Population 26,254 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in El Cerrito
Household size in El Cerrito
| Period | El Cerrito | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.34 | 2.74 | 3.04 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.39 | 2.79 | 3.10 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.52 | 2.83 | 3.09 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.40 | 2.75 | 3.01 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.06 | +0.01 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
El Cerrito is a place of small households, averaging 2.40 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Household size has crept up from 2.34 in 2006–10, even as the national average fell. El Cerrito has smaller households than at least four in five California cities.
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 El Cerrito
| Period | El Cerrito | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 44.2 | 38.6 | 35.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 44.0 | 39.4 | 36.8 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 43.7 | 40.1 | 37.9 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 42.7 | 41.3 | 39.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | −1.6 | +2.7 | +3.1 | +2.3 |
El Cerrito skews a little older than the country: its median age is 42.7, against 40.1 nationally. Since 2006–10, the median age has dropped from 44.2, even as the national median rose. The youngest areas are in the west, the oldest in the east.
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 El Cerrito
| Period | El Cerrito | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.2% | 10.3% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 6.1% | 9.9% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 5.7% | 9.1% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 7.7% | 8.8% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | −1.5 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in El Cerrito: 7.7% of households, against 11.6% nationally. The single-parent share has edged down 1.5 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally.
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 El Cerrito
Renters in El Cerrito
| Period | El Cerrito | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 36.8% | 43.7% | 42.6% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 38.7% | 46.2% | 45.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 39.7% | 45.3% | 45.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 40.5% | 44.5% | 44.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | +3.7 pts | +0.8 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting is a bit more common in El Cerrito than nationally: 40.5% of households rent their homes, against 34.8% for the U.S. Still, renters make up a smaller share here than in the San Francisco area as a whole (44.5%). Among homeowners, 35.9% have no mortgage at all, below the national share of 39.8%. The renter share is up 3.7 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 El Cerrito
| Period | El Cerrito | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.4% | 8.6% | 8.7% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 6.0% | 7.1% | 8.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.8% | 6.5% | 7.5% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 3.9% | 7.5% | 7.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | −2.5 pts | −1.1 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
Empty homes are scarce in El Cerrito: just 3.9% sit vacant, compared with 9.6% nationally, a sign of a tight housing market. Vacancy has fallen 2.5 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Of the 689 California cities with 5,000+ people, only 56 have a lower 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 El Cerrito
| Period | El Cerrito | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1955 | 1964 | 1972 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1956 | 1965 | 1973 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1957 | 1966 | 1974 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1959 | 1968 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Change | +4 | +4 | +4 | +6 |
El Cerrito is a place of older homes: half were built before 1959, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating. The newest homes are mostly in the center, the oldest in the southeast. Of the 689 California cities with 5,000+ people, only 34 have older 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 El Cerrito
| Period | El Cerrito | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,557 | $1,452 | $1,298 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,657 | $1,551 | $1,379 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $2,277 | $2,139 | $1,721 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $2,910 | $2,666 | $2,229 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$1,353 | +$1,214 | +$931 | +$606 |
The median renter in El Cerrito pays $2,910 a month for rent and utilities, well above the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $1,353 a month since 2006–10, up 87%, faster than rents rose nationally. Rent takes 28.9% of the typical renter's income, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the south; the highest are in the north.
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 El Cerrito
Bachelor's degrees in El Cerrito
| Period | El Cerrito | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 56.7% | 42.5% | 29.1% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 58.5% | 44.1% | 30.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 63.0% | 48.9% | 32.9% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 67.4% | 52.2% | 36.3% | 35.6% |
| Change | +10.6 pts | +9.7 pts | +7.1 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in El Cerrito: 67.4% 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. The share with a degree has risen 10.6 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Only 68 of the 689 California cities with 5,000+ people have a higher 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 El Cerrito
| Period | El Cerrito | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 93.4% | 86.8% | 79.9% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 93.3% | 87.5% | 80.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 94.2% | 88.8% | 82.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 96.2% | 89.1% | 84.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +2.8 pts | +2.3 pts | +4.3 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in El Cerrito: 96.2% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma is up 2.8 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. El Cerrito has a higher share of high school graduates than the great majority of California cities.
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 El Cerrito
| Period | El Cerrito | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.8% | 7.8% | 9.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 9.0% | 8.9% | 11.3% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.4% | 4.6% | 6.3% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.0% | 5.8% | 6.6% | 5.4% |
| Change | −0.8 pts | −2.0 pts | −2.6 pts | −2.7 pts |
At 6.0%, unemployment in El Cerrito is close to the national rate of 5.4%. Unemployment has edged down 0.8 points since 2006–10, a smaller shift than nationally. 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).
El Cerrito compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| El Cerrito | 2.40 | 42.7 | 7.7% | 40.5% | 3.9% | 1959 | $2,910 | 67.4% | 96.2% | 6.0% |
| Albany | 2.44 | 39.7 | 6.3% | 46.0% | 6.7% | 1959 | $2,608 | 78.1% | 97.7% | 3.3% |
| Richmond | 3.04 | 37.4 | 15.6% | 45.9% | 6.1% | 1962 | $1,926 | 28.2% | 75.0% | 8.2% |
| El Sobrante | 2.92 | 42.5 | 11.1% | 26.2% | 7.8% | 1970 | $2,563 | 42.4% | 92.4% | 5.5% |
| Berkeley | 2.33 | 37.5 | 5.4% | 53.4% | 13.2% | 1953 | $2,378 | 74.8% | 96.1% | 5.9% |
| San Pablo | 3.15 | 37.6 | 16.0% | 50.1% | 4.9% | 1969 | $2,238 | 23.9% | 78.5% | 8.2% |
| North Richmond | 3.67 | 33.5 | 8.7% | 39.0% | 9.3% | 1983 | $1,969 | 20.5% | 69.4% | 5.8% |
| Orinda Village | 2.66 | 50.3 | 8.5% | 6.5% | 7.1% | 1989 | $3,347 | 76.0% | 97.7% | 4.0% |
| Pinole | 2.82 | 45.5 | 8.7% | 20.4% | 7.2% | 1973 | $2,735 | 38.8% | 88.8% | 5.5% |
| Emeryville | 2.20 | 36.0 | 11.2% | 68.9% | 11.1% | 1965 | $2,440 | 61.7% | 94.6% | 7.1% |
| Hercules | 2.90 | 44.6 | 9.4% | 21.0% | 3.4% | 1990 | $2,890 | 46.3% | 92.2% | 6.4% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: West Islip, NY · Bloomsburg, PA · Blythewood, SC · Brawley, CA · Brenham, TX · Bridgewater, MA · Edgewater, FL · Wakefield, MA · Watertown, WI · Wayne, PA
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 El Cerrito. 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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