Oakland Facts
Geography and climate
Oakland is located at 37°47'43" North, 122°13'41" West (37.795227,
-122.228111)GR1.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of
78.2 mi² (202.4 km²). 56.1 mi² (145.2 km²) of it is land and 22.1 mi² (57.2 km²)
of it is water. The total area is 28.28% water.
Oaklanders most broadly refer to their city's terrain as "the flatlands" and
"the hills," which up until recent waves of gentrication have also been a
reference to Oakland's deep economic divide, with "the hills" being more
affluent communities. About 2/3 of Oakland lies within the flat plain of the San
Francisco Bay, with 1/3 rising into the foothills and hills of the East Bay
range.
Climate
Oakland's climate has features found in both nearby coastal cities such as San
Francisco and inland cities such as San Jose, yet it is warmer than San
Francisco and slightly cooler than San Jose. While it is not located on the
Pacific Ocean, its position directly inland from the Golden Gate Bridge means
that the city gets a significant amount of cold nighttime fog during the summer.
It is far enough inland, though, that the fog usually disappears by the morning
allowing the city to have stereotypical warm sunny California days.
Oakland's average year-round temperature of 55°F (13°C) is slightly lower than
many other California cities. The average high temperature is 62°F (17°C) and
the average low temperature is 48°F (9°C), with the warmest month of the year
being September, and the coldest month being January. The average annual
rainfall is 23 inches, and most rain falls between the months of October and
May.
People and culture
Demographics
City of Oakland
Population by year [3]
1880: 34,555 1950: 384,575
1890: 48,682 1960: 367,548
1900: 66,960 1970: 361,561
1910: 150,174 1980: 339,337
1920: 216,261 1990: 372,242
1930: 284,063 2000: 399,484
1940: 302,163 2005: 412,318
As of the censusGR2 of 2000, there are 399,484 people, 150,790 households, and
86,402 families residing in the city. The population density is 7,126.6/mi²
(2,751.4/km²). There are 157,508 housing units at an average density of
2,809.8/mi² (1,084.8/km²). The racial makeup of the city is 35.66% African
American, 31.29% White, 0.66% Native American, 15.23% Asian, 0.50% Pacific
Islander, 11.66% from other races, and 4.98% from two or more races. 21.89% of
the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 150,790 households out of which 28.6% have children under the age of
18 living with them, 34.0% are married couples living together, 17.7% have a
female householder with no husband present, and 42.7% are non-families. 32.5% of
all households are made up of individuals and 8.6% have someone living alone who
is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.60 and the average
family size is 3.38.
In the city the population is spread out with 25.0% under the age of 18, 9.7%
from 18 to 24, 34.0% from 25 to 44, 20.9% from 45 to 64, and 10.5% who are 65
years of age or older. The median age is 33 years. For every 100 females there
are 93.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 90.2 males.
The median income for a household in the city is $40,055, and the median income
for a family is $44,384. Males have a median income of $37,433 versus $35,088
for females. The per capita income for the city is $21,936. 19.4% of the
population and 16.2% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total
population, 27.9% of those under the age of 18 and 13.1% of those 65 and older
are living below the poverty line. Average rents in Oakland in 2005 were $1,291
for a one bedroom apartment, and $1,713 for a two bedroom apartment. Oakland
