The Town FilesHayward, California
City in Alameda County · population 162,954 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $854,400
- Household income
- $113,318
- Jan low / Jul high
- 43° / 75°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 1
- Median age
- 38.6
Hayward is a city of 162,954 people in Alameda County, California. The median home is worth $854,400, above the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks better transit than 96% of California towns, more vibrant than 87% of California towns, more seaside character than 87% of California towns.
How Hayward 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 Hayward is worth $854,400, above the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 7.5 times the median household income of $113,318, which is more affordable than 34% of California towns. Median rent is $2,391 a month. 58.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Hayward | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $854,400 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $2,391 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $113,318 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 7.5× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 58.0% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1972 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.2% | — |
Who lives in Hayward
| People | Hayward | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38.6 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 14.4% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 19.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 34.0% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 9.6% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 2.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 43.4% | — |
| Work from home | 13.9% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 32.3 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 94.8% | 93.3% |
Weather in Hayward
July highs average 74.7°F and January lows 43.1°F. About 16.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 9 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 1 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Hayward since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical California town. The strongest, an F0, struck on December 17, 1992 about 7.6 miles from the town center. The most recent was on December 17, 1992.
Severe weather in Alameda County since 1996
Alameda County has been included in 24 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 |
| March 22, 2020 | Biological | DR-4482: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3428: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Alameda County
Alameda County had 790,358 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $98,026 a year. Unemployment was 4.1% in 2023; in Hayward itself the ACS puts it at 6.3%.
Public schools in Hayward
45 public schools with 22,099 students, about 22.0 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mt. Eden High | 9-12 | 1,892 | 20.8 |
| Hayward High | 9-12 | 1,667 | 20.1 |
| Tennyson High | 9-12 | 1,558 | 17.7 |
| Cherryland Elementary | K-6 | 863 | 24.0 |
| Burbank Elementary | K-6 | 786 | 24.6 |
| Impact Academy of Arts & Technology (charter) | 6-12 | 760 | 24.5 |
| Martin Luther King Jr. Middle | 7-8 | 703 | 22.7 |
| Harder Elementary | K-6 | 666 | 24.7 |
| Knowledge Enlightens You (KEY) Academy (charter) | K-8 | 628 | 25.1 |
| Schafer Park Elementary | K-6 | 623 | 20.8 |
| Hayward Twin Oaks Montessori (charter) | 1-12 | 617 | 36.3 |
| Stonebrae Elementary | K-6 | 595 | 21.3 |
Towns near Hayward
- Cherryland, CA3.6 mi · 15,808 people · home $668,800
- San Lorenzo, CA3.8 mi · 29,581 people · home $847,100
- Ashland, CA4.7 mi · 23,823 people · home $775,800
- Fairview, CA4.8 mi · 11,341 people · home $963,300
- Union City, CA4.9 mi · 70,143 people · home $1,104,900
- Castro Valley, CA6.1 mi · 66,441 people · home $1,104,600
- San Leandro, CA6.2 mi · 91,008 people · home $844,200
- Foster City, CA9.1 mi · 33,805 people · home $1,838,200
Hayward questions
Is Hayward, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Hayward scores better for retirees than 18% of California towns and quieter than 21%. 14.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 38.6).
How much does a house cost in Hayward?
The median owner-occupied home in Hayward is valued at $854,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $113,318, so homes cost about 7.5 times income. Median rent is $2,391 a month.
What is the weather like in Hayward?
July highs average 74.7°F and January lows 43.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 16.0 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Hayward get tornadoes?
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Hayward since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F0 on December 17, 1992. 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)