Hayward and Concord receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
Hayward
Concord
Opportunity
52 · Bottom 41%
vs53 · Bottom 43%
Growth
14 · Bottom 4%
vs24 · Bottom 11%
Climate
89 · Top 8%
vs89 · Top 8%
Physical resilience
36 · Bottom 29%
vs23 · Bottom 17%
Housing affordability
46 · Bottom 8%
vs48 · Bottom 9%
Access
99 · Top 8%
vs92 · Top 49%
Economic stability
65 · Top 40%
vs70 · Top 30%
Measured values
| Metric | Hayward | Concord | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 158,801 | 124,035 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $113,318 | $108,709 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $45,923 | $51,973 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,466/sq mi | 4,058/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $854,400 | $797,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,391 | $2,274 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 58.0% | 61.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.3% | 4.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.7% | -1.8% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 34.0% | 37.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 9.6% | 8.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 48 | 73 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.3 | 0.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -61.0% | -16.1% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 75°F | 88°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 43°F | 41°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 16.0" | 16.1" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 9 mi | 21 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 35.1 min | 34.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.6 | 39.1 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 36 | 26 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 21.95 | 23.01 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 73.4% | 63.5% | 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
Hayward
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
Concord
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
Full profiles: Hayward, CA · Concord, CA · How this is calculated: methodology