2023 Best Suburbs to Live in the San Francisco Bay Area

• Suburb of Oakland, CA

• •
  Rating 3.91 out of 5  54 reviews

Current Resident: Very peaceful town, full of fantastic shops, stores, cafes, and restaurants to check out. Generally feels very safe, mostly populated by college students and families. Albany Bulb and Albany Hill Park are beautiful hiking/walking spots to check out, the former near the ocean and the latter providing great views.... Read 54 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A+

• Population 19,958

• Town in California

• •
  Rating 4.04 out of 5  136 reviews

Current Resident: I love Mountain View with my whole heart! I have grown up here my whole life, and it hasn't failed to provide fun, jobs, sense of community, and trust. They have such fun and welcoming holiday events that are free for anybody to attend, and have an amazing community center that I live very close to. The community center provides anything you could imagine! From dance classes, tutoring, yoga, daycares, and more, the City of Mountain View doesn't stop with provisions for their community. I have gotten lucky enough to work for the City as a lifeguard, and it has been the most fun and enjoyable experience I've had in all my years living here. They hire teens from the age of 15, pay extremely well, and it is a super fun and engaging job to have during the summer! I have learned so much in my years living here, and I hold a space very close to my heart for Mountain View.... Read 136 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A+

• Population 82,409

• City in California

• •
  Rating 4.05 out of 5  203 reviews

Works Here: First of Berkeley Ca is a very diverse place. It is a place where you can feel free and express yourself without the fear of being judged. The neighborhoods are beautiful and are surrounded with big beautiful green tress. It has a great variety of public schools and we have UC Berkeley in our own back yard! There is always great food around along with friendly people. The great thing about Berkeley its young and welcoming atmosphere. The one thing I would change about it would be the gentrification that is happening. Gentrification takes away a lot of the historical value Berkeley has to offer.... Read 203 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A+

• Population 119,607

• Town in California

• •
  Rating 4.06 out of 5  107 reviews

Current Resident: I like the family friendly activities that are available in Palo Alto. There are excellent schools, shops, and restaurants. The people are very friendly and the weather in the Bay Area is amazing year-round!... Read 107 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A+

• Population 68,624

• Suburb of San Francisco, CA

• •
  Rating 4.41 out of 5  32 reviews

Former Resident: Growing up in Foster City was fantastic! It is a fantastic place to raise a family. The water and parks are serene. Don't expect a nightlife - there isn't one. As someone in their 20's, I am looking for something else, with a little more excitement.... Read 32 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A+

• Population 33,511

• Suburb of San Francisco, CA

• •
  Rating 4.14 out of 5  65 reviews

Current Resident: San Carlos is blessed with great weather throughout the year. All of North, South and Easy bay are easily accessible making our daily commute very easy. The neighborhood has quaint downtown full of restaurants with excellent food and ambience. Even the new apartments being built by the Laurel street and the Caltrain station are aesthetically pleasing. SC is full of Redwood and other large trees. Edgewood park is close by and great for hikes and picnics. Trader Joe's, Lucky, Home depot, TJ Max, etc are close by. Access to highly rated schools, downtown book shops, SC Youth center makes it perfect for kids too!... Read 65 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A+

• Population 30,754

• Suburb of Oakland, CA

• •
  Rating 3.89 out of 5  57 reviews

Current Resident: Love this town... but diversity should get a C grade at best - especially compared to the surrounding area. High income is required to live here ($200k+) and household costs are grossly understated on this site. Farmer's market, parks, few good restaurants, town owned by one family who refuses to modernize and hampers small business growth, awesome teachers, etc. Loads of jobs within an hour commute but perfect town to work remotely from.... Read 57 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A+

• Population 16,750

• Suburb of San Jose, CA

• •
  Rating 4.4 out of 5  5 reviews

Current Resident: A lot of animals around, quiet neighborhood. Very nice place to bike or hike or just walk and jog around. Great neighborhood overall... Read 5 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A+

• Population 8,520

• Suburb of San Francisco, CA

• •
  Rating 4.34 out of 5  41 reviews

Current Resident: Burlingame is home! I moved here with my mom and dad when I was 2 1/2. My two little sisters were born here, this is home! Everywhere you go - you will see a friendly smile and friends who you grew up either in school or from the local softball team. Burlingame is clean, the people are kind and the weather is usually beautiful! Of course, I am so excited for August when I go away to school, but I will truly miss my town. I already cannot wait to come back to visit, because I know that I will be welcomed home with so many hugs and smiles!... Read 41 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A+

• Population 31,142

• Suburb of San Francisco, CA

• •
  Rating 4.16 out of 5  37 reviews

Current Resident: San Anselmo is a quiet but expensive town located only a short distance from San Francisco. There is a very low unemployment rate (4-5% as of 2019) and being as its only 15 miles from San Francisco the local transportation is sufficient to get anywhere you want to be. The people here are amazing, and the town itself is bustling with local consumers spending their money in local shops. There are no walmarts, or targets so you don't see a lot of homeless people, and crime here is almost nonexistent (or is it that the police force is doing their job so well that we don't even notice!?) Growing up in Yosemite, I didn't think there was ever going to be a place I could appreciate and call home. Then I found and fell in love with San Anselmo and now I never want to live anywhere else!... Read 37 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A+

• Population 12,795

• Town in California

• •
  Rating 4.29 out of 5  229 reviews

Current Resident: I've lived here in San Ramon since 1995. My wife and I raised our children here after moving from Vallejo. The school system was great at the time and children have all graduated from Cal High and moved on to higher learning and adulthood. Crime was nearly non-existent when we moved here, but the new Next Door app indicates that there is more crime than meets the eye. Petty theft, car break ins and package theft are now commonplace. People will even steal your DoorDash and Grubhub food drop-off. Shame on people. Jobs? There is Bishop Ranch where many businesses flourish. Chevron, Bank of the West, 24 Hour Fitness, Toyota and more. Not everyone will find a job here and so that makes San Ramon a sort of "bedroom community" where residents have to commute to work. Housing: Once upon a time, you could buy a house on the cheap if you bought long ago, think 1990's and then the recession. That no longer exists and housing is EXPENSIVE! My home increased $1,000,000. Love it!... Read 229 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A+

• Population 85,688

• Suburb of San Francisco, CA

• •
  Rating 4.14 out of 5  14 reviews

Current Resident: A lovely, relatively small town that maintains it's small town feel! It is warm, people are friendly, and there is a good variety of ages, from baby to grandparent. I absolutely love Corte Madera, and it's maintained small town feel! It's got everything you need as well: school from K through 12th, a mall, grocery store, park, and many trails to hike on.... Read 14 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A+

• Population 10,145

• Suburb of San Francisco, CA

• •
  Rating 4.13 out of 5  63 reviews

Current Resident: Belmont is a pretty good city, a lot of fun activities to do. There are good restaurants and cafes and such, lots of places for younger people to get jobs as well. The school systems are good, commuting to said schools are also fine unless you require the 260 SamTrans bus in which case you're out of luck. Lots of good programs for youth, I do several extracurriculars here. There isn't much to do past 8 PM though. Housing is expensive. Overall a pretty good place to live, though.... Read 63 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A+

• Population 28,109

• City in California

• •
  Rating 4.12 out of 5  270 reviews

Current Resident: Very safe and quiet city. In the middle of the Bay Area so there is lots of great places to explore by car, train, and/or bus. Abundance of diverse stores, restaurants, and boutiques/antique stores. Places to hike are unlimited!... Read 270 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A

• Population 155,550

• Suburb of San Jose, CA

• •
  Rating 4.11 out of 5  74 reviews

Current Resident: Menlo Park is one of the most inviting communities. It is surround by many fun and lively locations like downtown Palo Alto and Redwood City, while still remaining a quiet and cozy place to live. Being in Menlo Park, I have been able to attend one of the best public high schools and participate and some of the best high school athletics. The amount of opportunities available in this area are endless. Lastly, being around such successful people in the Silicon Valley gives our students a boost of motivation to work hard and succeed in their lives after education, making Menlo Park an academically rigorous and competitive place.... Read 74 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A+

• Population 33,677

• Suburb of Oakland, CA

• •
  Rating 3.51 out of 5  37 reviews

Current Resident: Piedmont is a wonderful community, providing a unique sense of community with close access to urban amenities in San Francisco, Oakland, and Berkeley. No city is perfect, but Piedmont comes close -- providing strong public schools, a low crime rate, and fabulous community resources including an Arts Center, STEAM building, community pool, multiple parks, sports courts, and a thriving recreation center. Residents care deeply about the city and larger community and work together to affect change -- whether traveling to Mexico to build houses through the community church or volunteering with the local chapter of Boys Team Charity. The desire to affect change can also be seen in the city's attempt to address issues related to race, climate change, and housing. Refreshingly, progress continues as folks generally respect varying viewpoints and find compromise. Piedmont schools allow Oakland students to attend, but unfortunately, the Oakland School District mostly prevents the transfers.... Read 37 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A+

• Population 11,368

• Town in California

• •
  Rating 4.31 out of 5  162 reviews

Current Resident: Pleasanton has very nice neighborhoods. There are a LOT of trees and parks here that make it seem very natural. The Meadowlark Dairy downtown serves delicious ice cream as well as other treats. A lot of the restaurants downtown are amazing too! If you live near a school, it's definitely walkable. Both high schools are great (and I love the friendly rivalry we've had)! The town is a very safe place to live in and has a very family-friendly environment. The public library has a lot of great books and the staff there are very friendly to both adults and children!... Read 162 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A+

• Population 79,558

• Suburb of San Francisco, CA

• •
  Rating 4.45 out of 5  20 reviews

Current Resident: After recently moving to Larkspur, I immediately felt at home among the family-owned shops and multitude of friendly faces. The commute to school is quick and easy, and I am able to meet new friends through the incredible public school system surrounding my house. The well maintained parks and trails surrounding my house help me to stay active and have fun outside.... Read 20 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A+

• Population 12,972

• Suburb of San Jose, CA

• •
  Rating 4.1 out of 5  73 reviews

Current Resident: Los Altos California is a wonderful place to live, and especially to raise children! It is safe and the people are usually very kind. The community areas like Downtown Los Altos are very quaint and have many local shopping opportunities. The schools here are also amazing, and provide so many resources to the students. Although, if you are someone who likes a more busy night life, this is not the place for you. There are very few places that are open after around 10PM. Also the housing market is very expensive.... Read 73 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A+

• Population 31,562

• Suburb of Oakland, CA

• •
  Rating 3.73 out of 5  22 reviews

Current Resident: I live in Alamo and would consider it a very safe suburb. Excellent public schools in the area, with a great restaurant and downtown scene either in Danville or Walnut Creek, both very close by. Very expensive place to live mostly populated by families and couples. Not known for diversity, but very small welcoming community.... Read 22 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A+

• Population 13,852

• Suburb of San Francisco, CA

• grade A+

• grade A+

• Population 2,309

• Suburb of San Jose, CA

• •
  Rating 4.67 out of 5  3 reviews

Current Resident: I want to see a lot more sights to see more nature. Sometimes I try and go for walks but the experience ends up to be too noisy. I guess that’s something that happens with people and cars normally though. There are a couple parks here and there but nothing too exciting. There is a good amount of small businesses which is nice to go grab a bagel a milkshake. The people are mostly very friendly. One things I don’t like is the amount of trash I see it’s not a lot but more than I’d like to see.... Read 3 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A+

• Population 3,492

• Town in California

• •
  Rating 4.14 out of 5  200 reviews

Current Resident: The downtown is amazing! There are countless stores to choose from, and each and every single one of the stores are all super-duper trendy and glamorous. I really appreciate having the privilege of being able to live in this pleasurable place. There are quite a few people living in this town, but it is a large place. There are many different elementary schools, middle schools, and high schools, and a college nearby, too. Most of the schools are great, and earn a high amount of points on school-review websites. Also, there are a lot of events that go on within Walnut Creek, such as the Art and Wine Festival, the Walnut Festival (an annual tradition), and the running festival. Walnut Creek is located at the foot of Mount Diablo, which is a very fabulous and snazzy mountain that you can climb up. Every decade, it will snow, sometimes only every few years, and everyone goes outside when it falls. I am very happy that I can grow up somewhere like here. I really love Walnut Creek.... Read 200 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A

• Population 69,876

• City in California

• •
  Rating 3.87 out of 5  207 reviews

Current Resident: I am in love with Santa Clara, it's culturally diverse. Hospitals are close and roads are close to freeways. The stores are walking distance. Santa clara electric system is separate from PG&E, making prices cheaper. Water is included in rent. The areas to rent are pet inclusive allowing for people to be with loved ones and having understanding neighbors. There's always a good location to dine in or to even have drinks. Public school systems have pretty well maintained fields and have alot of opportunities. Real estate is expensive however for living costs. Renting is more affordable. Jobs are available and competitive.... Read 207 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A

• Population 127,922

• Suburb of San Francisco, CA

• •
  Rating 4.43 out of 5  7 reviews

Current Resident: I love the fact that Hillsborough is such a friendly place to live. All of the people are connected through a social media site called Nextdoor, and they people who post on the site are very active when it comes to warning their neighbors about stormy weather or recent break-ins.... Read 7 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A+

• Population 11,390