The Town FilesBrentwood, California
City in Contra Costa County · population 64,292 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $836,600
- Household income
- $142,494
- Jan low / Jul high
- 40° / 91°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 2
- Median age
- 40.2
Brentwood is a city of 64,292 people in Contra Costa County, California. The median home is worth $836,600, above the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 89% of California towns, better for families than 88% of California towns, better for cycling than 78% of California towns.
How Brentwood 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 Brentwood is worth $836,600, above the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 5.9 times the median household income of $142,494, which is more affordable than 59% of California towns. Median rent is $2,758 a month. 82.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Brentwood | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $836,600 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $2,758 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $142,494 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 5.9× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 82.2% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 2003 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.3% | — |
Who lives in Brentwood
| People | Brentwood | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.2 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 15.8% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 26.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 39.3% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 8.3% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 5.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 19.3% | — |
| Work from home | 18.6% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 40.0 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 96.6% | 93.3% |
Weather in Brentwood
July highs average 91.4°F and January lows 40.3°F. About 12.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 64 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 7 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Brentwood since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical California town. The strongest, an EF1, struck on January 23, 2010 about 2.7 miles from the town center. The most recent was on January 23, 2010.
Severe weather in Contra Costa County since 1996
Contra Costa County has been included in 21 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| March 22, 2020 | Biological | DR-4482: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3428: Covid-19 |
| April 1, 2017 | Flood | DR-4308: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides |
Jobs and pay in Contra Costa County
Contra Costa County had 373,992 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $86,234 a year. Unemployment was 4.1% in 2023; in Brentwood itself the ACS puts it at 5.8%.
Public schools in Brentwood
16 public schools with 15,698 students, about 23.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Liberty High | 9-12 | 2,773 | 21.3 |
| Heritage High | 9-12 | 2,641 | 23.2 |
| William B. Bristow Middle | 6-8 | 1,236 | 23.8 |
| Adams (J. Douglas) Middle | 6-8 | 1,119 | 23.8 |
| Edna Hill Middle | 6-8 | 998 | 21.7 |
| Pioneer Elementary | K-5 | 921 | 27.1 |
| Brentwood Elementary | K-5 | 858 | 25.2 |
| R. Paul Krey Elementary | K-5 | 814 | 23.9 |
| Garin Elementary | K-5 | 802 | 26.7 |
| Marsh Creek Elementary | K-5 | 793 | 24.0 |
| Loma Vista Elementary | K-5 | 711 | 25.4 |
| Mary Casey Black Elementary | K-5 | 703 | 26.0 |
Towns near Brentwood
- Oakley, CA4.4 mi · 43,357 people · home $660,200
- Antioch, CA5.1 mi · 115,291 people · home $629,700
- Discovery Bay, CA6.9 mi · 15,358 people · home $832,000
- Pittsburg, CA11.4 mi · 76,416 people · home $597,900
- Clayton, CA11.5 mi · 11,070 people · home $1,055,200
- Camino Tassajara, CA13.5 mi · 4,951 people · home $2,000,001
- Blackhawk, CA13.7 mi · 9,637 people · home $2,000,001
- Mountain House, CA14.6 mi · 24,499 people · home $946,900
Brentwood questions
Is Brentwood, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Brentwood scores better for retirees than 27% of California towns and quieter than 36%. 15.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 40.2).
How much does a house cost in Brentwood?
The median owner-occupied home in Brentwood is valued at $836,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $142,494, so homes cost about 5.9 times income. Median rent is $2,758 a month.
What is the weather like in Brentwood?
July highs average 91.4°F and January lows 40.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 12.6 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Brentwood get tornadoes?
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Brentwood since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF1 on January 23, 2010. 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)