QUESTION: What’s the most underrated city or town in Contra Costa County?
© Copyright 2007 – 2025 Claycord News & Talk
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QUESTION: What’s the most underrated city or town in Contra Costa County?
Subscribe to our newsletter!
© Copyright 2007 – 2025 Claycord News & Talk
Clayton. Most people don’t even know about it or have even been there. Let’s keep it that way!
( Bay Area people that see it for the first time are amazed and love it! ) it is totally “rated” by the locals. It’s definitely not overrated. It’s a real treasure! Wish I had not move from there.
Badge1104,
.
Clayton was better before Oakhurst was built.
No comparison at all, I’m 58 and loved riding my bike down to Clayton when I was 10. It is not remotely the same but neither is CA.
I agree, but since development had to happen…and could not be held off, Oakhurst was a better choice than the 5000 home development that other builders proposed, and all of its communities are looking quite nice with all the trees in them now.
It most definitely used to be but not so much any longer. Too bad, I will be elated when my precious wife, 3 cats and 2 birds are making that final drive one last time out through March Creek Road out towards Stockton and put this place in the rearview mirror for good. This place has changed so much in the last 15 years and absolutely for the worst!!!
I lived in Clayton for 30 years but the progressive liberal vibe drove me out 8 years ago before the Gay Pride BS and George Floyd protest BS (tear gas in Clayton?!!!) and the ridiculous racism accusations aimed at a sandwich shop owner that dared to use his right of free speech in an advertisement made national news.
Clayton changed, no doubt about it.
I just recently moved there to raise my son. I can say without a doubt only lived here 8 months. Its nothing short of amazing!!!! Bravo and good call Badge1104
There’s problems with inconsiderate loud mouths and gang activity.
.
Quail at 6 am making a racket and don’t get me started about, gangs of, Turkeys.
Both be, walkin’ all thru peoples yards, whenever they want.
.
Seriously, you’ve found a great town to raise a kid.
Oldest Grandson sometimes brings his kids to play at the Grove.
Danville, I just find it charming to visit and easy to park, get in and out of.
Port Costa, Moraga, Clyde, Crockett, and Discovery Bay,
Alamo …away from the freeway & the schools … kind of country like … sort of like how Clayton used to be
I actually have to add downtown Martinez as being underrated. ‘Just came from there this afternoon after picking visitors up at the Amtrak station. We walk through the old downtown ,saw the antique shops and ate in a restaurant. A cool breeze was coming off the water and the town had a absolute vibe that was relaxing and different. Almost like 1940’s
If you haven’t been there give it a try.
Parking weekdays can be a problem in Martinez. There has been an ongoing spat for years between the county and the city over juror parking. The city wants to have the county build a parking facility for jurors and then the city can do away with meters. The county tells them what to do with that.
They did build one!
“A new parking structure is located behind the Wakefield Taylor Courthouse and A.F. Bray Courts Building area in downtown Martinez (access via the regular courthouse parking entrance on Court/Ward Street, driving toward the back)”.
Geez! When was the last time you guys had jury duty?
They’ve been talking about that parking structure for 20+ yrs
Badge
Agree, I lived in Martinez for 20 years before moving to Concord and then out of state. And I worked in Martinez for 32 years. Martinez is fabulous. The Sunday Farmers Market is the best around and Main St has always had a friendly feel. I will always miss Martinez
Pleasant Hill – just a simple bedroom community with little going on (just the way I like it), but now with a nice downtown.
PLH has been circling the drain for decades. The last time it resembled what you describe is back in the 90’s take a look at the crime and homelessness it hasn’t been the simple bedroom community for a very long time now.
Im partial to Martinez- its changed quite a bit since the 80’s…
We were looking for a place to live in the area before we had kids and Clayton seemed like a great place, so we bought a house here. Five children and 49 years later, we still love Clayton. The proposed plan before Oakhurst was more than twice as many houses and they were going to build all over the hills and ridgelines. We’ve seen Daly City and didn’t want it to be replicated here. The city council put together a group of city council and planning commission members, plus two “citizens at large” of which I was one (Skip Ipsen was the other one). We did a complete rewrite of the Clayton General Plan and the result of much of it is Oakhurst. Clayton is not perfect, but it’s not too far from it.