Pinole is a small community that offers younger families some entry point pricing for purchasing a home. The town is mostly 2 bed/1 bath or 3 bed/2 bath ranch style homes that were built in the 60’s and 70’s with a median home price of $684k. If the homes have been renovated since they were built they’ll be above that $700k mark and if they haven’t then you can find them in the $500k’s and low $600k's. For the Bay Area these prices are amazing and offer younger families or retirees a way to own their home. It’s also nice for younger families because other than property crime in the big box areas, Pinole is a safe community and neighbors look out for each other in ways locals in other bigger cities do not.


Entry Point Housing & Small Town Vibe

The Best Thing About Pinole?

Pinole does not have a BART stop which means if you’re commuting to work you will have to wrestle the bear that is the 80 freeway. That’s a fate you wouldn’t wish on your worst enemy. The local economy is mostly service jobs at big box stores and professional jobs serving neighbors. Our recommendation if you’re considering Pinole is to be a work-from-homer all or most of the time, or have a job in a nearby community where you can stick to side streets. 



No BART Stop, No Local Economy

The Worst Thing About Pinole?

Pinole is a bedroom community with little going on in town. Locals spend the majority of their time raising their children, getting them to school, helping them with sports and extracurriculars and hanging out in the local parks and trails. They also take advantage of the close proximity to the amenities of Oakland, Berkeley and San Francisco, which are all just 20 or 30 minutes away (outside rush hour). There are some amazing trails for hiking running above the coast and of course Pinole sits along the San Pablo Bay so you have access to water lifestyle via [**Bayfront Park**](https://www.ebparks.org/trails/interpark/san-pablo-bay) and [**Pinole Shores Park**](https://www.ebparks.org/parks/point-pinole). Pinole Shores is a 2,432-acre parkland that offers amazing views of Mt. Tam, the Marin shoreline and the bay. While there may not be a great commercial district in Pinole, there is amazing access to an outdoor lifestyle. 

It is good to know that Old Town Pinole has several restaurants, pubs and cafes so you can get a drink and a meal without leaving town. There are plans for more development, which would be most welcome. 


By The Bay

Lifestyle of Pinole

Pinole struggles on the school front. It’s mostly zoned for [**West Contra Costa School District**](https://www.wccusd.net/) which grades out at a C+ on [**niche.com**](https://www.niche.com/k12/d/west-contra-costa-unified-school-district-ca/).
There are a few diamonds in the rough so keep an eye on the neighborhood for the schools your kiddos will attend. Grades get better as you get up to the high school level with [**Pinole Valley High School**](https://www.wccusd.net/pinolevalley) bumping up to a B on [**niche.com**](https://www.niche.com/k12/pinole-valley-high-school-pinole-ca/?map).


Schools of Pinole

Plans to continue development of Old Town Pinole means the city could become a much more entertaining and prized place to live. If you want to get into home ownership at an amazing price with the possibility on the horizon for a city with a charming and popular downtown then check out Pinole. 


The Possibilities

Why You Should Move Here Now?

Old Town is a charming neighborhood, situated along historic San Pablo Avenue. The homes and apartments in the area sit on tree-lined streets and amidst beautifully preserved historic buildings. It's very "mainstreet USA". It’s also the only neighborhood in Pinole with a truly high walkscore for access to the several restaurants, pubs and cafes in the area. While there isn’t a ton to do in Pinole, all that’s happening, and much of the future development, is coming to Old Town. The median listing price for homes in Old Town is $699k and a median sale price of $680k. There are also several apartment buildings in the neighborhood including [**Ridgecrest Terrace**](https://waldmangroup.com/property/ridgecrest-terrace/) and **[Villas** at Harbor Pointe](https://www.villasatharborpointe.com/). 


Young Professionals/DINKs/Families/Retirees

Old Town

Located in the eastern part of Pinole it’s a popular family spot. It’s known as a quiet, truly suburban area and is prized for its proximity to [**Pinole Valley Park**](https://www.ci.pinole.ca.us/residents/parks_facility__rental_information). Your kids will play little league and soccer games here. There’s also a wooded creek and a big dog park and 231 acres of open space to roam, run and recreate. The median home price in Pinole Valley is $781k so it runs a bit more expensive than other neighborhoods but purchase a home that hasn’t been fixed up yet and you can get it down in the $600ks. 


Families

Pinole Valley

[**Pinole Shores**](https://www.ebparks.org/parks/point-pinole) is the most popular neighborhood for families who embrace the proximity to the ocean and so they can raise their children by the beach! The neighborhoods waterfront location means access to the water and to Pinole Shores Park. This is a true sanctuary for nature lovers with amazing vistas of the water and the Vallejo Mountains as the backdrop to your walks/hikes and strolls. Families and just outdoor lovers couldn’t ask for a better neighbor than this shoreline park. The median listing price for homes here is $932k which can be scary but the median sale price is a more reasonable $650k. 


Pinole Shores

Pinole

**Living in Pinole**

Hi there, Im born and raised in Pinole( 30 years) I guess the biggest thing to know is that there’s a big difference between Pinole Valley and Old Town Pinole. The divider between the two being the 80 overpass over Pinole Valley Road.

The other claims about crime and pollution should be taken with a grain of salt. It’s not a crime-free utopia by any means, but it does happen, mostly centralized in a couple neighborhoods and is the result of us having ingress/egress routes from other areas (San Pablo Ave through richmond/San Pablo to rodeo, appian through el sobrante, and quick access to 80) and it’s mainly vehicle property crime of breakins and catalytic converter theft. Air pollution from chevron is not generally a concern unless something crazy happens, and that rarely does. I’d say our biggest threat in terms of air pollution would be if a wildfire ever broke out in the backroads of Castro Ranch or along the hillside in the valley, both of which could cause big problems.

The schools aren’t great, but all except for Collins Elementary have been renovated at least since 2000, and the high school is like brand brand new with only one graduating class so far.

The Trader Joe’s and sprouts parking lots are both clusterfucks basically all the time, and dining options are diverse enough, but nothing really noteworthy (except Red Onion, which is amazing for food and it’s staff IMO)

It’s definitely a commuter and retiree suburbia, with zero nightlife.

I lived in the apartments off Estates Ave for a while, which are the only ones in the valley. They’re alright but not great, but rent was affordable.

**What is living in Hercules or Pinole like for a young family?**

I also left Oakland for Pinole and have been living in the Pinole Valley area for 20+ years. Raised my now 20 year old twins here and can say it is a really great experience place to raise kids. We had a great community at Ellerhorst Elementary in the valley, Middle & High School suffer from the same issues as most CA public schools, but my kids always had access to a lot of activities.

I debated moving after my divorce, but stayed and am really happy I did. It’s quiet and has a small town feel, but still close enough to Oakland & SF to not feel like you’re stuck.

Neighbors are friendly, but even after 20 years, I don’t always feel like I fit in. The diversity has dramatically increased in the 20 years I’ve lived here, but some of the more “old Pinole” folks don’t seem to always realize it. Would also like to see some sort of revitalization of old Pinole to add more diversity to the businesses here - we are heavily dependent on large chain stores.

All in all, I really do like it here!

**What is living in Hercules or Pinole like for a young family?**

We live in Tara Hills, bordering Pinole, and basically consider Pinole our city. It’s got all the essentials, including well maintained and safe parks, a downtown with enough restaurants to give variety, and every grocery store you could want. Very safe. It is TERRIBLE for pedestrian safety and bike lanes; previous city administrations ignored these issues for decades, and the current staff and council are finally making some slow progress. Pinole is a great community.

Pinole, California

Green Day

Looklyloo Score: 79

We're on it!