Real Estate Investing in Oakland, California (94609)

Everything the listing leaves out — vacancy, rent trend, cap rate, landlord climate. All free.

Alameda County • Population: 24,854 • Data updated: September 2026

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Should you buy in 94609 (Oakland, CA)? Our answer, based on the numbers below.

🏠 For Homebuyers
WEAK FIT
Grade F (26/100)

Multiple negative signals. Better options likely exist nearby.

📈 For Investors
WEAK
2.0 / 5 (33/100)

Structural challenges here. The numbers may look cheap but operational risk is high. Only for experienced, hands-on investors.

⚠️ Risks to Know
3 flags
  • Declining values: -3.8% 5-year CAGR — values have moved lower.
  • Tenant-protective state: Landlord rating 1.0/5 — slower evictions, more regulations.
  • High price-to-rent: Price-to-rent ratio 29.2 — hard to cash-flow at these prices.

What’s happening in Oakland, CA (94609)?

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2.0/ 5

Investability

Overall investment appeal

1.0/ 5

Appreciation

Long-term value growth

3.0/ 5

Cashflow ROI

Rental yield potential

Avg Home Value $970,018
Avg Monthly Rent $2,766
1% Rule ✗ Does Not Meet
Median Income $107,242
% Renters 67.2%

Market Analysis: 94609 Oakland

The 94609 ZIP in Oakland, CA is a local-operator market. Outside capital chasing a $970K entry has to pair deep knowledge with the discount.

On the rental side, the numbers look inviting — $970K purchase price, 0.0% nominal cap — the work to hit that pro forma in 94609 is substantial and deserves full respect.

Regionally, 94609 sits on the difficult end of the CA spectrum. The a strong candidate for read — for disciplined operators — is that pricing reflects the difficulty.

Looking more closely, 24,854 residents fill the ZIP, renter turnover runs higher than neighboring postal codes and delinquency risk is a real line item rather than a theoretical one.

The right play in 94609 usually involves deep tenant screening, aggressive delinquency response, and a conservative capex buffer. Anything less, and the discount can turn into a trap.

Explore the Data — Click a Tab Below
🏦 Current 30-yr Fixed Mortgage Rate: 6.76% as of Sep 10 Source: Freddie Mac PMMS

Here's what matters if you're considering buying a home in Oakland:

D Needs Caution
Buy Confidence Score: 36/100
Affordability
0/25
Appreciation
0/25
Stability
13/20
Timing
8/15
Rental backup
15/15
Affordability
Expensive
Homes cost 9× the median income
Value Trend
Rising (+3.5%)
How home values changed in the past year
Rental Backup
Strong
Could rent for $2,766/mo if you need to move
Market Conditions
BALANCED
Even conditions for buyers and sellers
Bottom Line: This market may be challenging for buyers. Consider your timing and budget carefully.
⚖️
BALANCED MARKET
San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley, CA Metro Area
Even conditions for buyers and sellers
38 days
Average time to sell
Average
7.6%
Listings with price cuts
Few Cuts
0.0%
Sale price vs asking
Below Ask
0.0%
Income needed for mortgage
Affordable
📅 Market conditions as of August 29, 2026 — updated weekly from San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley, CA metro data
🏠

Property Strategy for 94609

Which property type performs best in this market?

Best for Cash Flow
1BR
3.4% cap rate
Best for Appreciation
4BR
-2.0% 5yr CAGR
Best Overall Value
4BR
$293,574/bedroom
📊 Compare All Property Types →
Type Median Value Est. Rent Cap Rate 5yr CAGR $/Bedroom
1BR $524,043 $2,470 3.4% -4.4% $524,043
2BR $853,792 $3,020 2.5% -3.3% $426,896
3BR $1,041,789 $3,860 2.7% -2.5% $347,263
4BR $1,174,298 $4,580 2.8% -2.0% $293,574

Market Trends

Home Value History (with trend line)

$1.3M$1.1M$933K$735K$538K$341KJul 2006Jul 2016Jul 2026

Rent History (with trend line)

$2,797$2,706$2,614$2,523$2,432$2,340Jan 2019Oct 2022Jul 2026

📊 How Does 94609 Compare?

Metric 94609 Oakland San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley, CA California
Home Value $970,018 $734,424 N/A $761,003
5-Year CAGR N/A N/A N/A 5.7%
Avg Rent $2,766 $2,585 N/A -
Cap Rate 2.2% 2.9% - -
💡 Why Invest in 94609? Click to expand

67% of households rent in this area, creating consistent tenant demand for landlords.

📊 See where this ZIP ranks in our Best-of lists →
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Landlord Ground Truth

Real numbers from people who own or manage rentals in ZIP 94609 (Oakland, CA). Anonymous, moderated, never written by AI.

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Property managers serving Alameda County

Manage rentals here? List your business →

Accountable Property Management offers residential, commercial, and HOA property management services in Hayward, CA and the Greater Bay Area Rental Market. summary from their website

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Advent Properties, Inc. offers comprehensive, responsive, and professional property management and real estate services in the Bay Area, East Bay, and Sacramento regions. summary from their website

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Community Association Management (CAM) provides management services for Common Interest Developments in the San Francisco Bay Area. summary from their website

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Listings are shown for convenience — Repit doesn’t endorse or vet these companies. Ratings shown come only from email-verified visitors.

Investability
Fair
Cap Rate
2.2%
Low
5yr Growth
-3.8%
Declining

📊 Market Snapshot

Home Value $970,018
Monthly Rent $2,766
Price-to-Rent 29.2:1
1% Rule ✗ Fails

💰 Return Metrics

Gross Yield 3.4%
Cap Rate 2.2%
5-Year IRR N/A

📈 Home Appreciation

1-Year +3.5% ▲
3-Year CAGR -4.2% ▼
5-Year CAGR -3.8% ▼
10-Year CAGR +1.2% ▲

🏠 Rent Trends

1-Year +5.0% ▲
3-Year CAGR +1.2% ▲
5-Year CAGR +1.4% ▲
Negative Leverage — IRR / Tax Play Cap Rate: 2.2%  |  30yr Rate: 6.8%
Leverage reduces cash returns at current rates.

The current 30-yr mortgage rate (6.8%) exceeds the estimated cap rate (2.2%). Financing reduces your cash-on-cash return below the cap rate. Markets like this may still make sense as IRR plays — factoring in appreciation, depreciation, and a future refinance when rates drop.

Run an IRR Analysis →

⚠️ Risk Signals

Composite view of factors that can impact a ZIP's stability and your downside risk.

Vacancy
7.7%
Low risk
Landlord Climate
1.0/5
Protective
Value Trend (5yr)
-3.8%
Declining
Eviction process: Very Slow Rent control: Unfavorable

Demographics in 94609

Population: 24,854

💰 Median Household Income
$107,242
This area
$107,242
State
$94,164
USA
$74,580
🏠 Renter Occupied
67.2%
This area
67.2%
State
39.3%
USA
34.0%
💼 Unemployment Rate
4.2%
This area
4.2%
State
-16.6%
USA
3.7%
🎓 College Educated
61.5%
This area
61.5%
State
7.7%
USA
33.7%
👤 Median Age
35.4 years
This area
35.4 years
State
9.6 years
USA
38.9 years
🏚️ Vacancy Rate
7.7%
This area
7.7%
State
15.3%
USA
10.5%
👥 Population by Ethnicity
White 44.0%
Black/African American 23.0%
Other/Mixed 20.5%
Asian 12.5%
Hispanic/Latino 11.8%
👶 Under 18
14.7%
This area
14.7%
USA
22.0%
👴 65 and Over
10.2%
This area
10.2%
USA
17.3%
📊 Poverty Rate
7.1%
This area
7.1%
USA
11.5%

Crime & Safety

🚧

Crime & Safety Data Coming Soon

We're integrating comprehensive crime statistics including violent crime rates, property crime, and safety scores to help you make informed investment decisions.

Expected: Q1 2025

🎓 Schools in 94609

B+ Avg School Grade
5 Schools
17.6:1 Avg Class Size
$24,180 Avg Per Pupil

Schools in This ZIP Code

A Very Good

Oakland International High

📚 09 – 12 High School
👥
290 Students
👨‍🏫
11.9:1 Class Size
💰
$24,180 Per Student
A Very Good

Sankofa United Elementary

📚 K – 05 Elementary
👥
232 Students
👨‍🏫
16.0:1 Class Size
💰
$24,180 Per Student
A Very Good

Emerson Elementary

📚 K – 05 Elementary
👥
332 Students
👨‍🏫
20.8:1 Class Size
💰
$24,180 Per Student
B+ Above Average

Street Academy Alternative High

📚 09 – 12 High School
👥
57 Students
👨‍🏫
14.1:1 Class Size
💰
$24,180 Per Student
B+ Above Average

Peralta Elementary

📚 K – 05 Elementary
👥
341 Students
👨‍🏫
25.3:1 Class Size
💰
$24,180 Per Student

Nearby Schools (5 more)

Schools in adjacent ZIP codes that may serve this area

A+ Excellent

Longfellow Arts and Technology Middle

📚 06 – 08 Middle
📍 1500 Derby St., Berkeley
👥
442 Students
👨‍🏫
13.5:1 Class Size
💰
$28,034 Per Student
A+ Excellent

Westlake Middle

📚 06 – 08 Middle
📍 2629 Harrison St., Oakland
👥
300 Students
👨‍🏫
13.3:1 Class Size
💰
$24,180 Per Student
A+ Excellent

Kaiser Early Childhood Center

📚 Grade KG Elementary
📍 25 South Hill Ct., Oakland
👥
129 Students
👨‍🏫
5.9:1 Class Size
💰
$24,180 Per Student
A+ Excellent

West Oakland Middle

📚 06 – 08 Middle
📍 991 14th St., Oakland
👥
160 Students
👨‍🏫
10.3:1 Class Size
💰
$24,180 Per Student
A+ Excellent

McClymonds High

📚 09 – 12 High School
📍 2607 Myrtle St., Oakland
👥
265 Students
👨‍🏫
12.1:1 Class Size
💰
$24,180 Per Student
About Repit School Scores

Traditional school ratings rely heavily on standardized test scores, which often reflect family income more than school quality. Repit takes a different approach.

We evaluate schools based on factors that research shows actually impact educational outcomes:

  • Class Size — Smaller classes mean more individual attention
  • School Funding — Resources available for programs, staff, and facilities
  • Community Factors — Neighborhood characteristics that influence student success
  • School Environment — Size, type, and structure

Scores are updated annually using federal education data.

🎓 Nearby Colleges & Universities

8 Nearby
D
Moler Barber College
335 students · 0.5 mi
C
Samuel Merritt University
1,894 students · 1.0 mi
C
National Holistic Institute
1,134 students · 1.4 mi
D
Acupuncture and Integrative Medicine College-Berkeley
119 students · 1.9 mi
D
Academy of Chinese Culture and Health Sciences
122 students · 2.0 mi
C+
Lincoln University
474 students · 2.1 mi
D
Reach University
1,358 students · 2.1 mi
C
Berkeley School of Theology
126 students · 2.2 mi

Frequently Asked Questions

Should investors consider Oakland, CA?

Our data puts Oakland, CA at 2.0/5 for investability. Home prices of $970K and rents around $2,766/mo create a solid backdrop for investor activity.

How should investors approach Oakland, CA?

The best-fit strategy in Oakland, CA is careful cash-flow rentals with hands-on management. That approach the rent and price profile of the market.

What do landlords charge for rent in Oakland, CA?

Average rent in Oakland, CA is approximately $2,766/mo per month. Against $970K home values that yields a reasonable rent-to-price ratio.

Is Oakland, CA suited for a house hack?

Oakland, CA is a a challenging market for house hackers. FHA or conventional owner-occupant buyers find the $970K price point reasonable to enter.

Is it easy to find good tenants in Oakland, CA?

Working renters make up the core of the Oakland, CA tenant base. The pool is reasonable for investors targeting long-term holds.

You know 94609 now. You don’t know where it ranks.

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How 94609 ranks in San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley, CA

Every ZIP in this metro, ranked. Free.

Cash Flow → Appreciation → Affordable →
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