Alameda County · San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley · population 158,440
Where Hayward stands
Home values down 6.2% in the last year. population shrinking 0.7% per year.
Home value trajectory · last 10 years
Zillow ZHVI · monthlyLifestyle scores
Scores are heuristic estimates from population density, state, and known transit/walkable cities. Not based on a paid Walk Score / Transit Score API — see methodology for the formula.
Rent trajectory · last 5 years
Zillow ZORI · monthlyHome value vs rent · indexed to 100
Both rebased at first month of ZORI data (~2015)Rent vs buy
At a 27.7 price-to-rent ratio, renting beats buying in Hayward for most shorter holds. The premium you pay to own would take many years of rent savings to recoup, and that's before maintenance, taxes, and opportunity cost on the down payment.
How the momentum score breaks down
methodology →Hayward has held up across the cycle: home values at $847,838 with +0.9% 5-year CAGR. The bull case is structural — population, location, employer base — and holds even if next year's print is soft.
Hayward is down 6.2% over the last 12 months and the trend isn't flattening. Falling knife rule applies: you don't catch one with your hands, you wait for it to hit the floor and stop moving.
About Hayward
Hayward is a city in Alameda County, California, with an estimated population of 158,440. It anchors the San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley metro area. The population has contracted 0.7% per year on average since 2020. The median home value in Hayward is $847,838 as of 2026-04, down 6.2% over the last 12 months. Over the last five years, home values have averaged +0.9% annual growth, and the market currently sits about 12% below its 5-year peak. Rents in Hayward average $2,551 per month, roughly flat year-over-year (+1.1%). The composite momentum score is 38 of 100 (Cooling). Buyers may find more room to negotiate; sellers should price realistically.
▲ Bull case
▼ Bear case
About Hayward (Wikipedia)
Hayward is a city in Alameda County, California, United States, in the East Bay subregion of the San Francisco Bay Area. With a population of 162,954 as of 2020, Hayward is the sixth largest city in the Bay Area, and the third largest in Alameda County. Hayward was ranked as the 36th most populous municipality in California. It is included in the San Francisco–Oakland–San Jose Metropolitan Statistical Area by the US Census. It is located primarily between Castro Valley, San Leandro and Union City, and lies at the eastern terminus of the San Mateo–Hayward Bridge.
Source: Wikipedia · this summary is contributed and licensed under CC-BY-SA.
City facts
Extracted from the Wikipedia infobox. Values may be slightly out of date relative to the latest sources.
Things to see in Hayward(Historic landmarks)
- Green Shutter Hotel
- Eden Congregational Church
- Meek Mansion
- Hayward Area Historical Society
- California Register of Historical Resources
- Agapius Honcharenko's Ukraina Ranch
- California Historical Landmark
Extracted from the Wikipedia article. Names linked in the source — open the city’s Wikipedia page for details.
Playbook
You have leverage. Negotiate price, ask for closing-cost credits, and don't waive inspection. Walk-away power is real in a Cooling market — use it.
Price aggressively (at or below recent sold comps) or be prepared to wait. Concessions — rate buydowns, closing costs, repair credits — are how deals close right now.
Cap rates are more attractive than they were 12 months ago but the appreciation tailwind is gone. Confirm tenant demand, vacancy rates, and exit liquidity before committing capital.
Local safety & alerts
No active National Weather Service alerts for Alameda County right now.
Public-safety links are official .gov sources, not curated by us. Alameda County routes NWS alerts; check the state EM portal for non-weather emergencies.
Neighborhoods of Hayward
18 tracked · ranked by median home valueCities like Hayward
Run the numbers for Hayward
Sources: Zillow ZHVI (home values), Zillow ZORI (rents), US Census ACS + place population. Updated when source agencies publish revisions.
Climate & natural-disaster risk
State-level averages from NOAA Climate Normals (1991-2020) and FEMA National Risk Index. City-level conditions can vary significantly within a state.
Local sports teams
Major professional teams the San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley area cheers for. Detailed stats, schedules, and player pages on intherafters.com.
Current weather
Find rentals & listings
Open current Hayward listings on the major real-estate sites.
Links open the live search on the destination site — results are always current.
Local news & community
Latest news
- Local Responsibility Areas (LRAs) and Fire-Hazard Severity MapsCity of Hayward, CA (.gov) · 3d ago
- Another Cal State University president to depart as system faces multiple vacancies for top jobsThe Mercury News · 4h ago
- 2 detained in Hayward shootingKTVU · 2d ago
- Hayward Man Convicted In Murder Plot At East Bay Home: DAPatch · 9h ago
- Fire at Hayward nursing home forces evacuationsCBS News · 21h ago
- California school allows Good News Club after threat of legal actionChristian Post · 1d ago
Local chatter (Reddit)
Updated 2026-05-21 from Google News + Reddit RSS. Headlines link to original sources.
Local economy & environment
Humidity is annual average relative humidity (NOAA). Income is Census ACS 5-year estimate. Industries are largest employment sectors statewide (BLS); the local mix in a given city may vary.
Cities similar to Hayward
Explore other places with comparable momentum or affordability.