City comparison
Hayward, CA is about 20 miles (30 km) from Livermore, CA in a straight line. By road, the drive is roughly 20 miles, or about 23 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 Hayward, 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.
Hayward has a population of 160,602, vs 87,154 in Livermore — about 1.8× larger by population. By land area, Hayward covers about 46 sq mi vs 27 sq mi for Livermore.
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 | Hayward | Livermore | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $2,260/mo | $2,482/mo | 9.8% higher in Livermore |
| Median home value | $775,700 | $965,600 | 24.5% higher in Livermore |
| Median household income | $105,371 | $152,590 | 44.8% 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 Hayward, you'd need $100,450 in Livermore to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Hayward, CA is about 0.4% cheaper overall than Livermore, CA, based on our cost-of-living index. If you earn $80,000 in Hayward, you'd need about $80,360 in Livermore to keep the same standard of living.