2 census tracts · pop 5,456 · pop-weighted Eviction Risk Score 9/10
· range 7.8–9.9
West Berkeley spans 2 census tracts of Berkeley, CA and houses 5,456 people. That produces an Eviction Risk Score of 9/10, High tier. 55% of renters here are cost-burdened at the 30% threshold, dramatically above the Berkeley rate of 34.0%.
The dominant input is tenant-organizing strength at 9.5/10. The severe-burden share is 27%. Those renters are past the 50% mark, and they miss rent for reasons that have nothing to do with willingness to pay. This is a renter market: 73% of occupied units are tenant-occupied.
The 2 tracts inside this boundary do not behave alike. Individual scores run 7.8 to 9.9, a 2.1-point gap wide enough that the area average misleads on any specific address. Running hot is rent-regulation exposure at 7.7/10. At $2,551 a month, rents sit 20% over what the rest of Berkeley commands.
On the high side is housing-court posture at 7.5/10. That places it #11 of 22 neighborhoods in Berkeley. Annual rent works out to 30% of average household income of $103,177.
Underwrite the address, not the area: with 2.1 points between its best and worst tract, the per-tract table below is the operative number. The number is rebuilt whenever its ACS, court-record, or statutory inputs change.
Risk score
9
High
2 tracts · population-weighted
West Berkeley vs BerkeleyHow this neighborhood stacks against the citywide average
Single-parent HH, disability, language barriers, age 17- / 65+
Racial/ethnic minority70%ile
Hispanic + non-white share of population
Housing & transport86%ile
Multi-unit structures, mobile homes, crowding, no vehicle
CDC PLACES 2023 · pop-weighted
Eviction-adjacent indicators in West Berkeley
Average across all constituent tracts, population-weighted. Source: CDC PLACES (cwsq-ngmh) crude prevalence.
12.8%Housing insecurity
7.2%Utility shutoff threat
14.0%Food insecurity
13.1%SNAP enrollment
6.8%No health insurance
26.0%Any disability
Frequently asked
About West Berkeley
Q1
What is the eviction-risk score for West Berkeley?
West Berkeley scores 9/10 (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 West Berkeley compare to Berkeley overall?
West Berkeley scores 0.4 points higher than Berkeley overall (8.6/10). Renters spend 55% of income on rent vs 34% citywide. Average rent: $2,551 vs $2,133.
Q3
What is the average rent in West Berkeley?
Average gross rent in West Berkeley eviction risk is $2,551/month (pop-weighted across 2 census tracts, ACS 5-year 2023). 55% of renter households are cost-burdened.
Q4
What percentage of West Berkeley residents are renters?
73% of West Berkeley households are renter-occupied (vs 56% in Berkeley). The neighborhood has 5,456 residents.
Q5
Is West Berkeley a high social-vulnerability area?
West Berkeley sits in the 56th 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 West Berkeley have the highest eviction risk?
The highest-risk constituent tract in West Berkeley is census tract 06001423200 (score 9.9/10). Across the 2 tracts in this neighborhood the score ranges from 7.8 to 9.9, a spread of 2.1 points.
Q7
How safe is West Berkeley for landlords?
West Berkeley eviction risk carries a high-tier eviction-risk profile for landlords (9/10). 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 higher-risk.
Q8
What is the demographic breakdown of West Berkeley?
West Berkeley has 5,220 residents. Top groups: White (non-Hispanic) (45.9%), Hispanic / Latino (21.3%), Asian (non-Hispanic) (13.1%). Source: ACS 5-year 2023, table B03002.
