Oakland is the eighth-largest city in California and a major West Coast port city, located on San Francisco Bay about eight miles east of the city of San Francisco. Oakland is a major hub city for the Bay Area subregion collectively called the East Bay, and it is the County seat of Alameda County.
Many of the attributes that make Oakland a Model City and a great place to live, also make the city a great place to visit!
Oakland's landscape is a picturesque mix of hillside neighborhoods, diverse architecture, two shimmering lakes, 19 miles of shoreline along the San Francisco Bay, unparalleled Bay views, and a number of parks and open space.
Oakland’s diverse population, hip arts scene, Mediterranean climate, world-class attractions, abundant parks and open spaces, vibrant waterfront and lakefront, historic architecture, palate-tempting restaurants, bustling nightlife, action-packed pro sports and varied recreation options make for an exciting destination.
To help you learn about our beautiful city, we have compiled a roster of helpful links. We invite you to visit Oakland, whether for business or pleasure, and create some lasting memories in our town.
The City of Oakland welcomes your business and we want to help you flourish—whether your business is large, small or anywhere in between.
Oakland is home to several major corporations including Kaiser Permanente and Clorox, as well as corporate headquarters for nationwide businesses like Dreyer's and Cost Plus World Market.
Oakland is also the home of Rocky Road ice cream and the Mai Tai cocktail. It has enjoyed a thriving West Coast blues scene, and can claim numerous prominent homegrown musicians representing genres such as rhythm and blues, funk, punk, heavy metal and hip hop. Recreational attractions include the Fox Theater, the Paramount Theater, Jack London Square, Lake Merritt, the Oakland Estuary, the Oakland Zoo, the Oakland Museum of California, the Chabot Space and Science Center, Oracle Arena, the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum the East Bay Regional Park District ridge line parks and preserves, and Chinatown.
The Oakland Unified School District (OUSD), serves all of Oakland; the city's three largest high schools are Oakland High School, Oakland Technical High School, and Skyline High School. Residents will also find a number of charter schools, such as The Oakland Military Academy, Oakland School for the Arts, Unity High School, and Oakland Charter Academy.
There are several renowned private schools in the areas including: The College Preparatory School, Head-Royce School, and the Julia Morgan School, housed on the campus of Mills College. The Catholic Bishop O'Dowd High School, Holy Names High School and St. Elizabeth High School are a few of the Catholic schools in Oakland.
The are also a number of colleges and universities in Oakland, The University of California, Berkeley campus is located partially within the Oakland city limits. Other schools include: Laney College, Merritt College, Pacific Oaks College, California College of the Arts, Mills College, Samuel Merritt College, and Holy Names University. Located downtown is Cal State East Bay's Oakland Professional Development and Conference Center.
Oakland is probably America's most diverse city and undervalued cultural center. The art scene is alive and celebrated on every level here, from acclaimed symphony and ballet to museums, galleries, and small arts organizations. Oakland is home to one of the largest visual and performing arts communities on the West Coast. Recent months have seen the growth of the "Oakland Art Murmur" event, occurring in the Uptown neighborhood the first Friday evening of every month, which features concurrent art openings from many galleries. Oakland is also one of the breeding grounds of "West Coast hip-hop," as well as a fairly well-known rock and R&B scene.
Housing Cost
Like most major cities, Oakland is divided into 4 neighborhood districts: downtown Oakland, East Oakland, North Oakland, and West Oakland. Stretching from southeast Lake Merritt to San Leandro, and encompassing more than half of the city, is the East Oakland district. You'll find North Oakland to include the areas between downtown, Berkeley and Emeryville and West Oakland to include the area between downtown and the Bay, partially surrounded by the Oakland Point encompassing the Port of Oakland.
Estimated median house or condo value in 2008: $541,900
Mean prices in 2008: All housing units: $595,585; Detached houses: $623,000; Townhouses or other attached units: $484,039; In 2-unit structures: $559,691; In 3-to-4-unit structures: $620,495; In 5-or-more-unit structures: $374,257; Mobile homes: $207,624; Occupied boats, RVs, vans, etc.: $99,784
Demographics
Population in July 2008: 404,155. Oakland covers 56.1 square miles. It sits at an elevation of 42 feet above sea level. Area code commonly used in this area: 925
Weather
Oakland, CA climate is mild during summer when temperatures tend to be in the 60's and cool during winter when temperatures tend to be in the 50's.
The warmest month of the year is September with an average maximum temperature of 74.60 degrees Fahrenheit, while the coldest month of the year is January with an average minimum temperature of 44.70 degrees Fahrenheit.
Temperature variations between night and day tend to be fairly limited during summer with a difference that can reach 15 degrees Fahrenheit, and fairly limited during winter with an average difference of 13 degrees Fahrenheit.
The annual average precipitation at Oakland is 22.94 Inches. Winter months tend to be wetter than summer months. The wettest month of the year is January with an average rainfall of 4.85 Inches.
Information provided by idcide.com and city data.com
