Russian population in Walnut Creek (San Francisco, Oakland: salon, apartments, for rent)

[batransplant]

I recently moved to Walnut Creek, and noticed a huge Russian population living here. It seems like everywhere I go, the park, the grocery store etc. the majority of the people are speaking Russian...especially Walden and Heather Farms parks. On my street alone, there are probably 5 or 6 Russian families.

Is this a recent phenomenon, or has there always been a large Russian population living here?

[tstieber]

I grew up in WC, and I never noticed any Russians. However, I know a lot of Russians have moved to CA since the early 1990s, as I see them in SF and LA. But still, when I see family in WC and go around town, I'd say I've heard Russian maybe once in the past year. It's definitely not known as being a Russian area at all, and I find it unlikely that the "majority of people" in the grocery store are Russian! It's pretty much a white American suburb. You probably live on a particularly Russian street; people do like to cluster around each other based on language and culture.

[sav858]

I grew up in WC too and I never noticed any large Russian influence. I knew maybe one or two large Russian families, their garage was filled with every size of Smirnoff bottle imaginable . Maybe more families have come to the area recently.

[18Montclair]

I actually have noticed that-not only in WC but all over the Bay Area(I drive a lot for my work)

Oh well, the more the merrier I say.

[bayarea-girl]

Haven't noticed a large migration of Russians to WC. But like 18Montclair notice them throughout the bay area and would say they are more noticeable in Southern CA than the bay. There are more Persians in WC that I notice.

[iTsLiKeAnEgG]

Well I did drive through WC recently. Maybe you just heard me talking on my cell phone?

[kimadrew]

There is a definite Russian presence in WC; not "huge", but it is there. I found a statistic from 2002 stating that 58 English learners were enrolled in WCSD who used Russian as their first language (out of a district student population of around 2300). So about 2.5 percent and probably growing, plus others whose parents speak Russian but the children already speak English fluently.

Most are concentrated near downtown, and probably the highest number of children attend Buena Vista Elementary.

Demographically speaking, it would make sense for WC to be a choice suburban destination for Russian immigrants. It is large and diverse enough that one could "blend in" somewhat, but not an overwhelming place to raise a child, like San Francisco or Oakland. There is a large supply of apartments for rent from where one could still send their child to a very well-regarded school in a very well-regarded district. Not many places in the Bay Area can boast that combination.

[sav858]

^now that I think about it, I do remember there being kids at my school when I was younger that were Russian immigrants. They were kind of quiet and had their own little small group of Russians, I guess I just didn't notice them too much. But there was definitely a Russian group/click at Las Lomas High School.

[batransplant]

Well the 2 parks near my house are filled with russian speaking families, along with all of the local shopping places. I have no issue with it, but I was just curious if I moved into a burgeoning mini St. Petersburg or something like that. I dont notice them in Danville, Lafayette, Concord or other surrounding areas...just Walnut Creek.

[batransplant]

Well I just found out from the several russians working at a salon I visited that many moved here within the past 10 years for software programming jobs. They settled in Walnut Creek because they have some organization based there that helps settle them once they get here. It is a very recent immigrationm which is why the other poster probably doesnt know about it if they havent been to the area recently.