2025 Compare Cities Overview:
Lake Forest, CA vs Castro Valley, CA

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Highlights
Are people in Castro Valley older or younger than people in Lake Forest?
- The Median Age in Castro Valley is 2.3 years older than in Lake Forest.

Are housing costs cheaper in Castro Valley or Lake Forest?
- Castro Valley housing costs are 11.8% more expensive than Lake Forest housing costs.

Which city has a longer commute, Castro Valley or Lake Forest?
- The average commute for residents of Castro Valley is 8.1 minutes longer than it is for residents of Lake Forest.

Things to do in Lake Forest?
Lake Forest, California markets itself as the ultimate Southern California lifestyle with numerous parks, shopping centers, and miles of trails giving visitors plenty of options for an active lifestyle.

Things to do in Castro Valley?
Castro Valley, California is a thriving community located in the heart of Alameda County. This vibrant city offers plenty for visitors to explore such as historic Redwood Canyon or one of many popular restaurants. Residents here also take advantage of all the outdoor activities available at Lake Chabot Regional Park, Cull Canyon Regional Park, and Castro Valley Community Park. With its excellent school systems, thriving businesses, and numerous recreational opportunities, it's no wonder why so many people choose to make Castro Valley their home.

 Lake Forest, CACastro Valley, CAUnited States
 Population  Unlock66,324329,725,481
 Median Income$117,374  Unlock$69,021
 Median Age  Unlock42.438.4
 Avg. Home Price$937,500  Unlock$338,100
 Unemployment Rate  Unlock6.5%6.0%
 Avg. Commute Time26  Unlock26.38
Reviews for Lake Forest    16 Reviews

I've lived in Lake Forest for over a decade, before that elsewhere in OC and also up in LA. Lake Forest isn't perfect but it's really improved over the past decade,  More

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As a retired senior who has lived in Lake Forest (formerly El Toro) since 1977 I think LF is a great place if you can afford it. When we moved here in June '77 homes  More

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I’ve lived here for 2 years. Ok, it’s more like a 4 but there are so many idiots downplaying what it’s like here and giving Lake Forest ones and twos. There are a lot of  More

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Reviews for Castro Valley    7 Reviews

CURMUDGEON - THANK YOU for your post. The most important part of your comment is your second paragraph. "Hodge-Podge" is the correct word for a lot of Castro  More

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Over 11 years ago

Kind of rural but close to Oakland and San  More

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Castro Valley is the largest unincorporated "city" in the Bay Area. Over the years, several attempts have been made to incorporate, but they have all been defeated at  More

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