San Rafael receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
San Rafael
Hayward
Opportunity
58 · Top 45%
vs52 · Bottom 41%
Growth
50 · Bottom 48%
vs14 · Bottom 4%
Climate
89 · Top 8%
vs89 · Top 8%
Physical resilience
33 · Bottom 26%
vs36 · Bottom 29%
Housing affordability
42 · Bottom 5%
vs46 · Bottom 8%
Access
91 · Bottom 46%
vs99 · Top 8%
Economic stability
60 · Bottom 49%
vs65 · Top 40%
Measured values
| Metric | San Rafael | Hayward | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 60,433 | 158,801 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $119,435 | $113,318 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $70,031 | $45,923 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,643/sq mi | 3,466/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $1,355,600 | $854,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,377 | $2,391 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 53.0% | 58.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.7% | 4.3% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.0% | -1.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 49.7% | 34.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 11.7% | 9.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 134 | 48 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.2 | 0.3 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 436.0% | -61.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 66°F | 75°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 47°F | 43°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 22.9" | 16.0" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 24 mi | 9 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 27.6 min | 35.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 43.2 | 38.6 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 15 | 36 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 20.70 | 21.95 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 58.6% | 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
San Rafael
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, coastal flooding, inland flooding.
Hayward
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
San Rafael
60
Your Score
56
Area Score
Hayward
57
Your Score
51
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: San Rafael, CA · Hayward, CA · How this is calculated: methodology