Is Castro Valley, CA a Good Place to Live?
Castro Valley is a mid-sized city of 65,444 in California, with a median household income of $132,174 and a 3.9% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 118 (US average = 100), which is 18% above the national average.
Strengths: Castro Valley stands out for solid school ratings (B), a well-educated population.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an above-average cost of living, high home prices, longer commutes. Whether Castro Valley is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Castro Valley city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Index: 118.2Castro Valley's overall cost of living index is 118.2, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Castro Valley costs roughly 18% more than the average American city.
| Metric | Castro Valley, CA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $1,013,900 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,383 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 71.4% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $132,174 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
High CrimeCastro Valley's violent crime rate is 748.4 per 100,000 residents — 97% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Castro Valley is served primarily by Castro Valley Unified. The student-to-teacher ratio is 23.1:1 (slightly above the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Castro Valley, CA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | Castro Valley Unified | — |
| Elementary Schools | 9 | — |
| Middle Schools | 2 | — |
| High Schools | 3 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 23.1:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 43.9% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 91.4% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Castro Valley sees average highs of 59.3°F in January and 74.7°F in July, with 21.8 inches of annual precipitation .
| Metric | Castro Valley, CA |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 59.3°F |
| Average High — July | 74.7°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 21.8" |
| Annual Snowfall | Trace / None |
Demographics
| Metric | Castro Valley, CA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 65,444 | — |
| Median Age | 42.7 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.9% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 34.1 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 42.4% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 8.7% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 10.7% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 31.7% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 21.2% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 18.3% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in Castro Valley
Castro Valley, CA is covered by 2 ZIP codes: