Population 7,981 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Central Berkeley
Household size in Central Berkeley
| Period | Central Berkeley | Berkeley | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.05 | 2.24 | 2.74 | 3.04 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.20 | 2.29 | 2.79 | 3.10 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.20 | 2.44 | 2.83 | 3.09 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.14 | 2.33 | 2.75 | 3.01 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.09 | +0.09 | +0.01 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
Households in Central Berkeley are small: just 2.14 people on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. That is typical of places where many people live alone or as couples, and fewer have children at home. Since 2006–10, household size has climbed from 2.05, even as the national average fell. Few Berkeley neighborhoods have smaller households: only two of 12.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Central Berkeley
| Period | Central Berkeley | Berkeley | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 38.6 | 35.8 | 38.6 | 35.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 37.0 | 35.4 | 39.4 | 36.8 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 36.2 | 35.9 | 40.1 | 37.9 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 38.2 | 37.5 | 41.3 | 39.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | −0.4 | +1.7 | +2.7 | +3.1 | +2.3 |
Central Berkeley is a little younger than the country as a whole: its median age is 38.2, against 40.1 nationally. The median age has edged down from 38.6 in 2006–10, even as the national median rose. The youngest areas are in the east, the oldest in the north.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Central Berkeley
| Period | Central Berkeley | Berkeley | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.6% | 6.8% | 10.3% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 5.2% | 6.4% | 9.9% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 6.7% | 6.0% | 9.1% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 7.0% | 5.4% | 8.8% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | +1.3 pts | −1.3 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 7.0% of households in Central Berkeley, well below the national share of 11.6%. Even so, single parents are more common here than in Berkeley overall (5.4%). The single-parent share is up 1.3 points from 2006–10, even as the national share fell.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Central Berkeley
Renters in Central Berkeley
| Period | Central Berkeley | Berkeley | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 60.4% | 54.1% | 43.7% | 42.6% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 63.2% | 55.7% | 46.2% | 45.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 61.8% | 54.6% | 45.3% | 45.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 61.3% | 53.4% | 44.5% | 44.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | +0.9 pts | −0.7 pts | +0.8 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renters far outnumber owners in Central Berkeley: 61.3% of households rent their homes, against 34.8% nationally. Nearly three in ten owners (28.5%) have paid off their mortgages, well below the national share of 39.8%. Renting is most common in the east and least common in the northwest. The renter share is up 0.9 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Central Berkeley
| Period | Central Berkeley | Berkeley | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.9% | 8.5% | 8.6% | 8.7% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 8.4% | 8.4% | 7.1% | 8.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 8.5% | 8.9% | 6.5% | 7.5% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 11.6% | 13.2% | 7.5% | 7.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | +3.7 pts | +4.7 pts | −1.1 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy runs a little high in Central Berkeley: 11.6% of homes are empty, against 9.6% nationally. The count includes vacation homes and homes between owners or tenants, not just abandoned ones. Locally, though, the rate is lower than in Berkeley as a whole (13.2%).
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Central Berkeley
| Period | Central Berkeley | Berkeley | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1942 | 1946 | 1964 | 1972 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1947 | 1949 | 1965 | 1973 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1946 | 1949 | 1966 | 1974 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1951 | 1953 | 1968 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Change | +9 | +7 | +4 | +4 | +6 |
The housing in Central Berkeley is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1951, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. The median year built has moved up from 1942 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the east, while the west has the oldest housing.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Central Berkeley
| Period | Central Berkeley | Berkeley | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,180 | $1,305 | $1,452 | $1,298 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,308 | $1,432 | $1,551 | $1,379 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,836 | $1,846 | $2,139 | $1,721 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $2,197 | $2,378 | $2,666 | $2,229 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$1,017 | +$1,073 | +$1,214 | +$931 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Central Berkeley costs $2,197 a month with utilities, well above the national median of $1,571. Still, rents here are lower than in Berkeley overall ($2,378). Rents are up $1,017 a month from 2006–10, an 86% jump, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 31.9% of household income on rent, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Central Berkeley
Bachelor's degrees in Central Berkeley
| Period | Central Berkeley | Berkeley | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 67.5% | 68.9% | 42.5% | 29.1% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 72.1% | 69.9% | 44.1% | 30.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 75.1% | 73.5% | 48.9% | 32.9% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 74.2% | 74.8% | 52.2% | 36.3% | 35.6% |
| Change | +6.7 pts | +5.9 pts | +9.7 pts | +7.1 pts | +7.2 pts |
Central Berkeley is highly educated: about three-quarters of adults 25 and older (74.2%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, far above the national share of 35.6%. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 6.7 points, as it has nationally. College graduates are most concentrated in the northeast and least in the southwest.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Central Berkeley
| Period | Central Berkeley | Berkeley | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 93.2% | 94.7% | 86.8% | 79.9% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 95.6% | 95.6% | 87.5% | 80.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 97.4% | 96.5% | 88.8% | 82.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 95.1% | 96.1% | 89.1% | 84.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +1.9 pts | +1.4 pts | +2.3 pts | +4.3 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Central Berkeley: 95.1% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 1.9 points, mirroring the country. Among Berkeley's 12 neighborhoods, though, only two have a lower share of high school graduates.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Central Berkeley
| Period | Central Berkeley | Berkeley | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.1% | 7.1% | 7.8% | 9.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 5.4% | 8.9% | 8.9% | 11.3% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 2.9% | 5.8% | 4.6% | 6.3% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.4% | 5.9% | 5.8% | 6.6% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.6 pts | −1.2 pts | −2.0 pts | −2.6 pts | −2.7 pts |
At 5.4%, unemployment in Central Berkeley is the same as the national rate. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 2.6 points, in line with the national trend. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Central Berkeley compared with nearby neighborhoods
| Neighborhood | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Central Berkeley | 2.14 | 38.2 | 7.0% | 61.3% | 11.6% | 1951 | $2,197 | 74.2% | 95.1% | 5.4% |
| Downtown Berkeley | 2.10 | 26.8 | 3.4% | 95.5% | 20.1% | 1966 | $2,059 | 64.8% | 98.6% | 5.0% |
| SouthWest Berkeley | 2.28 | 40.4 | 7.1% | 57.8% | 11.1% | 1955 | $2,187 | 58.5% | 91.5% | 5.1% |
| Westbrae | 2.52 | 42.9 | 7.9% | 37.3% | 8.9% | 1944 | $2,550 | 77.4% | 97.1% | 3.6% |
| Santa Fe | 2.56 | 33.1 | 12.8% | 67.5% | 12.4% | 1950 | $2,213 | 59.8% | 88.9% | 4.5% |
| South Berkeley | 2.25 | 30.0 | 4.3% | 68.4% | 15.5% | 1958 | $2,101 | 69.5% | 95.6% | 8.5% |
| North Berkeley | 2.05 | 35.0 | 3.0% | 67.5% | 13.3% | 1946 | $2,210 | 79.5% | 95.7% | 4.4% |
| Northwest Berkeley | 2.29 | 46.9 | 5.4% | 44.2% | 16.1% | 1948 | $2,412 | 65.0% | 93.1% | 3.9% |
| Elmwood | 2.51 | 27.1 | 4.1% | 70.0% | 21.6% | 1958 | $2,127 | 78.9% | 98.3% | 9.1% |
| Berkeley Hills | 2.54 | 49.2 | 6.2% | 13.4% | 6.0% | 1942 | $2,914 | 87.7% | 98.6% | 3.9% |
| Paradise Park | 2.36 | 38.8 | 11.9% | 58.1% | 6.6% | 1955 | $1,948 | 63.0% | 94.2% | 2.5% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Rancho Sahuarita, Sahuarita, AZ · Northgate, San Rafael, CA · West Meade, Nashville, TN · Lake Marion Village, Poinciana, FL · West Bethlehem, Bethlehem, PA · Forest View, Lansing, MI · Central Carrollton, Carrollton, TX · Cherry Hill, Brooklyn, MD · Fairview, Camden, NJ · Riverside, Jacksonville, FL
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Central Berkeley. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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