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| East Bay |
Metropolitan Living Across the Bay
East Bay is the region of choice for professionals and families who want to live in the San Francisco area without actually being in the city, and thanks to its rich metropolitan culture and diverse housing options, East Bay is the ideal place for newcomers who want to live the San Francisco lifestyle without paying the San Francisco price. The coastal East Bay became prominent in the middle of the 19th century as the part of the Bay Area that was most accessible by land from the east. With the 1868 completion of the Transcontinental Railroad that terminated at the newly constructed Oakland Long Wharf, the city of Oakland rapidly developed into a significant seaport and is now the Bay Area’s largest port and the fifth largest container-shipping port in the United States.
Although East Bay is not a formally defined region, it commonly is described as including Alameda, Contra Costa and Solano Counties. As development moves generally eastward, new areas also are being described as part of the East Bay.
ALAMEDA COUNTY
Alameda County is located across the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge from San Francisco. It is home to several of the largest incorporated communities in the area, with several having populations that exceed 100,000. From national-level sports teams and acclaimed universities to excellent art institutions and fine-dining establishments, Alameda County offers prospective residents an unrivaled quality of life without making them break the bank.
Major Communities (2011 Population): Alameda (74,774), Albany (18,786), Berkeley (113,905), Dublin (46,572), Emeryville (10,214), Fremont (216,916), Hayward (146,069), Livermore (82,039), Newark (43,139), Oakland (395,817), Piedmont (10,809), Pleasanton (71,215), San Leandro (86,017) and Union City (70,436)
Demographics
Education
For more information, visit Alameda County’s website at www.acgov.org. Following are the highlights of some of the largest communities in the county.
— Alameda
Situated on an island in the East Bay, Alameda is connected to the mainland by a series of tunnels and bridges. Alameda long has been a resort destination for Bay Area residents who are attracted to its temperate climate. Today, many San Franciscans vacation there to enjoy its beaches and golf courses. Alameda Point, the site of the former Naval Air Station Alameda is being redeveloped for residential and commercial purposes. Due to its geographic isolation, Alameda has been location for many major films, including The Matrix Reloaded, Rent, What Dreams May Come and Mission: Impossible II.
Renowned for its beautifully preserved Victorian houses—reportedly the largest concentration of pre-1906 Victorians than any other city—Alameda’s estimates show that one in 10 families live in a Victorian home while other such properties have been divided into several units. Several notable cultural institutions grace the city, including the Alameda County Arts Council and the Alameda Museum.
— Berkeley
The city of Berkeley has a distinctive personality thanks to a significant student population and its diverse neighborhoods. The areas surrounding the University of California, Berkeley campus are the most densely populated parts of the city. Berkeley’s neighborhoods include Berkeley Hills, Berkeley Marina, Claremont District, Cragmont, Downtown Berkeley, Elmwood District, La Loma Park, North Berkeley (the Gourmet Ghetto), Northbrae, Northside, Ocean View, South Berkeley, Southside, Thousand Oaks and West Berkeley.
Public transportation in Berkeley is supported by several companies, including Amtrak, AC Transit and the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) system as well as the university itself. Traffic can become rather severe on the freeways that run along the bay’s shoreline. As a result, Berkeley has developed one of the highest bicycle- and pedestrian-commuting rates in the nation. The city also has pioneered car-sharing networks—such as City CarShare, U Car Share and Zipcar—with which groups of people share vehicles rather than owning one personally.
The city of Berkeley has many historical buildings, must-see architectural landmarks and cultural attractions. Berkeley High School, established in 1880, was designated in 2008 as a historic district by the National Register of Historic Places. The Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive has exhibited works by acclaimed artists, such as Paul Gauguin, Jackson Pollock and Mark Rothko. The Berkeley Rose Garden features incomparable views of the city and the Golden Gate Bridge alongside hundreds of varieties of roses. Others places of interest include the Berkeley Marina, the Magnes Collection of Jewish Art and Life, the Lawrence Hall of Science, Regional Park Botanic Garden at Tilden Park and the William Randolph Hearst Greek Theatre. Berkeley hosts several major cultural events every year, including the Jewish Music Festival, the Berkeley Arts Festival, the Berkeley Kite Festival and the Himalayan Fair.
East Bay is the region of choice for professionals and families who want to live in the San Francisco area without actually being in the city, and thanks to its rich metropolitan culture and diverse housing options, East Bay is the ideal place for newcomers who want to live the San Francisco lifestyle without paying the San Francisco price. The coastal East Bay became prominent in the middle of the 19th century as the part of the Bay Area that was most accessible by land from the east. With the 1868 completion of the Transcontinental Railroad that terminated at the newly constructed Oakland Long Wharf, the city of Oakland rapidly developed into a significant seaport and is now the Bay Area’s largest port and the fifth largest container-shipping port in the United States.
Although East Bay is not a formally defined region, it commonly is described as including Alameda, Contra Costa and Solano Counties. As development moves generally eastward, new areas also are being described as part of the East Bay.
ALAMEDA COUNTY
Alameda County is located across the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge from San Francisco. It is home to several of the largest incorporated communities in the area, with several having populations that exceed 100,000. From national-level sports teams and acclaimed universities to excellent art institutions and fine-dining establishments, Alameda County offers prospective residents an unrivaled quality of life without making them break the bank.
Major Communities (2011 Population): Alameda (74,774), Albany (18,786), Berkeley (113,905), Dublin (46,572), Emeryville (10,214), Fremont (216,916), Hayward (146,069), Livermore (82,039), Newark (43,139), Oakland (395,817), Piedmont (10,809), Pleasanton (71,215), San Leandro (86,017) and Union City (70,436)
Demographics
- Population...............................................1,554,720
- Population Growth (2010–11)..............2.9%
- Persons Per Square Mile......................2,043.6
Education
- School Districts: Alameda, Albany, Berkeley, Castro Valley, Dublin, Emery, Fremont, Hayward, Livermore Valley, Mountain House, New Haven, Newark, Oakland, Piedmont, Pleasanton, San Leandro, San Lorenzo and Sunol Glen
- Total Public School Enrollment (2011–12): 225,000
- Educational Attainment (adult population)
- High school diploma...........................86%
- College degrees..................................40.8%
For more information, visit Alameda County’s website at www.acgov.org. Following are the highlights of some of the largest communities in the county.
— Alameda
Situated on an island in the East Bay, Alameda is connected to the mainland by a series of tunnels and bridges. Alameda long has been a resort destination for Bay Area residents who are attracted to its temperate climate. Today, many San Franciscans vacation there to enjoy its beaches and golf courses. Alameda Point, the site of the former Naval Air Station Alameda is being redeveloped for residential and commercial purposes. Due to its geographic isolation, Alameda has been location for many major films, including The Matrix Reloaded, Rent, What Dreams May Come and Mission: Impossible II.
Renowned for its beautifully preserved Victorian houses—reportedly the largest concentration of pre-1906 Victorians than any other city—Alameda’s estimates show that one in 10 families live in a Victorian home while other such properties have been divided into several units. Several notable cultural institutions grace the city, including the Alameda County Arts Council and the Alameda Museum.
— Berkeley
The city of Berkeley has a distinctive personality thanks to a significant student population and its diverse neighborhoods. The areas surrounding the University of California, Berkeley campus are the most densely populated parts of the city. Berkeley’s neighborhoods include Berkeley Hills, Berkeley Marina, Claremont District, Cragmont, Downtown Berkeley, Elmwood District, La Loma Park, North Berkeley (the Gourmet Ghetto), Northbrae, Northside, Ocean View, South Berkeley, Southside, Thousand Oaks and West Berkeley.
Public transportation in Berkeley is supported by several companies, including Amtrak, AC Transit and the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) system as well as the university itself. Traffic can become rather severe on the freeways that run along the bay’s shoreline. As a result, Berkeley has developed one of the highest bicycle- and pedestrian-commuting rates in the nation. The city also has pioneered car-sharing networks—such as City CarShare, U Car Share and Zipcar—with which groups of people share vehicles rather than owning one personally.
The city of Berkeley has many historical buildings, must-see architectural landmarks and cultural attractions. Berkeley High School, established in 1880, was designated in 2008 as a historic district by the National Register of Historic Places. The Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive has exhibited works by acclaimed artists, such as Paul Gauguin, Jackson Pollock and Mark Rothko. The Berkeley Rose Garden features incomparable views of the city and the Golden Gate Bridge alongside hundreds of varieties of roses. Others places of interest include the Berkeley Marina, the Magnes Collection of Jewish Art and Life, the Lawrence Hall of Science, Regional Park Botanic Garden at Tilden Park and the William Randolph Hearst Greek Theatre. Berkeley hosts several major cultural events every year, including the Jewish Music Festival, the Berkeley Arts Festival, the Berkeley Kite Festival and the Himalayan Fair.
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