Hayward, CA: Local News, Events & Neighbors

Hayward is a city in Alameda County, California, United States, in the East Bay subregion of the San Francisco Bay Area. With a population of 162,954 as of 2020, Hayward is the sixth largest city in the Bay Area, and the third largest in Alameda County. Hayward was ranked as the 36th most populous municipality in California. It is included in the San Francisco–Oakland–San Jose Metropolitan Statistical Area by the US Census. It is located primarily between Castro Valley, San Leandro and Union City, and lies at the eastern terminus of the San Mateo–Hayward Bridge.

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How Hayward ranks

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#127Fastest growing in CA #273Highest income in CA #167Rent easiest to afford in CA All CA rankings →

Town numbers

ZIP code94540, 94541, 94542

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Living in Hayward

Housing in Hayward

$821K▼ 3.2% in a year Typical home value · Zillow

The typical Hayward home is worth about $821,000, down 3.2% in a year, 7% above the California typical home.

A seller's market

Buyer’sBalancedSeller’s

Days on market21

Sale-to-list102.6%

Sold in May64

Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →

Safety in Hayward

D

Safety Grade D

Hayward reports more crime per resident than most U.S. towns we grade: about 92% report less.

Violent crime per 1,000

Hayward 4.4

California 4.3

U.S. 3.3

Property crime per 1,000

Hayward 26.2

California 18.2

U.S. 15.5

FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to policeCrime & safety →

Schools in Hayward

All Hayward schools →

B

School Grade B

The public schools Hayward’s kids attend, from kindergarten through graduation, outperform 57% of California’s districts on state tests and graduation. Among towns with similar incomes, they sit near the middle.

See how Hayward’s schools compare in CA →

DistrictHayward UnifiedSchools47

Cherryland ElementaryElementary · Grades K–6 · 855 students Burbank ElementaryElementary · Grades K–6 · 800 students Harder ElementaryElementary · Grades K–6 · 671 students Schafer Park ElementaryElementary · Grades K–6 · 606 students Stonebrae ElementaryElementary · Grades K–6 · 605 students Tyrrell ElementaryElementary · Grades K–6 · 597 students

School data from the U.S. Department of Education (NCES, EDFacts). The School Grade is our own summary of state test results and graduation rates, graded within CA. Ratings are from neighbors.