Is El Cerrito, CA a Good Place to Live?
El Cerrito is a small town of 5,328 in California, with a median household income of $122,885 and a 3.1% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 108 (US average = 100), which is 8% above the national average.
Strengths: El Cerrito's profile is close to national averages across most measures.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include high home prices, longer commutes. Whether El Cerrito is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All El Cerrito 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: 107.9El Cerrito's overall cost of living index is 107.9, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in El Cerrito costs roughly 8% more than the average American city.
| Metric | El Cerrito, CA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $581,900 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,788 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 76.9% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $122,885 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Near National AverageEl Cerrito's violent crime rate is 479.9 per 100,000 residents — 26% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
El Cerrito is served primarily by West Contra Costa Unified. The student-to-teacher ratio is 22.0:1 (slightly above the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | El Cerrito, CA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | West Contra Costa Unified | — |
| Elementary Schools | 38 | — |
| Middle Schools | 6 | — |
| High Schools | 8 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 22.0:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 14.7% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 80.7% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
El Cerrito sees average highs of 67.7°F in January and 93.3°F in July, with 11.4 inches of annual precipitation .
| Metric | El Cerrito, CA |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 67.7°F |
| Average High — July | 93.3°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 11.4" |
| Annual Snowfall | Trace / None |
Demographics
| Metric | El Cerrito, CA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 5,328 | — |
| Median Age | 36.5 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.1% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 39.4 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 54.2% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 1.3% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 34.4% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 3.1% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 20.9% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 9.6% | 16.8% |