City comparison
Castro Valley, CA is about 20 miles (30 km) from Livermore, CA in a straight line. By road, the drive is roughly 20 miles, or about 20 min behind the wheel at highway speeds.
Driving distance is a rough estimate (great-circle × 1.25); driving time assumes a 60 mph blended average. Real trips run 10–20% longer with stops.
A direct flight from Castro Valley, CA to Livermore, CA takes about 2 min, covering roughly 20 miles in a straight line. Connecting itineraries with a layover typically add 1–3 hours.
Block-to-block estimate at ~500 mph cruise, including taxi, climb, and descent — what an airline would publish, not pure airborne time.
Livermore has a population of 87,154, vs 65,444 in Castro Valley — about 1.3× larger by population. By land area, Livermore covers about 27 sq mi vs 17 sq mi for Castro Valley.
Population from US Census ACS. Land area from the Census Gazetteer (city proper, excluding inland water).
Cost indices by category, with the US city average (100) marked.
Index: 100 = US city average. Lower is more affordable.
Side-by-side costs, salaries, and sub-category indices.
| Metric | Castro Valley | Livermore | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $2,383/mo | $2,482/mo | 4.2% higher in Livermore |
| Median home value | $1,013,900 | $965,600 | 5.0% higher in Castro Valley |
| Median household income | $132,174 | $152,590 | 15.4% higher in Livermore |
| Groceries index | 108.1 | 108.1 | ≈ equal |
| Utilities index | 168.3 | 168.3 | ≈ equal |
| Transportation index | 106.1 | 106.1 | ≈ equal |
| Healthcare index | 106.0 | 106.0 | ≈ equal |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Castro Valley, you'd need $100,201 in Livermore to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Castro Valley and Livermore have nearly identical overall cost-of-living indices. If you earn $80,000 in Castro Valley, you'd need about $80,161 in Livermore to keep the same standard of living.