Oakland Apartments and Homes for Rent

Your Guide to Apartments for Rent in Oakland, CA

Named for the numerous oak trees in the area, Oakland and the surrounding East Bay area have a lot to offer newcomers, including diverse job opportunities, a mild year-round climate and a lower cost of living than nearby San Francisco and Silicon Valley. Nearly 400,000 people call the city of Oakland home. It's a great place to explore the huge variety of apartments for rent and all the other advantages of the area.

Quality of Life
The city of Oakland offers its residents and visitors a wide range of activities, from the black-tie culture to beer-and-chips-fueled sporting events. The city is proud of its cultural offerings, including the Oakland Museum and symphony orchestra. Fun outdoor activities include the Morcom Rose Garden, Oakland Zoo and historic Jack London Square. Sports fans will have plenty of teams to root for; Oakland is home to MLB team Athletics, NFL team Raiders and NBA team Golden State Warriors. In other areas of the East Bay there are plenty of recreational opportunities and attractions to choose from. Berkeley in particular has a strong concentration of cultural events, annual festivals and nightlife.

Where the Jobs Are
The East Bay's industries include container shipping, railway shipping, food processing, transportation, chemicals, glassworks, pharmaceuticals, steel and automobiles. High-tech industries are on the rise here, with numerous computer and software companies opening up and hiring new employees. The two major universities in the area, California State University, Hayward and University of California, Berkeley, are also major employers for the region.

Cost of Living & Apartment Prices
The overall cost of living in Oakland and the East Bay is 35% above the national average, which may sound like a lot until you consider that San Francisco's cost of living is 117% above and the Silicon Valley's is a painful 266% above the national average! Those numbers make Oakland seem downright cheap, and in fact the median price for apartment rentals is only $600 per month. You'll find that the average price per square foot of apartments is about $700, and the overall average cost for East Bay apartments for rent is $925.

Neighborhoods to Explore
Apartment rentals are available all over the city of Oakland, but pay particular attention to the downtown offerings, especially along the Gold Coast. This neighborhood has a cool mix of older buildings representing some of the nicest architecture in the region, along with newer apartments for rent. Nearby public transportation, Lake Merritt and the area's shopping and restaurants make this an exciting urban neighborhood to explore apartments to live in. The East Bay has many cities worth exploring, including Hayward, San Leandro, Richmond, El Sobrante, Berkeley, Oakland, Alameda, Vallejo, Fairfield, Castro Valley, Union City, Fremont, Newark, Pleasanton, Livermore, San Ramon, Danville, Moraga, Orinda, Lafayette, Pleasant Hill, Walnut Creek, Pinole, Hercules and Martinez.

Search Apartments in Nearby Cities

Search Nearby Zips