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Berkeley

#1 in Best Suburbs to Live in California
  • A+
    Overall Grade
  • City in California
  • 139 reviews
    A+
    Overall Niche Grade
    How are grades calculated?
    1. Public Schools
      A+
    2. Crime & Safety
      C
    3. Housing
      C
    4. Nightlife
      A+
    5. Good for Families
      A+
    6. Diversity
      A+
    7. Jobs
      B
    8. Weather
      A+
    9. Cost of Living
      D
    10. Health & Fitness
      A+
    11. Outdoor Activities
      A+
    12. Commute
      A+
    View Full Report Card
    Berkeley is a city in California with a population of 120,179. Berkeley is in Alameda County and is one of the best places to live in California. Living in Berkeley offers residents an urban suburban mix feel and most residents rent their homes. In Berkeley there are a lot of bars, restaurants, coffee shops, and parks. Many young professionals live in Berkeley and residents tend to be liberal. The public schools in Berkeley are highly rated.
    About Berkeley...
    Population
    120,179

    Real Estate

    Median Home Value
    $861,800
    National
    $184,700
    Median Rent
    $1,523
    National
    $949
    Area Feel
    Urban Suburban Mix
    Rent vs. Own
    • Rent
      57%
    • Own
      43%
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    Berkeley Rankings

    Niche rankings are based on rigorous analysis of key statistics from the U.S. Department of Education and millions of reviews.

    Berkeley Neighborhood Map

    • Public Schools
    • Private Schools
    • Colleges

      Crime & Safety

      Crime & Safety
      C
      Based on violent and property crime rates.
      Violent Crimes
      • Calculated annually per 100,000 residents
      National
      • Assault
        135
        282.7
      • Murder
        0.8
        6.1
      • Rape
        52.5
        40.7
      • Robbery
        285.3
        135.5
      Property Crimes
      • Calculated annually per 100,000 residents
      National
      • Burglary
        670
        500.1
      • Theft
        3,235.9
        2,042.8
      • Motor Vehicle Theft
        442.9
        284

      Residents

      Diversity
      A+
      Based on ethnic and economic diversity.
      Age
      • <10 years
        7%
      • 10-17 years
        6%
      • 18-24 years
        25%
      • 25-34 years
        18%
      • 35-44 years
        11%
      • 45-54 years
        9%
      • 55-64 years
        10%
      • 65+ years
        14%
      Education Levels
      National
      • Master's degree or higher
        39%
        12%
      • Bachelor's degree
        34%
        19%
      • Some college or associate's degree
        17%
        29%
      • High school diploma or equivalent
        7%
        28%
      • Less than high school diploma
        4%
        13%

      Working in Berkeley

      Jobs
      B
      Based on employment rates, job and business growth, and cost of living.
      Median Household Income
      $75,709
      National
      $55,322
      Search for Jobs in Berkeley
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      Berkeley Reviews

      139 reviews
      All Categories
      Berkeley is a wonderful city full of an interesting, open-minded and intelligent group of people. The city is very culturally diverse and open to accepting anyone from anywhere. The food scene is to die for and if organically grown is what you live by, look no further than Berkeley grocery stores, farmers markets and more. One small down side would be the lack of club life (for the younger folks), there are however many perfectly adequate bars as well a little college student scene on Telegraph Avenue. Overall, I highly recommend living here or going to school here if accepted!
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      Berkeley is a beautiful city with loads of lovely hiking trails and tree-lined streets. Go and enjoy the farmer's markets and get some ice cream or boba. There are different neighborhoods with a variety of architecture styles. The University campus if beautiful but can be unsafe. There are amazing bookstores, cafes, coffee, and pubs. Several movie theatres to enjoy with a spectrum of films. The theatre community is rich and diverse, as many people enjoy the Arts community as it is alive in Berkeley.
      I found that the city is great for those who consider themselves to be liberal in most things but alienating to those who don't follow liberal opinions in social matters publicly. Meanwhile visible minorities are rare and my wife and I found ourselves to be a bit of an oddity when the group we visibly appear to be with was in the news. I found it somewhat inhospitable for long term living. We left and are quite content with that.

      Housing in a reasonable price range is impossible.

      Most restaurants close at or even before 9, making it not a very welcoming place for those who might want to have a dinner out with friends at a reasonable (though slightly later) dinner time in varying cultures.

      Options for healthy living are the best part of this city.