2 census tracts · pop 9,091 · pop-weighted Eviction Risk Score 8.8/10
· range 8.8–8.9
South Berkeley spans 2 census tracts of Berkeley, CA and houses 9,091 people. Scored across those inputs it reaches 8.8/10, placing it in the High tier. Cost burden runs 48% against 34.0% citywide, putting South Berkeley 13.8% over its own city.
The strongest single driver of the headline number is tenant-organizing strength at 9.5/10. 20% are severely burdened, paying half their income or more in rent. That cohort has no absorption capacity for an unexpected bill, and it is where non-payment filings originate. Running hot is rent-regulation exposure at 7.7/10.
Sitting well above the midpoint is housing-court posture at 7.5/10. 4.9% of adults carry no health insurance against 11.3% nationally, a common route into sudden unpayable debt.
Among the 22 mapped neighborhoods of Berkeley, it ranks #14 by risk, the middle third. For a like-for-like read, North Berkeley and Gourmet Ghetto score within a fraction of it.
The 2 tracts here are tightly clustered, 0.1 points apart at the extremes. Average gross rent runs $2,177, close to the Berkeley average.
Annual rent works out to 23% of average household income of $115,609. 63% of occupied units are renter-occupied.
With little internal variation, 8.8/10 is a fair proxy for any address inside the boundary. Scores move when the ACS release, the court-record feed, or the statute ledger behind them moves.
Risk score
8.8
High
2 tracts · population-weighted
South Berkeley vs BerkeleyHow this neighborhood stacks against the citywide average
Single-parent HH, disability, language barriers, age 17- / 65+
Racial/ethnic minority66%ile
Hispanic + non-white share of population
Housing & transport95%ile
Multi-unit structures, mobile homes, crowding, no vehicle
CDC PLACES 2023 · pop-weighted
Eviction-adjacent indicators in South Berkeley
Average across all constituent tracts, population-weighted. Source: CDC PLACES (cwsq-ngmh) crude prevalence.
10.0%Housing insecurity
5.7%Utility shutoff threat
10.6%Food insecurity
9.7%SNAP enrollment
5.0%No health insurance
24.8%Any disability
Frequently asked
About South Berkeley
Q1
What is the eviction-risk score for South Berkeley?
South Berkeley scores 8.8/10 (High tier) across 2 census tracts. The pop-weighted Eviction Risk Score blends state law, county filing rates, parent-city politics, and tract-specific rent-to-income and poverty signals.
Q2
How does South Berkeley compare to Berkeley overall?
South Berkeley scores 0.2 points higher than Berkeley overall (8.6/10). Renters spend 48% of income on rent vs 34% citywide. Average rent: $2,177 vs $2,133.
Q3
What is the average rent in South Berkeley?
Average gross rent in South Berkeley eviction risk is $2,177/month (pop-weighted across 2 census tracts, ACS 5-year 2023). 48% of renter households are cost-burdened.
Q4
What percentage of South Berkeley residents are renters?
63% of South Berkeley households are renter-occupied (vs 56% in Berkeley). The neighborhood has 9,091 residents.
Q5
Is South Berkeley a high social-vulnerability area?
South Berkeley sits in the 69th percentile nationally on the CDC Social Vulnerability Index (moderately vulnerable). The index combines poverty, unemployment, household composition, racial/ethnic minority share, and housing/transportation factors across all US census tracts.
Q6
Which tracts in South Berkeley have the highest eviction risk?
The highest-risk constituent tract in South Berkeley is census tract 06001423500 (score 8.9/10). Across the 2 tracts in this neighborhood the score ranges from 8.8 to 8.9, a spread of 0.1 points.
Q7
How safe is South Berkeley for landlords?
South Berkeley eviction risk carries a high-tier eviction-risk profile for landlords (8.8/10). Pop-weighted across 2 constituent tracts, the score blends parent-city rent-control posture, county eviction-process timelines, and tract-specific rent-to-income / poverty signals. Compared to Berkeley as a whole (8.6/10), this neighborhood is in line with the citywide level.
Q8
What is the demographic breakdown of South Berkeley?
South Berkeley has 9,118 residents. Top groups: White (non-Hispanic) (50%), Hispanic / Latino (15.5%), Black (non-Hispanic) (14.4%). Source: ACS 5-year 2023, table B03002.
