The Town FilesBenicia, California
City in Solano County · population 27,131 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $810,000
- Household income
- $121,204
- Jan low / Jul high
- 42° / 85°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 2
- Median age
- 44.9
Benicia is a city of 27,131 people in Solano County, California. The median home is worth $810,000, above the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks more upscale than 79% of California towns, better transit than 78% of California towns, better for retirees than 74% of California towns.
How Benicia ranks
Percentile among California towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of California towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Benicia is worth $810,000, above the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 6.7 times the median household income of $121,204, which is more affordable than 45% of California towns. Median rent is $2,280 a month. 69.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Benicia | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $810,000 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $2,280 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $121,204 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 6.7× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 69.5% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1981 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.9% | — |
Who lives in Benicia
| People | Benicia | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 44.9 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 23.7% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 20.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 47.6% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 7.6% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 6.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 13.1% | — |
| Work from home | 23.1% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 28.7 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 97.2% | 93.3% |
Weather in Benicia
July highs average 85.4°F and January lows 42.0°F. About 21.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 36 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 5 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Benicia since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical California town. The strongest, an F0, struck on September 18, 1989 about 9.8 miles from the town center. The most recent was on September 18, 1989.
Severe weather in Solano County since 1996
Solano County has been included in 30 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| April 3, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4699: Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| January 14, 2023 | Flood | DR-4683: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| January 9, 2023 | Flood | EM-3591: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides |
| August 22, 2020 | Fire | DR-4558: Wildfires |
| August 18, 2020 | Fire | FM-5331: Lnu Lightning Fire Complex |
Jobs and pay in Solano County
Solano County had 143,366 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $71,403 a year. Unemployment was 4.7% in 2023; in Benicia itself the ACS puts it at 4.5%.
Public schools in Benicia
8 public schools with 4,368 students, about 22.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Benicia High | 9-12 | 1,405 | 21.3 |
| Benicia Middle | 6-8 | 948 | 22.0 |
| Joe Henderson Elementary | K-5 | 519 | 23.6 |
| Matthew Turner Elementary | K-5 | 508 | 23.1 |
| Robert Semple Elementary | K-5 | 472 | 23.6 |
| Mary Farmar Elementary | K-5 | 464 | 24.4 |
| Liberty High | 9-12 | 50 | 10.0 |
| Community Day | 7-12 | 2 | 2.0 |
Towns near Benicia
- Crockett, CA3.8 mi · 3,242 people · home $776,100
- Mountain View, CA4.9 mi · 2,622 people · home $590,100
- Martinez, CA5.6 mi · 37,287 people · home $859,800
- Vine Hill, CA5.8 mi · 4,323 people · home $631,900
- Rodeo, CA5.9 mi · 9,653 people · home $663,200
- Vallejo, CA6.3 mi · 126,090 people · home $589,500
- Pacheco, CA7.5 mi · 4,183 people · home $343,300
- Hercules, CA8.1 mi · 26,016 people · home $769,400
Benicia questions
Is Benicia, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Benicia scores better for retirees than 74% of California towns and quieter than 55%. 23.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 44.9).
How much does a house cost in Benicia?
The median owner-occupied home in Benicia is valued at $810,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $121,204, so homes cost about 6.7 times income. Median rent is $2,280 a month.
What is the weather like in Benicia?
July highs average 85.4°F and January lows 42.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 21.5 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Benicia get tornadoes?
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Benicia since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F0 on September 18, 1989. The typical California town has had 2.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)