Hercules, CA: Local News, Events & Neighbors

Hercules is a city in western Contra Costa County, California, United States. Situated along the coast of San Pablo Bay, it is located in the eastern region of the San Francisco Bay Area, approximately 10 miles (16 km) north of Berkeley. As of the 2020 census, its population was 26,016, according to the United States Census Bureau. The site of Hercules was first developed in 1881 as a manufacturing facility of the California Powder Works for the production of its patented dynamite formulation, Hercules powder. In 1882, the Hercules Powder Company was incorporated and assumed responsibility for the Hercules site. It was one of several explosive manufacturers that were active along the Pinole…

Official town website ↗

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)

How Hercules ranks

All →

#20Lowest depression in CA #36Safest in CA #97Fewest smokers in CA All CA rankings →

Town numbers

ZIP code94547

Area code510

Living in Hercules

Housing in Hercules

$737K▼ 1.6% in a year Typical home value · Zillow

The typical Hercules home is worth about $737,000, down 1.6% in a year, close to the California typical home.

A strong seller's market

Buyer’sBalancedSeller’s

Days on market23

Sale-to-list102.1%

Sold in May14

Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →

Safety in Hercules

B⁺

Safety Grade B+

Hercules reports less crime per resident than 67% of the U.S. towns and cities we grade.

Violent crime per 1,000

Hercules 1.7

California 4.3

U.S. 3.3

Property crime per 1,000

Hercules 4.5

California 18.2

U.S. 15.5

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

Health in Hercules

A⁻

Health Grade A−

Healthier than 83% of U.S. towns on seven CDC estimates.

Compared with California

19better than CA

of 32 measures CDC estimates. The other 13 are too close to call.

Conditions 5▲ 7 close Habits 2▲ 2 close Care 5▲ 2 close Mind 3▲ 2 close Everyday needs 4▲ 0 close

BetterToo close to callWorse

What stands out

6%Fewer uninsured adultsCA 10.6% · better 7.2%Fewer older adults who have lost all their teethCA 10.6% · better

Care nearby

Sutter Solano Medical CenterVallejo · 8 mi · ER

Lifelong West County Health Center - PinolePinole · 1.5 mi · sliding-scale fees

Primary careNo shortage

DentalNo shortage

Mental healthNo shortage

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CDC's estimate for Hercules · CMS · HRSAHealth in Hercules →

Schools in Hercules

All Hercules schools →

A⁻

School Grade A-

The public schools Hercules’s kids attend, from kindergarten through graduation, outperform 75% of California’s districts on state tests and graduation. Among towns with similar incomes, they rank near the top.

DistrictWest Contra Costa UnifiedSchools5

Ohlone ElementaryElementary · Grades K–5 · 482 students Hanna Ranch ElementaryElementary · Grades K–5 · 421 students Lupine Hills ElementaryElementary · Grades K–5 · 387 students Hercules MiddleMiddle · Grades 6–8 · 596 students Hercules HighHigh · Grades 9–12 · 767 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.

Famous people from HerculesWriters, athletes, leaders and more who were born in Hercules.Meet them →