Affordable Areas In The Bay Area
The Bay area is known for both indoor and outdoor activities that are perfect for all ages, being part of the tech headquarters, delicious wine, beautiful beaches, and breathtaking waterfront towns.
People have different ways of describing the Bay area, but two of the most common nicknames include “gay capital of the world” and “the Golden city.”
Besides what the cities are known for as a whole when people think of the Bay area, it’s often because of how expensive it can be to live. Even though plenty of expensive cities like San Francisco give the Bay area a reputation for being expensive, there are affordable, safe, and family-friendly areas to live throughout the Bay area.
Richmond | Premier Destination
Richmond, CA, is a wonderful, diverse, and affordable place to call home. The city has a suburban feel, and there are plenty of activities to do. Regardless if you enjoy trying new restaurants or exploring the city, you can do it all here.
- Median Home Price in Richmond: $659,000
- Average Monthly Rent in Richmond: The rent can range from $1,275 all the way to $3,094+ depending on the location and how many rooms you need.
- Population: 110,051
- Median Age: 37 years old
- Average Household Income: $72,463
- County: Contra Costa
- Crime Rate: The total crime rate for Richmond is 4,705 per 100k people, which is 69.7% higher than the rest of California
Vallejo | Budget-Friendly
Vallejo is an affordable and budget-friendly city in the Bay Area. There are plenty of family-friendly activities, such as Six Flags Discovery Kingdom, Glen Cove Waterfront Park, Children’s Wonderland Park, and Hanns Park.
In addition to being a kid-friendly area, Vallejo is known for being a food scene. Some of the popular restaurants include Black Bear Diner Vallejo, House of Soul, The Sardine Can, Napoli Pizzeria & Italian Food, Gracie’s, and PHO#1 Noodle House.
And overall, Vallejo has a diverse, inclusive, and friendly community.
- Median Home Price in Vallejo: $550,000
- Average Monthly Rent in Vallejo: The rent can range from $1,150 all the way to $4,500+ depending on the location and how many rooms you need.
- Population: 121,275
- Median Age: 39 years old
- Average Household Income: $73,869
- County: Solano
- Crime Rate: The total crime rate for Vallejo is 4,874 per 100k people, which is 75.8% higher than the rest of California
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San Pablo | Affordable. Diverse. Friendly
Known for being an old Spanish settlement, San Pablo is an affordable city that has great schools, job opportunities, and places to explore on the weekend.
Some of the top places to visit are the Point Pinole Regional Shoreline, San Pablo Reservoir, and Wildcat Canyon Regional Park. Then when it comes to restaurants, you need to try La Strada, Rockin Crawfish, Sukie’s Country Kitchen, and El Cuscatlan.
San Pablo is known for having some of the cheapest rent in the Bay Area, and it’s growing in its presence for both residents and businesses.
- Median Home Price in San Pablo: $501,000
- Average Monthly Rent in San Pablo: You can expect rent in San Pablo to range between $1,284 and $2,850+.
- Population: 30,959
- Median Age: 33 years old
- Average Household Income: $60,819
- County: Contra Costa
- Crime Rate: There are 3,839 total crimes per 100k people, which means San Pablo’s crime rate is 38.5% higher than the state average
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Concord | Family-Friendly & Top-Rated Public Schools
Concord is northeast of San Francisco and is home to the well-known former-coal mining Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve which is 6,000 acres and situated near three cities. It’s the 8th largest city in the Bay Area and welcomes everyone. Regardless if you’re single, married, retired, or everything in between, there is something for you in Concord. It has a mixture of urban and suburban vibes, and most residents own their house.
Some of the most notable places to visit include: Six Flags Hurricane Harbor Concord, Pixieland Amusement Park, Todos Santos Plaza, and Red Door Escape Room.
Then some of the best restaurants are: Eureka, DJ’s Bistro, Luna Ristorante, Lucille’s Smokehouse Bar-B-Que, and Digger’s Diner Concord.
While Concord is considered wealthy compared to the rest of the United States, it’s actually a cheap place to live in the San Francisco area.
- Median Home Price in Concord: $800,000
- Average Monthly Rent in Concord: For the average monthly rent, you can expect to pay around $1,875 to $3,000+ depending on the neighborhood and how many rooms you need.
- Population: 129,227
- Median Age: 38
- Average Household Income: $92,706
- County: Contra Costa
- Crime Rate: Here in Concord, the total crime rate per 100k people is 3,905, and it’s 40.9% higher than the state average. But when you break it down by category, the violent crime rate is 53.5% lower than the rest of California.
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San Jose | Capital Of Silicon Valley
San Jose is home to top financial and tech companies and has quickly become known as the “Capital of Silicon Valley,” and is often a place where young professionals within these industries strive to live. With beautiful parks, kid-friendly attractions, museums, and historical sites, San Jose is known for being a place for all ages.
Whether you’re visiting or a full-time resident, some of the best attractions to check out include: Happy Hallow Park & Zoo, the San Jose Museum of Art, Municipal Rose Garden, Raging Waters San Jose, Children’s Discovery Museum of San Jose, Kelley Park, and OMESCAPE San Jose.
Now, if food is more your scene, you need to try these restaurants: the Original Joe’s San Jose, Smoking Pig BBQ Company, Mezcal Restaurant, Fogo de Chao Brazilian Steakhouse, and Mizu Sushi Bar & Grill.
While some neighborhoods in San Jose are expensive, there are plenty of areas to find affordable rent.
- Median Home Price in San Jose: $1,250,000
- Average Monthly Rent in San Jose: The rent can range from $2,400 to $3,650+ depending on the size of the apartment you need.
- Population: 1.029 million
- Median Age: 37 years old
- Average Household Income: $117,324
- County: Santa Clara
- Crime Rate: The total crime rate in San Jose is sitting at 2,858 per 100k people and is only 3.1% higher than the state average.
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Walnut Creek | Best Suburb In Bay Area
Known as being one of the best suburbs to live in the Bay area, Walnut Creek is on a mission to provide affordable rental housing to help create a safe place where individuals can settle down and call a place home.
Walnut Creek is known for its beautiful destinations to explore, diverse culture, and thriving economy. Areas such as the Old Borges Ranch, Civic Park, Diablo Foothills Regional Park, and Castle Rock Regional Recreation Area are often go-to places to explore on the weekend.
Local activities aren’t the only thing that attracts people to Walnut Creek, though, it’s also their delicious restaurants. Teleferic Barcelona Walnut Creek, Sauced BBQ & Spirits Walnut Creek, II Fornaio Walnut Creek, Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar, Broderick Roadhouse, and True Food Kitchen are just a few examples of the top-rated restaurants in Walnut Creek.
- Median Home Price in Walnut Creek: $985,000
- Average Monthly Rent in Walnut Creek: You can expect to pay between $2,220 and $2,656+ for rent.
- Population: 69,836
- Median Age: 48 years old
- Average Household Income: $108,689
- County: Contra Costa
- Crime Rate: There have been no murders in Walnut Creek, and the violent crime rate per 100k people is 170 which makes it lower than the state average by 61.5%. When you look at the total crime rate of 3,708 per 100k people, the majority of that comes from property crimes.
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Dublin | One Of The Top 50 Safest Cities In California
Known as the “crossroads of the San Francisco Bay area,” Dublin is a perfect place to live, to settle down, and start a family. Parks are a huge commodity here in Dublin, CA, due to being a family-friendly community.
It’s a safe area to call home and has plenty of fun activities to do, such as Earl Anthony’s Dublin Bowl, The Wave Waterpark, Dublin Iceland Ice Skating, Emerald Glen Park, and Rockin’ Jump Trampoline Park.
If you decide to move to Dublin, you need to make sure to check out these restaurants: Pacific Catch, Market Tavern Dublin, Urban Plates, BEREVINO Italian Restaurant, Copper Skillet Restaurant, Amakara, and Casa Orozco Dublin.
- Median Home Price in Dublin: $1,280,000
- Average Monthly Rent in Dublin: On average, you can expect to pay around $1,510 to $3,000+ per month on rent.
- Population: 63,856
- Median Age: 36 years old
- Average Household Income: $152,745
- County: Alameda
- Crime Rate: Across the board, Dublin is lower than both California and the national crime rate. With a total crime rate of 2,067 per 100k people, Dublin is 25.4% lower than California and 16.5% lower than the national average as a whole.
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Map of Bay Area Suburbs
Check out this map for the best and most affordable places to live in the Bay Area.
Finding a budget-friendly suburb in the Bay area doesn’t have to feel impossible anymore. Are you considering moving to one of the top-rated and affordable suburbs in the Bay area? Well, AMS Relocation can help! As agents of Bekins, and with our 65+ years of experience, our dedicated team of professionals will help make this transition seamless. Call us today at (650) 284-2931 for a free quote!
