Berkeley, CA

Census Place

Add Comparison

2021 Population

119,607

2.81% 1-year decline

US Senator

Dianne Feinstein

Democratic Party

US Senator

Alex Padilla

Democratic Party

2021 Median Age

32.1

0% 1-year change

2021 Poverty Rate

17.6%

1.25% 1-year decrease

2021 Median Household Income

$97,834

7.2% 1-year growth

2021 Median Property Value

$1.11M

4.86% 1-year growth

2021 Employed Population

61,597

3.58% 1-year decline

About

In 2021, Berkeley, CA had a population of 120k people with a median age of 32.1 and a median household income of $97,834. Between 2020 and 2021 the population of Berkeley, CA declined from 123,065 to 119,607, a −2.81% decrease and its median household income grew from $91,259 to $97,834, a 7.2% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Berkeley, CA are White (Non-Hispanic) (53%), Asian (Non-Hispanic) (20.3%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (7.26%), Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (6.19%), and White (Hispanic) (4.53%).

None of the households in Berkeley, 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.

88.3% of the residents in Berkeley, CA are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Berkeley, CA are University of California-Berkeley (14,685 degrees awarded in 2021), Berkeley City College (885 degrees), and The Wright Institute (165 degrees).

In 2021, the median property value in Berkeley, CA was $1.11M, and the homeownership rate was 43.2%.

Most people in Berkeley, CA drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 30.6 minutes. The average car ownership in Berkeley, CA was 1 car per household.

About the photo: Claremont Canyon at Dawn

Photo by David Abercrombie

United States California Alameda County, CA San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA Berkeley & Albany Cities PUMA, CA Oakland (Northwest) & Emeryville Cities PUMA, CA Oakland (East) & Piedmont Cities PUMA, CA San Leandro, Alameda & Oakland (Southwest) Cities PUMA, CA

Population & Diversity

Berkeley, CA is home to a population of 120k people, from which 88.3% are citizens. As of 2021, 21.4% of Berkeley, CA residents were born outside of the country (25.6k people).

In 2021, there were 2.6 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (63.4k people) in Berkeley, CA than any other race or ethnicity. There were 24.3k Asian (Non-Hispanic) and 8.68k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

88.3%

2021 Citizenship

88%

2020 Citizenship

As of 2021, 88.3% of Berkeley, CA residents were US citizens, which is lower than the national average of 93.4%. In 2020, the percentage of US citizens in Berkeley, CA was 88%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

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

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Berkeley, CA

White (Non-Hispanic)
63.4k ± 1.63k
Asian (Non-Hispanic)
24.3k ± 1.49k
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
8.68k ± 929

12%

Hispanic Population

14.3k people

12% of the people in Berkeley, CA are hispanic (14.3k people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Berkeley, 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

21.4%

2021 Foreign-Born Population

25.6k people

21.2%

2020 Foreign-Born Population

26.1k people

As of 2021, 21.4% of Berkeley, CA residents (25.6k 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 Berkeley, CA was 21.2%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

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

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
858 ± 196
Gulf War (2001-)
583 ± 179
Gulf War (1990s)
212 ± 74

Berkeley, CA has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.47 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Berkeley, CA employs 61.6k people. The largest industries in Berkeley, CA are Educational Services (13,496 people), Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services (12,168 people), and Health Care & Social Assistance (6,193 people), and the highest paying industries are Management of Companies & Enterprises ($157,969), Utilities ($102,000), and Manufacturing ($93,735).

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

61.6k

2021 Value

± 1,815

−3.58%

1 Year decline

± 4.34%

From 2020 to 2021, employment in Berkeley, CA declined at a rate of −3.58%, from 63.9k employees to 61.6k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Berkeley, CA, are Education Instruction, & Library Occupations (8,160 people), Management Occupations (8,144 people), and Office & Administrative Support Occupations (4,999 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Berkeley, CA.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

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

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

61.6k

2021 Value

± 1,815

−3.58%

1 Year decline

± 4.34%

From 2020 to 2021, employment in Berkeley, CA declined at a rate of −3.58%, from 63.9k employees to 61.6k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Berkeley, CA, are Educational Services (13,496 people), Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services (12,168 people), and Health Care & Social Assistance (6,193 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Berkeley, CA, though some of these residents may live in Berkeley, CA and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$62,989

Median earning men ± $3,400

$46,638

Median earning women ± $4,461

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2021 are Manufacturing ($108,375), Public Administration ($98,370), and Information ($94,613).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2021 are Public Administration ($83,523), Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($70,889), and Construction ($70,662).

Employment by Industry Sector

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

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 Berkeley, 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 Berkeley, CA awarded 15,922 degrees. The student population of Berkeley, CA in 2021 is skewed towards women, with 24,036 male students and 27,691 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Berkeley, CA are Asian (4,659 and 35.3%), followed by White (4,317 and 32.7%), Hispanic or Latino (2,259 and 17.1%), and Two or More Races (867 and 6.56%).

The largest universities in Berkeley, CA by number of degrees awarded are University of California-Berkeley (14,685 and 92.2%), Berkeley City College (885 and 5.56%), and The Wright Institute (165 and 1.04%).

The most popular majors in Berkeley, CA are Cellular & Molecular Biology (862 and 5.41%), Computer Science (856 and 5.38%), and Econometrics & Quantitative Economics (808 and 5.07%).

The median tuition costs in Berkeley, CA are $21,800 for private four year colleges, and $11,442 and $41,196 respectively, for public four year colleges for in-state students and out-of-state students.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2021 in Berkeley, CA, the percentage of applicants admitted was 14.4%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 42.5%. The number of students enrolled in 2021 was 51,727 (46.5% men and 53.5% 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 2021 there were 51,727 students enrolled in Berkeley, CA, 46.5% men and 53.5% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in Asian with 14,627 records, of which 52.4% were women and 47.6% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

Computer Science
797 degree-majors awarded
Econometrics & Quantitative Economics
758 degree-majors awarded
Cellular & Molecular Biology
829 degree-majors awarded

In 2021, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Berkeley, CA was Computer Science with 797 degrees awarded.

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

Universities

Gender

Race

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

University of California-Berkeley
14,685 degrees awarded
Berkeley City College
885 degrees awarded
The Wright Institute
165 degrees awarded

In 2021, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was University of California-Berkeley with 14,685 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2021, 7,525 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Berkeley, CA, which is 0.896 times less than the 8,397 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 4,659 degrees mean that there were 1.08 times more degrees awarded to Asian students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, White, with 4,317 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 ($21,800) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2021.

Public, 4-year or above ($2,784) 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 Berkeley, CA was $1.11M in 2021, which is 4.54 times larger than the national average of $244,900. Between 2020 and 2021 the median property value increased from $1.06M to $1.11M, a 4.86% increase. The homeownership rate in Berkeley, CA is 43.2%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 64.6%.

People in Berkeley, CA have an average commute time of 30.6 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Berkeley, CA is lower than the national average, with an average of 1 car per household.

Median household income in Berkeley, CA is $97,834. In 2021, the place with the highest median household income in Berkeley, CA was Census Tract 4212 with a value of $250,001, followed by Census Tract 4211 and Census Tract 4216, with respective values of $217,399 and $200,507.

Housing

Property

$1.11M

Median Property Value 2021

±$19,781

$19,089

Median Property Taxes

±$819

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

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

Rent vs Own

43.2%

Homeownership

2021

69.2%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2021

In 2021, 43.2% of the housing units in Berkeley, CA were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 42.9%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Berkeley, 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 4212
Census Tract 4211
Census Tract 4216

In 2021, the place with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Berkeley, CA was Census Tract 4212 with a value of $250,001, followed by Census Tract 4211 and Census Tract 4216, with respective values of $217,399 and $200,507.

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

$97,834

Median Household Income

± $4,435

44.2k

Number of Households

± 1,445

In 2021, the median household income of the 44.2k households in Berkeley, CA grew to $97,834 from the previous year's value of $91,259.

The following chart displays the households in Berkeley, 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 Berkeley, 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 (30.2%)
Worked At Home (22.5%)
Public Transit (19.7%)

In 2021, 30.2% of workers in Berkeley, CA drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (22.5%) and those who used public transit to get to work (19.7%).

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

30.6 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Berkeley, CA have a longer commute time (30.6 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.8 minutes). Additionally, 3.36% of the workforce in Berkeley, CA have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

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

Car Ownership

1 car

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Berkeley, CA distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Berkeley, CA have 1 car.

Poverty

Poverty & Diversity

17.6% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Berkeley, CA (18.8k out of 107k 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 18 - 24, followed by Males 18 - 24 and then Females 25 - 34.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Berkeley, CA is White, followed by Asian and Hispanic.

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

96.8% of the population of Berkeley, CA has health coverage, with 54.4% on employee plans, 10.1% on Medicaid, 11.2% on Medicare, 20.6% on non-group plans, and 0.503% on military or VA plans.

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 16.4% under 18 years, 38% between 18 and 34 years, 30.3% between 35 and 64 years, and 15.2% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 48.1% were men and 51.9% were women.

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

Uninsured People

3.21%

Uninsured

54.4%

Employer Coverage

10.1%

Medicaid

11.2%

Medicare

20.6%

Non-Group

0.503%

Military or VA

Between 2020 and 2021, the percent of uninsured citizens in Berkeley, CA grew by 5.04% from 3.05% to 3.21%.

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