If you’re new to the Bay Area, the city of Hayward may not be familiar to you yet. After all, it’s not as big or populous as San Francisco, it doesn’t have as many high-tech companies as San Jose, and it’s not home to as vibrant of a cultural scene as Berkeley. But if you’re just now starting to look for a home in Hayward, you might be in for a surprise. There are tons of perks to living in this East Bay city, and we’ve rounded up what we consider the top five.

Downtown Hayward photo courtesy of Eric Fredericks

Easy Commute

Hayward is a commuter’s haven, and a large percentage of the city’s residents head to a different city for work. Those driving into Silicon Valley employment hubs such as Palo Alto and Sunnyvale can easily take the San Mateo-Hayward Bridge across the bay. From San Mateo, the US-101 or I-280 can also take commuters south to cities such as Los Gatos and Campbell, or north to cities such as South San Francisco and San Bruno. For those who work in the East Bay, you’ll be glad to know that Hayward is pretty much equidistant from Oakland/Berkeleyand Fremont, and it’s common for Hayward residents to commute to these cities for work.

Hayward residents also have the option of taking public transportation directly into San Francisco. The BART journey on the Green line from Hayward to San Francisco’s Montgomery Street stop takes about 45 minutes.

Relatively Affordable Homes

Over the past decade, job seekers and homebuyers have flocked to the Bay Area in pursuit of high-paying tech jobs. Skyrocketing demand and low supply have caused home prices all over the Bay Area to go up—especially in Silicon Valley cities such as Cupertino, Saratoga, and Menlo Park. But according to the Mercury News, the median price of an Alameda County home currently sits around $840,500. While that’s still undeniably pricey, it’s only half the cost of a median-priced San Francisco home, which would sell for approximately $1.6 million, Business Insider reports. 

Tons of Open Space

Outdoorsy families will love all the greenspace, hiking trails, and recreational activities that Hayward has to offer. Many of the parks in the East Bay Regional Park District are located in or near Hayward, including Garin Regional Park. This hilly area offers plenty of trails and streams, and residents can even learn about the area’s ranching history at the seasonal visitor center. At the Don Castro Regional Recreation Area, guests will find a 101-acre park that includes waterfront trails, abundant wildlife, and even a lagoon for swimming and fishing. For those who love the water, the Hayward Regional Shoreline is a massive 1,811-acre park where residents can walk, jog, or bike along the water.

Abundant Job Opportunities

If you’re considering a move to Hayward because you’re looking for new job opportunities, this city has plenty to offer. The city houses the U.S. headquarters of a few major businesses, including Impax Laboratories and Andersen Bakery, and is also home to the California State University, East Bay campus. In nearby Oakland, companies such as Kaiser Permanente, Blue Bottle Coffee, and Cost Plus World Market have their headquarters. Across the bay in Silicon Valley, there are high-tech companies, including Apple, Facebook, Tesla, Paypal, Twitter, and more.

Great Schools

If you have school-age children, you’ll be glad to know that living in Hayward means you won’t have to spend a penny beyond your tax dollars on a top-notch education for your kids. Schools in the Hayward Unified School District consistently rank high on Great Schools. Southgate Elementary School has an impressive eight rating, while Martin Luther King, Jr. MIddle School and Impact Academy of Arts and Technology are two schools that also have high ratings. Leadership Public Schools - Hayward is also a respected choice, as this school is currently ranked 49th in the entire state of California, according to U.S. News’ list of the best high schools.