Contra Costa County, California:

Population: 930,000   19 cities 

Estimated Housing Units: 346,695 (1998)

Incorporated: 1850

Contra Costa County was one of the original 27 counties created in California in 1850. Later that number grew to the present 58 counties. In 1848, the gold discovery at Sutter's Mill in Coloma caused would-be miners to rush to California. Many of the first settlers in Contra Costa were gold miners. Some went on to the gold fields, while many liked what they found in the fertile Diablo Valley and stayed!

Just across San Francisco Bay over the Bay Bridge, through the Caldecott Tunnel in the Oakland Hills, the first stops are the communities I serve: Orinda, Lafayette, Moraga, Walnut Creek and the other close-in Contra Costa County communities.

Mild climate, rolling hills (lush green in the winter, golden brown in the summer), majestic oaks, pine trees, some small rural, prestige towns, other areas  more built-up and suburban in feel.   Just about 30 minutes to San Francisco (non-commute time), about 1 hour to the Pacific Ocean, 2 1/2 hrs. to the Sierra Nevadas, 2 hrs. to Carmel/Monterey, 4 hrs. to  Yosemite!  If you live in California, you could spend most of your life vacationing just within the state and would never run out of places to go!  California is truly a vacation land. My favorite spots are the ocean at Carmel, Big Sur, and the North Coast.  Of course, then there's Wine Country, Yosemite, Lake Tahoe, and much more!  

Have any questions about our area? Just e-mail me.

Contra Costa County (demographics, etc. for each community) 

Contra Costa County web site

 

7/06: This poll appeared for over 4 years. Here are the results, the poll is now closed.