Alameda County, California Income Statistics
Alameda County Wealth Score
The wealth index reflects the overall economic prosperity and financial well-being of a county's residents based on income levels, employment rates, and income inequality metrics.
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B
Alameda County Around averageWealthier than 91% of counties in California
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Alameda County | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $129,593 | $99,161 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $93,435 | $67,742 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 6.2% | 5.6% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 27.0% | 17.6% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 32.2% | 20.5% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Alameda County is about 31% higher than in California. Income has been growing faster in Alameda County (6.2%/yr) than in California (5.6%/yr).
About 27% of adults in Alameda County earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, higher than the California average of 18%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Alameda County, California grew by 87.6% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $129,593 in 2024. That's an average of about 6.2% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Alameda County
| Metric | Alameda County | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.542 | 0.572 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $103,761 | $75,172 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $89,461 | $66,071 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 13.8% | 12.1% | 18.4% |
The Gini coefficient measures how evenly income is shared between richer and poorer households, from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns nearly everything). The lower the number, the more equally income is distributed. In Alameda County, it is 0.542, lower than California's 0.572, so income is more evenly distributed here than there, and lower than the US's 0.552, so income is more evenly distributed here than there.
Men's income is about 16% more than women's income in Alameda County, California. Over a 35-year career, a 16% wage gap accumulates to roughly $500,500 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Alameda County, California has narrowed from about 15% to 14% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 18% in 2019. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $5,110 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Alameda County | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 5.4% | 6.6% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 25.7% | 17.2% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 28 | 23 | 22 |
Approximately 48,839 people are unemployed in Alameda County, California.
The average commute time in Alameda County is 28 minutes, longer than the 23 minutes in California.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Alameda County, California has fallen from 9.2% to 5.4% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 10.3% in 2013 and fell as low as 4.6% in 2019.
Alameda County, CA Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Alameda County, CA is the 2nd largest of the 6 counties compared here, 1,648,382 residents against a local median of 733,246. Nothing separates Alameda County, CA sharply from the counties around it. Each measure below lands within 15% of the local median, close enough that the differences are within what survey sampling alone would produce.
The largest of those small differences is unemployment, 12% below the local median at 5.4% against 6.1%. Alameda County, CA has the 3rd lowest unemployment of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Income growthAverage yearly change in median household income since 2016. Each year is measured in its own dollars, so this is growth before inflation. | Unemployment | Income inequalityGini coefficient: 0 would mean every household earns the same, 1 that a single household earns everything. The lower the number, the more equally income is shared here. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alameda County, CA | 1,648,382 | $129,593 #3/6 | 6.2%/yr #3/6 | 5.4% #3/6 | 0.542 #3/6 |
| Contra Costa County, CA | 1,163,035 | $127,405 | 5.4%/yr | 6.5% | 0.546 |
| Santa Clara County, CA | 1,901,257 | $165,940 | 6.3%/yr | 4.9% | 0.536 |
| San Mateo County, CA | 733,246 | $159,405 | 6.2%/yr | 4.8% | 0.520 |
| Solano County, CA | 451,581 | $100,378 | 4.7%/yr | 6.3% | 0.554 |
| Santa Cruz County, CA | 264,809 | $111,078 | 6.0%/yr | 6.1% | 0.562 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Alameda County, California has an overall wealth index grade of B, making it somewhat better than California, and somewhat better than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Alameda County, California.
How Wealthy Is Alameda County, California?
Alameda County has a wealth index grade of B. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; a B grade means residents are quite well off compared to the U.S. average. The median household income is $129,593, about 31% higher than the California average of $99,161.
How fast is household income rising in Alameda County, California?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Alameda County, California rose 88%, from $69,097 to $129,593. Over the same years, income here outpaced California as a whole: +88% against +64%.
What was the median household income in Alameda County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Alameda County, California was $126,440, up 3% from $122,723 in 2022. The California median that year was $96,718.
What was the median household income in Alameda County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Alameda County, California was $105,405. By 2024 it had risen 23% to $129,593.
How many people earn six figures in Alameda County, California?
Yes. 27% of adults in Alameda County, California earn $100,000 or more a year (about 1 in 4), against 18% (about 1 in 6) in California. 32% of households have a combined income of $200,000 or more, compared with 20% in California.
What is the Gini coefficient in Alameda County, California?
The Gini coefficient in Alameda County is 0.542. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is lower than the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed more equally than in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in Alameda County, California?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Alameda County, California has narrowed from about 15% to 14% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 18% in 2019. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $5,110 since 2009.
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