Hollywoodvideostore, 2007
San Lorenzo’s story
172 years in pictures
Census counts: 23,773 in 1960, 29,581 in 2020. The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 2007 and 4 maps from 1899 on.
- 1854San Lorenzo is settled
San LorenzoCA
Population
29,171
Census survey, 2020–24
Typical home
$799K
−1.4% in a year
Household income
$113K
median
Median age
41.7
years
Jobs based here
3,158
A commuter town
TownGrade
B−
#239 of 841 in CA
Is San Lorenzo a good place to live?
San Lorenzo grades B− overall, 239th among California's 841 graded towns, with clear strengths and some subjects that lag. The median household earns $113K and it is more walkable than 91% of U.S. towns. On the other side, FEMA rates its natural-hazard risk higher than 91% of U.S. communities, with earthquakes at the top. San Lorenzo’s July high is 75°F, against 89°F in California’s towns and 85°F across U.S. towns. The biggest park or preserve is San Lorenzo Park, at 32 acres.
What makes San Lorenzo stand out
Where San Lorenzo beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
WalkabilityA
More walkable than 91% of U.S. towns
5% of workers walk, bike or ride transit
EPA National Walkability Index; Census ACS.
0historic places
History
Settled in 1854
A long history
A history going back 172 years.
Worth knowing · Natural hazardsD
Earthquakes and inland flooding at the top
FEMA National Risk Index.
A growing town
San Lorenzo has grown 26% from 2010 to 2020
23,452 counted in 2010 and 29,581 in 2020.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts
How San Lorenzo grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within California), ordered by how far San Lorenzo is from typical.
Hazard riskearthquakes tops the listDOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 12.8 of 20; 4.8% of households have no carAOpen →Jobs & incomeAOpen →Cost of livingC−Open →HealthKaiser Foundation Hospital - San Leandro 2.7 miles awayB+Open →SchoolsC+Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
ClimateMild winters, 76° summer afternoons–Open →Housing market19 days on market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 41.7; 25% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Nearby attractions
All 253 attractions →Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary and 225 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around San Lorenzo. Close and well known come first.
Big draw19 mi MuseumAlcatraz Federal Penitentiary
Big draw11 mi MuseumUSS Hornet
Big draw21 mi Stadium & arenaLevi's Stadium
Big draw15 mi Stadium & arenaChase Center
Big draw16 mi Stadium & arenaOracle Park
Big draw18 mi LandmarkLombard StreetSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary: druchoy, CC BY-SA 2.0 · USS Hornet: kitmasterbloke, CC BY 2.0 · Levi's Stadium: Matthew Roth, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Chase Center: Gregory Varnum, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Oracle Park: User Coasttocoast on en.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Lombard Street: The original uploader was Y6y6y6 at English Wikipedia., Public domain
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Getting set up
Moving to San Lorenzo: who provides what
San Lorenzo is unincorporated, so Alameda County and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerPG&E37.5¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterEBMUDNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet9 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & county servicesAlameda CountyAlameda County provides services here
Register to voteOnlineIn California you can register online until 15 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 15 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereAlameda Registrar of VotersAlameda County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Sep 2025
ZIP codes94580, 9454194580 73% · 94541 27%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in San Lorenzo.
San Lorenzo has milder winter nights than nearly all U.S. towns, has home values still below their peak and sends most of its workers to Oakland and beyond.
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade D
Very high risk in San Lorenzo, with earthquakes at the top
Since 2002, 2 flood insurance claims have been paid out in San Lorenzo.
91risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
EarthquakesInland flooding
2
paid flood claims since 2002
1
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
SchoolsC+
San Lorenzo’s schools rank behind 58% of California districts
Its public schools are run by the San Lorenzo Unified school district. Three of its 12 schools are below, each with why it’s listed.
42%of CA districts it outscoresC+School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bohannon MiddleLargest public middle schoolGrades 6–8 | Grades 6–8 | 606 | – |
| Arroyo HighLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 1,499 | – |
| KIPP King Collegiate HighTop results in townGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 662 | A |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within CA on state tests and graduation
Work & commuteJobs & income grade A
Most working residents commute out of San Lorenzo
San Lorenzo has 3,158 jobs for its 13,525 working residents: even if every job went to a resident, most would still commute out.
Most working residents leave San Lorenzo for work: only 3% work in town. The average trip to work in San Lorenzo is 31 minutes. Jobs based in San Lorenzo fell to 3,158 in 2023, 273 fewer than in 2013.
3%work in town
| San Lorenzo | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 31 minutes | 28 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $113,000 | $95,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 4.6% | 10% | 9.6% |
| Work from home | 8.3% | 14% | 11% |
Where working residents work
In San Lorenzo3%
Oakland13%
San Francisco10%
Hayward10%
San Leandro6%
13 mi
median commute distance
3,158
jobs based in San Lorenzo
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
A
Walkability grade: more walkable than 91% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
HealthB+
San Lorenzo is healthier than 66% of U.S. towns
Against the 6,780 U.S. towns with household incomes like San Lorenzo’s, it is less healthy than 63%: its national edge comes with its incomes.
40% of San Lorenzo adults feel lonely.
66%healthier than U.S. townsB+Health Grade
| San Lorenzo | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 40% | 36% | 33% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 25% | 29% | 35% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 71% | 72% | 79% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 22% | 23% |
32 measures vs. California
1 better31 too close to call0 worse
| What stands out | San Lorenzo | CA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults who have had cancer | 5.6% | 6.4% |
Kaiser Foundation Hospital - San Leandro
2.7 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: dental
54th
percentile among CA towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Climate
San Lorenzo has mild winters and pleasant summers
January nights average 43.5°, milder than in 96% of U.S. towns; July afternoons average 74.5°.
San Lorenzo has warm winters and cool summers, with very little rain. San Lorenzo’s January low is 44°F. Snow is almost unheard of.
76°summer high
Typical low → high °F
Winter44–59°
Spring50–67°
Summer56–75°
Fall53–71°
+1.6°
vs. the 20th-century average
76°
typical summer high
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
OutdoorsB−
San Lorenzo has set aside 4.2% of its land for conservation
0.6 miles of trail in 5 parks and preserves.
4.2%conserved
| San Lorenzo | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.2 miles per square mile | 1.0 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 4.2% | 4.3% | 4.3% |
4.2%
conserved · 81 of 1,953 acres
0.6 mi
of trails · 0.2 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. San Lorenzo Park | 0.2 mi | 32 |
| 2. Hayward Regional Shoreline | — | 28 |
| 3. Mervin Morris Park | — | 14 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
HousingCost of living grade C−
San Lorenzo’s typical home value is about $799K
The typical value, about $799K, is 9% below its June 2022 peak.
The typical San Lorenzo home is worth about $799,000, down 1.4% in a year, close to the California typical home.
$799KZillow home value
| San Lorenzo | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $2,163 a month | $1,895 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 67% | 64% | 73% |
Typical home value
San Lorenzo$799K
California$762K
Market temperature
19
days on market
101.5%
sale-to-list price
−1.4%
value change, 1 year
15
homes sold in May
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Keep exploring
Everything we know about San Lorenzo
18pages on San Lorenzo
The big questions
Out and about
After high school
Colleges nearby
19 within 15 miles of the center of San Lorenzo
Chabot CollegeCommunity college · Public · Hayward2.8 mi$1,150 in-state tuitionLife Chiropractic College WestUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Hayward2.8 miCalifornia State University-East BayUniversity or college · Public · Hayward4.6 mi$7,583 in-state tuition
About 7 of every 100 San Lorenzo residents are enrolled in college, about the same as California.
A commuter town
97% of working residents leave San Lorenzo for work
Where San Lorenzo’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
3,158jobs based in San Lorenzo
3%of working residents work in town
13 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About San Lorenzo
Unincorporated community in California, United States
San Lorenzo (Spanish for "Saint Laurence") is a census-designated place (CDP) located in the historic Eden Township in the East Bay of the San Francisco Bay Area in Alameda County, California, United States. The population was 29,581 at the 2020 census. It is an unincorporated community, located at the banks of San Lorenzo Creek. It was originally named Squattersville in 1851, but later renamed to San Lorenzo. In 1944, under contract to the U.S. Navy, The David D. Bohannon Company began construction of San Lorenzo Village, which was one of the nation's first planned communities, with parcels designated for schools, churches, parks, and several retail centers. Bohannon's pioneering pre-cutti…
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 2.8 sq mi
- Elevation
- 36 ft
- ZIP code
- 94580
- Area code
- 510
San Lorenzo’s neighbors
4 towns share a border with San Lorenzo.
It grades higher overall than all 4 graded towns on its borders; San Leandro (C−) comes closest.
HaywardSan LeandroAshlandCherrylandSan Lorenzo
How the neighbors grade
| Town | CA rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Lorenzo | #239 | B− | C− | — | C+ | B+ |
| Hayward | #528 | C− | D | D | C+ | B+ |
| San Leandro | #485 | C− | D | D | B− | B+ |
| Ashland | #500 | C− | D | — | C+ | C+ |
| Cherryland | #506 | C− | C− | — | C | C+ |
San Lorenzo, Ashland and Cherryland report no FBI crime data of their own. Compare San Lorenzo with a neighbor →
Questions about San Lorenzo
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is San Lorenzo, CA a good place to live?
San Lorenzo grades B− overall, better than 46% of U.S. towns and #239 of 841 in California. It grades B+ for health and C+ for schools. Hazard risk is its weak spot, with a D.
Is San Lorenzo, CA expensive?
Yes. That is 5.9 years of the area's median household income ($136,027 across the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metro area). Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C−.
What is San Lorenzo, CA known for?
2 notable people were born here, including Pete Williams and Trooper Johnson.