Oakland, CA

Census Place

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2024 Population

439,418

US Senator

Alex Padilla

Democratic Party

US Senator

Adam Schiff

Democratic Party

2024 Median Age

37.9

0.798% 1-year increase

2024 Poverty Rate

13.4%

2.17% 1-year decrease

2024 Median Household Income

$101,600

4.35% 1-year growth

2024 Median Property Value

$929,900

0.562% 1-year growth

2024 Employed Population

234,902

1.07% 1-year growth

About

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.

86.1% of the residents in Oakland, CA are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Oakland, CA are Laney College (1,174 degrees awarded in 2024), Merritt College (1,024 degrees), and Samuel Merritt University (884 degrees).

In 2024, the median property value in Oakland, CA was $929,900, and the homeownership rate was 42.3%.

Most people in Oakland, CA drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 29.8 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 439k people, from which 86.1% are citizens. As of 2024, 27.3% of Oakland, CA residents were born outside of the country (120k people).

In 2024, there were 1.41 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (122k people) in Oakland, CA than any other race or ethnicity. There were 86.6k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 81.9k Other (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

86.1%

2024 Citizenship

86.2%

2023 Citizenship

As of 2024, 86.1% of Oakland, CA residents were US citizens, which is lower than the national average of 93.2%. In 2023, the percentage of US citizens in Oakland, CA was 86.2%, 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)
122k ± 2.47k
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
86.6k ± 2.47k
Other (Hispanic)
81.9k ± 2.82k

28.7%

Hispanic Population

126k people

28.7% of the people in Oakland, CA are hispanic (126k people).

The following chart shows the 8 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
3,877,888 ± 45,899 people
Philippines
827,719 ± 22,100 people
China
695,724 ± 20,296 people

In 2024, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of California was Mexico, the natal country of 3,877,888 California residents, followed by Philippines with 827,719 and China with 695,724.

Foreign-Born Population

27.3%

2024 Foreign-Born Population

120k people

26.9%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

118k people

As of 2024, 27.3% of Oakland, CA residents (120k people) were born outside of the United States, which is approximately the same as the national average of 14%. In 2023, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Oakland, CA was 26.9%, 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
3,200 ± 369
Gulf War (2001-)
2,487 ± 491
Gulf War (1990s)
1,646 ± 370

Oakland, CA has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.29 times greater than any other conflict.

The chart shows the distribution of veterans by conflict in Oakland, CA.

Health

94.4% of the population of Oakland, CA has health coverage, with 50% on employee plans, 23.8% on Medicaid, 9.4% on Medicare, 10.7% on non-group plans, and 0.566% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in California see 1,233 patients per year on average, which represents a 0% change from the previous year (1,233 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1076 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 213 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49.5% were men and 50.5% were women.

Coverage

Health Care Diversity

In 2024, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 19.9% under 18 years, 24.6% between 18 and 34 years, 41% between 35 and 64 years, and 14.5% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49.5% were men and 50.5% were women.

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

Uninsured People

5.62%

Uninsured

50%

Employer Coverage

23.8%

Medicaid

9.4%

Medicare

10.7%

Non-Group

0.566%

Military or VA

Between 2023 and 2024, the percent of uninsured citizens in Oakland, CA declined by 4.87% from 5.91% to 5.62%.

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.

Economy

The economy of Oakland, CA employs 235k people. In 2024, the largest industries in Oakland, CA were Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services (35,569 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (31,041 people), and Educational Services (22,174 people), and the highest paying industries were Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($250,001), Management of Companies & Enterprises ($238,000), and Information ($129,485).

Employment

Occupations

235k

2024 Value

± 4,075

1.07%

1 Year growth

± 2.37%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Oakland, CA grew at a rate of 1.07%, from 232k employees to 235k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Oakland, CA, are Management Occupations (34,042 people), Office & Administrative Support Occupations (19,295 people), and Sales & Related Occupations (18,601 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.

Industries

Employment by Industries

235k

2024 Value

± 4,075

1.07%

1 Year growth

± 2.37%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Oakland, CA grew at a rate of 1.07%, from 232k employees to 235k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Oakland, CA, are Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services (35,569 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (31,041 people), and Educational Services (22,174 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

$66,326

Median earning men ± $2,128

$62,147

Median earning women ± $1,873

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2024 are Information ($142,974), Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($116,231), and Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($115,427).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2024 are Information ($115,444), Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($92,642), and Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($91,830).

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.

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 51 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.

2024 Election Results

Kamala Harris (58.5%)
Democratic Party
Donald J. Trump (38.3%)
Republican Party
Robert 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

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.

Education

In 2024, universities in Oakland, CA awarded 3,684 degrees. The student population of Oakland, CA in 2024 is skewed towards women, with 8,589 male students and 13,708 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Oakland, CA are Hispanic or Latino (1,031 and 28.7%), Asian (849 and 23.7%), Black or African American (673 and 18.8%), and White (659 and 18.4%).

The largest universities in Oakland, CA by number of degrees awarded are Laney College (1,174 and 31.9%), Merritt College (1,024 and 27.8%), and Samuel Merritt University (884 and 24%).

The most popular majors in Oakland, CA are Registered Nursing (588 and 16%), Child Care Provider (244 and 6.62%), and General Social Sciences (234 and 6.35%).

The median tuition cost for private four year colleges is $31,369.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2024 in Oakland, CA, the percentage of applicants admitted was 17.6%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 17.9%. The number of students enrolled in 2024 was 22,297 (38.5% men and 61.5% 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 2024 there were 22,297 students enrolled in Oakland, CA, 38.5% men and 61.5% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in Hispanic or Latino with 6,161 records, of which 60.7% were women and 39.3% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

General Social Sciences
234 degrees awarded
Biological & Physical Sciences
113 degrees awarded
General Health Services
113 degrees awarded

In 2024, the most common concentation for Associates Degree recipients in Oakland, CA was General Social Sciences with 234 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

Laney College
1,174 degrees awarded
Merritt College
1,024 degrees awarded
Samuel Merritt University
884 degrees awarded

In 2024, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Laney College with 1,174 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2024, 1,201 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Oakland, CA, which is 0.484 times less than the 2,483 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2024, the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was Hispanic or Latino students. These 1,031 degrees mean that there were 1.21 times more degrees awarded to Hispanic or Latino students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Asian, with 849 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 ($31,369) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2024.

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($1,669) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2024.

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.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Oakland, CA was $929,900 in 2024, which is 2.8 times larger than the national average of $332,700. Between 2023 and 2024 the median property value increased from $924,700 to $929,900, a 0.562% increase. The homeownership rate in Oakland, CA is 42.3%, which is lower than the national average of 65.2%.

People in Oakland, CA have an average commute time of 29.8 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.

Housing

Property

$929,900

Median Property Value 2024

±$12,301

$74,753

Median Property Taxes

±$1,734

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

42.3%

Homeownership

2024

66%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2024

In 2024, 42.3% of the housing units in Oakland, CA were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 41.7%.

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

Equity

Household Income

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

$101,600

Median Household Income

± $2,146

177k

Number of Households

± 3,111

In 2024, the median household income of the 177k households in Oakland, CA grew to $101,600 from the previous year's value of $97,369.

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.

0.493

2024 Wage GINI in California

0.495

2023 Wage GINI in California

In 2024, the income inequality in California was 0.493 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.424% decline from 2023 to 2024, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for California was higher than than the national average of 0.474. 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 2024

Drove Alone (46.9%)
Worked At Home (26.5%)
Public Transit (12.5%)

In 2024, 46.9% of workers in Oakland, CA drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (26.5%) and those who used public transit to get to work (12.5%).

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

29.8 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Oakland, CA have a longer commute time (29.8 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.4 minutes). Additionally, 2.82% 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

13.4% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Oakland, CA (58.3k out of 435k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.5%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 25 - 34, followed by Females 35 - 44 and then Females 65 - 74.

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