Brentwood receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Brentwood
Hayward
Opportunity
49 · Bottom 35%
vs52 · Bottom 41%
Growth
52 · Top 46%
vs14 · Bottom 4%
Climate
81 · Top 15%
vs89 · Top 8%
Physical resilience
23 · Bottom 17%
vs36 · Bottom 29%
Housing affordability
61 · Bottom 21%
vs46 · Bottom 8%
Access
89 · Bottom 39%
vs99 · Top 8%
Economic stability
66 · Top 38%
vs65 · Top 40%
Measured values
| Metric | Brentwood | Hayward | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 65,208 | 158,801 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $142,494 | $113,318 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $55,793 | $45,923 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 4,387/sq mi | 3,466/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $836,600 | $854,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,758 | $2,391 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 82.2% | 58.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.8% | 4.3% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.8% | -1.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 39.3% | 34.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 8.3% | 9.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 113 | 48 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.7 | 0.3 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 28.4% | -61.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 88°F | 75°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 38°F | 43°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 15.2" | 16.0" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 26 mi | 9 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 42.1 min | 35.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 40.2 | 38.6 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 16 | 36 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 23.19 | 21.95 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 34.0% | 73.4% | 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
Brentwood
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
Hayward
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
Full profiles: Brentwood, CA · Hayward, CA · How this is calculated: methodology