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City

Berkeley

#3 in Best Cities to Live in America
  • A+
    Overall Grade
  • City in California
  • 110 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 118,585. Berkeley is in Alameda County and is one of the best places to live in California. Living in Berkeley offers residents an urban 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
118,585

Real Estate

Median Home Value
$795,200
National
$184,700
Median Rent
$1,434
National
$949
Area Feel
Urban
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
      178
      283
    • Murder
      1
      6
    • Rape
      68
      41
    • Robbery
      297
      136
    Property Crimes
    • Calculated annually per 100,000 residents
    National
    • Burglary
      687
      500
    • Theft
      3,714
      2,043
    • Motor Vehicle Theft
      506
      284
    Home Security Options for Berkeley
    Learn More
    • 24/7 Whole home protection with no contract
    • CNET Editor’s choice winner 2018

    Residents

    Diversity
    A+
    Based on ethnic and economic diversity.
    Median Household Income
    $70,393
    National
    $55,322
    Children
    10%
    Education Levels
    National
    • Master's degree or higher
      39%
      12%
    • Bachelor's degree
      33%
      19%
    • Some college or associate's degree
      17%
      29%
    • High school diploma or equivalent
      7%
      28%
    • Less than high school diploma
      4%
      13%

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    Berkeley Reviews

    110 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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    Very cultural, diverse, and full of life! Moving to Atlanta, Georgia for a bit and noticing the different culture shocks from the west coast and the south. I've never lived outside of California but after leaving for some time I appreciate all the culture, views of the waterfronts, the love and diversity, and not to mention being in a comfortable place.
    Berkeley is a vibrant college city! Close to even larger cities like Oakland and San Francisco, there is never a lack of things to do! It is, however, considered one of the most dangerous college towns in the United States.