citizenship

86.3%

2020 Citizenship

As of 2021, 86.3% of Oakland, CA residents were US citizens, which is lower than the national average of 93.4%. In 2020, the percentage of US citizens in Oakland, CA was 86.3%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

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

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Oakland, CA

White (Non-Hispanic)
125k ± 2.57k
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
94.5k ± 2.47k
Other (Hispanic)
75.6k ± 3.38k

27.2%

Hispanic Population

119k people

27.2% of the people in Oakland, CA are hispanic (119k people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Oakland, 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
3,959,545 ± 46,338 people
Philippines
828,655 ± 22,113 people
China
680,942 ± 20,084 people

In 2021, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of California was Mexico, the natal country of 3,959,545 California residents, followed by Philippines with 828,655 and China with 680,942.

Foreign-Born Population

26.6%

2021 Foreign-Born Population

116k people

26.5%

2020 Foreign-Born Population

112k people

As of 2021, 26.6% of Oakland, CA residents (116k people) were born outside of the United States, which is higher than the national average of 13.6%. In 2020, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Oakland, CA was 26.5%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

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

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
4,028 ± 436
Gulf War (2001-)
2,076 ± 397
Gulf War (1990s)
1,565 ± 221

Oakland, CA has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.94 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Oakland, CA employs 232k people. The largest industries in Oakland, CA are Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services (33,490 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (30,028 people), and Educational Services (23,372 people), and the highest paying industries are Management of Companies & Enterprises ($116,500), Utilities ($108,244), and Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($101,115).

Males in California have an average income that is 1.26 times higher than the average income of females, which is $69,050. The income inequality in California (measured using the Gini index) is 0.497, which is higher than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

232k

2021 Value

± 3,561

3.08%

1 Year growth

± 2.13%

From 2020 to 2021, employment in Oakland, CA grew at a rate of 3.08%, from 225k employees to 232k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Oakland, CA, are Management Occupations (30,346 people), Office & Administrative Support Occupations (20,770 people), and Sales & Related Occupations (18,246 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Oakland, CA.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

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

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

232k

2021 Value

± 3,561

3.08%

1 Year growth

± 2.13%

From 2020 to 2021, employment in Oakland, CA grew at a rate of 3.08%, from 225k employees to 232k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Oakland, CA, are Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services (33,490 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (30,028 people), and Educational Services (23,372 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Oakland, CA, though some of these residents may live in Oakland, CA and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$55,195

Median earning men ± $1,256

$51,984

Median earning women ± $1,317

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2021 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($96,000), Information ($94,271), and Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($87,703).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2021 are Information ($88,889), Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($79,149), and Public Administration ($73,774).

Employment by Industry Sector

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

Y-Axis

2.75%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 155M people employed in California. This represents a 2.75% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

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

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Domestic Trade

Domestic Production & Consumption

Domestic production and consumption consists of products and services shipped from California to other states, or from other states to California.

Top Domestic Production in Dollars

In 2020, the top outbound California product (by dollars) was Electronics with $405B, followed by Mixed freight ($159B) and Pharmaceuticals ($155B).

The following chart shows the share of these products in relation to all outbound California products.

Domestic Trade Growth

Showing data for California.

$2.21T

2020 Value in California

$4.61T

Projected 2050 Value in California

109% growth

In 2020, total outbound California trade was $2.21T. This is expected to increase 109% to $4.61T by 2050.

The following chart shows how the domestic outbound California trade is projected to change in comparison to its neighboring states.

Interstate Trade

Interstate trade consists of products and services shipped from California to other states, or from other states to California.

Most Common Trade Partners

Texas
$84.4B
Arizona
$44.8B
Ohio
$40.6B

In 2020, the top outbound California domestic partner for goods and services (by dollars) was Texas with $84.4B, followed by Arizona with $44.8B and Ohio and $40.6B.

The following map shows the amount of trade that California shares with each state (excluding itself).

Civics

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in California went to Joseph R Biden Jr. with 63.5% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (34.3%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (1.07%).

Dianne Feinstein and Alex Padilla 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

Voting results are not available for Oakland, CA. Showing the available data for California.

2020 Election Results

Joseph R Biden Jr. (63.5%)
Democratic Party
Donald J. Trump (34.3%)
Republican Party
Jo Jorgensen (1.07%)
Libertarian Party

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in California went to Joseph R Biden Jr. with 63.5% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (34.3%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (1.07%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in California 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.

Dianne Feinstein

Senator from California

Assumed office on November 10, 1992
Elected to the seat to succeed John Seymour (California politician)|John Seymour, who had been appointed to the seat after Pete Wilson was elected Governor of California.

Alex Padilla

Senator from California

Assumed office on January 18, 2021
Appointed to the seat following the resignation of Kamala Harris, who had become Vice President of the United States.

Dianne Feinstein and Alex Padilla 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 2021, universities in Oakland, CA awarded 3,992 degrees. The student population of Oakland, CA in 2021 is skewed towards women, with 15,014 male students and 25,784 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Oakland, CA are Asian (1,022 and 26.7%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (928 and 24.3%), White (778 and 20.4%), and Black or African American (582 and 15.2%).

The largest universities in Oakland, CA by number of degrees awarded are Merritt College (1,048 and 26.3%), Laney College (117247) (988 and 24.7%), and Samuel Merritt University (918 and 23%).

The most popular majors in Oakland, CA are Registered Nursing (595 and 14.9%), Child Care Provider (289 and 7.24%), and General Business Administration & Management (241 and 6.04%).

The median tuition cost in Oakland, CA for private four year colleges is $34,854.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2021 in Oakland, CA, the percentage of applicants admitted was 86.8%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 10.2%. The number of students enrolled in 2021 was 40,798 (36.8% men and 63.2% 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 2021 there were 40,798 students enrolled in Oakland, CA, 36.8% men and 63.2% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in Hispanic or Latino with 10,814 records, of which 64.8% were women and 35.2% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

General Health Services
129 degree-majors awarded
General Business Administration & Management
114 degree-majors awarded
General Social Sciences
207 degree-majors awarded

In 2021, the most common concentation for Associates Degree recipients in Oakland, CA was General Health Services with 129 degrees awarded.

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

Universities

Gender

Race

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

Merritt College
1,048 degrees awarded
Laney College (117247)
988 degrees awarded
Samuel Merritt University
918 degrees awarded

In 2021, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Merritt College with 1,048 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2021, 1,106 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Oakland, CA, which is 0.383 times less than the 2,886 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2021 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was Asian students. These 1,022 degrees mean that there were 1.1 times more degrees awarded to Asian students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Hispanic or Latino, with 928 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 not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($34,854) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2021.

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($1,073) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2021.

Public, 2-year ($1,971) 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 2021, 1.89% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 2.12% 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 2021 were Some college (7.01M), High School or Equivalent (6.74M), and Bachelors Degree (6.25M).

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 Oakland, CA was $772,400 in 2021, which is 3.15 times larger than the national average of $244,900. Between 2020 and 2021 the median property value increased from $730,000 to $772,400, a 5.81% increase. The homeownership rate in Oakland, CA is 41.3%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 64.6%.

People in Oakland, CA have an average commute time of 32.3 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Oakland, CA is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Median household income in Oakland, CA is $85,628. In 2021, the place with the highest median household income in Oakland, CA was Census Tract 4051 with a value of $236,786, followed by Census Tract 4001 and Census Tract 4045.02, with respective values of $224,821 and $217,250.

Housing

Property

$772,400

Median Property Value 2021

±$14,594

$69,089

Median Property Taxes

±$1,803

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

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

Rent vs Own

41.3%

Homeownership

2021

66.3%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2021

In 2021, 41.3% of the housing units in Oakland, CA were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 40.9%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Oakland, 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 4051
Census Tract 4001
Census Tract 4045.02

In 2021, the place with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Oakland, CA was Census Tract 4051 with a value of $236,786, followed by Census Tract 4001 and Census Tract 4045.02, with respective values of $224,821 and $217,250.

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

$85,628

Median Household Income

± $1,803

167k

Number of Households

± 2,952

In 2021, the median household income of the 167k households in Oakland, CA grew to $85,628 from the previous year's value of $80,143.

The following chart displays the households in Oakland, 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 Oakland, CA is from California.

0.497

2021 Wage GINI in California

0.498

2020 Wage GINI in California

In 2021, the income inequality in California was 0.497 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.12% decline from 2020 to 2021, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more 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 2021

Drove Alone (49.3%)
Public Transit (18.8%)
Worked At Home (15.6%)

In 2021, 49.3% of workers in Oakland, CA drove alone to work, followed by those who used public transit to get to work (18.8%) and those who worked at home (15.6%).

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

32.3 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Oakland, CA have a longer commute time (32.3 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.8 minutes). Additionally, 4.03% of the workforce in Oakland, CA have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

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

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

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

Poverty

Poverty & Diversity

13.5% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Oakland, CA (58.5k out of 433k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.6%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 25 - 34, followed by Females 35 - 44 and then Males 25 - 34.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Oakland, CA is Black, followed by Hispanic and Other.

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

93.2% of the population of Oakland, CA has health coverage, with 48.6% on employee plans, 23.7% on Medicaid, 8.8% on Medicare, 11.5% on non-group plans, and 0.591% on military or VA plans.

Per capita personal health care spending in California was $7,549 in 2014. This is a 4.04% increase from the previous year ($7,256).

Primary care physicians in Alameda County, CA see 902 patients per year on average, which represents a 0.661% decrease from the previous year (908 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1022 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 145 patients per year.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

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

902 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Alameda County, CA

Primary care physicians in Alameda County, CA see an average of 902 patients per year. This represents a 0.661% decrease from the previous year (908 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 2021, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 20.7% under 18 years, 25.8% between 18 and 34 years, 40.1% between 35 and 64 years, and 13.4% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 47.5% were men and 52.5% were women.

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

Uninsured People

6.82%

Uninsured

48.6%

Employer Coverage

23.7%

Medicaid

8.8%

Medicare

11.5%

Non-Group

0.591%

Military or VA

Between 2020 and 2021, the percent of uninsured citizens in Oakland, CA declined by 2.78% from 7.01% to 6.82%.

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