Welcome to Pleasant Hill
Despite a deep regional history and roots that extend back to the earliest modern settlements, not every city in Contra Costa County has a long personal history. However, its lack of historical context hasn’t diminished Pleasant Hill’s impact on the modern Bay Area. While the city serves primarily as a bedroom community for Oakland and San Francisco, it has a classic rural atmosphere and sensibility, which makes Pleasant Hill real estate so appealing.
Lay of the Land
Pleasant Hill is located in the central region of Contra Costa County, an equal distance from the Carquinez Strait, in the north, and the San Francisco Bay, in the west. Pleasant hill is surrounded by a mixture of rolling hills and oak groves, with the foothills of Mount Diablo begin just east of the city limits. The city is bordered by concord in the north and Walnut Grove in the south, with a healthy mix of small, unincorporated communities and open space preserves to the immediate east and west. The city has a total population of 34,127 spread out over a total of 7 square miles. The average household income for the city is $77,664 while the estimated median home value is $533,169.
Transportation
Pleasant Hill’s central county location means that the city has access to a wide range of primary and secondary transportation options. State Route 4, which is located just north of the city, is one of the primary commuter roadways in the county. Additionally, Interstate 680 runs through the center of town before continuing south into the San Jose region.
On the public transportation side, Pleasant Hill falls within the portion of the county covered by County Connections. County Connections provides bus line and senior transportation options for residents in Pleasant Hill, as well as the surrounding cities and the cities located in the San Ramon Valley.
Pleasant Hill also benefits from access from several additional public transportation system in a secondary capacity. Via several of the surrounding cities which fall within the County Connections boundaries, residents can access Tri Delta Transit lines, AC Transit lines, and several Bay Area Rapid Transit stations.
Local Highlights
Despite a robust population and central county location, Pleasant Hill is a relatively modest community when it comes to large scale commercial development. The city serves more as a residential extension of the primary Bay Area communities and not an extension of the economic development present in places like San Francisco and the cities in Silicon Valley. However, the city does have a thriving locally driven retail and dining scene.
Based on the city’s relatively modern nature, it lacked a traditional classic downtown section. To address this issue, the city constructed a stylized downtown region in the early 1990’s. This location has since served as the retail and entertainment center of the city. In addition to several national chains which serve as anchor locations, the area is also home to an extensive movie theater and a wide collection of smaller stores and eateries. The downtown region of the city is complemented by a collection of locally owned businesses and national chains scattered around the periphery of the community.
The city is also served by an active Parks and Recreation department. Overall, the city currently operates a total of 9 traditional parks as well as a collection of community centers, aquatic activity centers, and senior service support locations. These serve as the base of operations for a wide range of community activities, ranging from traditional athletic programs to educational classes and cultural enrichment programs. This includes separate programs for preschool services, youth services, teen services, and senior services.
Finally, while none of regional parks are located within Pleasant Hill itself, it is surrounded by several locations. These include Briones Regional Park in the west, Lime Ridge Open Space to the east, and the Lafayette Reservoir Recreation Center to the south. These locations are all less than 4 miles from the edge of the city and support a wide range of outdoor recreational activities.
