Research Facts & Figures > East Bay City Map > Market Regions > East Shore> Community Profiles > Berkeley
LOCATION:
At the geographic midpoint of the Greater Bay Area, Berkeley is 20 minutes from San Francisco and close to population centers in Contra Costa County and the Silicon Valley. Nestled between the Berkeley hills and San Francisco Bay, the Berkeley Community is internationally renowned for research, education, and culture.
DESCRIPTION:
Berkeley is famous for its world-class university and national laboratory, its many innovative businesses and its trendsetting cultural and culinary venues.
Downtown Berkeley is emerging as a
regional arts, culture and entertainment hub and is experiencing
substantial new public and private investment. Over 1000 units of
new mixed-use housing has been built in the last 10 years and more
is under construction. The Downtown Berkeley Arts District has truly
come of age with the Tony Award winning, Berkeley Repertory Theatre,
the nationally recognized Jazz School, and many other local
theaters, music venues, cinemas and museums. University of California, Berkeley
and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory regularly generate
high-tech commercial spin-outs, and the Berkeley Start-up Cluster
now promotes the near-to-campus commercial districts as locations
for new ventures to incubate and grow. Emerging businesses find
abundant brainpower in the local labor force and human capital is
one of Berkeley’s main draws. Berkeley is a city of distinct and
pedestrian-friendly neighborhoods filled with fine restaurants,
unique retailers and interesting architecture. The City also enjoys
terrific outdoor recreational amenities including Tilden Park up in
the Berkeley hills and Caesar Chavez Park, which adjoins the
Berkeley Marina—the largest in the Bay Area. Located right in the geographic
heart of the Bay Area, Berkeley’s great transportation system
includes three BART stations, an Amtrak stop, well used A.C. Transit
lines, and two State freeways 
| CLIMATE: | POPULATION: | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Average climate in Berkeley, California
Based on data reported by over 4,000 weather stations
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TAXABLE SALES:
| All Outlets (in thousands of dollars) | ||
| Year | Sales | % Change |
| 2000 | $1,017,631 | |
| 2001 | $1,012,563 | -0.50% |
| 2002 | $949,677 | -6.21% |
| 2003 | $961,221 | 1.22% |
| 2004 | $976,777 | 1.62% |
| 2005 | $1,004,633 | 2.85% |
| 2006 | $1,027,344 | 2.26% |
| 2007 | $1,041,190 | 1.35% |
| 2008 | $1,015,377 | -2.48% |
| 2009 | $1,005,223 | -1.00% |
HOUSEHOLD AND INCOME STATISTICS
| MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD VALUE: | $ 752,500 |
| MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME: | $ 51,256 |
| MEDIAN FAMILY INCOME: | $ 87,033 |
| PER CAPITA INCOME: | $ 31,888 |
| MEDIAN GROSS MONTHLY RENT: | $ 1,018 |
| Berkeley Real Estate - Trulia |
| Berkeley Real Estate - Trulia |
http://www.city-data.com/city/Berkeley-California.html#ixzz1gLbAop1F
WORKFORCE, EMPLOYMENT AND UNEMPLOYMENT RATE
Click here and select the city name to see monthly employment data for the city.
MAJOR EMPLOYERS 2010
| Manufacturing Employers | Number of Employees | Primary Naics Description |
| Pacific Steel Casting Co | 550 | Steel Foundries (Except Investment) |
| Xoma Ltd | 218 | Pharmaceutical Preparation Manufacturing |
| Clif Bar & Co | 170 | Cookie & Cracker Manufacturing |
| Meyer Sound Laboratories Inc | 140 | Audio & Video Equipment Manufacturing |
| Pyramid Breweries Inc | 136 | Breweries |
| University of California Press | 125 | Book Publishers |
| PRC - Desoto International Inc | 125 | Paint & Coating Manufacturing |
| Nolo | 116 | Software Publishers |
| Daily Californian | 100 | Newspaper Publishers |
| Fantasy Inc | 100 | Prerecorded Compact Disc (Except Software), Tape & Record Reproducing |
| Parker Powis Inc | 86 | Tradebinding & Related Work |
| Berkeley Forge & Tool Inc | 80 | Iron & Steel Forging |
| Berkeley Ready Mix Co Inc | 80 | Ready-Mix Concrete Manufacturing |
| Doughtronics Inc | 80 | Commercial Bakeries |
| John L Staton Inc | 70 | Wood Window & Door Manufacturing |
| Non-Manufacturing Employers | Number of Employees | Primary Naics Description |
| University of California, Berkeley | 13391 | Colleges, Universities & Professional Schools |
| Lawrence Berkeley National Lab | 5000 | Reseach & Development in the Physical, Engineering, & Life Sciences (except Biotechnology) |
| Berkeley Unified School Dist | 1791 | Elementary & Secondary Schools |
| City of Berkeley | 1470 | Offices Of Certified Public Accountants |
| Alta Bates Summit Medical Ctr | 703 | General Medical & Surgical Hospitals |
| Msr Claremont Resort, LP | 680 | Fitness & Recreational Sports Centers |
| Peralta Community College Dist | 600 | Junior Colleges |
| University of California | 410 | Offices Of Physicians (Except Mental Health Specialists) |
| Andronico's Markets Inc | 307 | Supermarkets & Other Grocery (Except Convenience) Stores |
| Boykin Management Co Limited | 300 | Hotels (Except Casino Hotels) & Motels |
| Barra Inc | 280 | Software Publishers |
| Associated Students of The | 250 | All Other Miscellaneous Schools & Instruction |
| Publishers Group Inc | 230 | Book, Periodical & Newspaper Merchant Wholesalers |
| California Shakespeare Theater | 225 | Theater Companies & Dinner Theaters |
| Young Men's Christian Assn | 213 | Civic & Social Organizations |
| Age Mark Corp | 209 | Nursing Care Facilities |
| California Department of Toxic | 202 | Administration Of Air & Water Resource & Solid Waste Management Programs |
| Publishers Group West Inc | 200 | Book, Periodical & Newspaper Merchant Wholesalers |
| Rasputin's Franchising Corp | 200 | Prerecorded Tape, Compact Disc & Record Stores |
| Pacific School of Religion | 200 | Colleges, Universities & Professional Schools |
| Berkeley Bowl Produce Inc | 200 | Fruit & Vegetable Markets |
| Gs Style Engine | 200 | Family Clothing Stores |
| Regents of The University of CA | 195 | Colleges, Universities & Professional Schools |
| Comprehensive Cancer Centers | 168 | All Other Outpatient Care Centers |
| International House | 162 | Rooming & Boarding Houses |
| TOP EIGHT COMPANIES IN THE CITY |
| Rank | Company | Primary Naics Description | Employment |
| 1 | University of California, Berkeley | Colleges, Universities & Professional Schools | 15516 |
| 1 | Lawrence Berkeley National Lab | Reseach & Development in the Physical, Engineering, & Life Sciences (except Biotechnology) | 5000 |
| 1 | City of Berkeley | Offices Of Certified Public Accountants | 2783 |
| 2 | Berkeley Unified School Dist | Elementary & Secondary Schools | 1713 |
| 3 | Berkeley, City of Inc | All Other Outpatient Care Centers | 1339 |
| 4 | Alta Bates Summit Medical Ctr | General Medical & Surgical Hospitals | 743 |
| 5 | Ksl Claremont Resort Inc | Hotels (Except Casino Hotels) & Motels | 725 |
| 6 | Pacific Steel Casting Co | Steel Foundries (Except Investment) | 550 |
| 7 | Bayer Corp | Surgical & Medical Instrument Manufacturing | 509 |
| 8 | Boykin Management Co Limited | Hotels (Except Casino Hotels) & Motels | 300 |
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Structure: Mayor: Council: Meetings City Manager: |
Mayor-Council-Manager Elected for a term of four years. Serves as ninth City Council member. Nine members total, one of whom is the Mayor. Remaining eight are elected by district for terms of four years. Elections staggered on even years. Every Tuesday evening, 7:00 pm, City Council Chambers, 2134 Martin Luther King Jr. Way. Appointed by City Council. Serves at the pleasure of the Council. |
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| Planning Commission | ||
| Power: Members: Meetings: Staff Contact: |
Recommendations to the City Council
and/or preliminary action on: • general plan amendments • area plans • zoning code or map changes • CEQA process • general development issues. Approval or denial of: • subdivision maps (subject to City Council appeal) 9 members, each appointed by a City Council member for 1-year terms The commission’s regular meetings take place at 7:00 pm on the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of each month at the North Berkeley Senior Center, 1901 Hearst Avenue. Ruth Grimes, Senior Planner, (510) 981-7481. |
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| Zoning Adjustments Board | ||
| Power: Members: Meetings: Staff Contact: |
Approval or denial of: • zoning variances • conditional use permits (Both of these decisions can be appealed to City Council) Recommendations to council on: • specific plans 9 members, each appointed by a City Council member for 1-year terms. The Board’s regular meetings take place at 7:00pm on the second and fourth Thursdays of each month in the City Council Chambers at Old City Hall, 2134 Martin Luther King Jr. Way. Mark Rhodes, Current Planning, (510) 981-7410. |
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| Redevelopment Agency | ||
| Jurisdiction: Project Areas: Staff Contact: |
Berkeley has 2 Redevelopment Project Areas, totaling 22
acres. This represents less than 1% of the land area of
the City. • Savo Island Project Area • West Berkeley Project Area - Bounded by Cedar Street, Sixth Street, University Avenue, and the I-80 frontage road. Iris Starr, Redevelopment Coordinator, (510) 981-7520. |
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COMMUNITY FACILITIES
| EDUCATION: | The Berkeley Unified School District serves Berkeley. In 1998 the district had a total of 9,126 students enrolled. The district operates 10 elementary schools, 3 middle schools, and 1 high school. The current student to teacher ratio is 28:1 in secondary level. Please contact the District at (510) 644-6147 or visit www.berkeley.k12.ca.us The University of California at Berkeley and California State University at Hayward are both located in the County. |
| HEALTH: | Alta Bates Medical Center: 555 beds. (510) 204-4444 or visit www.altabates.com |
| CULTURAL: | Berkeley has 52 local parks and playgrounds, 3 swim centers, tennis courts in 17 locations, golf course, lawn bowling, flying disk course, ice skating rink, health clubs and the Berkeley YMCA. City of Berkeley, Parks and Recreation: 510-644-6530. There are 5 public libraries, several museums and theaters for performing arts. Additionally, there are a variety of regional assets, which include 3 newspapers, 1 cable TV system, and the San Francisco Bay. |