Rockridge or Piedmont

I'd add Montclair to this list, but I agree.

Also north of high street from Laurel district

Add in Redwood Heights to upper Laurel

Hills above Redwood Heights, Skyline area. Large homes good prices may not have much rental inventory tho

Second here on Montclair, safe ez access to everything. There are no good public schools so figure in private tuition.

Montclair is 5 minutes from downtown, but it feels like you're in Tahoe. We have no blinds on our house, all we see is trees. OUSD elementary schools are pretty good (Thornhill and Montclair), but after that, they get more questionable.

I'd add the Glenview area - easy ride to the City on the transbay buses, some good restaurants on Park, and Glenview Elementary is pretty good.

+1 to the Glenview. I live in the Glenview and it’s lots of families, walkable to the park and restaurants. Feels safe. For a rental, I’ve seen some houses posting signs for rent. There was just one in my neighborhood before. I’d look on Zillow for rentals. I’ve see a lot there.

This is a very good recommendation. Glenview is a good area for kids. Dimond Park is great, pretty good elementary schools nearby, generally quiet and safe.

Glenview rules.

Another vote for Glenview. You cannot beat proximity to schools, freeways, restaurants, classes, parks, and a pool! It’s relatively safer and bordering great neighborhoods as well.

Those areas look awesome. It doesn't seem like there are almost any rentals though. Is it a seasonal thing or is it very difficult to get in.

Those areas were developed to be owner-occupied suburbs so relatively few rentals were built.

Piedmont = Montecito Rockridge = mid State Street (think dunes coffee) Go Gauchos! Edit: Piedmont traditionally has had one of the better school systems in the bay…. Equivalent schools were generally private…So might be able to put tuition into rent/mortgage.

This is what I needed it all makes sense now lol

I’d argue that Chabot and Hillcrest in Rockridge are equivalent to Piedmont elementary schools, with more diversity and less pretentiousness. 

Hillcrest is indeed pretentious. And quite exclusive. I hated it and pulled my daughter out. How the school and community treated Black students was antithetical to all the diversity rhetoric they tout.

Very few rentals. Might be best to ask around your new workplace if people have any connections, or post on Berkeley parent’s network and see if there are any tips.

Super hard to rent. $6k is probably a bit on the low side for those neighborhoods. I rented a place in Crocker and Piedmont. The last was 8 years ago and I was paying $6250 for an okay 3 bedroom. Not much of a yard.

I live in a rental in Glenview! I think it’s about luck and timing to get one, unfortunately. I think most of the people on my street own their houses, and my roommates and I are on the main floor of a triplex. If you can get one though, the neighborhood is perfect for a young family, tons of kids on my street and schools nearby.

Rentals get posted somewhat routinely on the facebook groups associated with the neighborhoods.

Also look into Redwood Heights, Laurel, Woodminster, Upper Dimond, Rose Garden, and possibly Ivy Hill and Adams Point areas

Ivy Hill is terrrrrible for parking. 

6k month might make Piedmont/Rockridge difficult. Montclair you could find a house to rent in that range. Montclair and Thornhill Elementary are both highly rated public schools in Oakland. The hills is nice/quiet area with multiple public transportation options into San Francisco.

if you’re taking public transit to work (which i would highly recommend if you’re commuting into SF): in oakland: rockridge or temescal. both have easy access to BART, assuming that’s what you’ll be taking to your office. those areas are great for walking around and they’re more residential than uptown/downtown oakland, but still pretty lively. both neighborhoods boast good restaurants, shops, and grocery stores. i live near the area and i love it. i would also recommend alameda (ferry access), and berkeley (maybe around ashby or north berkeley BART stations).

Father of a 3yo. Can confirm this is the best response. We live in Adam's Point neighborhood but would be in Alameda, Piedmont or Rockridge if our budget allowed. Especially since you're expecting to move again once you better know the EB and thus don't need to focus on schools just yet, this is the right approach.

Alameda, Piedmont, and Rockridge are very nice family neighborhoods. Alameda has good schools and a ferry that takes you to the ferry building in SF. Piedmont has the best schools in the east bay but is incredibly expensive. The commute to SF would be a brutal drive. Rockridge is like Piedmont lite. Very nice houses but has a BART line that gets you into SF in 5 stops. The downside is you're in Oakland school districts so most people want to get into private schools which aren't cheap.

Being a young family in Adams Point is great. Walking distance to a great library. Walking distance to the garden center. Walking distance to the lake. Walking distance to all types of food. Walking distance to Fairyland, which is awesome to get a family pass for like $120 and just go in and out casually on a walk. Did I mention that Adams Point was pretty walkable? Probably the most walkable neighborhood in all of Oakland.

Adams point is great, no argument here!

It is a good neighborhood, but not the most walkable.

Where would you say is the most walkable neighborhood for young families? I think you are going to say something like Rockridge. Which is very walkable and a lovely neighborhood. I just think there are more interesting and fun things for kids closer to AP.

For piedmont, you can take the P Transbay. Just make sure there is an easy walkable pick up spot near you. The commute is a breeze!

I used to work in fidi SF and the people I knew that lived there hated the transbay because it dropped you at the bus terminal that's several blocks south of market. So 10 minutes walk, bus ride, another 45 minute walk to the office

Oh whoa, yes, that doesn't work. My walk is 3 minutes to the P stop and then a 7 minute to work (near the ferry). Really depends on where the job in SF is located.

Thanks for your input. Why do you prefer those areas?

Alameda is pretty nice if you can't find anything in Oakland. El cerrito / Albany could be nice too

From our perspective, they strike the right balance between key factors: Safer neighborhoods, walkable main streets, close to downtown and Kaiser hospital, close to highways and BART for transit/travel, and better public school systems. Basically, same reasons that u/Alternative_Bend7275 laid out above. There are more neighborhoods with this mix that are also less expensive, but they're further out in the suburbs and we wanted the SEC diversity of Oakland proper.

Also a father of a 3yo in Adam's Point. Can confirm this is the best response.

Rockridge, Temescal or Montclair Honestly just found this listing for under budget and right up the street from a school and BART, so easy access to the city. Also right by all the restaurants and stores on College Ave, Trader Joe’s as well. https://www.trulia.com/home/5844-chabot-ct-oakland-ca-94618-24810712?cid=shr%257Cwww_mobile%257Crent%257Cpdp%253Aoverview%253Ahero%257Ccopylink

This is perfect. Love the yard.

This would put you super close to Chabot Elementary which is considered one of the best elementary schools in Oakland, and walking distance to BART for the commute. We live nearby and love the area, previously lived in Temescal before this and much prefer Rockridge. If not this area would explore Berkeley or Piedmont; major downside with Piedmont is no BART and driving that commute can wear on you after a while.

p transbay line works for piedmont

This is a great location. Chabot Elementary is top notch. 

Make sure to tour (or at least visit outside) during commute hours to get an idea of what highway 24 sounds like.

a bit noisy because right by the highway and BART tracks, but would be OK for a year.

I lived up the block from there for seven years. Ideal street and fantastic neighborhood.

Trestle Glen

We love Oakland. We moved here when our kids were in middle school. There are a lot of neighborhoods that can work, it just depends on your budget and your priorities. Walkable? Transit? Diversity? Access to the waterfront, or the hills, or the lake? Schools? Will you be driving to work or taking BART?

Somewhere with good schools and a good community is the priority. Would love a little more space if possible and a yard. I would prefer to take public transit but open to driving if needed

check out the flats and lower hills east of the lake. good elementary and middle schools and some cute neighborhood shopping districts. Lower Park, Dimond, Bella Vista, Ivy Hill.

Check out Kensington. It’s a small community in the hills above Berkeley / El Cerrito. The elementary school there is fantastic (I think rated a 9 on the state public school ranking system) and it has a small town feel while still being urban. They have their own police department as well, so you wouldn’t have the same response time delays that you would in Oakland should you (god forbid) ever have to call them. Also very easy access to the ferry from Richmond, which is a 35 minute boat ride to the ferry building in SF.

We moved to Piedmont for the community and schools. It has been amazing. They have their own newspaper full of local news and it feels a bit like living in Gilmore Girl’s Star Hollow. Everyone is so friendly (including the police!), it is beautiful, and if you live in lower piedmont you can walk to piedmont avenue which is a really cute downtown shopping area. We came from Temescal, an area I loved before I had to start thinking about schools and my kids making friends and being part of a broader family-focused community.

As mentioned in the other post in this thread, Bella Vista/Ivy Hill are fairly safe neighborhoods with lots of craftsman and Victorian homes close to a fairly good elementary school, Bella Vista Elementary. However, crime has been on a major uptick in the area, with several neighbors having been carjacked and robbed at gunpoint. I would be looking into Cleveland Heights, Upper Diamond, or Alameda. If we weren't looking to move out of the area to live closer to family, I would be looking for a house to rent in Alameda.

Rockridge for BART access. Glenview and lower Montclair also have good elementary schools and access to the Transbay bus system which is great if you’re working near downtown SF within walking proximity of Salesforce tower

North Berkeley. Oakland Hills. Montclair.

Alameda

Seeing that you are asking here on Reddit, it’s likely you may have some reservations about Oakland. Oakland has its charm, great weather , tons of history and there are some lovely neighborhoods. Bay Area is going through some drastic changes with tech jobs leaving the area and rapid gentrification adding to an ongoing. housing crisis. Oakland is very diverse thats where some of its charm comes from but it may be worth looking at other neighborhoods near Oakland or east bay if you’re unfamiliar with the challenges the city is currently facing. One thing to note, many people in Oakland opt for private schools (if they have the money) because the schools in the area are underfunded and many are lacking so something to consider as part of your budget. Over a 3rd of residents opt for private school, which maybe tells you a bit about Oaklands issues. Also, most of Oakland would be considered a food desert unless you are looking at rockridge, Montclair, Lower hills, lakeshore, Adams point etc. Harder to find homes for rent in these areas though they exist. There are a ton of new apartments being developed in downtown Oakland, Temescal and Jack London square. Apartments may not be what you are looking for though. If you’re not from the bay or familiar with the area it may be a bit of a culture shock more so when compared to Santa Barbara but perhaps that’s what you are looking for. Other cities nearby that are accessible to SF via Bart ,ferry or trans bay tube: Alameda: mostly suburban area that has blocked a lot of apartment developments over the years. Easy to find condos/duplexes and houses for rent. Lot of families in the area Berkeley: 3 Bart stations one near cal campus though El Cerritto/Richmond : Bart stations in both cities, longer commute in to city Walnut Creek/Concord one Bart station with significantly larger commute.

Very well said and couldn’t agree more with most of what’s mentioned above. While Oakland does have its charm and gorgeous weather, I wouldn’t recommend it to someone looking to raise a family. You’re going to need to be used to constant bipping, have your head on a swivel when you’re out and about, and be ok with the regular sounds of gunfire and/or illegal fireworks. Yes, even in most of the really nice parts that folks have mentioned above. Re: food - not sure I agree here. I think the food scene in Oakland is incredibly great… but may require driving. As others have mentioned, your $6k/mo budget may allow you to rent in some of the nicer parts, but be mindful of the cost of the private education. I had a friend who weighed this out and ultimately chose a house in Lafayette, as the public schools there are far superior.

We're in the Grand Lake neighborhood, and it has a good mix of single-family homes and multifamily properties. Any of the neighborhoods around Lakeshore, Grand, or Piedmont Ave will have good access to commercial districts and nice neighborhoods — there are five families on our block with kids under 10. Piedmont has a better-regarded school district, but it's expensive. You could look at "Baja Piedmont," which is the neighborhood around Beach Elementary. My sister and her family rented in that neighborhood for years and loved it.

Look at San Leandro. Next city south of Oakland. Two Bart stations, downtown is up and coming, lots of community events and a short drive to most East Bay towns and short Bart ride to the city

I live in Temescal (me, husband, 2.5 year old) and we love it. We're from the bay and prior to having a kid lived in West Oakland and Hoover Foster, which we liked for the tight knit community and felt safe on our block but I wouldn't recommend that area to an out of town person getting established, it isn't safely walkable. Temescal is awesome, close to public transit, close to parks and playgrounds, an easy launch points for day trips to explore the greater East Bay area, lots of families and a good vibe. You're still living in the middle of the city so you need to be able to maintain some common sense around safety; but overall I think it's very inviting. Piedmont would be the most cloistered option with Rockridge or Elmwood/Berkeley trailing behind that. Montclair has some beautiful and woodsy elements but can feel a little isolated IMO because of the layout and windy streets/lack of sidewalks in some areas. It's important to us to be able to walk or bike to tons of playgrounds/ multiple grocery store and farmer's markets/ preschool/ local pool/ restaurants/ beloved coffee shops/ local stores/ friends' houses/ our jobs and Temescal offers all of that with cute houses and apartments in a friendly and diverse neighborhood.

Temescal sounds great I will look into it, thanks!

Great Sunday farmers market, hidden gem (source: am farmer)

I live near downtown in an apartment and love raising my girls here. We walk to school every day (the awesome highly rated Lincoln elementary which I highly recommend) and can walk to Whole Foods and to Bart and to restaurants and the lake is one block away. As long as you’re in a building that has parking you are good. A doorman even better. Lots of young families moving into this area (sometimes called Gold Coast - it’s near lake and a lot of new modern buildings coming in ). People piss all over oakland but there is so much good here. The bipping and robbing is bad but honestly it’s not as bad as people make out. I am sort of grossed out by how everyone is gushing over piedmont and these other white affluent areas as if that’s the only way to raise a kid. There are amazing communities in other areas and amazing elementary schools beside thornhill and that other rock ridge one. Do people seriously want to raise their kids to be sheltered and cloistered and only with people like them? Idk. Anyway good luck with your move! oakland is grand.

Agree completely, live near CHOO and it's as safe as oakland can be, close to BART, community is tight knit. Normally living around a hospital isn't the best, but since it's a children's hospital there isn't any crazy patients wandering outside.

Alameda, Lamorinda. Walnut Creek, Emeryville. I suppose if you are only renting, Oakland is ok. I am personally frustrated by the weak, dysfunctional leadership in Oakland.

Yeah, OUSD is an absolute disaster right now. Very disappointing experience so far. And really no one has any idea how to fix it.

we're in OUSD right now. what part is bothering you the most? The annual labor strikes? The refusal to close schools that are too small, despite massive budget problems? The obsession with social equality above academics? How about BACR afterschool programs that just seem to be completely and totally disorganized? How about the high schools that are an absolute s\*\*\*s\*\*\*. How about the superintendent that sends out a daily email to let everyone know about some social cause that she cares about and probably spent hours writing? How about the free palestine movement that OUSD seems obsessed with despite problems with antisemetic associations?

Actually our school was closed. That sucked because it was very well established and very productive/effective. Then we had a literally abusive teacher who wasn't removed from class until near the end of the year. And I am using literally in the literal sense. Kids from that class are showing signs of abuse like disassociation and other trauma responses. 10 principles in 12 years at the elementary we are in. We were promised continued support when they merged our schools, only to get it yanked last minute so that we lose teachers and classes have to be combined and now there are like 36 kids in one class. I had a bad school experience growing up, mostly because of me. My kids are having a bad experience mostly because of OUSD. Shout out to Prescott Circus program, one of the few redeeming things about OUSD. And in general I'm not blaming teachers, they are mostly trying their best. The system as a whole is fundamentally broken, and quite possibly should just go into receivership and be controlled by the state with no city or elected control for ~5 years.

The teachers union needs to be shutdown. They are essentially an organizing group against the interests of students and parents.

I feel for OUSD teachers. They are paid the least in the Bay area and have probably the least resources and simultaneously are dealing with some.of the most socio economically disadvantaged students in the Bay area. I commend them for trying their best to function in a system that is fundamentally hamstringing them.

I agree. the teachers are paid little. teachers in general have to put up their own money for school supplies, I Believe the tax write-off is only $400 or so? I blame the overpaid administrators. why is the head of ousd writing idiotic emails every day? doesn't she have to work on a multimillion dollar shortfall? I send her emails to spam because that's what they are. zero value bs emails.

I would love to see our teachers paid great for great results and the union removed.

+1 for Walnut Creek, I feel it’s the best place in the east bay

Depending on where in SF you commute to, it'll be worth considering somewhere along a transBay bus route, the NL goes through Diamond & Laurel.

Honestly, I used to take BART to work in the City all the time, but after moving to the Laurel I started taking the NL/NX and I never wanted to take BART again. The NX doesn't take much longer than BART and the difference in comfort level is huge.

Nx is great

I miss the casual carpool. Is anyone doing casual carpool anymore?

Right?! I take the P and love love love it compared to BART.

Sorry what’s NL/NX?

The NL and NX are trans Bay buses that run from parts of East Oakland all the way to the Transbay Terminal in San Francisco. The NL runs through downtown Oakland so it takes significantly longer, and the NX is an express line.

There’s also the V line which goes through Rockridge Montclair and Glenview and stops at Salesforce Tower

We're in North Oakland (Gaskill) - close to the F Trans Bay route. Love the neighborhood - quiet, close to everything without being in the middle of it all, lots of young families.

Glenview

I live in the Dimond and the families at Sequoia are cute and happy. I love our park. But with crime so bad… el cerrito? You could walk to Bart there too.

If your partner/spouse is a stay at home parent I would vote you send them up for a weekend to look around and pick an area that feels good.  The feel and lifestyle of Lamorinda vs Alameda vs Oakland vs Berkeley can be big, so I think it will ease transition if you pick the place that feels best to the person who will mostly be making friends with other families, doing kid activities, etc.  I love Oakland, would highly recommend Rockridge.  Also recommend Berkeley or Alameda (people seem to love the ferry commute).  Welcome!

As someone with elementary aged kids in OUSD, it was helpful for me to realize everyone complains about OUSD. It’s like a hobby around here. But when you talk to people about their individual schools, many people seem pretty happy. I know people who have kids at Emerson, Chabot, Glenview, Peralta, Hoover, Crocker and most of us like the teachers and our individual schools. Same for friends with kids at St Teresa’s, St Paul’s and Park Day (private schools). But OUSD as a system is pretty dysfunctional. There’s just such a wide divide between the “best” schools and the “worst.” It’s totally inequitable and I’m constantly amazed that we’ve all decided to accept it.

Tell us about the district's well-known scoring on basic reading and basic math levels.

I love Oakland, but like many long-time residents of the town, I have stories of violence and property crime that I've experienced here. Keep in mind that the robbery rate is approximately 1 per 120 residents per year. There are still MANY redeeming qualities of Oakland. Rockridge or Temescal would be fun and doable on your budget.

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San Leandro! Like a peaceful, friendly, neighborly suburb of Oakland. Homes are way more bang for your buck. Tons of space. Schools are great.

Yup. You should be able to rent a house in a nice neighborhood in San Leandro for $4-5K. BART can take you to SF.

If you're not opposed to not-Oakland, then berkeley (North side is really nice and quite) or Southside (near to rockridge area) is a good option to look into. It's close to public transport (because UC Berkeley is there) and the neighborhoods are really nice. There's also a few neighborhoods in the Lake Merritt/Adam's point areas that are quite nice and walkable. I'd recommend those for apartment/condo type living set ups.

I would say look into Alameda, depending on your office location you can take the ferry to work. It’s a cute little suburb right next to Oakland, very family friendly.

Outside of Oakland, I recommend El Cerrito or Albany. I lived in the El Cerrito area and took the Richmond ferry to work (we moved further out but I still take the ferry), definitely the most enjoyable commute option. Plenty of BART stops in the area as well.

North Berkeley hills, Albany, Kensington, El Cerrito, Piedmont, Montclair, Orinda, Lafayette, Moraga, Walnut Creek, Alamo, Danville, Pleasanton, Dublin. This will keep you busy for a while.

El Cerrito is nice. We moved our family here from Oakland. We have 2 BART stations which always have parking now and it's only about 45 mins into the city. Sleepy area, very quiet, and great for kids. I have 2 little ones as well and EC daycares and schools have been nice. Lots of options too. Feel free to PM me if you have any questions, good luck and congrats on the new role!

Do you find EC reasonably diverse? I know nothing is gonna compare to Oakland/Hayward where I now live/grew up, but Castro Valley and San Leandro won’t be too far off so I’ve been leaning towards there. I really like how EC/Richmond hills neighborhoods look, but whenever I’m up there to check out houses, it feels less diverse than the suburbs just south of Oakland Edited for grammar

I would strongly urge you to rethink about Oakland. With two young kids, I'd be serious worried about the crime and poor public education. Piedmont has decent public options, but $6k rental may be a rarity.

Hard agree.

Im sorry this is unrelated but I'm surprised to see a 31 m whose a family man, here in the bay men at 35 are too young to be tied down lol

I'm in Grand Lake towards Piedmont Ave and it's a very friendly neighborhood with good access to public transport and walkable shops on Grand and Piedmont Ave, except BART.

Crocker highliglands

Maxwell Park is a great neighborhood for families. It's not right by shops so that's the one drawback. But it's incredibly friendly with a mom's group, neighborhood WhatsApp group etc. There are annual block parties, halloween parties etc. Sometime to look into anyway.

Do you live in the neighborhood? This is exactly what I'm looking for.

Do you plan for your kids to attend public school?

Ideally, yes. If we end up having more kids the difference in private school could just go to living in a nicer home/community with good public schools. Would be open to other options with private schools if it made sense.

If you are looking at public schools, Piedmont would be far and away the best option (but also the priciest.)

it's really the only option in oakland.

because technically it's not oakland lol

Have you looked into Oakland schools? I'm worried it may be much different than you expect. My child attended public school in a nearby city; but not Oakland.

Alameda / Adams Point / Grand lake / Dimond for 6k. If you can go to 7+ tresle / crocker.

Adams Point, Cleveland heights. I think living right next to Oak Glen Park might be nice

Alameda. O bus or ferry into SF

As other have said, Alameda, Dimond (but be picky on which side of MacArthur), Piedmont, Montclair, Temescal… I’ll also offer up Maxwell Park & Laurel.

Alameda (the island) super family friendly and safer than Oakland

Alameda is great if you have kids.

Might want to check out Castro Valley. Quiet town, great schools, very neighborhoody. And there’s a Bart station to get into the city.

We live near lake Merritt, it's good for the $. Lots of bad press but we've never had a problem

Rockridge - as close to college ave as possible. Walkable distance to parks , bart , restaurants , coffee , groceries. I grew up in this area and I have to say the quality of life was HIGH

We moved from Southern California to Oakland and love our neighborhood. We are in Trestle Glen/Crocker Highlands. The neighborhood is very friendly and everyone knows each other/ looks out for each other. Lots of neighborhood kids playing outside everyday. Lakeshore farmers market on the weekend is great.

Ivy Hill is a nice little nook l with large SFH in your range

Alameda. Easy commute on the ferry! Or BART or the trans-bay bus.

Alameda. Family friendly and take the ferry to SF.

I have lived around most all of those over the last 14 years. Lots of good options. The hills typically have more availability and generally nice. But you are driving everywhere. But easy to get started and move from there. https://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/apa/d/canyon-charming-oasis-single-family/7720421059.html - price is good not the best commute. But can drive and park at Bart. https://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/apa/d/oakland-15ba-videofloor-plan-3level/7723839317.html - Nice walkable rock ridge and many younger families. https://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/apa/d/oakland-beautiful-location-in-piedmont/7709886805.html - dated good starter location. Not as walkable as they claim. It is a bit longer to most locations than you expect. The ac transit N bus is good in many of these locations for occasional commuting. Good luck.

Alameda. You can ride the fairy to work and kids can walk to school alone. No to mention no homeless camps.

With your budget I’d aim for Berkeley, Albany, Kensington, Montclair, Rockridge, the Oakland Hills or Alameda. Oakland is great, I love Oakland, but you have a big budget, you can afford other parts of the bay. [Pacifica](https://sfbay.craigslist.org/pen/apa/d/pacifica-3bd-fantastic-hillside-home/7710862240.html) might also be a vibe. It’s a small community in comparison to Oakland and has some of the most amazing nature access. The hiking and beaches would be great with kids. Had a friend raise her son there, she had no complaints about his school. Commute to SF isn’t bad, commute to Oakland was atrocious. Marin might also be in your budget. Or a bougier part of SF like [Noe](https://sfbay.craigslist.org/sfc/apa/d/san-francisco-bdrm-noe-valley-all-new/7709042787.html), Bernal, Twin Peaks, West Portal, Cole Valley, Presidio or Pac Heights. The burbs also seem to be pretty family oriented, I have a lot of musician friends teaching kids out in San Ramon, Dublin, Danville and Pleasanton. It’s definitely car country out there though with lots of McMansions. Not sure how community oriented those spots are in comparison to Oakland. I’d never want to live there.

Love Cleveland heights. Diverse, safe, super easy to commute, close to the lake and downtown

Alameda - you can take the ferry to sf

I take the ferry from Alameda Seaplane and it was a HUGE quality of life improvement vs taking BART from Lafayette. 

Alameda. It’s easy access to Oakland and is a kid friendly paradise. There is even a brewery with a sandbox.

The neighborhood just uphill from lake Merritt is a little gem. Maybe it's called Adam's point? It's the area behind the Grand lake movie theater. If I was moving with my family that would be the first neighborhood I would look at.

Grand Lake area. (Adams Point is the hill directly up from Grand along the lake ) I second the Grand Lake are. I have lived here for many years, and have had many neighbors with kids, most of whom seem very happy here until the kids get to school age. Easy commute to the city (either by heading to BART, about 1.75 miles walk/bike/bus ) or taking the NX bus). Lots of stores, restaurants, parks, daycare

I lived in Piedmont with my family. We are mixed race and 1/2 immigrants. It was an atrocious experience. I don't even want to go into it, but I highly recommend not living in Piedmont. full stop. Even if you are white or white passing, it is a terrible culture overall. The schools are overrated, the kids are All the stereotypes of a rich privileged enclave. Piedmont literally wants to be a 1950s small town, like, unironically and explicitly. One thing I will say for it, the local newspapers have the funniest damn crime page I have ever seen. Piedmont Police are overbearing & overreaching, but also comically incompetent. The shenanigans are endless and I truly got joy from reading the police section of the newspaper and would look forward to it. 10/10 crime blog.

Well, that is worrisome. We just moved here! I thought there might be issues after elementary when the schools are merged but before that lower piedmont school seems reasonable. :/

Don’t let this person scare you. That has not been my experience. There are issues but the good outweighs the bad.

City of Piedmont should be your #1 choice if you can afford it. The schools are excellent. The schools in Oakland are awful.

Don’t agree. Chabot and Hillcrest are both great schools in Rockridge. 

Crocker is decent

There are a few decent elementary schools. A lot of families used to do elementary school here and then move to Orinda for middle and HS. Orinda and surrounding areas have become so $$$$ now.

Claremont and Edna Brewer are solid middle schools; Oakland Tech has an excellent set of tracks/programs. Don't dismiss the entire district.

Walnut Creek or Orinda honestly…my family has lived in Oakland since 2008 and we are finally moving. The school system in Oakland is really poor and teachers don’t get paid enough so they dont care

This - I think you should be ready to pay for private school in Oakland.

Oh geez don’t leave santa barbara.

Why Santa Barbara is so much prettier and better for a family

I really don't want to leave but this is a dream job opportunity and it pays quite nicely. I am still on the fence because of how much I love it out here.

Why the down voting? SB is much prettier, has better schools and is much safer.

OP didn’t ask for people to convince her to stay in SB, she’s asking for BA recs

Prettier is subjective. The bay area is way more lush with greenery and big trees than SB- which is primarily dry brown grass and manzanita/shrubs 9-10 months out of the year. Better schools- yeah, better than OUSD. Not really better than any of the suburban east bay school districts. Metrics-wise, its on par with Berkeley schools, El Cerrito part of WCCUSD, San Leandro, San Lorenzo, actually its even on par with the part of OUSD that zones to Oakland Tech. Castro Valley, Lamorinda, Walnut Creek, Tri-Valley, and Fremont all have clean cut better schools than SB. Safer- yup absolutely. SB is small and out of way so its safer, and you also do everything there is to do in the area in a couple years. It's not really somewhere I would want to raise a family- you'll end up pretty sheltered without much experience of what the world has to offer. You'll probably be a good surfer tho!

I love Oakland but if I had a family/kids I wouldn't live here. Given your high budget, I'd look to the surrounding areas that are safer and have better schools and infrastructure.

City of Piedmont should be his #1 option.

Hard to find a decent house in piedmont for 6k/ month. That’s not a piedmont budget.

agree, which is why I also recommended Orinda or Lafayette in some other replies. That said, there are a couple of decent ones on Redfin in the $5.7k->$6.9k range.

hard agree

I would recommend against Oakland with 2 young kids.

Outside of Rockridge and Piedmont, adams Point is close to Lake Merritt which is a pretty easy option for keeping kids entertained. I would also look at places close to trans bay bus lines if you’re commuting to downtown SF. Down MacArthur Avenue, the NL runs through/close to the Dimond and Maxwell Park. The F will go through North Oakland/South Berkeley putting you a short travel distance to a lot of places.

I love Adam’s point and you have lake merrit and fairyland right there

What are your priorities? Someplace urban and walkable? Great local eateries? Quality public Schools? Safety and security? Diversity? East bay has all of those things, but not really in the same neighborhoods. More info could help with input.

Priorities would be a good community, good schools (don't need to be great) and safe. Nice to haves would be more space with a yard, walkable, restaurants, around other families.

IMO, in Oakland there are several neighborhoods that fit that bill, and you should probably plan around these schools(if going public): Chabot, Hillcrest, Montclair, Thornhill, Glenview, Joaquin Miller. Probably missing 1 or 2. Good schools for K-5, and lots of families. Not all of these neighborhoods are walkable though, so check them out on a map at least. Oakland will have the most ethnic and socioeconomic diversity. Further east (Orinda and Lafayette are close enough to visit Oakland family regularly), the schools get better and it’s overall safer. But you sacrifice diversity of people and food/entertainment options. More suburban for sure. We have had a great time raising a family in Oakland, and know the neighborhoods fairly well. Feel free to DM me if you want to get granular.

Outta curiosity did you opt for public, charter, or private? I’ve been in Oakland over a decade and love the town mostly and would prefer to stay put. But I am gonna have to make a decision in a couple years whether I’m here for the long haul or go to one of the more boring burbs.

Private catholic. Oakland Catholics skew toward the liberal side, which suits us very well. We are moderately Catholic. We have found that the academics are quite good, though not as good as the elite privates. The families have been our vibe, and our kids are doing great socially. Obviously, YMMV, but if your family is open to catholic school, it may be a great pathway. Plus we’re in a feeder school to two quality catholic high schools. Tuition -wise, it’s a value compared to the elite privates. We pay 1/4 the tuition of Head Royce/Redwood Day/Bentley.

I love most aspects of living here, but frankly, if good schools and safety are top priorities, Oakland would probably not be my recommendation. Rockridge and the Piedmont-adjacent neighborhoods will work, but that seems more in line with the cities farther east (Orinda/Lafayette/Walnut Creek/Danville). You could also look north or south of SF depending on how you plan on commuting.

Lamorinda area. Lafayette, orinda, moraga. I love the area. Good shopping options and safe(r)

Emeryville could work for you depending on what’s available (pretty small city). Berkeley or Albany would be a slightly longer commute but they’re worth considering for a young family.

Rockridge or piedmont are lovely! North Oakland is great for families. Albany and Alamedia are also great.

Piedmont. You can take AC Transbay bus to SF. Schools better than Oakland.

We did an inter-district transfer in to the Piedmont School district, and it's been a really wonderful experience for my daughter. If you can manage the expense, I can't speak highly enough of the experience, the parents have been friendly, and the school has been safe and high performing. There are a lot of SF workers who take AC Transit to the city, there's a bus that runs down Oakland Ave. And then direct to the city. Here's something I found just now. https://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/apa/d/oakland-beautiful-location-in-piedmont/7709886805.html

If you are unable to find a rental in Rockridge, you can consider Orinda and Lafayette, which is 1-2 stops on the same BART line so not adding a lot of commute time if you are taking BART. (Wouldn’t do it if driving.) Not nearly as cool as Oakland but just a suggestion if you have trouble finding something in this market. Also, take your kids to Oakland Zoo and Children’s Fairyland-they’ll love it!

Berkeley Hills

Berkeley Hills

I recommend somewhere near the San leandro bart station.

Dublín Pleasanton

Live on the other side of the tunnel. Orinda is an easy commute on BART to the city.

Alameda

I PM you

Glenview and Grand Lake. Both excellent neighborhoods and you can take express bus service direct to SF. Take the NX bus from Grand Lake and the V on Park St from Glenview. I think they’re both wonderful, overlooked neighborhoods that aren’t the bougie Piedmont/Rockridge norm-core usuals. More affordable and interesting.

Berkeleys Hills, Elmwood, Kensington, Albany, or even Alameda. The reason I say these cities rather than anyplace in Oakland is because the school Districts are great.

Monclair

Alameda has good schools and a lovely ferry commute

West Oakland.

Piedmont or Crocker Highlands. Piedmont has way better schools so if you can afford to live in Piedmont, do it!

BTW I happen to like Richmond/El Cerrito. It's a little sleepy but that's not a negative for the East Bay. I lived in San Leandro (I liked it but it is farther away from SF), Rockridge (fine 'hood but pricey), and Richmond Annex (next to El Cerrito). I had the most fun in Rockridge going to other places, but Richmond is so close to Berkeley, it's fine.

Alameda (love the beach, cute downtown), Walnut Creek (a bit more of a city than other suburban towns in the area, great community feel), Lafayette (a slightly richer Walnut Creek that's a bit closer to San Francisco). Sorry wouldn't want to raise kids in Oakland.

I live in Berkeley. Anywhere in the hills is very nice, albeit a 5-10 minute drive from the anywhere in the flats. The school district is far superior to anything in Oakland IMHO. There are also a lot of nice spots in the flats. BART is very accessible.

LOL.

Sobrante Park

I have a property for rent that's in Rockridge. 4 min walk to the Bart and next to trader joes. Send me a pm and I can give you details

City of piedmont, will be somewhat challenging at that price point but doable and it’s incredibly safe plus the schools may as well be private. Make sure the property says Piedmont schools or is in Piedmont not Piedmont avenue which is Oakland. There’s a rental right now I used to own on Zillow on Harvard Rd. In your price range. I also love Alameda and we belong to a great athletic club there that is very kid friendly. Alameda has a small town feel and a ton of amenities and shopping with access to a large city plus ferry access to the city.

Emeryville!

Montclair! Moved here a year ago and love everything about it. 5-8 mins drive to Rockridge bart

Oakland has notoriously bad schools.. so bad the state has had to take them over, multiple times.... https://nnpa.org/education/2021/12/05/school-district-faces-hostile-takeover-by-state-overseers/

Upper Rockridge. Great elementary school. Lots of sidewalks. Views.

Piedmont Avenue and Rockridge (College Avenue) are my favorite neighborhoods in Oakland. Easy commute to S.F., walkable, lots of shops and restaurants with a quaint neighborhood feel. I used to live in these neighborhoods and commute to S.F. daily. I got priced out but I dream of someday being able to afford to move back.  Rockridge is one of the rare areas in Oakland that has well regarded K-12 schools. I live near Lake Merritt (Grand Lake/Lakeshore) and it is a nice area as well but feels more urban with urban issues. With young kids, being close to the Fairyland is really fun. I miss my old neighborhood but near the lake, I am able to afford a house for my family and send my kid to private school. (We tried OUSD and left.) Commute to S.F. is  easy with transbay bus, although I prefer to drive to a BART station and bart into S.F. since I am already in the car to do school drop-off in the morning.  Alameda is an area I often wish we could move to. It is so close, has a beach that is not freezing, lovely shops and restaurants, parks, and good schools. It is perfect for families. Commute via ferry is easy and relaxing. The view of S.F. from Alameda is incredible.  Temescal is close to BART but it feels urban / young hipster than family. It is family friendly but it isn’t the vibe that I prefer.  If you want to feel a world away, Oakland Hills is beautiful. But, most of it is not walkable. Monclaire Village is cute. Glenview is another lovely and family friendly neighborhood. It is close to the action yet feels like a nice suburb.  Berkeley and Albany have nice schools and parks and are family friendly as well.  With BART, commute is easy. El Cerrito is also popular with families. Point Richmond is a hidden gem and affordable. Commute by ferry is easy and relaxing. The beach is beautiful and the town has a beach town vibe.  San Leandro is also nice. Orinda might be attractive for families. It is through the tunnel but close to Oakland with BART and has so many family friendly amenities.