City comparison
Hayward, CA is about 10 miles (10 km) from San Leandro, CA in a straight line. By road, the drive is roughly 10 miles, or about 8 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 San Leandro, CA takes about 1 min, covering roughly 10 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 89,723 in San Leandro — about 1.8× larger by population. By land area, Hayward covers about 46 sq mi vs 13 sq mi for San Leandro.
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 | San Leandro | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $2,260/mo | $1,997/mo | 13.2% higher in Hayward |
| Median home value | $775,700 | $772,700 | 0.4% higher in Hayward |
| Median household income | $105,371 | $97,141 | 8.5% higher in Hayward |
| 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 $99,469 in San Leandro to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
San Leandro, CA is about 0.5% cheaper overall than Hayward, CA, based on our cost-of-living index. If you earn $80,000 in Hayward, you'd need about $79,575 in San Leandro to keep the same standard of living.