Union City vs. Walnut Creek - Advice for an East Coast Newbie (Oakland: apartment complex, rent)

[carmenah]

Hey everyone -

I have been reading the posts on the various neighborhoods and would love your advice, opinions and observations on two areas I am considering Union City and Walnut Creek.

About me: 32 yrs old, black professional woman - I'm from south jersey and spent half my life in the DC area where most of my family lives. I consider myself to be open to new experiences and a risk taker. so, I moved to Atlanta and tried that for 18 months - now I'm in the Raleigh/Durham area. i'm a big time Eagles fan so a good sports bar wouldn't be a bad idea.... I love socializing and considering I have NO friends or family in that area, I'd like to get to know new people.... I've tried the south, but I'm an east-coaster - so I have to try SF next... I'm single, no kids -so why not :-)

I'm looking at a company in downtown SF near Montgomery Street Station (I think) and I would prefer to live in the burbs and commute. As much as I can walk and catch the train, I would prefer. I'll have my car - for runs to Target, grocery store, etc. but don't want to drive to work everyday.

I should be able to afford 1700/mo in rent max, but would like to live an area that is accessible to great bars with diverse crowds - black, white, everything... access to good food and the hopes of great dating (ok, I'm probably going a little too far but hey, I'm single!)

I have done a lot of reading on this site and would love the great opinions on everything from culture, bars, commutes, neighborhoods to investigate - anything you can think of and hopefully I'll be your neighbor soon :-) Thanks in advance.

[Kense]

Why not Oakland, I think you'd love it. Walnut creek has hardly any blacks or diversity, it's mostly white. I've only seen like 2 Black people when I've gone out there. Union city is pretty diverse but is boring suburban and not as vibrant as walnut creek. Look into the Lake Shore, Uptown, Jack London Square areas of Oakland. Plenty of bars, restaurants and things to do. It's also much closer to downtown SF than either Union City and Walnut Creek.

[carmenah]

Thanks! I'll do some research

[Ndl_gal]

I would agree. Walnut Creek is pretty, but not diverse. I think Oakland and even parts of Berkeley would fit more of what you are looking for - diverse, lots going on, easy access to public transport, many ethnic foods, etc. You can find something in the busy parts of town or even live in the hills above if you want something more serene. Good luck!

[BayDude]

Try Berkeley. Vibrant, interesting, urban and intellectual. Avoid Oakland if you can. Its diverse so to speak but its a toilet. Walnut Creek is almost lily white so probably not exactly what your looking for.

[AcroJimmy2]

I also wouldn't rule out San Mateo or some other upper penninsula cities. San Mateo is more diverse than Walnut Creek, has a decent downtown, and is a pretty short commute to SF via CalTrain. You're also close to Burlingame, Redwood City, Palo Alto, other cities via Caltrain that have decent downtowns...

San Mateo may be a bit pricier, but there are deals to be had there!

[Joe_Ryder]

Since you survived Atlanta, you can do fine anywhere.

In my opinion Walnut Creek is more suburban than Union City. UC is quite a bit more industrialized. I personally could live in the city or in the boonies but suburbia would drive me nuts. However, though some have recommended Oakland for it's diversity, you specifically said you preferred the suburbs with easy access to diversity. Though I've lived for many years in Oakland and consider it a great city, it's not particularly suburban.

Since you like Suburbia, you might consider Alameda. Though it's right in the middle of the Bay Area and not the typical suburbia, it's very much like a quiet New England coastal town without the snow. It's a quick ferry ride into the city or a bike ride over a bridge into Oakland. I personally think it might be the type of compromise you're looking for.

Good luck.

[Kense]

Originally Posted by BayDude

Try Berkeley. Vibrant, interesting, urban and intellectual. Avoid Oakland if you can. Its diverse so to speak but its a toilet. Walnut Creek is almost lily white so probably not exactly what your looking for.

Ignore this guy.

[Eastbaypm]

I would defenitely suggest a middle to upper class neighborhood in Oakland over Walnut Creek or Union City. Walnut Creek sems to be nice, but a little snobby without any culture. And Union City is very diverse, but some neighborhoods can get very sketchy. If you are going to risk living in a rougher city in the east bay, go for Oakland (but stay in the hills). There are great places to visit in Oakland, such as restaurants, bars, parks and hiking trails.. all with rich history.

[Destiny2008]

Consider Albany. It is adjacent to Berkeley and is more diverse than Walnut Creek. The housing stock in Albany is dated, however.
I currently live in Walnut Creek, and we do have a mix of people, contrary to popular opinion. I might live a sheltered life, but nobody seems to care about other people's ethnicity. If you are considering Walnut Creek, you might look into the Avalon apartment complex which just opened this summer. It is right next to the Pleasant Hill BART station. This would be ideal for your commute into the city. I am not sure of the cost of renting there...the complex is new, it might be pricey.