Berkeley, California, is located in Alameda County, 11 miles NE of San Francisco, California.

Berkeley is a vibrant, intellectually-energetic city with a population of 102,743. At its center is the world-renowned University of California at Berkeley, home to current and would-be Nobel prize winners, several cultural and art museums, performing arts, and the Golden Bears football team. Home to 'California Cuisine' - a neoclassical style of cooking that incorporates fresh, seasonal ingredients--a term invented at Chez Panisse, the legendary restaurant in North Berkeley founded by famed chef Alice Waters.

Berkeley Homes

Homes in Berkeley reflect the eclectic and diverse style of its residents, from popular Arts and Crafts era bungalows nestled in the Berkeley Hills to newly restored Victorians that surround the university and downtown areas. Designer of the Hearst Castle in San Simeon and California's first female architect Julia Morgan firmly set her roots here, and you can still see her historic buildings--designated as landmarks--throughout Berkeley, including the Berkeley City Club and the Julia Morgan Theatre--a small arts production company.

Berkeley properties pool is 44,955 residential properties which include newly built properties. The median age of real estate in Berkeley is 1941, with an average Household size of 2.84 people. 8% are one bedroom homes, 31% are 2 bedroom homes, 36% are 3 bedroom homes, 18% are 4 bedroom homes, and 7% are 5+ bedroom homes.

Berkeley Mortgage Statistics

Homes With No Mortgage - 29% Homes With Mortgage - 71% First Mortgage Only - 54% First & Second Mortgage or HELOC - 18%

Berkeley Area Real Estate Tax Berkeley Real estate Tax: Median Real Estate Taxes (2000) were $3,004 comparing to 1999 Median Family income $ 70,434. Compare to USA median yearly Real Estate Tax $1,300 and USA median Family Income $42,000 (1999).

Berkeley School District: Berkeley has a wide range of private and public schools that boast one of the nation's highest test scores and attrition rates. Among them is the unique Ecole Bilingue which specializes in a French immersion program for children up to age 14. Children make up 14.1% of Berkeley's population and a dizzying number of cultural and extra-curricular programs are available to them year-round. Berkeley has 14,513 of under 18 years old residents, or 0.27 kids per one worker, or 0.32 kids per one household.

Berkeley Real Estate & Berkeley Homeownership

There are 17082.9 or 38% one person households, 15284.7 or 34% two person households, and 6293.7 or 14% three person households in Berkeley, California. Median residents age is 32.5, Senior citizens (65+) make up 10,484 or 10.2%% of Berkeley population.

Large employees abound in Berkeley, including the University of California, the Bayer Corporation, and the Power Bar company to name a few. There are 54,674 workers (over 16 years of age) in Berkeley. Of these, 52.83% drive to work. Approximately 18.58% of workers in Berkeley take public transportation. An estimated 14.9% walk to work, taking advantage of beautiful and much-needed civic improvements such as the new pedestrian bridge that links the Berkeley Marina and the shoreline to the city. Berkeley--with its proximity to San Francisco--and a year-round temperate climate makes it a popular place in which to live, work, and thrive.

Median Berkeley homeowner's housing expenses are 20.8%

Crime in Berkeley (2003), crimes per 10,000 residents per year Violent Crimes - 90.13 Robberies - 39.13 Aggravated Assaults - 48.86Property Crimes - 846.29 Burglaries - 121.18 Larceny-Thefts - 605.1 Motor Vehicle Thefts - 120.01

Invest in Berkeley Properties

When making a decision about buying real estate in Berkeley California area, you should consider the city's vast ethnic diversity. These statistics indicate a high level of multiculturalism and tolerance. Events that celebrate the city's many different ethnic communities include the now institutional"How Berkeley Can You Be" and an annual Native American Pow Wow.

Near Medium City - Near Large City - San Francisco, California Berkeley Zip Codes - 94702, 94703, 94704, 94705, 94706, 94707, 94708, 94709, 94710 Berkeley Area Codes - 510 White population - 59.17% African-American population - 13.63% Asian - 16.39% American Indian & Alaskan - {-}% Hispanic (of any race) - 9.73% Median Family Income (1999) - $ 70,434% Population Below Poverty Level - 18.97%





About the author:

Jennifer Hershey has more than twenty years of experience in the Mortgage Industry as a loan officer. She is the owner of http://www.explainingmortgages.com/, a mortgage resource site devoted to making mortgage terms and products easy to understand.