Downey vs Hayward
The short version
- Downey is cheaper overall: prices in its metro run 2% lower than in the Hayward area (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $796,600 in Downey and $854,400 in Hayward.
- Households earn more in Hayward ($113,318 vs $90,699 median).
- Downey has the warmer winter: January highs of 67°F vs 59°F.
Side by side
| Downey, CA | Hayward, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 108,468 | 157,113 |
| Growth since 2020 | -5.1% | -3.6% |
| People per square mile | 8,741 | 3,429 |
| Median age | 37.7 | 38.6 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 26% | 34% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $90,699 | $113,318 |
| Median home value | $796,600 | $854,400 |
| Home value to income | 8.8× | 7.5× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $1,937 | $2,391 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 113.6 | 115.6 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 170.4 | 194.7 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $85,200 | $86,700 |
| Homeowners | 51% | 58% |
| Top state income tax | 13.3% | 13.3% |
| Combined sales tax | 9.03% | 9.03% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 31.0 | 32.3 |
| Work from home | 9% | 14% |
| Take public transit | 3% | 4% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 5.8% | 6.3% |
| Poverty rate | 9% | 9.6% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 67° / 47° | 59° / 43° |
| July high / low | 77° / 62° | 75° / 57° |
| Precipitation per year | 14 in | 16 in |
| Snowfall per year | 0 in | 0 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 6 | 9 |
| Nights below freezing | 0 | 1 |
| Comfortable months | 12 | 9 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Very High | Very High |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 100.0 | 99.8 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 11% | n/a |
| Home prices, past year | +1.2% | -4.8% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +31.9% | +8.2% |
Highlighted cells are the better value where "better" is clear (lower prices, higher income, shorter commutes). Sources: Census Bureau 2025 estimates and ACS 2020-2024, BEA 2024, NOAA 1991-2020, Tax Foundation 2026.
Weather, month by month
Most comfortable months: Downey: January to December. Hayward: March to November.
Full monthly tables: Downey weather by month and Hayward weather by month.
What $75,000 is worth
A $75,000 salary in an average-priced US city buys about the same as $85,200 in Downey and $86,700 in Hayward. Moving from Downey to Hayward, you would need about $76,400 to match a $75,000 salary.
Moving between Downey and Hayward
IRS county-to-county migration, 2022 to 2023 tax years, for the counties that contain each city. See where else people move from Downey and Hayward.
Which would you pick?
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