Welcome to Redwood City
Located in the middle of the San Francisco Peninsula, Redwood City is a diverse metropolitan area serving as a regional economic and cultural hub. While the city has a booming commercial sector dominated by several large technology companies, it has also managed to hold onto its rich historical roots and strong community values. This allows it to offer residents a wide range of options when it comes to housing, employment, and community services while still drawing visitors from all over the Bay Area.
Lay of the Land
Located in San Mateo County, the city of Redwood is positioned in the center of the San Francisco Peninsula. The city has an extended aquatic border made up of several smaller islands as well as several significant waterways that run through the city before emptying into San Francisco Bay. The city’s effective sphere of influence extends to several of the census designated locations that surround the city. While these locations are not technically a part of the city in an official census designated capacity they function as extended neighborhoods in the sense that they contribute resources and manpower to Redwood City while benefiting from community services and infrastructure. These locations include Emerald Lake Hills, North Fair Oaks, and Palomar Park.
Redwood is one of the largest cities in the region in both terms of population and geographic area. The city has a total population of 80,872 and occupies a total area of 34.6 square miles which includes land mass and aquatic areas. The city also enjoys average household incomes ($86,358) and median home values ($842,100) that are above the state averages while being standard for the Bay Area.
Transportation
Redwood City is positioned between U.S. Route 101 to the east and Interstate 280 to the west. These two roads run the length of the San Francisco Peninsula and make travel to any area within the region relatively convenient. Redwood City also features a CalTrain commuter train station, a SamTrans bus station, and extensive planning on the part of the city designed to streamline public transportation within the city itself.
Local Highlights
Redwood City is often described as a mixed development city by virtue of its diverse array of commercial, industrial and residential areas. Like many of the cities in the region, it is home to numerous technology based corporations. These include smaller startups as well as larger corporations such as international hardware company Oracle and international gaming studio Electronic Arts. However, the city also has numerous dedicated residential areas and a strong emphasis on locally owned retail ventures and community activities.
Redwood City has invested extensive time and resources developing the downtown section of the city. The focus has been on cityscaping the existing historical sections of the city in order to create multi-use buildings and opportunities for local economic development. This has led to numerous trendy dining locations ranging from family friendly cafes to elegant romantic locations. Downtown Redwood also offers numerous shopping alternatives to the malls and chain locations that dot the rest of the peninsula. The vast majority of these shops are locally owned and operated, offering everything from custom made jewelry to fresh vegetables.
Downtown is also the cultural center of the city. The highlight of this area is the historic Fox Theater. The theater offers a wide selection of nationally recognized productions and is considered the premiere location of its type in the Bay Area. The Fox Theater is also joined by several small, independent theaters that support locally developed shows and locally trained performers.
Finally, the city has a parks and recreation department that is surprisingly dedicated and effective given the size of Redwood City. The department operates in large part thanks to volunteers and donations from within the community. They are dedicated to maintaining the existing recreation infrastructure as well as developing new facilities and programs while maintaining fiscal and environmental responsibility.
