94621 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
94704
94621
Opportunity
41 · Bottom 22%
vs28 · Bottom 7%
Growth
35 · Bottom 25%
vs51 · Top 49%
Climate
85 · Top 10%
vs85 · Top 10%
Physical resilience
36 · Bottom 29%
vs36 · Bottom 29%
Housing affordability
0 · Bottom 1%
vs17 · Bottom 1%
Access
99 · Top 8%
vs99 · Top 8%
Economic stability
17 · Bottom 2%
vs44 · Bottom 24%
Measured values
| Metric | 94704 | 94621 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 23,788 | 33,840 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $50,129 | $52,049 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $35,247 | $24,854 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 27,953/sq mi | 3,975/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $906,100 | $543,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,937 | $1,551 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 12.4% | 36.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.5% | 4.6% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.7% | -1.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 72.4% | 13.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 44.7% | 19.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 373 | 991 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 3.1 | 2.3 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -3.9% | 240.5% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 72°F | 72°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 42°F | 42°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 18.7" | 18.7" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 10 mi | 2 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 25.6 min | 30.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 21.9 | 33.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 4 | 14 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 18.84 | 21.13 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 26.2% | 95.6% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
94704
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
94621
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
Full profiles: 94704 — Berkeley, CA · 94621 — Oakland, CA · How this is calculated: methodology