Hayward receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Hayward
Richmond
Opportunity
52 · Bottom 41%
vs45 · Bottom 27%
Growth
14 · Bottom 4%
vs26 · Bottom 12%
Climate
89 · Top 8%
vs89 · Top 8%
Physical resilience
36 · Bottom 29%
vs23 · Bottom 17%
Housing affordability
46 · Bottom 8%
vs51 · Bottom 11%
Access
99 · Top 8%
vs95 · Top 40%
Economic stability
65 · Top 40%
vs60 · Top 50%
Measured values
| Metric | Hayward | Richmond | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 158,801 | 115,505 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $113,318 | $95,391 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $45,923 | $43,743 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,466/sq mi | 3,845/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $854,400 | $668,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,391 | $1,960 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 58.0% | 54.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.3% | 4.6% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.7% | -1.8% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 34.0% | 33.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 9.6% | 13.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 48 | 79 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.3 | 0.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -61.0% | -40.6% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 75°F | 66°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 43°F | 47°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 16.0" | 22.9" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 9 mi | 18 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 35.1 min | 37.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.6 | 37.9 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 36 | 46 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 21.95 | 22.71 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 73.4% | 78.9% | 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.
Richmond
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
Full profiles: Hayward, CA · Richmond, CA · How this is calculated: methodology