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Moving to Hayward: 11 Things to Know before You Go

Admin | July 19, 2017 @ 12:00 AM

Moving to Hayward is something a number of people do each year for a variety of reasons. We did some research and wrote this article to help you make your decision if you are interested in such a move.

How big is Hayward?

The population is about 144,000 and it is a diverse city. Most of the residents are Hispanic, the second largest group is White, with the third Asian, and the fourth African-American. Of the Hispanic population, most are of Mexican descent, but there are also people of Salvadoran, Puerto Rican, Nicaraguan, Honduran, Peruvian and Cuban lineages. If you have a preference for diversity, moving to Hayward might be a good choice.

Are there jobs?

Hayward is one of the largest cities in the Bay Area, and it doesn’t lack for industry. Here are some of the top employers:

Illumina
Ultra Clean Technologies
Gillig
IMPAX Laboratories
Baxter

Pepsi Bottling
Plastikon Industries
Inland Metals Technologies
Mendel Biotechnology
Motive Power Systems
Shasta
Recording King
Cal State East Bay
Chabot College
St. Rose Hospital
Rocket Dog

This list is only a brief sample, there are many more employers in Hayward, but hopefully, this provides you with a snapshot.

How much is housing?

In Hayward, the median home value is $582,000 and the average rent is $2226. You might find a small 1-bedroom condo for less than $400,000, but they are not available in great numbers. For renters, there are some small studio or 1-bedroom apartments for $1,400 to $1,900, and there are shared living situations for less than $1,000. Moving to Hayward might be appealing if you are currently in San Francisco and want more affordable housing.

How are the schools?

The Hayward public schools are rated slightly below average by Great Schools. For adults, there is Chabot College for 2-year degrees and Cal State East Bay for degrees beyond that level. Both are affordable for California residents.

Within the East Bay, there are a number of other community colleges and institutions granting bachelor’s, master’s, and doctorates.

How is the food?

In a diverse city with over well 100,000 people, you might expect to find a wide range of food options, and that is true for Hayward. Here are some of the top-rated restaurants:

Ghazni Afghan Kabobs
Katalina’s Island Grill
Buon Appetito Restaurant
Le Paradis
Wakamatsu
Chef Teriyaki
Acqua e Farina
Veggie Lee
Sivan’s Cafe
Silva Bakery
Moon Indian Cuisine
Los Compadres
Pepe’s Mexican Taquiera
Apna-Dhaba
Tacos La Chaparrita

Pot Pie Paradise & Deli
Siam Palace
Skywest Restaurant
Mughal Restaurant

Shami Restaurant
Annar Afghan
Pita Love
Chai Thai Noodles
Chicken Orgo
Buddy’s Bites and Brews
Katalina’s Island Grill
Hippie’s Brew
The Sister House
Sushiland
Resto Kubo Kitchen
Ristorante Di Palermo
Tins Teapot Bistro
Stuff My Waffle
Neumanali
Off the Grid: Hayward
La Pinata
Paya Thai.

 
Are there parks?

Yes, there are plenty and some allow dogs:

Hayward Japanese Garden
Garin & Dry Creek Pioneer Regional Parks
Meek Park
Greenwood Park
Five Canyons Open Space
JA Lewis Park
Don Castro Regional Recreation Area
Hayward Shoreline Interpretive Center
Gordon Oliver Eden Shores Park
San Felipe Community Center
Greenbelt Trails and Park
Hayward Rotary Playground
East Ave Park
Old Creek Dog Park of Cherryland.
Coyote Hills is also not far away if you like open space near water. Moving to Hayward will be a good choice if you want some access to green spaces mixed with urban development.

Is there access to nature?

Augustin Bernal Park is within easy driving distance, as are Mission Peak Regional Preserve and Sunol Regional Wilderness. To the south, there is Joseph D. Grant County Park, and down by Morgan Hill there is Henry Coe, which is the largest park below San Jose.

If you like the Pacific Coast, Half Moon Bay is only about 28 miles from Hayward, and you can easily drive south from there to  Santa Cruz and Monterey. Hayward is also less than 3 hours from Yosemite if you like that kind of outdoors experience.

Is there storage available?

Yes, we have a storage facility in Hayward, and we can answer any storage questions.

How is the transportation?

Hayward has its own BART station, which serves the East Bay and you can easily catch a train to San Francisco. Moving to Hayward means you can still ride public transportation for work and not have to drive in very dense traffic. Adding to his benefit is the fact that Amtrak also has a station there, so if you needed to go on a longer train ride, you would be able to without a hassle. There is a Greyhound station locally too if you need to take a long trip by bus.

Hayward doesn’t have a major airport, but Oakland International is only 9.4 miles so you could ride BART there or drive and park. You can also ride BART to SFO, if you need to fly from there.

Of course, like all cities, there is a bus system running every day and it connects to other transportation options like BART. If you are driving, Interstate 880 is close by and so is Highway 238. If you want to go east, there is Interstate 580.

Is there entertainment?

Century Theatres at Hayward is a cineplex which shows many mainstream Hollywood movies. For plays, there is a community theater called the Douglas Morrison Theatre. Concerts and some classes are also held there. Hayward doesn’t have an abundance of live music venues, but there are a couple of places like The Bistro and The World Famous Turf Club.

Are there places of worship?

Hayward has many churches or similar institutions such as:

1. Resonate Hayward
2. 3 Crosses Church
3. Christ’s Community Church
4. New Life Christian Church
5. Victory Outreach Heart
6. St. Joachims Catholic Church
7. St. Bede Catholic Church
8. Chua Pho Tu (Buddhist)
9. Hayward Kadampa Buddhist Meditation

What is near Hayward?

Oakland — 18 miles
San Francisco — 26 miles
San Jose — 27 miles
Napa — 67 miles
Monterey — 97 miles
Sacramento — 97 miles
Yosemite — 141 miles

So, after reading this article are you still interested in moving to Hayward?

Image Credit: CC BY-SA 2.0

 

 

 

 

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