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Suburb
San Francisco

Alameda

#5 in Best Places to Live in Alameda County
  • A+
    Overall Grade
  • Suburb of San Francisco, CA
  • 127 reviews
A+
Overall Niche Grade
How are grades calculated?
  1. Public Schools
    A+
  2. Crime & Safety
    B-
  3. Housing
    C
  4. Nightlife
    A
  5. Good for Families
    A
  6. Diversity
    A+
  7. Jobs
    B
  8. Weather
    A+
  9. Cost of Living
    D+
  10. Health & Fitness
    A+
  11. Outdoor Activities
    A
  12. Commute
    A-
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Alameda is a suburb of San Francisco with a population of 77,409. Alameda is in Alameda County and is one of the best places to live in California. Living in Alameda offers residents an urban feel and most residents rent their homes. In Alameda there are a lot of bars, restaurants, coffee shops, and parks. Many families and young professionals live in Alameda and residents tend to be liberal. The public schools in Alameda are highly rated.
About Alameda...
Population
77,409

Real Estate

Median Home Value
$677,000
National
$184,700
Median Rent
$1,478
National
$949
Area Feel
Urban
Rent vs. Own
  • Rent
    53%
  • Own
    47%
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Alameda Rankings

Niche ranks thousands of places to live based on key statistics from the U.S. Census and and expert insights.

Crime & Safety

Crime & Safety
B-
Based on violent and property crime rates.
Violent Crimes
  • Calculated annually per 100,000 residents
National
  • Assault
    93
    283
  • Murder
    1
    6
  • Rape
    9
    41
  • Robbery
    85
    136
Property Crimes
  • Calculated annually per 100,000 residents
National
  • Burglary
    284
    500
  • Theft
    1,697
    2,043
  • Motor Vehicle Theft
    557
    284
Home Security Options for Alameda
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  • 24/7 Whole home protection with no contract
  • CNET Editor’s choice winner 2018

Residents

Diversity
A+
Based on ethnic and economic diversity.
Median Household Income
$83,048
National
$55,322
Children
17%
Education Levels
National
  • Master's degree or higher
    20%
    12%
  • Bachelor's degree
    31%
    19%
  • Some college or associate's degree
    28%
    29%
  • High school diploma or equivalent
    13%
    28%
  • Less than high school diploma
    9%
    13%
  • Public Schools
  • Private Schools
  • Colleges
Places like Alameda
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Alameda Reviews

127 reviews
All Categories
Alameda has been a great place to grow up! We have the best neighborhood where we all know each other and regularly get together for bbq's, outdoor movie night on someone's garage, and s'mores around the fire pit. It was great when I was little, playing tag at night with glow sticks and waging attacks on the boy team with our water guns, but I think that I appreciate it even more now that I am older. I always feel safe when I'm out with my friends. There are 2 shopping malls, downtown and the West-end, plus a movie theater, arcades, a pinball museum, a bowling alley and lots of bike paths, beaches, parks and even kite-surfing!

Alameda has been a great place to grow up, with the community of a small town, but only a 20 minute drive to San Francisco and Berkeley where we have enjoyed all of the benefits of a big city.
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Clean, safe and a great place to raise children. There are tons of family activities to participate in including summer concerts, holiday parades and festivals. There is a great view on the beachside trail as well as kayaking, wind surfing, stand up paddle boarding and fishing. The parks in Alameda are super clean and expansive. There is a downtown strip with a popular ice cream shop, a nice moveie theatre, a wide variety of restaurants and coffee shops. Alameda is small but still offers most services you need and had excellent public safety. I recommend it for its blend of city life and family suburb.
Alameda is a small town outside of San Francisco, it is a quiet and beautiful place to live. Alameda is an island, which is surrounded by water. Its a tight, small community where everyone knows everyone. People are friendly and kind, lots of job opportunities. Great new restaurants and amazing service. Its a great area when you are older or retired. I wouldn't recommend raising children here because even though it is safe and small community, there isn't much activities to do when you are in high school.