Is Richmond, CA a Good Place to Live?
Richmond is a mid-sized city of 115,619 in California, with a median household income of $86,618 and a 6.9% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 118 (US average = 100), which is 18% above the national average.
Strengths: Richmond's profile is close to national averages across most measures.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an above-average cost of living, high home prices, a higher-than-average crime index, longer commutes, an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Richmond is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Richmond 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: 118.2Richmond's overall cost of living index is 118.2, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Richmond costs roughly 18% more than the average American city.
| Metric | Richmond, CA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $624,800 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,853 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 51.9% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $86,618 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
High CrimeRichmond's violent crime rate is 923.1 per 100,000 residents — 143% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Richmond 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 | Richmond, 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 | 32.1% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 79.4% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Richmond sees average highs of 58.2°F in January and 70.8°F in July, with 24.4 inches of annual precipitation .
| Metric | Richmond, CA |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 58.2°F |
| Average High — July | 70.8°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 24.4" |
| Annual Snowfall | Trace / None |
Demographics
| Metric | Richmond, CA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 115,619 | — |
| Median Age | 37.1 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.9% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 34.6 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 24.2% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 18.3% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 36.3% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 14.2% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 21.4% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 14.3% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in Richmond
Richmond, CA is covered by 5 ZIP codes: