Residential comparison · 13 facts
Berkeley, CA vs Fairfield, CA
Compare the housing, tax, cost, income, safety, school, and climate facts that are available for both places. The table shows the numbers without declaring one city universally better.
A household earning $85,000 in Berkeley needs about $82,000 in Fairfield to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from Fairfield, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $88,000 in Berkeley.
A few differences
- Berkeley is higher on median household income ($108,092 vs $101,895).
- Fairfield is lower on cost of living index (133 vs 180).
- Fairfield is lower on 2-bedroom rent ($2,174/mo vs $2,413/mo).
Berkeley vs Fairfield · facet by facet
| Facet | Berkeley, CA | Fairfield, CA |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $1,413,900 | $624,300 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $2,413/mo | $2,174/mo |
| Property tax rate | 0.75% | 0.75% |
| State & local income tax | 2.09% | 2.09% |
| Sales tax | 8.8% | 8.8% |
| Cost of living index | 180 | 133 |
| Groceries index | 112 | 112 |
| Utilities | $245/mo | $245/mo |
| Median household income | $108,092 | $101,895 |
| Unemployment rate | 5.2% | 5.2% |
| Crime index | 52/100 | 52/100 |
| School rating | 5.5/10 | 5.5/10 |
| Sunny days / year | 260 days | 260 days |
Data: Census ACS 2024 · BLS · Tax Foundation 2024 brackets · HUD/Zillow · NOAA 1991–2020 · FEMA NRI · Values are shown as reported; no universal winner is implied.
Full profiles: Berkeley, CA · Fairfield, CA
Questions & answers
- Is Berkeley cheaper than Fairfield?
- Fairfield has the lower day-to-day cost index (133 vs 180 against a national 100). The other differences are shown facet by facet in the table.
- What household income in Fairfield equals $85,000 in Berkeley?
- A household earning $85,000 in Berkeley needs about $82,000 in Fairfield to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of Fairfield lifestyle costs about $88,000 in Berkeley.