Many people move to Oakland each year. If you are considering making a move to the city, here are some things that you need to know:
Are There Jobs?
Oakland has been a center for business and industrial activities for a long time. The top employers in the city include:
- BART
- County of Alameda
- UPS
- Southwest Airlines
If you are open to a wide range of employment options, you should definitely move to this city. You can work in established organizations such as BART or upcoming tech companies.
How Are the Schools?
The public schools in the city of Oakland rate slightly below average. However, if you do not have young children, you have a variety of colleges to choose from, which include Mills College, Lincoln University, and Merritt College.
How Much is the Housing?
Whether you want to buy a home or rent apartments such as Atlas and Vintage apartments, you need to know the cost of housing. The average rent in Oakland is 2,781 dollars and home value stands at 678,000 dollars. However, you can always find smaller condos going for much less if you are willing to put in the time.
If you cannot afford this high rent, you can opt for a studio apartment that goes for around 1,500 dollars. Owning a home in Oakland is much more plausible than owning one in places such as San Francisco. To lead a comfortable life in this city, you need to earn at least $80,000 per annum.
How is the Weather?
In January, the average daytime high is 58, which increases to about 75 degrees in August. During the winter, the temperatures are much lower and they can also go higher in the summer. Per year, Oakland experiences 23 inches of rain. You might see some hail but it is not that common.
When most people think of the state of California, they envision warm and sunny weather. However, the city of Oakland has mild weather with fog on most days. If you are moving from San Fran, you will enjoy the weather in Oakland. People coming from LA or San Diego might find the cool Oakland weather a bit surprising. This city offers the perfect weather for people who are accustomed to hot, sunny weather.
Is There Entertainment?
Oakland is famous for sports teams such as the A’s, Raiders, and Warriors, but only one of them is still located there. However, high school sports are a big deal and the athletes end up being picked up by top universities and colleges. Some of these high school athletes even go pro.
Live music such as jazz is a big part of Oakland’s culture. You can go to Yoshi’s, which is a local’s favorite spot that has been hosting singers for decades. The following are the best spots for live music:
- Fox Theater
- Paramount Theater
- The Sound Room
- The Night Light
- Café Van Kleef
In a big city such as Oakland, you should also expect to come across moving screens. The best movie theaters include The New Parkway, Grand Lake Theatre, and Piedmont Theatre.
How Is Access to Nature?
The city has several large parks such as Joaquin Miller Park, which is filled with thick trees and plants. Not much farther from the city, you can find wilderness areas such as Wildcat Canyon and Briones. You can also drive to Point Reyes, a popular outdoor destination.
Conclusion
Before you move to Oakland, you should know about the city’s access to nature, entertainment scene, weather, cost of housing, job availability, and school system.
