A thriving city on the east shore of the San Francisco Bay
During Prohibition, district attorney and future Supreme Court justice Earl Warren called Emeryville the "rottenest city on the Pacific Coast." Later, in the 1970s, commercial warehouses had rendered the local soil so toxic that 15,000 gallons of cottage cheese were injected into the groundwater to de-contaminate it. Today's Emeryville, however, is significantly different from its past versions and the city continues to be innovative and contemporary, always looking to the future. While this California city is smaller than its Bay Area contemporaries, with a population of nearly 13,000 and a square footage of about two miles, this is no small town. Its location on the east shore of the San Francisco Bay between the cities of Oakland and Berkeley makes it an attractive waterfront city. It sits near several major freeways, as well as the South Bayfront Bridge. "It's a great place to live and pretty much a commuter’s dream location, especially for people who work in San Francisco or downtown Oakland," says Jeff Weissman, a Compass real estate agent and resident of nearby Oakland. "It’s considerably less expensive and you can be door-to-door with a San Francisco office in about 15-20 minutes."
Compared to the other Bay Area cities, Emeryville is by far the most central and closest to city centers, resulting in many opportunities for employment and recreation. Major corporations like Pixar Animation Studios and Peet's Coffee and Tea are right in the city. On another note, Emeryville has done important work to make the city more sustainable. Notable practices have included setting the city’s default electricity source to Ava’s Renewable 100 Service, using LED bulbs in streetlights and implementing a Street Tree Plan, an initiative to plant more than 300 new trees by 2025. Plus, Emeryville has a thriving arts scene that adds to the vibe and fully makes this city a great place to live, work and play.
Emeryville blends waterfront charm with easy access to San Francisco and Oakland.
Emeryville is home to Peet's Coffee headquarters, a cornerstone of its business scene.
Emeryville’s thriving art scene brings creativity to every corner of the city.
Emeryville North is home to Pixar, the famous 3D animation movie producer.
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The distinctive neighborhoods of Emeryville
Neighborhoods in Emeryville each have their own set of distinct home styles. The centrally located Bay Street is a contemporary commercial and residential mix, with a vibrant array of shopping and dining spots. It includes the Bay Street Complex, a mixed-use development with several luxury shops and restaurants as well as a movie theater and indoor ice-skating rink. The Triangle Neighborhood is named for its distinctive shape and includes a collection of single-family homes in the bungalow and 4-square styles. "It has a very urban vibe with a mix of residential and commercial," Weissman says. "The single-family homes were built in the early 1900s and many of them have been updated and remodeled. We occasionally do run into brick foundation conditions or properties that need wiring or plumbing upgrades." On the other hand, condos, which are more prevalent in the city than single-family homes, tend to be newer and more modern. Inventory runs low, thanks to the Emeryville's proximity to Bay Area cities. Homes tend to sell quickly and are often above their asking price. The average home sale price in Emeryville is $693,000, which marks a 4% year-to-year decrease as of October 2024.
Emeryville’s Bay Street blends modern living with shopping, dining, and entertainment.
Many Emerybay Village homes are being remodeled to modern standards.
Pacific Park Plaza condo is the tallest building in Emeryville offers stunning views.
Emerybay Village houses are mostly typical wooden cottages.
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One school district for the city
Emery Unified School District (EUSD) serves the city, earning a C-plus rating from Niche. EUSD contains one elementary school, one middle and one high school for the whole district. Because of the district's small size, this allows room for more personalized approaches to education, emphasizing individualized instruction and community involvement.
Boats, bikes and sensory play
On the west side of the city is the Emeryville Marina, a boat launch point on the Emeryville Peninsula with views of the Bay Bridge, Yerba Buena and even the Golden Gate Bridge in the distance. Bikers can ride alongside the railroad tracks at Horton Landing Park. Shorebird Park has beach and shoreline access to the bay, and Huchiun Park offers a 3-acre space with a large grassy area, seating and sensory play structures. McLaughlin Eastshore State Park has many pedestrian and bike trails for optimal panoramic views of the San Francisco Bay.
Emeryville Marina is a boater’s paradise with easy launches and sweeping bay views.
Bikers love Horton Landing Park’s trails alongside the city’s historic railroad tracks.
Emeryville Marina Park features panoramic bay views and scenic trails.
Bikers love riding through the paths at Eastshore State Park in Berkeley
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International food and plenty of shopping
The Bay Street commercial district is lined with many stores and dining spots, including Public Market. This huge food hall allows diners to sample from any of its 18 different restaurants serving flavors from all over the world. Grocery stores include Trader Joe’s and Pak ‘N Save Foods. The Powell Street Plaza Shopping Center and 40th Street Shopping Plaza include more shops and strings of casual eateries.
Emeryville locals love Shake Shack for its iconic bites and lively Bay Street location.
The Emeryville Public Market is a hub for eclectic dining and local gathering.
Park ‘N Save has proudly served Emeryville locals with quality groceries for over 20 years..
Residents of Watergate in Emeryville grab groceries at Trader Joe's.
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Interstates highways and public transit
Drivers have their choice of using two major interstate highways in and near Emeryville. Interstate 580 begins at Highway 101 in San Rafael and ends at I-5 in Patterson just southeast of Oakland. Meanwhile, the massive I-80 connects to San Francisco all the way to Teaneck, New Jersey. According to data from the US Census, the average commute time for Emeryville drivers is 33.8 minutes. Emeryville is also working to make its streets safer. In 2020, the city council adopted a Vision Zero policy to eliminate traffic crashes by 2035. Efforts to meet this goal have already gone underway, with improvements like beautifying the Mission Street corridor and installing high visibility striping along several major streets.
While car travel is the primary mode of travel in Emeryville, the city has also invested in expanding more eco-friendly transit. There is a bike share program and several pathways/lanes throughout the city. The Emeryville Amtrak station is the fifth busiest in the state and serves over half a million passengers annually. Emery Go Round is a free shuttle service that covers the city and offers direct connections to the nearby Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) stations.
Emeryville's climate trends and crime rates
Weather in Emeryville generally runs warm and sunny all year, with both mild summers and winters. Although the city's convenient position near the San Francisco Bay shelters the city from many environmental risks, First Street Data reports an extreme risk for poor air quality, as well as a moderate risk for severe heat.
The city's crime rates have increased overall in recent years. From 2022 to 2023, property crime experienced a 14-percent increase, and violent crime also increased by 13%. Meanwhile, the state of California saw an overall 4.4% increase and a 1.8% decrease in property crimes.
City events for all seasons
Oakland Public Library's Golden Gate Branch (which also serves Emeryville) has an annual Summer Jazz on Sundays series. The Annual Emeryville Art Exhibition happens every October, showcasing a variety of local artists. The Emeryville Harvest Festival includes plenty of food, drinks, games and live music to celebrate the fall. The Holiday Parade begins at City Hall and concludes at Bay Street for Christmas festivities and a Tree-lighting ceremony.
The Triangle locals can visit the Emeryville Public Market for an Art Celebration.
Emeryville’s Tree Lighting offers bike decorating, live music, and festive selfie spots.
Bay Street Holiday Village brings cozy vibes and holiday delights to Emeryville residents.
Celebrate community and the season at Emeryville’s Tree Lighting and holiday festivities.
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Disclaimer: Certain information contained herein is derived from information provided by parties other than Homes.com. Our sources include: Accuweather, Public Records and Neustar. All information provided is deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed to be accurate and should be independently verified.
