| Measure | BerkeleyCalifornia, United States Remove Berkeley | Palo AltoCalifornia, United States Remove Palo Alto |
|---|---|---|
| Scores (out of 10) | ||
| Overall score | 5.7 | 6.1 |
| Connector Score | 8.5 | 7.7 |
| Safety | 5.9 | 9.3 |
| Affordability | 1.1 | 1.0 |
| Transportation | 8.5 | 7.0 |
| Car-free friendliness | 6.0 | 5.5 |
| Walkability | 5.0 | 8.3 |
| Things to do | 5.8 | 6.1 |
| Food & dining | 6.5 | 5.9 |
| Places to stay | 6.1 | 5.7 |
| Nature & outdoors | 3.5 | 4.0 |
| Scenic value | 4.0 | 5.0 |
| Family friendliness | 6.7 | 5.4 |
| Solo-traveler friendliness | 4.9 | 7.0 |
| Nightlife | 3.7 | 4.5 |
| Remote-work friendliness | 5.4 | 5.1 |
| Road-trip convenience | 6.5 | 6.5 |
| Train-trip convenience | 7.8 | 1.0 |
| Bus-trip convenience | 1.5 | 1.5 |
| Cost (per person per day, USD) | ||
| Budget | $178 | $248 |
| Mid-range | $260 | $348 |
| Luxury | $446 | $637 |
| Living there | ||
| Cost of living index (national = 100) | 178 | 270 |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent | $2,900 | $3,250 |
| Median home price | $1,413,900 | $3,510,000 |
| Population | 122K | 68K |
| Getting there | ||
| Accessible by | Drive Train Airport | Drive Airport |
| Car recommended | — | — |
| Travel time from Berkeley | — | 43 min details |
| Character | ||
| Best for | — | History |
| Known for | Lakes & rivers, Museums & galleries, Food scene, Family & kids | Mountains & hiking, Museums & galleries, Historic sites, Food scene, Live music, Shopping |
| When to go | Peak: Late spring to early fall plus UC Berke… | — |
Scores and costs are estimates from public data and our own research; check the city pages for sources and dates.