In spite of Oakland's reputation as a high-crime city with a downtown
still struggling to get back on its feet and a crumbling public education
system, weather, location, and a substantial offering of shopping districts
and restaurants representing cuisines both homegrown and worldwide have led
real estate prices to rise tremendously in the past decade.
Oakland is the county seat of Alameda County. As of 2000, the city's
population was 399,484, making it the third largest city in the San
Francisco Bay Area after San Francisco and San Jose.
Tourist attractions in Oakland include the Oakland Museum, the Art Deco
Paramount Theater, Chinatown, Jack London Square, Lake Merritt, Children's
Fairyland and Network Associates Coliseum, home to the Oakland Raiders
National Football League team, the Oakland Athletics Major League Baseball
team, and the Golden State Warriors National Basketball Association team.
The city's commercial and residental structures exhibit a great variety of
styles, including Art Deco and Craftsman.
The Oakland Tribune published its first newspaper on February 21, 1874. The
Tribune Tower, which sports a clock, is one of Oakland's landmarks.
Oakland hosts Oakland International Airport, which serves much of the low-cost
air traveler's market from the San Francisco Bay Area.
Oaklanders are understandably frustrated by the misuse of the most famous
quote said about their city. "There's no there there," was uttered by
Gertrude Stein in reference to her family no longer being in the city, and
did not have anything to do with the city itself.
Geography
Oakland is located at 37°47'43" North, 122°13'41" West (37.795227,
-122.228111)1.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of
202.4 km² (78.2 mi²). 145.2 km² (56.1 mi²) of it is land and 57.2 km² (22.1
mi²) of it is water. The total area is 28.28% water.
Climate
Its climate is a combination of coastal cities like San Francisco and inland
cities like San Jose. While it is not located on the Pacific Ocean, its
position directly inland from the Golden Gate means that the city gets a
significant amount of cold nighttime fog during the summer. It is far enough
inland, though, that the fog usually disappears by the morning allowing the
city to have stereotypical warm sunny California days.
Oakland's average temperature of 55F/13C is a little lower than other
California cities. Oakland's average high is 62F/17C and average low is
48F/9C with the warmest month being September, and the coldest month being
January. An average of 23 inches of rain falls each year with almost all
rain occurring between October and May.
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there are 399,484 people, 150,790 households, and
86,402 families residing in the city. The population density is 2,751.4/km²
(7,126.6/mi²). There are 157,508 housing units at an average density of
1,084.8/km² (2,809.8/mi²). The racial makeup of the city is 31.29% White,
35.66% African American, 0.66% Native American, 15.23% Asian, 0.50% Pacific
Islander, 11.66% from other races, and 4.98% from two or more races. 21.89%
of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 150,790 households out of which 28.6% have children under the age
of 18 living with them, 34.0% are married couples living together, 17.7%
have a female householder with no husband present, and 42.7% are non-families.
32.5% of all households are made up of individuals and 8.6% have someone
living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is
2.60 and the average family size is 3.38.
In the city the population is spread out with 25.0% under the age of 18,
9.7% from 18 to 24, 34.0% from 25 to 44, 20.9% from 45 to 64, and 10.5% who
are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 33 years. For every 100
females there are 93.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there
are 90.2 males.
The median income for a household in the city is $40,055, and the median
income for a family is $44,384. Males have a median income of $37,433 versus
$35,088 for females. The per capita income for the city is $21,936. 19.4% of
the population and 16.2% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the
total people living in poverty, 27.9% are under the age of 18 and 13.1% are
65 or older.
Neighborhoods
The city of Oakland stretches from San Francisco Bay up into the East Bay
Hills. Along the way, numerous neighborhoods reach from the "flatlands"
neighborhoods which include the historically rough areas of West Oakland,
East Oakland and Fruitvale up into the Hills communities of Redwood Heights
and Laurel Heights as well as north to Montclair and Rockridge. The
character of these neighborhoods continues to change as waves of immigrants
from within the US and other countries relocate here for a more liberal
lifestyle and the changing economy lures more technically skilled workers.
Oakland is also home to a fledgling gay and lesbian community known as
Parkway.
Attractions
Places to see in Oakland include Lake Merritt, Jack London Square, and the
Oakland Zoo. The USS Potomac, Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s presidential
yacht, is berthed in Oakland
