Living in Hayward, CA
Suburb in California
Hayward is a suburb in California, home to about 159,000 people, with 5.3 million living within 31 mi. Day to day, much of daily life is walkable. Life moves at a fast pace, and homes are mostly apartments.
Is Hayward a good place to live? Pros and cons
👍 Pros
- Strong healthcare: 20 top-rated (4–5★) hospitals within 31 mi
- Mild summers: highs around 75°F
- Easy flying: OAK is 9 mi away
- Great outdoors: coast or a lake close by
👎 Cons
- Pricey housing: a typical 3-bedroom home is about $811k, and rent is $3,720 a month
- Few dog parks: 12 within 9 mi
- Higher taxes: about $3,279 state income tax per resident, 0.67% property tax
Whether it's a good place for you depends on what you value. Take the quiz to see how Hayward ranks against your own priorities.
Key facts
Living in Hayward: common questions
What is the cost of living in Hayward?
A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $811k, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $3,720 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are above the US average (index 116, where the US is 100).
What are taxes like in Hayward?
California collects about $3,279 in state income tax per resident, and homeowners here pay about 0.67% of their home's value in property tax each year.
Is Hayward safe?
Violent crime is close to the national rate (0.9× in FBI 2019 data).
What is the weather like in Hayward?
Hayward has mild winters: winter days average around 60°F and summer days around 75°F.
Does Hayward get natural disasters?
Natural disaster risk is high, mainly from earthquakes and flooding: 7 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 2.03 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.
What is the nearest major airport to Hayward?
The nearest major airport is OAK, about 9 mi away.
How Hayward scores
Each bar compares Hayward with the other 1143 places in Best Life Fit Me. A dot shows where it sits between two ends, such as major metro and small town; neither end is better. Coloured bars run from poor (red) to excellent (green).
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Is Hayward right for you?
Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.