Town guide

Hayward, California

Hayward is a city in Alameda County, California, home to about 158,801 people across 46 square miles. Its ZIP codes are 94541, 94542, 94544, 94545 and 94586, and parts of 94552, 94587 and 94588 are in Hayward too.

Homes sold for a median of $599 per square foot across 5 ZIP codes in the three months ending August 2026, and 4 of 5 were seller’s markets.

Population158,8013,466 per sq mi

Median home value$854,400Census, as estimated by owners

Price per sq ft$599Sold homes, 3 months to August 2026

Sold over asking52%Median of 5 ZIP codes

ZIP codes in Hayward

8 ZIP codes, 3 shared with neighboring towns

Hayward, CA94541 Seller’s market $533/sq ft +0.1% vs. last year 2.9 months of supply · 52% sold over asking Competition 82/100

Mostly Hayward; also Cherryland and Fairview

Hayward, CA94542 Seller’s market $606/sq ft +1.7% vs. last year 2.8 months of supply · 48% sold over asking Competition 81/100

Mostly Hayward; also Fairview

Hayward, CA94544 Seller’s market $599/sq ft +3.3% vs. last year 2 months of supply · 53% sold over asking Competition 86/100

Mostly Hayward

Hayward, CA94545 Seller’s market $590/sq ft −2.4% vs. last year 2.4 months of supply · 55% sold over asking Competition 86/100

All in Hayward

Sunol, CA94586 Buyer’s market $805/sq ft +33.9% vs. last year 11.2 months of supply · 0% sold over asking

Mostly Hayward; also Sunol and Pleasanton

Castro Valley, CA94552 Seller’s market $764/sq ft +15.9% vs. last year 0.9 months of supply · 41% sold over asking Competition 88/100

Mostly Castro Valley; part is in Hayward

Union City, CA94587 Seller’s market $729/sq ft −3.4% vs. last year 1.8 months of supply · 46% sold over asking Competition 84/100

Mostly Union City; part is in Hayward

Pleasanton, CA94588 Seller’s market $779/sq ft −4.2% vs. last year 2.4 months of supply · 23% sold over asking Competition 58/100

Mostly Pleasanton; part is in Hayward

Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside Hayward. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology

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We’re writing up Hayward’s story and what everyday life there is like, for people thinking about moving in.

History
What it’s like to live there
Getting around
Things to do

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Hayward at a glance

City · Alameda County, CA

Population	158,8013,466 per square mile
Land area	46 square milesplus 18 of water
Median household income	$113,318average $141,190
Median home value	$854,400as estimated by owners
Median rent	$2,391/month
Homes lived in by owners	58%
Single-family houses	51% of homes
Median year built	1972
Average household	3.13 people
Median age	38.6
Average commute	32 minutes14% work from home
Adults with a degree	34%bachelor’s or higher

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates for the place; town boundaries and ZIP code overlaps from the Census Bureau’s 2020 relationship files; market figures from Redfin, a national real estate brokerage. This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.

Around Hayward

Distances

Nearest major airport	Oakland San Francisco Bay Airport (OAK)10 miles away
Nearest city of 250,000+	Oakland, CA13 miles away
Nearest city of 1 million+	Los Angeles, CA323 miles away

Straight-line distances from the center of Hayward; driving is longer.

Source: Airports from OurAirports (scheduled passenger service); city centers and populations from the U.S. Census Bureau.

Who represents Hayward

U.S. Representative · California’s 14th DistrictAisha Wahab (D)
U.S. SenatorAdam B. Schiff (D)
U.S. SenatorAlex Padilla (D)
GovernorGavin Newsom (D)

Source: Members of Congress from the congress-legislators project; districts from the Census Bureau’s relationship files; governor and mayor from Wikidata.

Population over time

Hayward had 162,954 residents in the 2020 census, up 16% since 2000.

It’s the 35th largest of 1,563 towns in California by population.

Alameda County grew from 130,197 residents in 1900 to 1,682,353 in 2020.

Alameda County, 1900–2020

Source: U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (counties 1900–1990 from the Bureau’s historical county file).

Weather by month

Average highs peak around 77°F in summer, and winter lows average 43°F. About 16.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year.

Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Hayward Air Terminal, CA weather station (3 miles away).

Jobs in Alameda County

749,124 jobs at 42,318 businesses in Alameda County. The biggest industries by employees:

Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).

Health care

1,399 doctors and other health care providers list an office in Hayward’s ZIP codes.

Nearest hospitals

St. Rose HospitalGeneral hospital · no emergency room · CMS rating 1 of 5 · Hayward1.5 miles
Eden Medical CenterGeneral hospital · emergency room · CMS rating 4 of 5 · Castro Valley4.3 miles
Washington HospitalGeneral hospital · emergency room · CMS rating 2 of 5 · Fremont7.1 miles

Providers with an office here

Primary care doctors	110
Specialist doctors	143
Dentists	127
Nurse practitioners and physician assistants	107
Mental health providers	736
Physical and occupational therapists	86
Optometrists	37
Chiropractors	53
Pharmacies	36

Source: Hospitals from CMS Hospital General Information (ratings are CMS overall star ratings); straight-line distances; providers from the CMS National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES), by practice address and primary specialty.

Places in and around Hayward

Parks (107 nearby)

Don Castro Regional Recreation Area · 91 acres3.8 mi
Greenbelt Park and Trails · 34 acres2.0 mi
Memorial Park · 30 acres1.9 mi
Hayward Community Gardens · 29 acres1.4 mi
Alden E. Oliver Sports Park · 25 acres2.3 mi
East Avenue Park · 24 acres2.2 mi

Grocery stores (33 nearby)

Cardenas1.0 mi
Grocery Outlet1.5 mi
Lucky1.7 mi
FoodMaxx1.8 mi

Pharmacies (6 nearby)

CVS Pharmacy0.9 mi
Walmart Pharmacy2.4 mi
CVS Pharmacy2.7 mi
Rite Aid3.3 mi

Libraries (9 nearby)

George Weekes Branch Hayward Public Library1.0 mi
University Library1.3 mi
Alameda County Law Library2.2 mi
Building 1002.4 mi
Hayward Public Library2.5 mi

Museums (6 nearby)

C. E. Smith Museum of Anthropology1.1 mi
Discovery Center2.6 mi
Hayward Area Historical Society2.9 mi
Union City Historical Museum3.0 mi
McConaghy House3.9 mi

Theaters and performance venues (6 nearby)

Pioneer Amphitheater1.5 mi
University Theater1.5 mi
Chabot Outside Auditorium2.4 mi
Sulphur Creek Nature Center2.6 mi
Little Theater3.7 mi

Counts are within about 4.5 miles of the center of town.

Source: Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (openstreetmap.org/copyright), as mapped by volunteers; it can miss places or include closed ones.

Colleges, teams and notable people

Established in 1876.

Colleges and universities

Chabot College

Notable people born here

Dwayne Johnson (1972) · American actor and professional wrestler (born 1972)
DJ Shadow (1972) · American trip-hop musician
Kristi Yamaguchi (1971) · American figure skater
Josh Ryan Evans (1982) · American actor (1982-2002)
Claudia Kolb (1949) · American swimmer
Art Larsen (1925) · American tennis player (1925-2012)
Chelsea Gray (1992) · American basketball player (born 1992)
Kimberlin Brown (1961) · American actress

Source: Wikidata (wikidata.org), the free knowledge base; people are listed by place of birth.

Schools in Hayward

Public schools here are run by Alameda County Office of Education, Hayward Unified, San Lorenzo Unified and others. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.

Public schools (40)

School	Grades	Students	Type	Distance
Alameda County CommunityHayward	K–12	73	Alternative Education	2.4 mi
Burbank ElementaryHayward	K–6	800	Public	2.6 mi
Cherryland ElementaryHayward	K–6	855	Public	3.0 mi
Colonial Acres ElementaryHayward	K–5	458	Public	4.3 mi
East Avenue ElementaryHayward	K–6	407	Public	2.3 mi
Eden Gardens ElementaryHayward	K–6	477	Public	2.5 mi
Eldridge ElementaryHayward	K–6	281	Public	1.3 mi
Fairview ElementaryHayward	K–6	543	Public	3.0 mi
Faith Ringgold School of Arts and ScienceHayward	K–8	111	Public	0.4 mi
Glassbrook ElementaryHayward	K–6	455	Public	1.0 mi
Harder ElementaryHayward	K–6	671	Public	1.0 mi
Hayward Collegiate CharterHayward	K–6	231	Charter	1.3 mi
Hillview Crest ElementaryHayward	K–5	420	Public	2.2 mi
Knowledge Enlightens You (KEY) AcademyHayward	K–8	645	Charter	3.3 mi
Longwood ElementaryHayward	K–6	517	Public	2.9 mi
Lorenzo Manor ElementaryHayward	K–5	447	Public	4.0 mi
Lorin A. Eden ElementaryHayward	K–6	386	Public	2.3 mi
Palma Ceia ElementaryHayward	K–6	484	Public	1.5 mi
Schafer Park ElementaryHayward	K–6	606	Public	1.4 mi
Southgate ElementaryHayward	K–6	581	Public	1.8 mi
Stonebrae ElementaryHayward	K–6	605	Public	2.7 mi
Sunol Glen ElementarySunol	K–8	240	Public	10.2 mi
Treeview ElementaryHayward	K–6	426	Public	1.7 mi
Hayward Twin Oaks MontessoriHayward	1–12	643	Charter	1.8 mi
Impact Academy of Arts & TechnologyHayward	6–12	716	Charter	2.3 mi
Anthony W. Ochoa MiddleHayward	7–8	405	Public	2.6 mi
Cesar Chavez MiddleHayward	7–8	453	Public	0.2 mi
Martin Luther King Jr. MiddleHayward	7–8	669	Public	1.6 mi
Royal Sunset (Continuation)Hayward	7–12	107	Alternative Education	3.6 mi
Alternative Learning Academy at Conley-Caraballo HighHayward	9–12	11	Alternative Education	2.5 mi

And 10 more.

Private schools (11)

School	Grades	Students	Affiliation	Distance
California Crosspoint AcademyHayward	Pre-K–12	500	Christian (no specific denomination)	2.9 mi
Eiffel Tower Montessori Preschool and KHayward	Pre-K–K	6	Nonsectarian	2.4 mi
Elmhurst Learning CenterHayward	Pre-K–K	9	Christian (no specific denomination)	2.1 mi
Montessori Children's House of HaywardHayward	Pre-K–K	14	Nonsectarian	2.2 mi
St Joachim SchoolHayward	Pre-K–8	313	Roman Catholic	3.4 mi
All Saints Catholic SchoolHayward	TK–8	155	Roman Catholic	2.5 mi
Northstar SchoolHayward	TK–8	198	Islamic	3.5 mi
St Bede Catholic SchoolHayward	TK–8	197	Roman Catholic	0.9 mi
St Clement Catholic SchoolHayward	TK–8	256	Roman Catholic	0.4 mi
Bayside Adventist Christian SchoolHayward	1–8	13	Christian (no specific denomination)	1.0 mi
Moreau Catholic High SchoolHayward	9–12	793	Roman Catholic	0.4 mi

Source: U.S. Department of Education, NCES: Common Core of Data (2024-2025) for public schools; Private School Universe Survey (2023-2024) for private schools. Listed by address; we don’t rate schools.

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Towns near Hayward

All California towns →

Union City, CACity · 67,464 people1 mile away Fairview, CACommunity · 10,745 people2 miles away Cherryland, CACommunity · 14,143 people3 miles away San Lorenzo, CACommunity · 29,171 people4 miles away Ashland, CACommunity · 22,210 people5 miles away Castro Valley, CACommunity · 65,001 people5 miles away San Leandro, CACity · 87,826 people7 miles away Newark, CACity · 46,903 people7 miles away

More for Hayward buyers

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Town boundaries don’t always match ZIP codes: a ZIP code can cross into neighboring towns, and a town can share a ZIP code with its neighbors. Facts describe the town itself; market figures describe whole ZIP codes.