Hayward, California

Hayward isn't cheap, by any definition, but compared to the Bay Area behemoths around it, Hayward's prices are survivable. Rent here is one of the most affordable within an hour's drive of Downtown San Francisco. Commuting from Hayward is pretty simple on account of its proximity to BART (Bay Area Railway Transit) which gets you to downtown Oakland or San Francisco without switching lines.

Those who are used to cities with a lot of excitement in town are going to need to familiarize themselves with BART for more than just commuting if they choose to live in Hayward. There isn’t much to do here for young professionals. Things don’t get all that much better for families within the city limits (outside of the parks and play areas you associate with suburban cities), but it's so centrally located to Oakland, San Francisco, and San Jose, that it's hard to complain about finding things to do.

Residents say that living in Hayward is like living in a dense suburb. It’s more sprawling than the urban meccas around it but without the nightlife options. Hayward does have decent dining options that locals love and support. Unlike other areas with the term “suburb” attached to them, Hayward is incredibly diverse and residents claim it is extremely welcoming to people from all races/ethnicities/geographies. The city has made pushes to build out a vibrant Downtown Hayward, but locals will tell you that significant strides are needed to address a run-down infrastructure and prevalent homeless population (very common for California cities). There are big plans for downtown so expect things to get more hopping socially over the coming years.

To see what locals get up to in Hayward check out the calendar of events.

We highly recommend visiting Hayward and staying in the community in a VRBO rather than a hotel to get a feel for what it's like to live among the locals. You can receive discounted fares on travel via our partnership with Expedia as well.

If you’re looking to move to the Bay Area and don’t want to cough up thousands per month on rent, or multi-millions on buying a home, Hayward should be on your shortlist. In fact, it may realistically be the only option you’ll get to consider if you’re managing a limited budget.