Dublin, California

Walnut Creek, Dublin or…?

Walnut Creek has a better downtown. Dublin doesn't have one.

Dublin is cheaper and has access to more diverse and better restaurants.

If you are thinking of Dublin, you can expand your search to include Castro Valley and Pleasanton.

Livermore is further out but has access to both good restaurants and a downtown. Lots of families have moved their during the pandemic (and before) so home prices are like WC.

Walnut Creek or Dublin?

I've lived in both Dublin and Walnut Creek for a substantial number of years.

WC definitely has better walkability and character, and there are really great shops and restaurants. Lots of restaurants from SF/Oakland have been opening up here, like Sweet Maple, Third Culture Bakery, etc. Way more established trees and lots of greenery and open land (WC owns the most open space per capita than any other community in CA).

Dublin is not very charming and there's no nice downtown to walk around (it's literally big box stores lined along Dublin Blvd). It does make running errands super convenient though, so that's a plus. It's also easier to find stores and to find parking in Dublin, since it's a typical suburb with pretty straight roads. In comparison, WC can seem confusing and overwhelming with it's curved roads and small streets in the downtown area.

I know you want to BART, but if you ever drive, the tolerability of commuting to SF depends on where you live.

West WC (west of 680) has amazing highway access, whereas East WC (i.e. east of 680) will add extra time. Forget about Northgate or anywhere along Ygnacio Valley Blvd which is always a hot mess.

Non-rush hour times from West WC (such as Saranap, Tice Valley, Overlook):

West WC to Oakland: around 20 minutes

West WC to SF: around 30 minutes

Driving from Dublin to SF will be longer for sure. Living in West Dublin will save you time compared to East Dublin, but the housing in West Dublin is older.

What do you think the future of Dublin will look like?

I grew up in Pleasanton, and 30 years ago there wasn't much going on in Dublin. There was little housing and it more of business area. I saw the expansion of bart and the hacienda shopping center get built and it was so exciting to get a IMAX! And since then they have really expanded the housing.

I've lived in all three towns, Pleasanton, Livermore, and currently Dublin. While I miss the downtown Livermore life, I find Dublin to be quieter, safer and much cooler temperature wise. It's also much windier. I would like to see the public transportation expand a bit, as I've noticed both county connection and wheels have buses that run through town, from someone who doesn't drive, they need more bus routes with more coverage. One bus down Dublin Blvd and one down Dougherty sometimes, isn't really enough - especially if they want to boast accessibility to bart and schools as real estate amenities.

Ten years from now I'm expecting it to be more crowded and I expect Dublin to have reign on 'highrise' apts as Livermore and Pleasanton seem to want to spread out housing vs building sky ward. But so far I like living in Dublin and I hope for the best.

Living in Dublin CA! | 3rd Fastest Growing City in California!