6.4 out of 10

Central

37.5204293083621 -122.290079648403
Great for
  • Safe & Sound
  • Clean & Green
  • Neighborly Spirit
  • Peace & Quiet
  • Internet Access
Not great for
  • Nightlife
  • Cost of Living
  • Parking
  • Parks & Recreation
  • Pest Free
Who lives here?
  • Professionals
  • Families with kids
  • Retirees
  • LGBT+
  • Students

Reviews

4/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 4/5
  • Safe & Sound 4/5
  • Clean & Green 5/5
  • Pest Free 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 4/5
  • Eating Out 3/5
  • Nightlife 1/5
  • Parks & Recreation 4/5
  • Shopping Options 4/5
  • Gym & Fitness 4/5
  • Internet Access 4/5
  • Lack of Traffic 3/5
  • Parking 4/5
  • Cost of Living 2/5
  • Resale or Rental Value 4/5
  • Public Transport 4/5
  • Medical Facilities 5/5
  • Schools 5/5
  • Childcare 3/5
2yrs+

"Good Leafy Neighborhood Close to Some Action"

The Central Belmont neighborhood wraps around the northern end of Notre Dame de Namur University.

This is a big hilly neighborhood filled with a variety of home types, from Eichler houses to Tudor variations. Many of the homes here run well over $1 million dollars, although the median price is closer to $750K. Generally in this neighborhood, the higher up in the hills you go, the more expensive the homes.

On the far eastern end of the neighborhood, is El Camino Real, the major avenue that runs north south across most of San Mateo County and the Peninsula. You will find quite a few businesses along, and just off, El Camino Real Blvd. including the Bel Monte Bowl up on the north of the neighborhood and Workplace Innovations—a business that helps companies set up their offices for maximum efficiency.

There are also a number of restaurants on El Camino Real as well. (Some right around the bend on Ralston.) These include places like Jack Prime (a burger place), the Sushi Monster, Shalazar (a Persian joint) and M.E.N.U.

Because the Belmont Caltrain station is on the eastern end of this neighborhood, you might expect that this is an environmentally strong neighborhood, where people could lower their emissions by walking to the Caltrains’ station.
Unfortunately, because there are no sidewalks, this neighborhood is simply not conducive to pedestrian traffic of any kind.

Trying to walk to the Caltrains Station is possible and you could probably get there safely if you kept your wits about you, but

I doubt many residents of Central want to walk in this defensive fashion day after day.

Overall this is a pretty nice place to live.
Pros
  • Close to Okay Restaurants
  • Beautiful Homes
  • Good Schools
Cons
  • Very Expensive
  • Hillside Problems
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Families with kids
  • LGBT+
  • Country Lovers
  • Trendy & Stylish
3/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 4/5
  • Safe & Sound 3/5
  • Clean & Green 3/5
  • Peace & Quiet 3/5
  • Eating Out 3/5
  • Shopping Options 3/5
2yrs+

"Barely an upper middle-class community"

Central is an affluent, upper middle-class (Belmont) community conveniently nestled between Highway 280, US Route 101 and El Camino Real. The neighborhood spans about 1.3 square miles of leafy residential terrain with just over 7,000 residents living within its limits. Homes vary drastically in shape and style, which can make it hard to singularly define the district’s living quarters. And if you head towards the eastern edge, you’ll hit an uninteresting commercial strip along El Camino Real. Demographically speaking, the district is largely white (about 75%), while the small minority is mixed between asian and hispanic residents.

For the perspective resident, homes are rather old (built within the 1950‘s and 1960‘s) and mixed between one and two-stories. They tend to sit on somewhat atypical properties, with some homes clinging to the hillside while others untraditional gardens and other bushy aesthetics. One thing to note is that nicer homes are clumped around the southern end of the neighborhood. And if you’re driving around the neighborhood, you’ll notice the thick trees hanging over the long, winding country roads. According to the 2010 US Census, the the bulk of house prices are between $500,000 to $750,000. Moreover, estimated median household incomes are around $105,000/year.

Although somewhat desolate, Central does have its own commercial strip that’s situated along El Camino Real. Here you can find some random shopping real-estate which includes a storage facility, hardware store, a couple fast food chains and a couple small, bland shopping plazas that host your usual neighborhood outlets and boutique shops. And for commuters, both Belmont and Hillsdale Caltrain are convenient options for traveling up and down the San Francisco peninsula.
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Families with kids
  • Retirees
  • Students

Unranked Streets in Central

Hillman Ave

2.5/5
"Nice quiet street in Belmont - good, although not perfect"
37.5244006876988 -122.293047060914

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