| Oakland, California can be described as an ethnically | | | | between 1990 and 2005 accounted for just eight |
| diverse community with high crime and clean air. Here | | | | percent of all housing. Median home values have |
| are some things to consider if you are heading to | | | | soared since the advent of the California housing |
| Oakland. | | | | shortage. The average home in Oakland valued at |
| Oakland is linked to the city of San Francisco by the | | | | $235,500 in 2000. Census figures in 2005 put that |
| Bay Bridge. Located in west central California, Oakland | | | | number at $487,300. The median monthly housing |
| serves as the county of seat of Alameda County. It is | | | | costs for mortgaged owners was $1,999, |
| the eighth-largest city in the state with over 395,000 | | | | non-mortgaged owners paid $396, and renters $889. |
| residents, according to U.S. Census estimates in 2005. | | | | Of the total housing units, just over half were in |
| A densely populated area with 7,126 people per | | | | apartments and duplexes. With public transportation in |
| square mile, the citizenry has decreased since 2000. | | | | the top 1% of the state, 62% of city workers drove to |
| The population has been at a near standstill since the | | | | work alone in 2005. The average commute time to |
| 1990 census. Oakland is part of the fifth most | | | | work is 26.9 minutes. |
| populated metro area in the U.S. with over seven | | | | There is an upside and downside to the quality of life |
| million people. The average age of city residents is 35 | | | | for someone heading to Oakland. Oakland is the eighth |
| years. Of the population, 33% were African-American | | | | most dangerous city in the country, according to |
| or African American; 25% Hispanic; 24% White | | | | Morgan Quitno crime rankings in 2006. The number of |
| non-Hispanic, and 17% Asian. Oakland has a growing | | | | murders in the city went from 94 in 2005 to 148 a |
| Hispanic community and a African-American population | | | | year later, an increase of 57%. The area of the city |
| in decline. A high percentage (28%) of people living in | | | | known as 'the flatlands' has seen a majority of violent |
| Oakland are foreign born. Among its residents, 40% | | | | crime. On the upside, residents enjoy an average of |
| speak a language other than English at home. | | | | 91.8% days of good air yearly. Some of the more |
| Oakland's school district has suffered financial and | | | | favorable locations in the nation have clean air about |
| administrative failures since the state stepped in back | | | | 75% of the year. The city's climate is likened to that of |
| in 2002. As recently as 2005, only 20 percent of | | | | arid Mediterranean, warmer than San Francisco but |
| students were deemed "proficient" in English. However, | | | | cooler than San Jose. The city is cooled by maritime |
| among residents 25 and older, 34 percent hold a | | | | fog in the summer, while remaining typically sunny. |
| bachelor's degree or higher. | | | | January temperatures range on average from 43 to |
| Heading to Oakland to find work and you'll discover job | | | | 58 degrees and from 54 to 75 in July. About 23.5 |
| growth has been nearly zero. Between 2000-2005, the | | | | inches of precipitation falls each year. |
| U.S. Labor Department found a 0.96% increase in | | | | Oakland is served by the Oakland International Airport, |
| employment. Oakland had attracted a large blue-collar | | | | one of three international airports in the Bay Area. |
| work force beginning with the shipbuilding era of World | | | | Amtrak provides the city with regional and long |
| War I. As one of the three major shipping ports on the | | | | distance passenger train service. The city had some |
| west coast, Oakland is the fourth busiest container | | | | reconstruction to do after the 1989 earthquake that |
| port in the nation today. The city is home to Fortune | | | | collapsed a double-decker portion of highway, killing 42 |
| 500 companies Clorox and Golden West Financial. The | | | | people. Significant improvements are still being made to |
| yearly median income of households in 2005 was | | | | the Bay Bridge. Oakland supports three major league |
| $44,124. White non-Hispanic householders typically out | | | | teams: baseball's Oakland A's, the NFL Oakland |
| earn all other races -- $57,399 annually in 2000 | | | | Raiders and the NBA Golden State Warriors. Oakland |
| compared with just $31,184 for African-American | | | | is the birthplace of rapper MC Hammer and actor |
| householders. Poverty levels have historically been | | | | Mark Hamill, and has produced music acts like Sly |
| above the national average in Oakland. The | | | | & the Family Stone, Green Day, En Vogue and |
| percentages of minorities living in poverty are more | | | | Tupac Shakur. Most notable for higher education in the |
| than double that of White non-Hispanic citizens. | | | | area is the University of California-Berkeley with a |
| Despite the aging appearance of Oakland's housing, | | | | full-time enrollment of nearly 30,000 students. |
| property values continue to surge. Dwellings built | | | | |