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?
Some subjects shine; others lag. Where it falls short is cost of living: the typical home is worth about $799K, 5.9 years of the San Francisco metro’s $136K median household income. Hazard risk is weaker too (D): FEMA rates its natural-hazard risk higher than 91% of U.S. communities, with earthquakes at the top. Incomes are where it shines (A) — the median household earns $113K. It also does well on walkability (A): it is more walkable than 91% of U.S. towns. Put together, the subjects come to a B− overall, ranking 239th of 841 in California. Set against the rest, it does better than 46% of U.S. towns. The biggest park or preserve is San Lorenzo Park, at 32 acres.
Figures: incomes, Census ACS, 2020–24 · home values, Zillow · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenStreetMap.
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 top the listDOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 12.8 of 20; 4.8% of households have no carAOpen →Jobs & incomeIncomes and work are among the strongest comparedAOpen →Cost of livingNear the bottom of the towns comparedC−Open →HealthKaiser Foundation Hospital - San Leandro 2.7 miles awayB+Open →SchoolsClose to the middle of the towns comparedC+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 market13 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
Expected losses in San Lorenzo break down as 73% from earthquakes and 26% from inland flooding. Since 2002, San Lorenzo has seen 2 flood insurance claims paid out. One declared disaster, in 2022, has brought federal aid to San Lorenzo households.
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 disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
SchoolsC+
San Lorenzo’s schools rank behind 58% of California districts
Public schools: the San Lorenzo Unified school district. Three of its 12 schools are below, each with the reason 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
San Lorenzo sends most of its workers out of town
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.
3.3% of San Lorenzo working residents work locally, below both California’s towns (6.6%) and U.S. towns (8%). For residents locally, the share who live below the poverty line is 4.6%. Jobs locally fell by 273 from 2013 to 2023, to 3,158. The average commute for San Lorenzo comes to 31 minutes.
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 two in three 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.
In San Lorenzo, two in five adults feel lonely. A quarter of San Lorenzo adults have obesity, where California’s towns sit at 29% and U.S. towns at 35%.
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
Mild winters and pleasant summers in San Lorenzo
January nights average 43.5°, milder than in 96% of U.S. towns; July afternoons average 74.5°.
San Lorenzo’s January low is 44°F. Snow is almost unheard of.
76°summer high
| San Lorenzo | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| July high | 75°F | 89°F | 85°F |
| January low | 44°F | 40°F | 22°F |
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−
Open space protected for good: 4.2% of San Lorenzo
The trail network density in San Lorenzo is 0.2 miles per square mile. 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 grade for cost of living is a C−
The typical value, about $799K, is 9% below its June 2022 peak.
Zillow values the typical San Lorenzo home at about $799,000, down 1.4% in a year, close to the California typical home. For San Lorenzo, the typical rent is $2,163 a month. Bidding over the asking price: 62% of homes sold locally.
$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
13
days on market
102.8%
sale-to-list price
−1.4%
value change, 1 year
10
homes sold in September
Census ACS, 2020–24 · 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. 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.