D

Live Oak, CA

Source:

Affordability Score: 42/100

Population: 10,718 · 1 ZIP codes

The affordability dashboard for Live Oak, CA aggregates Census ACS 5-Year Estimates across 1 ZIP code covering 10,718 residents, then layers in county-level federal data to produce an overall grade of D (42/100). The headline inputs are median household income of $74,786, median home value of $376,900, median rent of $868 per month, and 15.5% of adults holding a bachelor's degree or higher. These four metrics alone explain most of the variance between city dashboards.

Cross-agency feeds widen the picture beyond Census demographics. HUD publishes a Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in this county at $1,550 per month (studio $1,166, 1BR $1,272, 3BR $2,156, 4BR $2,600). Department of Labor data lists infant center-based childcare at $15,947 per year, consuming 21% of the local median household income.

Reading the overall grade requires reading all seven dimensions together. The score weights Income 20%, Safety 20%, Housing 15%, Rent 15%, Education 10%, Commute 10%, and Childcare 10%, with each sub-score benchmarked against national percentiles rather than state averages — so the grade is genuinely comparable across any city in the country. Pressure points are education, housing, commute, childcare. Unemployment currently reads 6.7% and poverty 15.4% — numbers worth keeping alongside the headline grade.

Score Breakdown

Income C+
$74,786
Median household income
Education F
15.5%
Bachelor's degree or higher
Housing F
5.0x
Home value $376,900 vs income
Commute F
29 min
Average commute time
Rent B-
$1,550/mo
2BR fair market rent (25% of income)
Safety N/A
N/A
Violent crime rate (county)
Childcare F
$15,947/yr
Center-based infant care (21% of income)

Income & Employment

Median Income
$74,786
▲ 21% vs national
Per Capita Income
$29,159
Unemployment Rate
6.7%
Poverty Rate
15.4%

Housing

Median Home Value
$376,900
▲ 37% vs national
Median Rent
$868/mo
Owner Occupied
70.1%
2BR Fair Market Rent
$1,550/mo
▲ 29% vs national

Fair Market Rents by Bedroom

Studio
$1,166
1BR
$1,272
2BR
$1,550
3BR
$2,156
4BR
$2,600

Safety

Violent Crime Rate
Data Source
FBI UCR (county-level)

Education & Family

Bachelor's Degree+
15.5%
▼ 14 ppt vs national
High School+
39.7%
Median Age
38.3
Avg. Commute
29 min
▲ 3 min vs national

Childcare Costs

Infant (Center)
$15,947/yr
21% of income
Toddler (Center)
$10,230/yr
Preschool (Center)
$12,039/yr
School-Age (Center)
$9,753/yr

What This Means

Live Oak, CA receives an overall affordability grade of D (42/100), aggregated from 1 ZIP codes with a total population of 10,718. Challenges include education and housing and commute and childcare. Data was unavailable for safety — these dimensions were excluded from the overall score.

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What are common questions about this dashboard?

Is Live Oak, CA affordable?
Live Oak, CA receives an overall affordability grade of D (42/100) based on Census, HUD, FBI, and DOL data. Median household income is $74,786. Median home value is $376,900.
What is the cost of living in Live Oak?
Key cost metrics: Median rent $868/mo. 2BR fair market rent $1,550/mo. Infant childcare $15,947/yr. Median home value $376,900.
How is the affordability score calculated?
The score evaluates 7 dimensions weighted by importance: Income (20%), Safety (20%), Housing (15%), Rent (15%), Education (10%), Commute (10%), and Childcare (10%). Each metric is compared against national percentile benchmarks from Census, HUD, FBI, and DOL data.

Data as of 2024. Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates. Source: HUD Fair Market Rents. Source: FBI Uniform Crime Report. Source: DOL National Database of Childcare Prices. Verify with HUD →