Alameda County, California Demographics 2026
Demographic data: ACS 2020–2024 five-year estimates. Sources and methodology
Alameda County, California has a population of 1,649,473, the 7th most populous county in California. The median household income is $129,367 and the median home value is $1,090,100. The poverty rate is 9.2%.
Alameda County Quick Facts
How Alameda County Changed
Change from the non-overlapping 2015–2019 ACS period to 2020–2024. Earlier dollar figures are adjusted to 2024 dollars; changes marked “no clear change” are within the combined 90% margins of error.
| Metric | 2015–2019 | 2020–2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 1,656,754 | 1,649,473 | -0.4% |
| Median household income | $122,340 | $129,367 | +5.7% |
| Median home value¹ | $946,784 | $1,090,100 | +15.1% |
| Median gross rent | $2,212 | $2,357 | +6.6% |
Median Household Income
Median Home Value
Economy & Housing
Household Income Distribution
Detailed income brackets
Employment
Housing Overview
People & Demographics
Age Distribution
Race & Ethnicity
- White: 27.4%
- Black: 9.3%
- Hispanic: 23.4%
- Asian: 32.7%
- Other: 0.7%
Diversity Index
This community is exceptionally diverse, with no single racial or ethnic group dominating the population.
State average: 70 | National average: 61
Education
Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)
- < HS: 11.2%
- HS Diploma: 15.4%
- Some College: 14.8%
- Associate's: 6.3%
- Bachelor's: 28.8%
- Graduate+: 23.4%
Cities & Places in Alameda County
| City | Population | Median Income | Poverty | Home Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oakland | 439,418 | $101,600 | 13.4% | $929,900 |
| Fremont | 228,295 | $181,506 | 5.2% | $1,403,800 |
| Hayward | 158,801 | $113,318 | 9.6% | $854,400 |
| Berkeley | 120,257 | $108,092 | 17.3% | $1,413,900 |
| San Leandro | 87,826 | $101,420 | 8.3% | $844,200 |
| Livermore | 85,522 | $160,775 | 4.9% | $1,105,600 |
| Alameda | 77,238 | $137,697 | 7.2% | $1,235,700 |
| Pleasanton | 76,960 | $190,124 | 5.3% | $1,537,100 |
| Dublin | 70,803 | $214,385 | 4.5% | $1,317,100 |
| Union City | 67,464 | $133,715 | 7.2% | $1,104,900 |
| Castro Valley | 65,001 | $142,779 | 6.7% | $1,104,600 |
| Newark | 46,903 | $169,064 | 4.3% | $1,142,800 |
| San Lorenzo | 29,171 | $112,660 | 4.5% | $847,100 |
| Ashland | 22,210 | $81,702 | 16.4% | $775,800 |
| Albany | 19,414 | $144,107 | 6.8% | $1,202,200 |
| Cherryland | 14,143 | $86,418 | 9.7% | $668,800 |
| Emeryville | 13,081 | $117,092 | 13.8% | $604,800 |
| Piedmont | 10,945 | $250,000+ | 4.3% | $2,000,000+ |
| Fairview | 10,745 | $148,667 | 4.4% | $963,300 |
| Sunol | 847 | $215,000 | 5.0% | $1,333,300 |
Explore California Rankings
Population Overview
Alameda County is located in California with a total population of 1,649,473. It is the 7th most populous county out of 58 in California. The county encompasses 20 Census-designated places.
Age Demographics
The median age in Alameda County is 39.0 years. This is 3% higher than the state median of 37.9 years.
Economy, Income & Housing
The median household income in Alameda County is $129,367. This is 31% higher than the state median of $99,122. It is also 60% higher than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 9.2%. This is 23% lower than the state poverty rate of 12.0%. The unemployment rate is 5.4%. This is 19% lower than the state rate of 6.6%. The median home value is $1,090,100. Housing costs are 48% higher than the state median of $734,700. The home-value-to-income ratio of 8.4x suggests that housing affordability is a significant concern for many residents. 54.4% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 3% lower than the state average of 55.9%.
Race & Ethnicity
Alameda County is a highly diverse community where no single racial or ethnic group constitutes a majority of the population. White (non-Hispanic) residents account for 27.4%. The Black or African American population is significantly higher than the state average (9.3% vs 5.2%). The Asian population is significantly higher than the state average (32.7% vs 15.3%).
Education
52.3% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This places Alameda County in the top 10% of all counties in the state for educational attainment. This is 41% higher than the state rate of 37.1%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 88.8%. Notably, 23.4% of adults hold a graduate or professional degree, indicating a highly educated workforce.
Data Sources & Methodology
All figures for Alameda County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, with comparisons drawn against California and national averages from the same dataset. See our methodology page for how each metric is defined, or data.census.gov for official tables with margins of error.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the population of Alameda County, California?
Alameda County has a population of 1,649,473, making it the 7th most populous county in California.
What is the median income in Alameda County?
The median household income in Alameda County is $129,367 with a poverty rate of 9.2%.
How many cities are in Alameda County, California?
Alameda County contains 20 Census-designated places.