BestCityFor

Best city for remote work? Oakland, CA

C
Score
49/100
Rank #115 (top 200 cities)
Data: ACS 2023 (5-year)

For remote work, Oakland lands closer to the middle of the pack but can shine on median household income alongside work-from-home share. Overall, it’s a mid-pack option in this dataset (#115 of 200). A common tradeoff is commute 45+ min share.

Methodology · Sources · CA rankings

Scope note (city proper)

This page scores the incorporated city limits (Census “Place”), not the metro area. That’s why some cities can look very different vs their surrounding region.

Why Oakland ranks here

  • Work-from-home share: 23% (90% higher than the national median; better for this metric).
  • Median household income: $97,369 (29% higher than the national median; better for this metric).
  • Broadband subscription: 90% (1% lower than the national median; worse for this metric).

Watch-outs

  • Commute 45+ min share: 23% (106% higher than the national median; worse for this metric).
  • Typical rent (2BR): $2,113/mo (47% higher than the national median; worse for this metric).

City snapshot

Basic demographics from ACS 2023 (city proper).

Population
438,072
Estimated total population (ACS).
Male vs female
Male 49%Female 51%

Key metrics

Values shown are from ACS 2023. National medians are computed across the ranked city set.

Typical rent (2BR)
$2,113/mo
National median: $1,441/mo
Work-from-home share
23%
National median: 12%
Broadband subscription
90%
National median: 91%
Median household income
$97,369
National median: $75,598
Bachelor’s+ rate
48%
National median: 35%
Commute 45+ min share
23%
National median: 11%

Score breakdown (by category)

Category scores are 0–100 and summarize groups of metrics used in the final score.

City
National median (dataset)
Affordability
Typical 2BR rent and housing pressure.
19/100
Connectivity
Broadband availability as a practical remote-work proxy.
90/100
Workforce
Remote-work adoption and human-capital signals.
46/100
Comfort
Commute friction and climate comfort.
77/100

Education (age 25+)

Share of adults by attainment (ACS).

15%
Less than HS
37%
HS / Some college
27%
Bachelor’s
21%
Advanced

Work style

WFH vs not WFH (ACS).

23%
Work from home
77%
Not WFH

Internet access

Household broadband subscription (ACS).

90%
Broadband
10%
No broadband

Map

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Scorecard breakdown

Bars are rescaled to 0–100 for readability (percentage metrics use their actual percent).

City
National median (dataset)
Typical rent (2BR)
National median $1,441/mo
$2,113/mo
Broadband subscription
National median 91%
90%
Work-from-home share
National median 12%
23%
Median household income
National median $75,598
$97,369
Bachelor’s+ rate
National median 35%
48%
Commute 45+ min share
National median 11%
23%

Similar cities (by score)

#113 Savannah, GA
49/100
#114 Visalia, CA
49/100
#116 Providence, RI
49/100
#117 Garland, TX
48/100

FAQ

›What is Oakland’s remote work score and rank?
Oakland, CA scores C (49/100) and ranks #115 out of the top 200 US cities in this dataset.
›Is this based on Oakland city proper or the metro area?
City proper (incorporated place). This uses Census ‘Place’ boundaries, not the metro area. Metro-level rankings can differ a lot from the city itself.
›What is the population of Oakland, CA?
Population is about 438,072 (ACS 2023, city proper).
›What is the male vs female split in Oakland, CA?
About 49% male and 51% female (ACS 2023).
›What is a typical monthly rent in Oakland, CA?
Typical rent (2BR) is $2,113/mo (national median: $1,441/mo).
›What share of workers work from home in Oakland, CA?
Work-from-home share is 23% (national median: 12%).
›How common is broadband internet in Oakland, CA?
Broadband subscription is 90% of households (national median: 91%).
›What does the education mix look like in Oakland, CA?
Among adults 25+, the shares are roughly: less than HS 15%, HS/some college 37%, bachelor’s 27%, advanced 21%.
›Where does this data come from for Oakland, CA?
Metrics are from Census ACS 2023 5-year estimates (city proper / incorporated place), with optional NOAA climate normals when available.

Note: Scores are informational and depend on data coverage and methodology. Always validate against your personal constraints (job, neighborhood, commute, safety, schools, healthcare).