Population 4,788 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Downtown Berkeley
Household size in Downtown Berkeley
| Period | Downtown Berkeley | Berkeley | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1.95 | 2.24 | 2.74 | 3.04 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.26 | 2.29 | 2.79 | 3.10 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.48 | 2.44 | 2.83 | 3.09 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.10 | 2.33 | 2.75 | 3.01 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.15 | +0.09 | +0.01 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
Downtown Berkeley is a place of small households, averaging 2.10 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Household size has climbed from 1.95 in 2006–10, but in a place this small, survey estimates can swing a lot from one release to the next. Only one other Berkeley neighborhood has smaller households.
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 Downtown Berkeley
| Period | Downtown Berkeley | Berkeley | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 26.0 | 35.8 | 38.6 | 35.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 24.4 | 35.4 | 39.4 | 36.8 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 25.8 | 35.9 | 40.1 | 37.9 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 26.8 | 37.5 | 41.3 | 39.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | +0.8 | +1.7 | +2.7 | +3.1 | +2.3 |
With a median age of just 26.8, Downtown Berkeley is far younger than the country as a whole (40.1), a population that tilts toward young adults in their twenties. No other Berkeley neighborhood is younger.
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 Downtown Berkeley
| Period | Downtown Berkeley | Berkeley | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.1% | 6.8% | 10.3% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 4.5% | 6.4% | 9.9% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 4.1% | 6.0% | 9.1% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.4% | 5.4% | 8.8% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | −4.7 pts | −1.3 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 3.4% of households in Downtown Berkeley, well below the national share of 11.6%. Only one other Berkeley neighborhood has a lower share of single-parent households.
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 Downtown Berkeley
Renters in Downtown Berkeley
| Period | Downtown Berkeley | Berkeley | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 92.9% | 54.1% | 43.7% | 42.6% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 94.9% | 55.7% | 46.2% | 45.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 92.7% | 54.6% | 45.3% | 45.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 95.5% | 53.4% | 44.5% | 44.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | +2.6 pts | −0.7 pts | +0.8 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renters far outnumber owners in Downtown Berkeley: 95.5% of households rent their homes, against 34.8% nationally. More than four in ten owners (43.8%) have paid off their mortgages, above the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the southeast; owners are most common in the northwest. Downtown Berkeley has the highest share of renters of any Berkeley neighborhood.
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 Downtown Berkeley
| Period | Downtown Berkeley | Berkeley | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.5% | 8.5% | 8.6% | 8.7% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 9.3% | 8.4% | 7.1% | 8.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 8.0% | 8.9% | 6.5% | 7.5% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 20.1% | 13.2% | 7.5% | 7.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | +12.6 pts | +4.7 pts | −1.1 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacant homes make up 20.1% of the housing in Downtown Berkeley, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand. Only one other Berkeley neighborhood has a higher vacancy rate.
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 Downtown Berkeley
| Period | Downtown Berkeley | Berkeley | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1958 | 1946 | 1964 | 1972 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1978 | 1949 | 1965 | 1973 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1976 | 1949 | 1966 | 1974 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1966 | 1953 | 1968 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Change | +7 | +7 | +4 | +4 | +6 |
Downtown Berkeley is a place of older homes: half were built before 1966, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating. Locally, though, homes here are newer than in Berkeley as a whole, where the median home dates to 1953. No other Berkeley neighborhood has newer homes.
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 Downtown Berkeley
| Period | Downtown Berkeley | Berkeley | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,136 | $1,305 | $1,452 | $1,298 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,440 | $1,432 | $1,551 | $1,379 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,751 | $1,846 | $2,139 | $1,721 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $2,059 | $2,378 | $2,666 | $2,229 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$923 | +$1,073 | +$1,214 | +$931 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Downtown Berkeley costs $2,059 a month with utilities, well above the national median of $1,571. Locally, though, rents here are lower than in Berkeley as a whole ($2,378). Rent takes 36.6% of the typical renter's income, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. No other Berkeley neighborhood has lower rents.
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 Downtown Berkeley
Bachelor's degrees in Downtown Berkeley
| Period | Downtown Berkeley | Berkeley | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 70.2% | 68.9% | 42.5% | 29.1% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 66.9% | 69.9% | 44.1% | 30.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 63.7% | 73.5% | 48.9% | 32.9% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 64.8% | 74.8% | 52.2% | 36.3% | 35.6% |
| Change | −5.3 pts | +5.9 pts | +9.7 pts | +7.1 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in Downtown Berkeley: 64.8% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's degree or higher, against 35.6% nationally. Education tends to track local incomes and the kinds of jobs nearby. Still, the share is lower than in Berkeley as a whole (74.8%). Only one other Berkeley neighborhood has a lower share of college graduates.
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 Downtown Berkeley
| Period | Downtown Berkeley | Berkeley | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 93.9% | 94.7% | 86.8% | 79.9% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 97.8% | 95.6% | 87.5% | 80.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 94.2% | 96.5% | 88.8% | 82.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 98.6% | 96.1% | 89.1% | 84.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +4.8 pts | +1.4 pts | +2.3 pts | +4.3 pts | +4.3 pts |
Finishing high school is nearly universal in Downtown Berkeley: 98.6% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. Only one other Berkeley neighborhood has a higher 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 Downtown Berkeley
| Period | Downtown Berkeley | Berkeley | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.7% | 7.1% | 7.8% | 9.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 10.2% | 8.9% | 8.9% | 11.3% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.9% | 5.8% | 4.6% | 6.3% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.0% | 5.9% | 5.8% | 6.6% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.7 pts | −1.2 pts | −2.0 pts | −2.6 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Downtown Berkeley is close to the national rate: 5.0% of the labor force, against 5.4%. The rate is lower than in Berkeley overall (5.9%). Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current 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).
Downtown 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Downtown Berkeley | 2.10 | 26.8 | 3.4% | 95.5% | 20.1% | 1966 | $2,059 | 64.8% | 98.6% | 5.0% |
| South Berkeley | 2.25 | 30.0 | 4.3% | 68.4% | 15.5% | 1958 | $2,101 | 69.5% | 95.6% | 8.5% |
| Central Berkeley | 2.14 | 38.2 | 7.0% | 61.3% | 11.6% | 1951 | $2,197 | 74.2% | 95.1% | 5.4% |
| North Berkeley | 2.05 | 35.0 | 3.0% | 67.5% | 13.3% | 1946 | $2,210 | 79.5% | 95.7% | 4.4% |
| Elmwood | 2.51 | 27.1 | 4.1% | 70.0% | 21.6% | 1958 | $2,127 | 78.9% | 98.3% | 9.1% |
| SouthWest Berkeley | 2.28 | 40.4 | 7.1% | 57.8% | 11.1% | 1955 | $2,187 | 58.5% | 91.5% | 5.1% |
| Santa Fe | 2.56 | 33.1 | 12.8% | 67.5% | 12.4% | 1950 | $2,213 | 59.8% | 88.9% | 4.5% |
| Westbrae | 2.52 | 42.9 | 7.9% | 37.3% | 8.9% | 1944 | $2,550 | 77.4% | 97.1% | 3.6% |
| Bushrod | 2.30 | 36.8 | 8.8% | 58.4% | 7.1% | 1941 | $2,288 | 71.0% | 95.8% | 5.8% |
| Fairview Park | 2.52 | 37.8 | 10.4% | 49.8% | 11.4% | 1939 | $2,571 | 79.3% | 97.5% | 2.8% |
| Northwest Berkeley | 2.29 | 46.9 | 5.4% | 44.2% | 16.1% | 1948 | $2,412 | 65.0% | 93.1% | 3.9% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Sandalfoot Cove, Boca Raton, FL · West Redlands, Redlands, CA · Springfield, Jacksonville, FL · Shore Acres, Staten Island, NY · Julia Keen, Tucson, AZ · Irvine Business Complex, Irvine, CA · Side Hill, Fort Collins, CO · Huguenot, Richmond, VA · Hudson Avenue Historic District, Newark, OH · South Amherst, Amherst, MA
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 Downtown 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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