The 10 Worst Neighborhoods In Oakland For 2022


We used data and science to identify the neighborhoods in Oakland that are the real pits.

Nick Johnson, RoadSnacks
April 6, 2022 - 93,061 views
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Oakland's neighborhoods conjure up too many stereotypes to count. You've got hipster areas, preppy places, neighborhoods where college kids thrive, and of course, ghettos.

It seems as if there's a neighborhood for everyone in Oakland.

And while the city consistently ranks as one of the best places to live in the country thanks in part to a strong economy and tons of entertainment, it's not all rainbows and sunshine in Oakland. Some neighborhoods aren't as great as others.

So the question arises, which Oakland neighborhoods are the worst, and which are the best?

Today, we'll use science and data to determine which Oakland hoods need a little tender loving care - the sore thumbs of the Oakland area if you will. Realistically, you can't expect all the neighborhoods to be amazing, although Crocker Highland ranks way above the rest.

We examined 124 of Oakland's neighborhoods to find out the worst places to live. These places don't quite measure up to Oakland's reputation.

So what's the worst neighborhood to live in Oakland for 2022? According to the most recent census data, North Kennedy Tract looks to be the worst neighborhood in Oakland.

Read on to see how we determined the places around Oakland that need a pick-me-up. And remember, don't blame the messenger.

Once you're done, you can look at the bottom of the story for a complete chart of every neighborhood we looked at from worst to best. Looking for places to avoid outside of the city? You can also check out the worst suburbs of Oakland.

For more California reading, check out:

Worst Neighborhoods In Oakland
Source: Wikipedia User Basil D Soufi | CC BY-SA 3.0

The 10 Worst Neighborhoods In Oakland For 2022

1. North Kennedy Tract

Overall SnackAbility

6
/10

Population: 1,111
Rank Last Year: 1 (No Change)
Median Home Value: $263,100 (28th worst)
Median Income: $28,664 (7th worst)
More on North Kennedy Tract:  Data

2. Coliseum Industrial

Overall SnackAbility

5
/10

Population: 2,132
Rank Last Year: 2 (No Change)
Median Home Value: $169,150 (7th worst)
Median Income: $55,169 (65th worst)
More on Coliseum Industrial:  Data

3. Oakland Airport

Overall SnackAbility

4
/10

Population: 925
Rank Last Year: 3 (No Change)
Median Home Value: $75,167 (worst)
Median Income: $48,681 (50th worst)
More on Oakland Airport:  Data

Oakland Airport Oakland, CA

Source: Wikipedia User Salv007 | CC BY-SA 4.0

4. Fitchburg

Overall SnackAbility

6
/10

Population: 3,052
Rank Last Year: 5 (Up 1)
Median Home Value: $181,950 (10th worst)
Median Income: $27,462 (5th worst)
More on Fitchburg:  Data

5. Fruitvale Station

Overall SnackAbility

5
/10

Population: 839
Rank Last Year: 4 (Down 1)
Median Home Value: $128,550 (2nd worst)
Median Income: $49,010 (53rd worst)
More on Fruitvale Station:  Data

6. Coliseum

Overall SnackAbility

6
/10

Population: 4,071
Rank Last Year: 7 (Up 1)
Median Home Value: $210,667 (14th worst)
Median Income: $23,739 (2nd worst)
More on Coliseum:  Data

7. Eastmont

Overall SnackAbility

6
/10

Population: 3,020
Rank Last Year: 6 (Down 1)
Median Home Value: $178,867 (9th worst)
Median Income: $29,571 (8th worst)
More on Eastmont:  Data

8. Woodland

Overall SnackAbility

7
/10

Population: 2,165
Rank Last Year: 8 (No Change)
Median Home Value: $235,600 (2worst)
Median Income: $30,444 (10th worst)
More on Woodland:  Data

9. South Stonehurst

Overall SnackAbility

5
/10

Population: 771
Rank Last Year: 9 (Up 1)
Median Home Value: $144,500 (4th worst)
Median Income: $38,208 (20th worst)
More on South Stonehurst:  Data

10. Acorn-Acorn Industrial

Overall SnackAbility

6
/10

Population: 2,274
Rank Last Year: 10 (No Change)
Median Home Value: $325,257 (46th worst)
Median Income: $60,700 (70th worst)
More on Acorn-Acorn Industrial:  Data

Methodology: How we determined the worst Oakland neighborhoods in 2022

To figure out how bad a place is to live in, we only needed to know what kinds of things people like and then decide what places have the least amount of those things. We threw the following criteria into this analysis in order to get the best, most complete results possible. We used this set of criteria for each neighborhood in Oakland:

  • High unemployment (Less jobs)
  • Low median income (Less pay)
  • Low population density (No things to do)
  • Low home values (No one's willing to pay to live here)
  • High crime (Estimated)

Then, we ranked each neighborhood in Oakland, California for each of these criteria from worst to best.

Next, we averaged the individual rankings for each criteria into a "Worst Score".

The neighborhood with the lowest "Worst Score" ranks as the worst neighborhood of Oakland.

Read on below to learn more about these terrible places around Oakland to live. Or skip to the end to see the list of all 124 neighborhoods ranked from worst to best.

This list is a scientific analysis based on real data and is completely unbiased. Hold on to your pants.

Summary: The Worst Neighborhoods Around Oakland

Well there you have it -- the worst of the neighborhoods in Oakland with North Kennedy Tract landing at the bottom of the pack.

As we mentioned earlier, the neighborhoods in Oakland aren't all bad. Crocker Highland takes the cake as the best place to live in Oakland.

We ranked the neighborhoods from worst to best in the chart below.

For more California reading, check out:

Where Are The Worst Neighborhoods To Live In Oakland For 2022?

Rank Neighborhood Population Home Value Median Income
1 North Kennedy Tract 1,111 $263,100 $28,664
2 Coliseum Industrial 2,132 $169,150 $55,169
3 Oakland Airport 925 $75,167 $48,681
4 Fitchburg 3,052 $181,950 $27,462
5 Fruitvale Station 839 $128,550 $49,010
6 Coliseum 4,071 $210,667 $23,739
7 Eastmont 3,020 $178,867 $29,571
8 Woodland 2,165 $235,600 $30,444
9 South Stonehurst 771 $144,500 $38,208
10 Acorn-Acorn Industrial 2,274 $325,257 $60,700
11 Brookfield Village 3,470 $210,825 $42,306
12 Hawthorne 3,744 $233,940 $32,136
13 South Kennedy Tract 1,893 $138,150 $63,505
14 Melrose 437 $259,800 $61,857
15 Civic Center 1,654 $313,300 $38,523
16 Arrowhead Marsh 285 $281,700 $46,908
17 Columbia Gardens 600 $225,500 $48,681
18 North Stonehurst 4,056 $184,350 $38,959
19 Produce And Waterfront 1,348 $177,500 $73,646
20 Hoover-Foster 4,061 $233,600 $25,849
21 Highland 3,778 $275,120 $37,110
22 Frick 3,469 $326,050 $46,120
23 Iveywood 2,986 $236,260 $48,900
24 Northgate 1,882 $281,850 $43,984
25 Peralta-Laney 753 $314,933 $73,646
26 Lockwood Tevis 2,794 $220,050 $50,903
27 Seminary 5,800 $204,500 $26,779
28 East Peralta 1,839 $322,667 $49,177
29 Prescott 5,560 $350,950 $41,625
30 Webster 3,681 $220,250 $38,476
31 Oak Center 3,948 $421,617 $28,166
32 Ralph Bunche 2,623 $466,175 $37,539
33 Cox 3,396 $263,800 $45,160
34 Pill Hill 2,034 $432,900 $42,064
35 Elmhurst Park 3,144 $332,833 $42,830
36 San Pablo Gateway 2,704 $436,133 $31,740
37 Hegenberger 3,043 $163,867 $33,348
38 Foothill Square 1,432 $316,300 $55,385
39 Bancroft Business-Havenscourt 6,963 $241,371 $46,110
40 Rancho San Antonio 5,831 $338,940 $32,020
41 Lakewide 3,396 $162,220 $50,495
42 Tuxedo 2,659 $348,950 $46,400
43 Oak Tree 3,262 $312,600 $36,584
44 Fremont 5,889 $207,800 $39,414
45 Downtown 4,124 $360,280 $30,079
46 Chinatown 3,425 $429,833 $21,261
47 Reservoir Hill-Meadow Brook 5,292 $329,143 $39,638
48 South Prescott 424 $572,400 $65,625
49 Saint Elizabeth 5,809 $248,975 $38,008
50 Las Palmas 2,735 $276,750 $50,164
51 Mcclymonds 2,905 $389,333 $41,590
52 Clawson 2,579 $441,400 $70,344
53 Merritt 3,208 $334,125 $40,135
54 Jefferson 3,814 $292,475 $50,640
55 Toler Heights 2,864 $402,400 $48,208
56 Durant Manor 3,093 $263,900 $65,014
57 Arroyo Viejo 5,738 $253,060 $49,866
58 Dimond 1,681 $379,100 $57,704
59 Fairfax 2,070 $407,050 $47,497
60 Patten 2,830 $373,033 $40,999
61 Peralta-Hacienda 2,486 $348,300 $47,859
62 Lynn-Highland Park 3,096 $451,950 $47,757
63 Mosswood 2,434 $549,150 $70,251
64 Fairfax Business-Wentworth-Holland 2,338 $293,750 $44,870
65 Sobrante Park 3,500 $241,000 $47,978
66 Highland Terrace 4,662 $309,120 $38,727
67 Eastmont Hills 4,355 $409,375 $82,510
68 Clinton 9,195 $360,144 $37,709
69 Oakland Ave-Harrison St 5,568 $311,460 $54,560
70 Longfellow 5,884 $346,333 $54,054
71 Laurel 1,608 $384,600 $52,193
72 Bartlett 1,238 $347,050 $56,976
73 Old City-Produce And Waterfront 2,153 $448,040 $76,119
74 Upper Peralta Creek-Bartlett 3,256 $371,600 $48,575
75 Santa Fe 3,431 $623,820 $47,396
76 Millsmont 4,652 $344,850 $62,267
77 Allendale 4,647 $403,700 $45,974
78 Paradise Park 2,017 $496,967 $60,938
79 Golden Gate 1,690 $515,275 $65,466
80 School 2,185 $411,750 $55,693
81 Ivy Hill 3,548 $410,050 $46,775
82 Golf Links 1,482 $447,750 $93,839
83 Upper Dimond 3,378 $594,400 $84,149
84 Sausal Creek 3,807 $390,920 $50,204
85 Leona Heights 930 $487,300 $87,500
86 Sequoyah 4,320 $512,200 $89,887
87 Harrington 3,984 $293,267 $51,479
88 Temescal 4,262 $600,733 $83,410
89 Upper Laurel 5,205 $536,125 $72,640
90 Mountain View Cemetery 973 $967,200 $142,303
91 Rockridge 3,648 $1,010,625 $135,013
92 Shafter 3,472 $780,767 $66,422
93 Crestmont 1,062 $699,300 $153,438
94 Lincoln Highlands 2,445 $566,840 $103,683
95 Maxwell Park 6,327 $455,033 $84,936
96 Bushrod 6,888 $612,055 $61,782
97 Piedmont Avenue 7,331 $515,600 $83,140
98 Gaskill 1,856 $475,550 $65,612
99 Lakeshore 3,265 $710,875 $98,515
100 Grand Lake 5,102 $285,940 $70,607
101 Bella Vista 1,492 $390,550 $74,890
102 Caballo Hills 2,543 $607,367 $111,303
103 Chabot Park 4,058 $608,700 $123,481
104 Hiller Highlands 447 $966,450 $161,756
105 Claremont 1,097 $1,310,967 $168,916
106 Oakmore 4,022 $775,900 $108,764
107 Montclair Business 229 $805,700 $150,230
108 Adams Point 9,378 $399,700 $72,591
109 Joaquin Miller Park 681 $916,900 $165,444
110 Redwood Heights 5,238 $630,583 $111,928
111 Glen Highlands 1,473 $820,400 $148,452
112 Cleveland Heights 7,587 $552,700 $66,969
113 Woodminster 1,530 $762,550 $170,156
114 Glenview 5,284 $660,467 $104,749
115 Shepherd Canyon 1,863 $804,000 $156,631
116 Piedmont Pines 2,892 $847,925 $162,407
117 Panoramic Hill 1,751 $1,074,100 $177,417
118 Merriwood 3,273 $842,920 $147,649
119 Montclair 4,011 $839,425 $154,178
120 Trestle Glen 3,819 $927,900 $173,536
121 Fairview Park 3,894 $826,367 $100,433
122 Upper Rockridge 5,996 $1,233,143 $182,758
123 Piedmont 10,992 $1,604,023 $204,144
124 Crocker Highland 2,280 $1,132,467 $186,637

Editor's Note: This article is an opinion based on facts and is meant as infotainment. Don't freak out we updated this article for 2022. This is our time ranking the worst neighborhoods to live in Oakland.

About Nick Johnson

Nick Johnson earned his masters in Business Administration from the Drucker School At Claremont Graduate University. He has written for 39 publications across the country and ran the media relations department at Movoto, a real estate portal based in San Francisco. He has been featured in over 500 publications as an expert in real estate and as an authority on real estate trends.

Nick's the creator of the HomeSnacks YouTube channel that now has over 260,000 subscribers and is an excellent source to learn about different parts of the country.

 Rankings, Worst