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City

Berkeley

#1 in Best Suburbs to Live in California
  • A+
    Overall Grade
  • City in California
  • 119 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 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
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
      177.7
      282.7
    • Murder
      0.8
      6.1
    • Rape
      67.7
      40.7
    • Robbery
      296.7
      135.5
    Property Crimes
    • Calculated annually per 100,000 residents
    National
    • Burglary
      687.1
      500.1
    • Theft
      3,713.5
      2,042.8
    • Motor Vehicle Theft
      506.2
      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.
    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

    119 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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    It is very cosmopolitan. A lot of good food, parks, fun things to do. Close to many cool things such as the bay, SF, Oakland. Good Public Transit. A great place to have an intelligent conversation over coffee. Not the most accessible place in the world due to the hills, however, the city does try to make the streets accessible. There are hordes of students walking around with their heads down, which can be treacherous. Rent is exorbitant due to the university and proximity to public transit making commuting to the city simple.
    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.