Living in Alamo

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1 parent review ▼
Archived Q&A and reviews ▼

Parent Q&A

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  • Stone Valley Middle School in Alamo versus private

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    Mar 21, 2021

    We're currently at an Oakland public elementary school but will be moving to the Alamo area this summer.  We're trying to get a better feel for Stone Valley Middle School versus the private schools in that area.  Due to covid and the lack of onsite tours, it's been difficult to get a sense of the schools.  I am looking for a school that will motivate/challenge my child so they don't just cruise through middle school.  

    Mar 21, 2021

    I enthusiastically recommend Athenian for middle school, if you are looking at private schools. It’s really great for all kinds of learners and the enrichment opportunities cannot be beat. 

    Mar 24, 2021

  • Alamo/Danville Area

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    Mar 14, 2017

    We are looking into Alamo/Danville area and wanted to get some feedback on living there, schools, community, etc.

    I am worried that we will be outcasted as we are non-white family.

    I know the schools are top-notch and I like the flat streets and the parks.

    Can anyone provide any feedback on how you like or dislike those towns?

    Appreciate any feedback!

    Mar 14, 2017

    My best friend grew up in Alamo/Danville during the 1980s-1990s and I remember her saying that most of the cheerleaders and other "popular" kids were non-white. That's just an anecdote, not a direct experience, but based on my experience in the East Bay I would guess that discrimination there is more likely to be socioeconomic rather than race- or ethnicity-based. If you can afford to live there, you fit it. Enjoy the awesome schools.

    Mar 15, 2017

    Hi there,

    We moved to Alamo over four years ago from San Francisco and could not be happier! The schools and community are AMAZING.  It is also getting more diverse as more and more young families are moving into the area.  You also get wonderful lots and the parks are great.  I have to say that I have not seen or heard any issues from any of my non-white friends who live in the area.  I can't speak for every school here, but our elementary school, Rancho, has an inclusion and diversity committee and last year I attended one of the most exciting, beautiful events at our school, where we had so many cultures represented. The woman who runs it is amazing and she is always reaching out to new families to get them involved.  Although many at our school look "white" we have families from Europe, Africa, Latin America, etc.  Granted, it is suburbia and much different than what you'd see in SF or Berkeley, but we love it. Danville is also great and has a cute downtown. Both are close to Walnut Creek for shopping, restaurants, etc. Feel free to reach out to me if you have any questions or want more information. 

    Mar 15, 2017

    I'm Caucasian and wouldn't want to live there. I'm sure this may anger some who live there, but I find the demographics to be close to 95% Caucasian (or at least it feels that way when I'm there) Perhaps if you are of Indian Or Asian decent you might feel more welcome. But I would definitely not want to live there if I were African American. I don't live there, but I live near there, have friends who live there and my kids play sports with their teams and in those towns. If you want your kids to feel out numbered by about 95%, of the population, maybe you like it. 

    Mar 15, 2017

    Our daughter has spent her junior and senior years at the Athenian School in Danville.  We live in Oakland, and while we've had a really positive experience at Athenian, which is quite diverse, have noticed that Alamo and Danville are very white.  I'd suggest spending some time in those communities before committing.

    Mar 18, 2017
RE:
Advice on Danville, San Ramon, Pleasanton (Jan 26, 2021)

My sister lives in Alamo with her two girls and they love it.  They use to live in Oakland and made a move for similar reasons.  Even though it is cheaper out in some of those areas, a large portion of the people are still fairly affluent.  I like the convenience of being able to walk to places in Berkeley but I totally get wanting to have a yard that your kids can play in.  

Feb 18, 2021
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Living in Alamo

Archived Q&A and Reviews

Thinking of moving to Alamo

May 2016

Has anyone moved to Alamo in recent years? We are thinking of moving there and I was wondering what it's like to live there. Friendly community? Fairly easy to make friends as a transplant? Our kids would be going into 2nd and 4th grades--what are the schools like? Are they impacted? We are looking at the neighborhood near Rancho Romero Elementary. My kids are not very sporty, big readers...would this be an ok fit? We really love Lafayette, but we're afraid it's just too far for a commute, so we started looking at Alamo. I would love to hear people's experiences moving here and what they have liked or not liked. Thank you so much! Maybe Alamo

Alamo is an unincorporated area that is small, wealthy, and kid-friendly. I have friends who live there and like it. It is quiet, great parks, almost woodsy. My sense is that it's sometimes hard to meet people or break into it, though your kids are young enough that they will find a community there, as will you. We live in Danville, just directly south, and I prefer it. It's larger than Alamo and there are more activities, restaurants, etc. I've been able to meet other moms and start a community. I'd at least consider Danville is you're looking at Alamo. Alamo is more prestigious but more expensive for housing as well. Schools are all great and the reason we moved here! Danvillian

June 2006

Re: What neighborhoods do young families tend to move to?

We also were living in Upper Rockridge and were looking in the Lamarinda and Alamo areas. We decided to move to Alamo after looking for 1 year. We love the flat streets, sidewalks, wonderful parks (Hap Magee & Livorna Park), top rated schools and sunny weather. Also, the country clubs are great (Roundhill and Diablo) and have excellent swim and tennis teams for the children.

While many people here are a bit older, we've noticed that lots of families are moving in as home turn over. Our new neighbors just moved here from Orinda and Palo Alto and we're noticing a lot of kids under 5 in our vicinty now. We don't miss our old neighborhood at all now that we are here.

The only negative about Alamo is the high ticket price ($1.4 median home price) which is higher than Lamarinda area but it is well worth it if you can find a house you'd be happy with. Most of the homes are on .5 acre lot so there is a lot of spacing between the homes here
Highly Recommend Alamo