Smart Movers Club

    Moving to Oakland, CA

    Is Oakland a good place to live?

    Watch Oakland

    Oakland ranks #165 of 304 California cities with 25,000+ people on the Smart Movers livability score (49/100), which weighs home affordability, unemployment, education and population growth. Population grew 0.1% in the latest Census year.

    Median home value
    $924,700
    +4.6% vs prior year
    Median rent
    $1,917
    per month
    Household income
    $97,369
    median
    Unemployment
    6.0%
    lower is better

    Cost of living in Oakland

    The median home value in Oakland is $924,700 and median rent is $1,917 a month, against a median household income of $97,369. Homes cost about 9.5× a year of income (under 3× is considered affordable).

    Oakland crime rate

    City-level FBI figures vary by agency; across California the 2025 rate was 435 violent and 1,821 property crimes per 100,000 people — #9 highest of 50 states. The full report breaks down local trends.

    Moving to Oakland, CA

    Oakland has about 438,072 residents, 6.0% unemployment and 27% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher.

    Compare Oakland with

    Oakland vs Los AngelesOakland vs San DiegoOakland vs San JoseOakland vs San FranciscoOakland vs FresnoOakland vs SacramentoOakland vs Long BeachOakland vs Bakersfield

    More: Where to move in California · Best counties in California

    Sources: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year estimates (2023, compared with 2022); FBI Crime Data Explorer.

    Home listings, local news, migration, schools, resources and the Smart Movers Grade & Verdict.

    See the full Smart Movers Club report