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Life in Oakland, California

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Are you thinking of moving or relocating to Oakland, California? Would you like to know what the quality of life is like living in Oakland?

Bahar Mirhosseini reports in this review:

Weather	How much crime?	What are the neighborhoods like?	What are the people like?
Oakland, CA is not as gray and cloudy as San Francisco, which is across the bay. Oakland is part of the East Bay (the East side of the Bay Area) and the Bay Area can be generally chillier than Southern California. Late fall, winter, and early spring can be chilly - especially in the evenings such that you will need a solid sweater and perhaps a windbreaker on top of it. The Bay Area - including Oakland, CA does get rain of course - particularly in the winter and spring - but it does not seem to rain as much as San Francisco. If CA as a state is experiencing floods, then Oakland may also, but it is not particularly prone to any extreme weather. CA gets the earthquakes.	Like any large city, there are both violent and petty crimes that happen in Oakland. There are murders and robberies and rapes that occur - but this is something that happens in all if not nearly all parts of the United States. Having said that, in my several years of living in Oakland, I don't recall being told about a crime by anyone who was a victim or who experienced a crime. This is not to say it doesn't happen - I just have not been told. Unlike New York City, there are many more drivers in Oakland, so with that also comes the risk of facing drunk drivers.	The Lake Merritt area of Brooklyn is an ideal place to live or stay during a visit to the East Bay - there is a small "lake" which is really more of a lagoon, but it is charming. The lake is surrounded by a park and a walkway were neighbors stroll with children, friends, and dogs. There are also the Oakland Hills, where homes are more expensive and beautiful. Oakland has old homes, multiple story, wood paneled in many different areas along with newer apartment buildings in the downtown area. Downtown Jack London Square is at the heart of the Oakland waterfront where there are more restaurants and it is pretty for strolling during daylight or in the evening. The Ashby BART area is at the border of Oakland and Berkeley - as is the Temescal (slightly more upscale). West Oakland is the last stop on the BART before going under the water on the way to San Francisco, there are warehouses, lofts, some community gardening, students, families, non-profit events, and some industrially used spaces.	Oakland is incredibly diverse in terms of race, sexual orientation, and income and everyone will fit well. Oakland, like the Bay Area is not conservative, so perhaps people who are conservative may not fit in well. The "hippies" are more historically associated with neighboring Berkeley, CA (i.e. at People's Park, Telegraph Avenue) but Oakland is home to all walks of life. The people in Oakland are both young and old, educated and blue collar, and of all races and ethnic and cultural backgrounds. Between the Left and the Right, the people of Oakland lean towards the Left - politically. Oakland is a very diverse place, as such, there are friendly people and not so friendly people, many educators, artists, and social justice advocates as well as students, public employees, and blue collar workers.
Downtown Area	Restaurants	Schools	Single life
Downtown Oakland is great and if you are into walking, you can walk from there to Jack London Square and reward yourself with a nice meal by the water. Oakland is not a small town, so there are different clusters of shopping within it, in each neighborhood.	There are too many to list but Yoshi's in Jack London Square and Burma Superstar are two all time favorites.	The public schools may range in quality of curriculum and teachers however there are many after school programs in Oakland for children of all ages.	Oakland has many interesting events, art shows, and parties hosted at various clubs and bars. There is definitely a social / night life scene suitable for singles.
Noise	town comparison vs.	Tourist attractions	General comments
There is not noticeable unusual noise but there are some major streets - like Mac Arthur Avenue - so if you live on a major, traffic filled street - you may hear car noise.	Compared to San Francisco, Oakland is a much better place to live because it is cheaper (San Francisco just across the bay on the train has one of the highest rents in the U.S.), it is sunnier than SF, and there seems to be a greater sense of community. Compared to Oakland, San Fran is all business, metal and steel and skyscrapers (not in actuality, but in generality). Compared to Berkeley, it is a tough match. Both are on the sunny East Bay and their rents/price of real estate is comparable. They both have colleges (namely UC Berkeley in Berkeley and Mills College in Oakland). Oakland has more of a diversity in terms of income levels, Berkeley is generally more expensive. They both have homes in the hills. I think Oakland is a better place because there seems to be more diversity and you can live right by the lake which is very pretty.	There are many: Lake Merritt, the Garage (a real live car garage that becomes an art gallery for events), Jack London Square, and strolling along the shops and restaurants in the Temescal.	Oakland is large enough for different neighborhoods but small enough to garner a local, community feel once you live there. Small enough to see familiar faces walking around the lake, to frequent the farmers markets a few times and get to know people, yet large enough to drive around in and seek out events in various often artistic spaces. Oakland feels like professionals, people who seek something more personal and real than San Francisco, or people who can not afford to live in San Francisco, or who don't want to. Oakland is artists up and coming, often struggling. It is young families growing together. And old families tied to their roots, decades and generations strong. Oakland is beautifully diverse. The walkway also has joggers and the park around it will have different groups of people riding bikes, working out, or sitting on a blanket and laughing. There is also a movie theater in Lake Merritt and two main strips with lots of different restaurants. There is a growing art scene in Oakland, CA with various galleries and open spaces nestled throughout Oakland.

Are you thinking of moving or relocating to Oakland, California? Would you like to know what the quality of life is like living in Oakland?

Nisha Balaram reports in this review:

Weather	How much crime?	What are the neighborhoods like?	What are the people like?
Oakland is an ideal city, where for the majority of the year, residents enjoy mediate temperatures, with a bout of rain during the winter months. However, the amount of rain that Oakland receives is not extensive. The hottest time of the year is one month during the summer (usually July or August), but the heat usually dissipates during over the course of the day due to the fact that the city is by the ocean.	Car break-ins are pretty typical in Oakland. In fact, most people I know who HAVE experienced a crime, have experienced this due to a car break-in. I also know some individuals walking in areas with low levels of light who have had their belongings stolen. I personally have not experienced any crime.	Oakland is very diverse, with African-American and Asian populations. Also, the mixed population has a large presence here, and this diversity has an even distribution within Oakland. The good areas of Oakland (more expensive and classic Victorian) are located in the Piedmont area and in the hills. The worse part of town is East Oakland. Basically, the farther East you travel, the more dangerous the neighborhood is. Also, West Oakland is a mixture of incomes, and has some shadier neighborhoods.	People in Oakland are open-minded, Progressive, activists, usually young, and very proud of their history. Oakland residents are proud of diversity, and are welcoming to all cultures. More conservative folks would not thrive here. Also, Oakland is a younger crowd, so people who are older wouldn't thrive here as well. People who should come here: educated, younger people, people who are artists and activists, or who are involved in social justice, those who are of all races, and so on.
Downtown Area	Restaurants	Schools	Single life
Very nice, and developing. Both off of Grand and Lakeshore, and off of Broadway.	Anywhere in the Old Oakland and Jack London districts.	High quality, especially in the hills.	Look to downtown Oakland for the singles' scene.
Noise	town comparison vs.	Best hospital	Tourist attractions
Noise comes from the Oakland International Airport and the amtrak.	Oakland vs. Hayward and Union City: Oakland is better because it is less of the suburbs, but it doesn't have an overwhelmingly urban feel. There are also a lot of things to do with your family in Oakland, from dance venues, to farmers' markets, to little boutiques -- there's something for everyone.	Oakland's Children Hospital is world-renowned.	Downtown is a vibrant scene, with restaurants and performances venues.
General comments
Within this town, there is movement. There are so many things occurring, from art festivals, to indie markets, to new pop-up shops. Oakland is innovative and growing, and has a lot to offer because of its position in the Bay Area. It's also becoming a renowned food hub. Oakland has something for everyone, whether you want to be in a more suburban environment or whether you prefer the urban lifestyle. Personally, I appreciate the diversity of these experiences, and the new events that always come to town. Also, it's a great place where I can access San Francisco.

Oakland, California population: 390724

How many black people live in Oakland? How many white people?

Number of White People	134925	Percentage of White people	34.5%
Number of Black People	119122	Percentage of Black people	30.5%
Number of Hispanic People	103980	Percentage of Hispanic people	26.7%
Number of Asian People	77349	Percentage of Asian people	19.8%
Number of American Indian People	8322	Percentage of American Indian people	2.1%

Note: Numbers may add up to >100% because some people are more than one race.

Oakland, California

Percent college grads: 36.3%
Percent grad school grads: 15.7%
Unemployment rate: 10.1
Median house value: 528600
Median income: 49721

How many singles in Oakland?

Single men ages 20-34	Single women ages 20-34	Ratio of single men to women age 20-34
33192	32904	1.01men for each woman
Single men ages 35-44	Single women ages 35-44	Ratio of single men to women age 35-44
15194	16565	0.92men for each woman
Single men ages 45-54	Single women ages 45-54	Ratio of single men to women age 45-54
13361	15085	0.89men for each woman

Crimes in Oakland, California

Crimes	Absolute numbers	Average percentage chance of being a victim in
by type	of crimes	One Year	Five Years
Murders	90	0%	0%
Robberies	2917	1%	4%
Aggr. Assault	2942	1%	4%
Burglary	4961	4%	17%
Auto Theft	4644	1%	6%

Weather History for Oakland, California

Oakland, California Basic Temperatue and Weather (30 year averages)

Month	Number of Days 50's (degrees)	Number of Days 60's (degrees)	Number of Days 70's (degrees)
January	31	0	0
February	1	28	0
March	0	31	0
April	0	30	0
May	0	30	1
June	0	0	30
July	0	0	31
August	0	0	31
September	0	0	30
October	0	5	26
November	0	30	0
December	28	3	0
Average year	60	157	149

How many days and how much precipitation and snow for Oakland, California?

	Number of days of rain (.1 inch or greater)	total rainfall	Number of days of snow (.5 inch or greater)	Total snowfall
January	7	4.71	0	0
February	7	4.5	0	0
March	6	3	0	0
April	3	1	0	0
May	1	0	0	0
June	0	0	0	0
July	0	0	0	0
August	0	0	0	0
September	0	0	0	0
October	2	1	0	0
November	5	2	0	0
December	7	4	0	0
Average year	43	0	0	0

Realistic temperatures, taking into account precipitation, amount of sunlight during the day, winds during the day, and humidity during hot days.

Month	Number of Days 40's (degrees)	Number of Days 50's (degrees)	Number of Days 60's (degrees)	Number of Days 70's (degrees)	Number of Days 90's+ (degrees)
January	31	0	0	0	0
February	28	0	0	0	0
March	3	9	19	0	0
April	0	0	30	0	0
May	0	0	15	16	0
June	0	0	0	30	0
July	0	0	0	0	31
August	0	0	0	31	0
September	0	0	0	30	0
October	0	0	0	31	0
November	0	0	29	1	0
December	20	6	5	0	0
Average year	82	15	98	139	31

How many hot humid days a year does Oakland, California have?
How many cloudy days a year does Oakland, California have?
How many sunny days a year does Oakland, California have? How sunny is it?
How many windy days a year does Oakland, California have? How windy is it?
See below for the answers!

Month	Number of very windy days	Number of windy days	Number of somewhat windy days	Number of clear days	Number of moderately cloudly days	Number of somewhat cloudy days	Number of very cloudy days
January	0	0	31	8	2	8	11
February	0	14	14	7	2	8	9
March	18	13	0	9	4	8	8
April	30	0	0	11	4	7	6
May	31	0	0	13	4	7	5
June	30	0	0	17	4	5	3
July	31	0	0	20	4	4	2
August	31	0	0	19	4	4	2
September	30	0	0	18	3	4	3
October	9	15	7	16	3	6	4
November	0	0	30	10	3	8	7
December	0	0	31	9	3	8	9
Average year	210	42	113	162	46	81	76

(Note: Humidity, wind, and cloudcover information is based on (a) 30 year averages and in many cases (b) a large nearby weather station. If you're in an area with a lot of "micro climates" actual conditions may vary.)

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Sources of information: Census, FBI Crime Statistics, NOAA
Disclaimer: The information presented here are for the general population, assume the same rate of crime in the future, and an evenly distributed amount of crime throughout the city in question. They are not meant to accurately predict whether one person in particular will be a victim of crime. Percentages are based on the population of the city/town in question, except for burglaries, which are based on the number of households.