Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Berkeley, CA
VS
Fairfield, CA
🏆 Fairfield leads 11 of 21 categories
Berkeley
California
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
118.2⚠ High
Median Household Income
$104,716 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
168⚠ High
Population
121,385 ✓ Larger
Fairfield
California
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
109.2⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$98,857
Violent Crime Index
131⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
119,420
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Berkeley, CA
Pros
More college-educated — 73.8% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cooler summers — July highs near 74°F vs 90°F
Households earn $5,859 more per year on average
Smaller class sizes — 19.1:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $1,280,300
Violent crime (638.8/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 118.2)
Property crime (5229.1/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Fairfield, CA
Pros
Homes cost $734k less ($546,200 vs $1,280,300)
22% less violent crime than Berkeley
9% cheaper overall cost of living than Berkeley
Cons
Violent crime (498.0/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Berkeley by $5,859/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Berkeley
Median Income
$5,859
$104,716 vs $98,857/yr
Fairfield
Cost of Living
9% cheaper
COL index 109.2 vs 118.2 (100 = US avg)
Fairfield
Violent Crime
22% lower
498.0 vs 638.8 per 100k
Fairfield
Median Home Value
$734k less
$546,200 vs $1,280,300
Fairfield
Summer Heat
15.4°F warmer
July avg high 89.6°F vs 74.2°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Berkeley, CA | Fairfield, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 118.2⚠ High | 109.2⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $1,280,300⚠ High | $546,200⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,067⚠ High | $2,047⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $104,716 ✓ Higher | $98,857 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.5%⚠ High | 5.5%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 30.4 min⚠ High ✓ Shorter | 32.3 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 28.1% ✓ Higher | 9.8% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 200⚠ High | 111⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 168⚠ High | 131⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 249⚠ High | 80 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (110) ✓ Better | C+ (85) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 19.1:1 ✓ Smaller | 24.1:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 73.8% ✓ Higher | 27.8% |
| High School or Higher | 96.1% ✓ Higher | 87.0% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Berkeley Unified | Fairfield-Suisun Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 58.9°F ✓ Warmer | 56.6°F |
| Avg High — July | 74.2°F | 89.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 26.1" | 24.5" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 121,385 ✓ Larger | 119,420 |
| Median Age | 32.5 | 35.8 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 43.3% | 60.3% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 12.2% | 24.7% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 15.9% ✓ More | 13.9% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Berkeley's cost of living index is 118.2 vs Fairfield's 109.2 (US average = 100).
Fairfield is 9% less expensive overall.
Based on the 21 decided categories above, Fairfield leads 11 of 21 categories. Berkeley wins 10 and Fairfield wins 11. The right choice depends on your priorities — use the Pros & Cons and full table above to weigh what matters to you.
Whether you're moving from Berkeley to Fairfield or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($1,280,300 vs $546,200 median home), income ($104,716 vs $98,857), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Berkeley, CA and Fairfield, CA are about 31 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.