7.8 out of 10

Crocker Highland

37.8124541622056 -122.230706453484
Great for
  • Neighborly Spirit
  • Peace & Quiet
  • Safe & Sound
  • Schools
  • Clean & Green
Not great for
  • Public Transport
  • Cost of Living
  • Medical Facilities
  • Nightlife
  • Parks & Recreation
Who lives here?
  • Families with kids
  • Professionals
  • Retirees
  • LGBT+
  • Country Lovers

Reviews

4/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 4/5
  • Safe & Sound 4/5
  • Clean & Green 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 4/5
  • Nightlife 1/5
  • Shopping Options 1/5
  • Parking 3/5
  • Public Transport 1/5
  • Schools 3/5
2yrs+

"Majestic family-friendly neighborhood"

Crocker Highland is a rather small community strung together with windy streets, grand homes and rolling hills. Many of its residents are white and affluent, with properties lying on large parcels of land. It is located just south of Piedmont and nestled in between Lakeshore, Trestle Glen and Glenview. In many ways, it is reminiscent of its ritzy neighbor to the north.

Crocker Highland is completely residential with a plethora of stunning two-story homes. In some respects, the area reminds you of a gated community. It boasts a fairly high average family income, upwards of $150,000/year. Locals usually drive either of their luxury sedans to work considering the neighborhood’s unreasonable proximity to public transportation. However, the district offers convenient access to Interstate 580, which connects the area with the greater Alameda county.

Many homes lie on a steep incline to which case large staircases scale the hillside up to front porches. Other homes are hidden among the hilly landscape and beautiful front gardens, something Oakland neighborhoods are not too familiar with.. It is a safe area with relatively no crime. Many of the families enjoy the proximity to Crocker Highlands Elementary, which gets high marks on school rating websites. If you’re looking to enjoy the outdoors, Davie Stadium offers a few tennis courts while Lake Merritt is just a five minute drive away.
Pros
  • Great Schools
  • Magnificently Beautiful Homes
Cons
  • Expensive
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Families with kids
  • Retirees
  • LGBT+
  • Country Lovers
  • Trendy & Stylish
  • Beach Lovers
5/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 5/5
  • Safe & Sound 4/5
  • Clean & Green 5/5
  • Pest Free 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 5/5
  • Eating Out 3/5
  • Nightlife 2/5
  • Parks & Recreation 3/5
  • Shopping Options 4/5
  • Gym & Fitness 3/5
  • Internet Access 3/5
  • Lack of Traffic 5/5
  • Parking 4/5
  • Cost of Living 1/5
  • Resale or Rental Value 5/5
  • Public Transport 1/5
  • Medical Facilities 4/5
  • Schools 5/5
  • Childcare 4/5
2yrs+

"The Tudors in the Oakland Hills"

Crocker Highland is the smallish hillside neighborhood sandwiched between Piedmont (the Crocker Park neighborhood) and Trestle Glen in Oakland. As you might guess from its location, it’s an enclave for the very wealthy. A walk through the neighborhood quickly reveals why this neighborhood would be such a draw for those who can afford to live anywhere. The high percentage of uniquely styled Tudors—4/5 of which date from before WWII--are so beautiful you could charge admission for the viewing (in fact, in 2004 the Berkeley Historical society lead a tour here 8 selected homes charging $30 to participants). It is not just the usual tall pointy roofs and beautiful windows—it is also all the extra touches like the addition of curving stairwells leading to the front doors, quaint little towers (like miniature mission bell rises) and ivy covered walls--that make you want to just sit and admire the aesthetic details of this neighborhood.

Here is a good website that gives you a brief summary of Crocker Heights and Trestle Glen with accompanying pictures. Its made by a local real estate guy who I have never met:

http://homesinoaklandhills.com/2010/02/real-estate-in-trestle-glen-crocker-highlands-oakland-ca/

The location too is a draw—just far enough away from the bustle of Oakland, though not so far that you can’t be there in minutes, makes this a perfect place to live. In addition, something about the hills make you feel as if you are very far away from it all, as if you are living in Swiss Chalet near Lake Geneva, instead of being right at the edge of a huge metropolis. With the rolling evening fogs, and hilly coolness, it really does make you feel as if you are living in a storybook.
Pros
  • Magnificently Beautiful Homes
  • Active Neighborhood Groups
  • Great Schools
Cons
  • Expensive
  • Old Home Preservation Problems
  • Hillside Problems
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Families with kids
  • Retirees
  • Tourists
  • LGBT+
  • Country Lovers
  • Trendy & Stylish
mwg mwg
4/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 5/5
  • Safe & Sound 5/5
  • Clean & Green 5/5
  • Pest Free 5/5
  • Peace & Quiet 5/5
  • Eating Out 5/5
  • Nightlife 4/5
  • Parks & Recreation 4/5
  • Shopping Options 4/5
  • Gym & Fitness 5/5
  • Internet Access 5/5
  • Lack of Traffic 5/5
  • Cost of Living 5/5
  • Resale or Rental Value 5/5
  • Public Transport 3/5
  • Medical Facilities 3/5
  • Schools 5/5
  • Childcare 5/5
2yrs+

"Great place for families and walking to shopping and coffee"

Lakeshore Avenue towards Piedmont, not toward Lake Merritt is an ideal location for families with kids. We moved here in 1992 based on it's easy access to I-580 in order to commute to Silicon Valley. At the time, there wasn't much to do in the shopping district and we didn't have kids. But now! The area has been so revitalized!!!

When the Grand Lake theatre won their lawsuit to get first run movies, it improved the area immensely. Then the Splashpad park in front of the theatre was renovated based on an effort started by our neighbor Ken Katz. This neighborhood has a very very strong and active community involved in improving the area. There is now an incredible Farmers Market at Splashpad, right off the freeway, every Saturday.

More and more restaurants and now clothing stores are opening on Lakeshore. Most recently is an upscale barbeque place that has excellent reviews. We also have Indian, pizza, fast food Chinese, Arizemendi Bakery, etc etc.

On the walk from our house to the shopping area is a small park at Mandana. This park gets an incredible amount of use. My kid loved it!

The local elementary school, Crocker Highlands, is great. The PTA raises money and provides all the extra classes that the city doesn't fund but that you would find in a private school. My son went to private school for 3 years and we switched him to Crocker and he is much happier. He didn't want school to end.

Lakeshore Ave. was recently restriped - based on a neighborhood traffic committee doing a lot of work with our city council person. It went from 4 lanes to two lanes and two large bike lanes. This has improved traffic immensely - very little speeding now, where before it was a significant problem. This makes it even better for families.
Recommended for
  • Families with kids

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