Looking for wide open spaces? Up until World War II, ranching was Castro Valley’s primary industry. A housing boom followed the war, subdividing much of the ranch land. Interestingly, because Castro Valley is unincorporated, the lack of centralized planning for the area’s population growth resulted in a mismatch patchwork of housing options. You can almost literally find any kind of style to fit your needs. There are mansions on ranch land, trailer parks, gated communities, and more traditional and established neighborhoods. The west and central part of town are where you’ll find most of the older and very diverse styles. Two bed and one bath homes sit on the same block as four bedroom and three bath homes. Then on the east side you’ll find your more modern planned housing communities. 

While it’s not all ranch houses today, the peaceful and quiet rhythm of the past lives on here. Residents enjoy great access to outdoor spaces and in some parts, both ridge and bay views. It cannot be described as the “hub” for really anything, but it is where folks come to settle down. To complement the slower pace of life, Castro Valley boasts well-regarded schools and a prime location within the East Bay. It’s easy enough to see why more and more families are taking a closer look at CV.

Please keep in mind that one person’s “peaceful” is another person’s “boring.” More on that in the next section.


Peace & Quiet

The Best Thing About Castro Valley?

“Fast” is not a word you’d associate with peaceful and quiet Castro Valley…unless you’re talking about fast food.

If you’re imagining this Oakland suburb to reflect the impressive cuisine options in nearby San Francisco, this one might hurt a little. Castro Valley is home to not one, but sometimes two of each of the most popular fast food chains in the country. In other words, drive-thru dining makes up the majority of your go-out options. So if you’re a foodie, we’re sorry, but also don’t give up on Castro Valley yet. We can confirm there IS a Trader Joe’s. 

While lack of food options is the top drawback on most residents’ list, locals do have their go-to spots. Most mentioned was the [**Southern Comfort Kitchen**](http://www.socokitchen.net/) where Californians can get their fill of authentic southern fixin’s prepared by three brothers from New Orleans (when you go, we recommend the shrimp and grits). For the sushi lovers we have [**Tancho Japanese Restaurant**](https://www.tanchojapaneserestaurant.com/) and for those with a weakness for southeast asian cuisine, you’ll be frequenting Phad Thai Cuisine and [**Top Thai Cuisine**](http://www.topthaicv.com/dinner.pdf).

But don’t forget dessert. [**Yogurt Deluxe**](https://www.yogurtdeluxe.com/) is there for when you’re being good about following your new health plan and Milk & Cookie Bar https://milkandcookiebar.com/ and [**Rita’s Italian Ice and Frozen Custard**](https://www.ritasice.com/location/ritas-of-castro-valley-ca/) are there for days when you “deserve it.” 

As we’ve hinted at, Castro Valley’s convenient central location within the Bay Area makes travel to other places easier. When you’re itching for more options, check out popular dive bar Curly’s Place in Hayward or the mall in San Ramon called City Center Bishop Ranch.


Quiet…Maybe Too Quiet

The Worst Thing About Castro Valley?

Did we mention Castro Valley is unincorporated? It’s the fifth largest unincorporated area in California and is managed by Alameda County. This can mean a few things. One pro is that without localized government and services, there are potentially fewer taxes. One con is that there isn’t a centrally located public safety presence, but residents note that they feel comfortable walking around at night and the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office and California Highway Patrol have great response times.

And like we said, the lack of centralized planning resulted in a range of housing styles. Prospective transplants can find anything from ranch and horse properties to custom homes within newer subdivisions. The wide range of options does mean a wide range of prices (think $600,000 to $2+ million). While the median home price sits at $1.2 million, local realtors argue that you can expect to get a two bedroom and one bathroom starter home for $750-900,000 (as of late 2023). In terms of renting, a one bedroom will be about $1,900 and a two bedroom will be about $2,400 according to Zillow. 

Castro Valley is as ethnically diverse as its housing options are varied. Its primarily [**upper middle class population demographics**](https://datausa.io/profile/geo/castro-valley-ca ) are White (Non-Hispanic) (39.5%), Asian (Non-Hispanic) (28.2%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (9.56%), White (Hispanic) (8.85%), and Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (5.08%). 

Unless you work in [**healthcare**](https://www.sutterhealth.org/find-location/facility/castro-valley-urgent-care)  or are fully remote, you’ll get to experience the joys and drawbacks of driving to and from Castro Valley. In terms of location within the Bay Area, Castro Valley scores highly. It’s just 25 miles east of San Francisco and 30 minutes away from most major hubs like SF, the Mid-Peninsula and Silicon Valley. Oakland is even closer, just 20 minutes away. If sitting in rush hour traffic isn’t your thing, Castro Valley also has a BART station. The downside of having great access to highway 880 and 580 is all the through traffic. Commuters who live elsewhere will often use Castro Valley backroads to avoid back-ups on the main freeways, causing surprisingly bad traffic jams that logically shouldn’t be there with a town of CV’s population size. 

But let’s forget about work for a minute and focus on recreation. You can trust us when we say CV is lacking in nightlife, food and entertainment options but those who love the great outdoors won’t mind. The area’s eastern border is the Lake Chabot Regional Park where residents can rent boats, picnic, hike and more. You can mountain bike all the way to Oakland, walk the 10-mile loop around the lake or test your luck at catching bass, catfish, trout or carp. Also to the east of Castro Valley, [**Cull Canyon Regional Recreation Area**](https://www.ebparks.org/parks/cull-canyon) offers swimming, hiking, dog areas and more. 

If you’re not into outdoor activities, but you don’t mind drinking in beautiful views, perhaps you’d prefer to pair the region’s nice weather with a little wine tasting. Visit a few local wineries before continuing the fun further east on the region’s popular [**Livermore Valley Wine Trail**](https://visittrivalley.com/activities-and-things-to-do/wine-trails-concept/).


Lifestyle of Castro Valley

Castro Valley may not have a city council, but it does have a local school district. And a good one at that. [**The Castro Valley Unified School District**](https://www.cv.k12.ca.us/) (CVUSD) serves 9,000 students via its nine elementary schools, two middle schools and two high schools. Additionally, it offers the [**Castro Valley Virtual Academy]**(https://virtualacademy.cv.k12.ca.us/), where students grades K-12 can enjoy a fully online education. 

CVUSD has an overall “A” rating on [**Niche.com**](https://www.niche.com/k12/d/castro-valley-unified-school-district-ca/) and [**Greatschools.org**](https://www.greatschools.org/california/castro-valley/castro-valley-unified-school-district) reports 86% of schools in this district are either average or above average in quality, with the majority being above average. The district is praised for its academics, teachers, diversity and in particular, its college prep. Within CVUSD, [**Jensen Ranch Elementary School**](https://jensenranch.cv.k12.ca.us/) (K-5) gets a gold star for its excellent equity practices, above average academics and well above average test scores. It even offers a Spanish dual immersion program, is rated 9/10 on Greatschools.org and received an “A” from Niche.com. Castro Valley High School also received a 9/10 rating from Greatschools.org and “A” rating on Niche.com. It ranks far above the state average in terms of preparing students for college and beyond.

But if you’re a parent looking at moving to Castro Valley, don’t breathe a sigh of relief just yet. Like other surrounding areas, the zoning can be tricky. A good general rule is that any property south of the 580 will be zoned for Hayward Unified School District, despite having a Castro Valley postal code. In other words, if you’re moving here primarily for the schools, do your research before signing on the dotted line.

You can forget about zoning if you’re looking at the long list of top-tier private schools in and around Castro Valley. The College Preparatory School (9-12) in Oakland, Head-Royce School (K-12) in Oakland, The Quarry Lane School (PK-12) in Dublin and Redwood Christian Schools (PK-12) in Castro Valley are particularly well rated and located pretty close. Also, not a private school but certainly worth mentioning, in nearby Oakland the Yu Ming Charter School is regarded as the best charter elementary school in all of the San Francisco Bay Area. 

All that said, whether they’re in public school, private school, or being homeschooled, all children (and adults!) will benefit greatly from the [**Castro Valley Library**](https://aclibrary.org/locations/CSV/). 


Rated Highly

Schools in Castro Valley

When families move to Castro Valley, they’re here to stay – at least until the little ones are off to college. This means low turnover and therefore low inventory. Not to mention, like almost everywhere else, that median home price is only getting scarier. We recommend starting to look for homes now and not giving up when you’re outbid on the first few Castro Valley homes you fall in love with. 


Rising Popularity

Why You Should Move Here Now

Briar Ridge and Green Ridge sit side by side directly east of [**Cull Canyon Regional Recreation Area**](https://www.ebparks.org/parks/cull-canyon) . Driving up the hill into these neighborhoods feels like going into the mountains. Briar Ridge’s shingle-style siding of the townhome complex as you drive up into the neighborhood evokes that relaxed and laid back mountain vibe. At the start of the neighborhood you’ll find two- and three-bedroom townhomes with enclosed garages ranging from $600,000 to $700,000 that are great for first time home buyers. Further up the hill the housing transitions to single-family homes pricing in around $1.2 million that sit on lots larger than what you’d get in newer developments. 

Green Ridge stands out for its single-family, [**Eichler homes**](https://www.realtor.com/advice/buy/what-are-eichler-homes/). Eicher homes embody modern design with open concepts, contemporary aesthetics, floor to ceiling windows, concrete slab floors and large airy rooms. Like Briar Ridge, these homes sit on larger lots and offer striking views and lots of open green space. Here homes will consistently price at more than $1 million.

There are no HOA dues for the single-family homes in these neighborhoods and with that comes far fewer amenities than other neighborhoods, for example, no recreation center. 

As mentioned, Cull Canyon Regional Recreation Area is right there and so is Greenridge Park’s amazing views located at the top of the neighborhood. Both of these parks are never super crowded, allowing you to get away from it all while running, walking or picnicking in nature.

For groceries, you have a Safeway five minutes down the road along East Castro Valley Boulevard and gas stations and big store shops within ten minutes along Redwood Road. For little ones, you have the highly rated [**Sunshine Palette Child Care**](http://www.sunshinepalette.com/) just down the road and Marshall Elementary School, Canyon Middle School and others all within 5-10 minutes.


Young Professionals/DINKs/Families

Briar Ridge / Green Ridge

Five Canyons sits on the east side of Castro Valley Boulevard. The neighborhood has newer builds that went up between the 1980’s and 2000s. It is an attractive area and a nice place to raise a family. You’ll be able to find all styles of homes here, ranging from condos and townhomes to single-family homes and even mini mansions. Home prices here are above $1 million and with the price tag comes some attractive amenities. The Five Canyons Recreation Center is great for hosting parties, escaping the summer heat in the pool, relaxing in the jacuzzi or letting the kids play on the playground or sports courts. One perk of the center is it is tucked away, giving it an exclusive feel. 

This neighborhood also has great access to 300 acres of open spaces and plenty of walking trails in parks like Ridge Trail Park and Wildwood Park. The diverse natural landscapes within nearby Cull Canyon Regional Recreation Area are a big perk too. 

For shopping, Safeway is a five minute drive away and Trader Joe’s is less than 10. Nearby schools include [**East Avenue Elementary School**](https://eastavenue.husd.us/), [**Northstar School**](https://northstarschool.org/) and [**Hayward Twin Oaks Montessori School**](https://www.haywardtwinoaks.org/). This neighborhood is located south of 580 so you’ll want to do your research on if your home is zoned for Castro Valley or Hayward unified school districts.

It’s important to note too that residents enjoy multiple entry and exit points into the neighborhood which helps to reduce the stress of navigating the area’s traffic jams.


Families/DINKs 

Five Canyons

According to one realtor, Columbia is the best neighborhood in Castro Valley, and it’s reflected in the neighborhood's home prices. Unlike other nice neighborhoods like Five Canyons and Palomares Hills, all homes in Columbia are single-family and detached. They’re typically three- to five-bedrooms built in the 1970s that sell for around $1.7 million. 

This neighborhood is great for families. It has a combination of well-maintained amenities and parks and its open spaces boast ridge views, bay views and a network of walking trails. Columbia Recreation Center amenities include pools, a Jacuzzi and basketball court. It also enjoys close proximity to Cull Canyon Park, which includes beach access.

For shopping, you’ll find all the essentials less than 10 minutes away along Redwood Road, including Safeway, Trader Joe’s gas stations and shops. Schools in the area include [**Vannoy Elementary School**](https://vannoy.cv.k12.ca.us/), [**Creekside Middle School**](https://creekside.cv.k12.ca.us/), [**Canyon Middle School**](https://canyon.cv.k12.ca.us/) and [**Castro Valley High School**](https://cvhs.cv.k12.ca.us/). 


Families

Columbia

Castro Valley

**What is the Castro Valley area like?**

Middle class, mostly older citizens and families. There are some really highly-rated primary schools and middle-of-the road middle/high schools. Fairly clean, not a ton of violent crimes (mostly porch pirates and the like). Food mix is mediocre as fast food chains used to make up 3/4 of the dine out options there. It's improved slightly in the past few years.

Not a ton to do in the area outside of Lake Chabot which is really nice. It's sort of in the middle of tri-valley and the rest of east bay so nothings too far away (but also not super close/convenient either).

**What is the Castro Valley area like?**

Q: Things to do? A: Not much besides Lake Chabot. Many drive to San Ramon Bishop Ranch City Center to hang out.

Q: Cleanliness? A: Fairly clean-- I rarely see litter or illegal dumping. CV BART has a police station outside so it's safe and clean.

Q: Job industry mix? A: Not a lot of jobs outside a bunch of hospitals. It's a suburban bedroom community.

Q: Crime? A: Not much except porch pirates and cat thieves. Most of CV crime happens at apartments on Hayward border.

Q: Food? A: There are a few decent places in downtown area. Bbq, sushi, pizza, tapas, chinese, cajun, pho, thai, hawaiian, ramen, boba. Nothing really exciting, but not bad either. There's a Trader Joe's and a good Mexican market/taqueria across the street.

What It's like living in Castro Valley

Castro Valley's demographics are White (Non-Hispanic) (39.5%), Asian (Non-Hispanic) (28.2%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (9.56%), White (Hispanic) (8.85%), and Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (5.08%). Castro Valley's 2020 median property value was $812,200. It's more of a small town feel. https://datausa.io/profile/geo/castro-valley-ca

If you live North of Highway 580, you are in an area served by Castro Valley High School, an excellent school. South of 580 is served by the Hayward school district.

Along with other nearby communities, it had racial covenants in the property deeds that kept blacks out (unless they were live-in servants) that effectively ended in the early 70's.

Castro Valley, a bedroom community, has little nightlife, but there are plenty of restaurants. Some find activities at the Kenneth C. Aitken Senior Center, https://haywardrec.org/facilities/facility/details/Kenneth-C-Aitken-Senior-Community-Center-89,

a modern library and the Moose lodge. It has classes and activities at the Community Center, https://www.haywardrec.org/facilities/facility/details/Castro-Valley-Community-Center-124

There is Lake Chabot with boats for rent. Cal State University East Bay is in nearby Hayward. The crime rate is low with no gang activity to speak of. There are shopping malls in nearby Hayward and San Leandro. As a part of the largest unincorporated area in the state, it has no local city taxes, just the 1% Alameda County property tax. This is a large savings to a homeowner. It is policed by the Alameda County Sheriff and the Highway Patrol. It is serviced by the high speed Bart train. San Francisco is a 24 minute train ride away. The San Mateo bridge is 10 minutes away by car. https://mycvforum.com/

Eden Hospital (Sutter Health) is the largest employer. There is a business park and shopping malls with an Imax theater in nearby Dublin/Pleasanton. Safeway has it's coporate headquarters there.

This Christian school has an excellent Theater Arts program. It has a 5 story high Broadway style stage that benefits the community with it's low cost theater. https://3crosses.org/





Castro Valley, California

Beautiful and Boring

Looklyloo Score: 85

Reviews

What's it like to live in Castro Valley?