City comparison
Pleasanton, CA is about 10 miles (10 km) from Union City, CA in a straight line. By road, the drive is roughly 10 miles, or about 11 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 Pleasanton, CA to Union City, 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.
Pleasanton has a population of 78,691, vs 69,502 in Union City — about 1.1× larger by population. By land area, Pleasanton covers about 24 sq mi vs 19 sq mi for Union City.
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 | Pleasanton | Union City | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $2,815/mo | $2,593/mo | 8.6% higher in Pleasanton |
| Median home value | $1,338,200 | $1,006,600 | 32.9% higher in Pleasanton |
| Median household income | $181,639 | $138,013 | 31.6% higher in Pleasanton |
| 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 Pleasanton, you'd need $99,562 in Union City to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Union City, CA is about 0.4% cheaper overall than Pleasanton, CA, based on our cost-of-living index. If you earn $80,000 in Pleasanton, you'd need about $79,649 in Union City to keep the same standard of living.