Redwood City

About Redwood City

Redwood City is the oldest city on the San Francisco Peninsula, located in the heart of California's Silicon Valley. The city's unique motto is "Climate Best by Government Test," which refers to its being one of the top choices for German climate scouting studies. It's mild Mediterranean-type weather is certainly one of the many features of the area that has attracted its growing population.

The city was initially established as a cattle grazing center and later rose to prominence during the gold rush. A population boom after World War II expanded Redwood City in size and developed its downtown. Today, Redwood City has a vibrant downtown center, comfortable residential communities and easy transit access to the surrounding Bay Area.

Downtown Redwood City

Thanks to revitalization efforts over the past decade or two, the downtown district of Redwood City is now a bustling hub of shopping, dining and entertainment. At the heart of the downtown area is the former San Mateo County Courthouse, originally constructed in 1910. Today, it's the home of the San Mateo County History Museum, and you can see the building's large glass dome illuminated with color-changing lights every evening.

Redwood City's downtown area was designed to be extremely pedestrian-friendly, with shops and cafes lining the streets. You can browse local family-owned shops, eclectic boutiques, international restaurants and well-known big-box stores all within the downtown district. The area is also home to many of the city's special events and celebrations, like Fiesta Patrias, a celebration of local Hispanic culture.

Jobs in Redwood City

As part of Silicon Valley, Redwood City is home to a number of high-tech companies and related businesses. Tech companies Oracle Corp., Electronic Arts and Equinix are major employers in the area, and Shutterfly and Evernote also have large operations in town.

Although Redwood City is known for its many tech companies, some of the city's largest employers include health care and professional services companies. Redwood City's two largest employers are Oracle America and Electronic Arts, providing thousands of jobs in the area. Health care providers The Permanente Medical Group, Kaiser Foundation Hospitals and Stanford Health Cares are also significant sources of local jobs.

In the Redwood City area, the largest industries include professional and business services, trade and transportation, leisure and hospitality, and education and health services. If you're going to be starting a job search in the city, you might want to consider the fast-growing industries of information technology and construction.

Redwood City Schools

In Redwood City, elementary and middle schools fall within the jurisdiction of the Redwood City School District. The local high schools are served by the Summit Public School District and the Sequoia Union High School District. There are a handful of private and charter schools in Redwood City as well.

If you're considering pursuing higher education in Redwood City, you have the convenience of a community college located right within city limits. Canada College is a small campus but offers a variety of degrees in science, technology, business, design and the humanities.

Resources for Moving to Redwood City

Here are a few quick resources to help you get started planning your move to Redwood City:

• Utilities: The City of Redwood City manages local water and sewer services. The city's energy providers include Pacific Gas and Electric and Peninsula Clean Energy.
• Garbage and Recycling: You can expect regular collection of trash, recyclables and organic waste.
• Transportation: Redwood City is very commuter-friendly, providing a number of public transportation options in and around the city. Caltrain, Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) and Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) Light Rail facilitate a network of routes for easy access throughout the area.

Redwood City Housing

If you're looking for a large, luxurious home in Redwood City, you can usually find many options in the center of the city and on the waterfront north of San Carlos Airport. If you're looking for something more budget-friendly, there are many affordable homes on the southeastern side of the city. On average, Redwood City housing is far more expensive than the California state average. You can expect to see home values soaring well above the million-dollar mark here, due largely to the city's Bay Area location and many amenities.