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Vallejo, CA

Population: 119,644
livability score shield 56

Key findings

  • Vallejo has a Livability Score of 56/100, which is considered poor
  • Vallejo crime rates are 68% higher than the California average
  • Cost of living in Vallejo is 8% lower than the California average
  • Vallejo real estate prices are 38% lower than the California average
  • Rental prices in Vallejo are 4% lower than the California average

Best Places to Live in and Around Vallejo

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Compare Vallejo, CA Livability

      vs

      What do the locals think about Vallejo?

      30%Family friendly 60%Public transit is accessible 30%Walkable to grocery stores 33%Yards are well-kept 53%Lots of parks 20%Walkable to restaurants 27%Friendly neighbors 10%Safe at night 63%Pet friendly 77%Streets have sidewalks 17%A quiet area 30%Sense of community
      Based on 30 votes from AreaVibes users. See all Vallejo poll results.

      Vallejo Real estate & Rental prices

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      Vallejo Demographics

      Population119,644 Median Age38.3 Have Kids (under 18)40%
      See more Vallejo demographic data

      Vallejo, CA

      If amusement parks and perfect weather are important to you, Vallejo, California, might be calling your name as the place to purchase or rent your next home. The city has a population of over 115,000 making it one of the largest of San Francisco's suburbs. Six Flags Discovery Kingdom is undoubtedly the top attraction in the area, and it provides those who attend the park a day of thrill-seeking rides. The city was founded in the 1850s by those who were traveling to San Francisco to strike it rich as part of the Gold Rush.

      The city has a number of large universities that offer higher education options to city residents. Touro University and Cal Maritime offer very different education experiences to meet the needs of students that are seeking non-traditional careers once their education is over. Cal Maritime prepares mariners to conduct economic and military operations on the world's waterways. The school also offers a lot of jobs to retired military veterans who live in the area. Meyer Corporation is a large business that has a presence in Vallejo. Six Flags Discovery Kingdom also employs a large number of workers in order to operate, clean, and secure the park that welcomes millions of visitors each year.

      Some of the most popular neighborhoods for families are also the most affordable options for housing in Vallejo. While home prices pale in comparison to those found in other Bay Area communities, high prices can still be a problem for those who are just getting started in their careers. South Vallejo, Hyde Park, and Visage are areas of town that are worth adding to your housing hunt since they have a reputation for offering a high quality of life at a price that will not break the bank.

      SolTrans provides Vallejo residents an alternative to car ownership with a wide-ranging network of bus and shuttle routes at affordable prices. Taking public transit can be a good idea in Vallejo since there are times when traffic can back up and cause issues on Interstate 80 or Interstate 780.

      Mare Island is a great place to escape for the weekend to camp or enjoy time watching the majestic ospreys that call the region home. The Alfred Zampa Memorial Bridge is an iconic part of the city's skyline. The bridge is especially impressive at night when it is lit up. The best views of the bridge are from the opposite shoreline.

      If you are looking for a tasty meal in Vallejo, you will not want to miss Michael Warring or the Front Room at the Wharf. Both are highly regarded restaurants that offer good front-house service and delicious meals at affordable price points.

      Top Rated Schools in Vallejo

      Name Grades Students Proficiency
      Vallejo High9 - 121,700n/a
      Mare Island Health And Fitness AcademyKG - 8417n/a
      Steffan Manor Elementary SchoolKG - 5624n/a
      Grace Patterson Elementary SchoolKG - 5424n/a
      Solano Middle6 - 8517n/a
      Jia Christian Academy2 - 1216n/a
      Vallejo CharterKG - 8485n/a
      Caliber: Changemakers AcademyKG - 8492n/a
      See all Vallejo schools

      The best places in California

      Here are the best places to live in CaliforniaTop 10 cities in California with the best education system10 best cities to buy a new house in CaliforniaTop 10 best public schools in Vallejo

      Vallejo Reviews

      Write a review about Vallejo Tell people what you like or don't like about Vallejo…
      Worst City Ever
      Attractions2/10
      Community1/10
      Nightlife1/10
      Dining2/10
      Shopping3/10
      The schools, the people, the look of it, the whole city needs to be thrown away. If you like arguing with drug dealing neighbors, and throwing your kids future away then go ahead and move to Vallejo. Best thing about this place is its close to other cities , but at the end of the day you do not want to lay your head here.
      • Anonymous (Former resident)
      • Feb 06, 2021
      10 -1
      Love living here!
      Attractions5/10
      Community6/10
      Nightlife4/10
      Dining10/10
      Shopping8/10
      I relocated from the Atlanta area two years ago to live and work in Vallejo. The weather here is almost perfect.. not too hot, not too cold. You can get by without air conditioning for all but maybe two weeks of the year. I honestly don’t understand why this city has such a bad reputation in the Bay Area nowadays. Oakland and SF have much scarier parts of town than Vallejo, but people pay considerably more to live there. I could afford to buy a nice house here, unlike pretty much anywhere else in the area. We have some amazing vegan food, breweries, coffee and farmer’s market. A lot of new people are moving in here and (hopefully) the haters are moving out. We are on the water and have ferry service directly to downtown SF, for crying out loud! Oakland is only 30-40 minutes away. Napa and Fairfield are even closer. I honestly would not want to live anywhere else.
      • Anonymous (Current resident)
      • Mar 21, 2019
      4 -12
      Vallejo Could Be so Much More
      Attractions3/10
      Community2/10
      Nightlife1/10
      Dining1/10
      Shopping1/10
      I've lived in Vallejo for over 6 years and not much as changed except for even more fast food places. The police are few and don't come when you call them unless it's a serious crime. I don't walk after dark because I don't feel safe and can't take matters into my own hands if I could I'm sure my neighborhood would be a safer place to live. California laws make defending yourself very difficult. Maybe now that a lot of houses are selling and new people are moving in things will change (hopefully) only time will tell. I don't understand why surrounding cities like Fairfield and Vacaville are growing like crazy but Vallejo stays stagnant.
      • Anonymous (Current resident)
      • Feb 09, 2019
      14 -1
      Vast wasteland and no progress
      Attractions1/10
      Community1/10
      Nightlife1/10
      Dining1/10
      Shopping1/10
      No jobs. You can't go for a walk after dark. The police do not come when you call unless it's a violent crime. This city has potential but for some reason, nothing gets done. There's pretty much just fast food I guess so people can get in and out of this city as fast as possible. Everyone has a dog or some kind of security system because of the crime. Just Google and see for yourself. We will be moving in the near future. F- for this place
      • Anonymous (Current resident)
      • Nov 22, 2018
      8 -3
      Vallejo, CA - More than just a rest stop
      Attractions9/10
      Community6/10
      Nightlife6/10
      Dining6/10
      Shopping6/10
      I frequently drive up to Reno, and on the way home I always take a break and stop at that beautiful rest area off of I-80 just before you get to Vallejo. The view there is wonderful, the air is refreshing and the restrooms are clean too. But up until now, I've never even set foot in the actual city of Vallejo.

      Why not? Because, to me, Vallejo always seemed to be just one more dreary and out-of-the-way place.

      Recently, however, my opinion of the city of Vallejo was drastically changed when a friend of mine invited me there for an art opening. An art opening? In Vallejo? Sure! I also discovered that Vallejo has an Arts District, an Entertainment District and a Heritage Home District too. Vallejo has heritage homes? Yes it does. "It also has a marina, a Six Flags theme park and a ferry to San Francisco," said my friend. "Come visit me sometime and I'll give you the tour." So I did. We made a day of it, visiting the fabulous 1912 Empress Theater, the Naval and Historical Museum, Vallejo's Old Town and a marina restaurant called the Sardine Can. Surprisingly, it turned out to be time well spent and I'm already planning another trip to Vallejo to see the rest of the city.
      • Anonymous
      • Jun 03, 2010
      0 0
      Source: The Vallejo, CA data and statistics displayed above are derived from the 2016 United States Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS).
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