City Guide
San Leandro
Bayshore City with Deep Roots
From County Seat to Manufacturing Hub: An East Bay city where history, industry, and diversity converge on the bay
San Leandro stretches along the eastern shore of San Francisco Bay in central Alameda County, covering approximately 16 square miles from the waterfront to the foothills. One of the oldest communities in the East Bay, San Leandro served as the original county seat of Alameda County before the government moved to Oakland in 1873. Today the city blends historic neighborhoods, industrial corridors, and a revitalizing bayshore district.
Indigenous / Early History
Ohlone peoples inhabited the San Leandro area for thousands of years, with villages along San Leandro Creek and the bay shoreline. The creek, which flows from the hills to the bay, provided freshwater and supported riparian ecosystems central to indigenous life. Shell middens along the shore document long-term habitation and resource use.
The area became part of Rancho San Leandro during the Mexican period.
Founding & Early Development
José Joaquín Estudillo receives the Rancho San Leandro land grant.
San Leandro is established as a growing settlement along the creek and bay.
Alameda County is formed, with San Leandro designated as the county seat.
San Leandro is incorporated as a city.
As county seat, San Leandro hosted courts, government offices, and commercial activity until Oakland's superior harbor and railroad connections drew the county government east in 1873.
Twentieth-Century Growth
San Leandro developed as a manufacturing and food processing center. The city's cherry orchards earned it the nickname "Cherry City," and a cherry festival tradition continues today. Postwar suburban growth filled the flats between the bay and the hills, while industrial zones along the waterfront and rail corridors provided employment.
Manufacturing plants, including food processing and metal fabrication, employ thousands of workers.
BART service reaches Bay Fair station on the San Leandro- Hayward border, improving regional transit access.
The Bayfair Center and Marina Boulevard corridors undergo redevelopment planning.
Economy & Employment
San Leandro's economy includes manufacturing, food processing, logistics, and retail. Ghirardelli Chocolate Company operates a major facility in the city. Kaiser Permanente's San Leandro Medical Center provides healthcare employment. The Bayfair Center and Marina Square shopping areas serve regional consumers. The city's industrial zones along the bay and near Interstate 880 support warehousing and distribution.
Many residents also commute to jobs in Oakland, San Francisco, and Silicon Valley.
Market & Housing Context
The 2020 U.S. Census recorded 91,008 residents and approximately 34,000 housing units in San Leandro. Housing includes pre-war bungalows, postwar tract homes, apartment complexes along major corridors, and hillside properties with bay views. American Community Survey data show a mix of owner- and renter- occupied units, with rental housing concentrated near BART and commercial areas.
San Leandro's housing policies address production goals, particularly near transit stations and in redevelopment areas along the bayshore. The Bay Fair and San Leandro BART station areas are designated for higher-density residential development in the city's current planning framework.
Living in San Leandro
Marina Park and the San Leandro shoreline offer walking paths and bay views. Lake Chabot Regional Park in the hills provides boating, fishing, and hiking. The Casa Peralta and San Leandro History Museum preserve the city's rancho- era heritage. The Cherry Festival, held annually, celebrates the city's agricultural past.
San Leandro Unified School District operates comprehensive K-12 programs. The city's Senior Community Center at Pelton Center provides programs and services for older adults, and the San Leandro Recreation and Human Services Department manages aquatics programs at the San Leandro Family Aquatic Center. The Estudillo Estates neighborhood preserves homes dating to the early 20th century near the historic Casa Peralta. The Marina Square shopping area and Bayfair Center provide regional retail and dining options along the city's commercial corridors.
San Leandro Today
91K
Population (2020 Census)
15.7 sq mi
City Land Area
1872
Year Incorporated
34K
Housing Units (2020 Census)
Government and Civic Life
San Leandro operates under a council-manager form of government. The city has invested in downtown and bayshore revitalization, including the San Leandro Transit-Oriented Development Strategy near Bay Fair BART station. Community organizations reflect the city's ethnic and cultural diversity. The city clerk's office maintains public records dating to incorporation, and the San Leandro Public Library system operates a main branch downtown and a Manor branch in the southern portion of the city. The San Leandro Improvement Association and downtown business groups coordinate street fairs, holiday events, and merchant promotions along the Estudillo corridor. The city's public art program has installed murals and sculptures at civic buildings and parks, reflecting San Leandro's investment in cultural amenities for residents.
Geography & Environment
San Leandro occupies bayshore flatlands and rolling hills, with San Leandro Creek as the primary waterway. The Mediterranean climate brings mild, fog- influenced summers along the bay. Restored marshland and shoreline parks provide habitat and recreation along the waterfront.
Transportation & Connectivity
San Leandro is served by two BART stations: San Leandro and Bay Fair (shared with Ashland). Interstate 880 runs through the city, connecting to Oakland and San Jose. AC Transit provides bus service. Oakland International Airport is minutes away. The San Leandro Marina offers boating access to the bay.
Looking Forward
San Leandro's planning priorities include transit-oriented development near BART, bayshore redevelopment, housing element compliance, and continued investment in the downtown Estudillo corridor. The city coordinates with regional agencies on bay restoration and sea-level-rise adaptation.
The San Leandro Oyster Bay project envisions mixed-use development along the waterfront south of Marina Boulevard. The city's Fiber Optic Master Plan has attracted technology companies seeking high-speed connectivity, earning San Leandro recognition as a "smart city" in regional economic development circles. The Pelton Center and other adaptive reuse projects have converted former industrial buildings into creative office and maker spaces.
The City's Character
San Leandro is a diverse, working-class city with deep East Bay roots. Its history as county seat, cherry-growing center, and manufacturing town layers into a modern community that values neighborhood identity and bayshore access.
"San Leandro carries the East Bay's early civic history — a former county seat where cherry orchards, manufacturing plants, and bayshore trails define a city of 90,000."
From rancho land and county government to a modern bayshore city, San Leandro continues to evolve as a central community in Alameda County. The city's investment in fiber infrastructure, shoreline parks, and transit-oriented planning reflects an ambition to remain competitive as an East Bay destination for residents and businesses alike.