Moving to Richmond, CA? Here are some helpful facts and tips!

Are you thinking of moving to Richmond, CA? We did some research and put this article together to help you make your decision.

Where is Richmond, CA located?

Richmond, CA is located in the Eastern part of the Bay Area, south of San Pablo and north of El Cerrito, Albany, and Berkeley.

What is the population of Richmond, CA?

Richmond, CA has a population of 110k people.

What is the median age and income of Richmond, CA?

Richmond has a median age of 37.2 and a median household income of $72,463.

How affordable is housing in Richmond, CA?

The median home value is $629,000 (according to Realtor.com) and the average rent is $2350 (according to Zillow). You might get lucky and find a very small single family residence for the rare condo for less than $400,000.

For renters, there may be some small studios for $1,000 or some shared options for less than that. Moving to Richmond is something that may appeal to someone who wants to pay a mortgage instead of rent, or someone who wants lower rent.

How are the schools?

The Richmond public schools are an average of 3/10 on GreatSchools.org or B- on Niche. For adults, there is a 2-year institution, Contra Costa College about 2 miles from Richmond in San Pablo. Berkeley City College is 8 miles south of Richmond.

Dominican University in San Rafael offers both bachelor’s and master’s degrees. It is about 9 miles from Richmond, across the Richmond Bridge.

UC-Berkeley offers a very wide range of degrees and is about 8 miles from Richmond.

How is the weather?

Typically, the high is about 73 degrees Fahrenheit, but there are some summer days when it exceeds 80 degrees Fahrenheit and the record is 107 degrees Fahrenheit. The coldest month is January, and the average low is about 43 degrees Fahrenheit. Richmond only receives about 5 inches of rain each year, and no snow.

Are there jobs?

The largest employers in Richmond, CA are:

1. Chevron Corporation (Petrochemical)
2. West Contra Costa Unified School District (Education)
3. Kaiser Foundation Hospitals (Healthcare)
4. UPS (Shipping)
5. Social Security Administration (Government)
6. Amazon.com services (E-Commerce)
7. Permanente Medical Group (Healthcare)
8. United States Postal Service (including San Francisco NDC) (Government)
9. Contra Costa County (Government)
10. City of Richmond (Government)

Best Places to Eat in Richmond, CA

In the Bay Area, San Francisco, Berkeley, and Oakland are known for having quality restaurants, but Richmond’s offerings don’t receive as much attention. But, it would be a big mistake to ignore Richmond eateries, especially if you love Mexican food. Here are some of our favorites (brought to you by EaterSF and Yelp)

• The Backyard
• Lara's Fine Dining on the waterfront
• Raymond's Pizzeria
• Baltic Kiss (great food and fun)
• Pop-Up Estilo Chilanga
• Andy K's Donut Shop
• Gran Milan
• El Garage
• Tommy's BBQ
• Krispy Krunchy
• Portumex
• El Chaparro Barbacoa
• Phila Burger Station
• That Luang Kitchen Lao Cuisine
• Norma's Meat & Deli
• Q's Halal Pizza
• Saigon Seafood Harbor
• Golden Gate Bistro
• Masa Tamales and Tacos

Best Parks in Richmond

Richmond is located right next to the bay, and it has varied terrain so there are some enjoyable parks. Some are:

• Rosie The Riveter WWII Homefront
• Richmond Bay Trail
• Point Pinole Regional Shoreline
• Adventure Kinderland
• Richmond Plunge
• Miller/Knox Regional Shoreline

Is there public transportation?

Richmond has its own BART station, so if you work in San Francisco or the East Bay, you can ride a train instead of having to drive or ride a bus. The closest airport is in Oakland, or if you prefer a larger one there is SFO across the bay. Moving to Richmond is a choice that will mean you are further away from San Francisco and Oakland, but you will still be in striking distance.

Are there places of worship?

Here is a sample of the religious institutions:

• Hilltop Community Church
• Open Door United Methodist Church
• Bay Hills Community Church
• Dharmata Foundation
• Our Lady of Mercy
• St. Mark’s Catholic Church
• Temple Beth Hillel
• Gospel Fellowship Church
• Iglesia De Cristo Sion Richmond California
• Easter Hill United Methodist Church

Fun things to do in Richmond, CA

Richmond has a great variety of things to do, besides what we've listed above, here are a few more:

• The Craneway Pavilion hosts a variety of incredible events from immersive experiences to Richmond Wrecking Belles roller derby shows to live concerts and more!
• Richmond Art Center offers classes, exhibitions, and educational programs.
• Armistice Brewing Company has happy hours and TWO beer gardens!
• Point Richmond Summer Music Festival
• East Brother Beer is a kid-friendly brewery (both human and fur babies) with food trucks every day.
• The Study is a casual, natural wine spot in Marina Bay.
• Golden State Model Railroad Museum
• Riggers Loft is a kid-friendly, dog-friendly, wine and cider spot with live music and incredible views.
• Perfusion Vineyard brings the wine country vibes to Richmond. If you love Pinot Noir, you'll love this place. You'll also want to grab their olive oil and taste their guest wines like Cabernet Sauvignon, Rose, and more.
• Catch a play at Masquers Playhouse
• The Factory Bar calls itself the Unofficial Home of The Richmond Historical Society, and a cocktail bar and garden.

What cities are near Richmond?

Berkeley — 8 miles

Oakland — 12 miles

Vallejo — 16 miles

San Francisco — 17 miles

Napa — 33 miles

Where can I store my stuff while I look for a new place?

We can help! StoragePRO Self Storage of Richmond offers a variety of self-storage units for your household goods and we also have Vehicle, Boat, and RV Storage in Richmond!