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Fairview vs Hayward

Next-door neighbors. The biggest differences: size (14.8× in Hayward) and trails (7.7× in Hayward).

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Fairview, CAAn outdoors townCalifornia · 10,745 people
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Hayward, CAHometown of 76 notable peopleCalifornia · 158,801 people
Swap order
Where each one shines

Two towns, two different strengths

What each town does better than most of its state (not better than each other). Tap one to see the page behind it.

FairviewAn outdoors town
Outdoors#82 most trails in CA9.0 miles of trails across 7 parks and preserves HealthHealthier than 84%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates All about Fairview →
HaywardHometown of 76 notable people
Famous people76 notable peopleborn in Hayward Outdoors#64 most conserved land in CA70 miles of trails across 46 parks and preserves College town3 collegesCalifornia State University-East Bay All about Hayward →
The biggest differences

Where they part ways

The rows below where the towns are furthest apart, beyond the Census margin of error. The full table is further down.

Size14.8×
Hayward is the bigger place
Hayward 158,801Fairview 10,745
Trails7.7×
Hayward has more miles of trail
Hayward 69.6 miFairview 9.0 mi
Jobs per worker5.1×
Hayward is more of a job hub
Hayward 0.87Fairview 0.17
Street grid2×
Fairview has the more walkable street grid
Fairview 86.5Hayward 42.4
Conserved land+20.8 pts
Hayward has more conserved land
Hayward 30.3%Fairview 9.5%
Homeowners+20.8 pts renters
Hayward has more renters
Fairview 78.8%Hayward 58%
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $850 more a month in Fairview

A typical home in each town, bought with 20% down at 6.3% for 30 years, plus property tax at the town’s own rate and insurance. Change the numbers to fit you.

Fairview$5,610/mo
Typical home $963K (Census) · tax rate 0.70% · or rent about $2,644/mo · Housing →
Hayward$4,760/mo
Typical home $821K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.67% · or rent about $2,391/mo · Housing →

The difference: $850 a month, about $10,200 a year, between Fairview and Hayward.

Estimates, not a quote: your price, rate, tax bill and insurance will differ. Tax rate = the Census median tax bill over the median home value.

Report cards

Fairview places higher on 11 of 19 CA lists

Our letter grades for safety, schools and health, then every California ranking list both towns are on. A grade is one measure; read the page behind it.

Safety
–FairviewNot graded DHaywardSafer than 8% of U.S. towns
Schools
C+FairviewBetter than 44% of districts in the state BHaywardBetter than 57% of districts in the state
Health
A−FairviewHealthier than 84% of U.S. towns B+HaywardHealthier than 68% of U.S. towns
11Fairview
6Hayward

Lists won, of 19 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Most trailsOutdoors · 677 towns #82#356 Most walkableOutdoors · 841 towns #320#599 Fewest uninsuredHealth · 844 towns #241#504 Most activeHealth · 844 towns #198#456 Most conserved landOutdoors · 777 towns #259#64 Fewest smokersHealth · 844 towns #158#329 HealthiestHealth · 844 towns #218#373 Highest incomeIncome · 843 towns #120#273

Left end = #1 in California. Showing the lists where the towns are furthest apart. All of Fairview’s rankings →

Where they are

Fairview and Hayward share a border

And the people who already live in one and work in the other.

FairviewHaywardFairviewHayward
Fairview ↔ Hayward4.8 miles apart · They share a border
Who commutes between them
525 Fairview residents work in Hayward (10.3% of its workers)
Work & commute in Fairview →
Life in each

What daily life feels like in each

The weather, the land, the history and the people, row by row. None of it is a grade: more snow is a plus to a skier.

Seasons
FairviewHayward
Snow a year1″0″
January low42°F—
July high83°F—
Growing season (days)282d—
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)84th92nd
Outdoors & history
FairviewHayward
Trails9 mi70 mi
Conserved land9.5%30.3%
Settled—1876
National Register places—1
Archive photos66
Famous people born here—76
Community
FairviewHayward
Library hours a week—48 hrs
Colleges in town—3
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined00

A dot marks the most on each row. Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 normals at the nearest station. Hazard risk: FEMA National Risk Index, expected yearly damage vs U.S. towns.

Everything, side by side

What matters to you?

Pick a few. Those rows jump to the top and the best fit on each is marked. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

FairviewHayward
People
Population 10,745Lowest 158,801Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +13.4%Highest CA: +6.1% +13%Lowest CA: +6.1%
Median age 40.9±2.6Highest 8% above CA 38.6±0.5Lowest about the CA average
Fairview and Hayward are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 18.9%±2.8Lowest CA: 22% 19.6%±0.9Highest CA: 22%
Hayward and Fairview are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 20.4%±3Highest CA: 15.7% 14.4%±0.7Lowest CA: 15.7%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 42.9%Highest CA: 37.1% 34%Lowest CA: 37.1%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 5.9%±1.7Lowest CA: 7.6% 7.2%±0.5Highest CA: 7.6%
Hayward and Fairview are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $148,667±$17kHighest 50% above CA $113,318±$6kLowest 14% above CA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $963,300±$50kHighest 31% above CA $854,400±$13kLowest 16% above CA
Rentmedian gross, monthly $2,644±$478Highest 30% above CA $2,391±$46Lowest 17% above CA
Fairview and Hayward are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $6,754Highest 32% above CA $5,739Lowest 12% above CA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 37.1%±13.3Lowest CA: 55.3% 54.1%±3.3Highest CA: 55.3%
Below poverty line 4.4%Lowest CA: 12% 9.6%Highest CA: 12%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 78.8%Highest CA: 55.9% 58%Lowest CA: 55.9%
Typical home builtmedian year 1975Highest 1 yr older than CA 1972Lowest 4 yrs older than CA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 35 minHighest 22% above CA 32 minLowest 13% above CA
Work from home 19.1%±4.4Highest CA: 17.2% 13.9%±1.1Lowest CA: 17.2%
Fairview and Hayward are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 1.3%Lowest 13.2%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 15.3 miHighest 14.8 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.17Lowest 0.87Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Oakland (11%)Oakland (8%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others 10% work in HaywardFew work in Fairview
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 9.5%Lowest 30.3%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 9.0 miLowest 69.6 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 3.0 miHighest 1.1 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 7Lowest 46Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 86.5Highest 42.4Lowest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading —#426 of 574 in CA
School district Hayward UnifiedEden Area ROP · Impact Academy of Arts & Technology District
High school in town None in townMt. Eden High
Students per teacherat that high school — 21.9
California average“±” Census margin of errorACS 2020–2024
Deciding?

Ask the people who live there

The numbers stop at the town line. Neighbors can tell you about the commute at 7am, the schools, the winters and the feel of the place.

Fairview neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Fairview’s Town Square.

Hayward neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Hayward’s Town Square.

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Bordering Fairview

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Castro Valley65,001 people · $1.1M homes

Towns like Fairview

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Pinole18,761 people · $719K homes
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Hercules26,302 people · $769K homes
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Windsor26,081 people · $801K homes
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La Palma15,272 people · $974K homes

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2010 & 2020 censuses, LEHD commute flows; Zillow Home Value Index; NCES Common Core of Data; FBI crime reporting; CDC PLACES; FEMA National Risk Index; NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020; USGS PAD-US and OpenStreetMap. “±” is the Census margin of error; differences inside it are never called. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. There is no overall score: which town is better depends on what matters to you.

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