Albany, California facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Albany, California
City
View of Albany from Albany Hill
Flag Seal
Motto(s):  Urban Village by the Bay
Location in Alameda County and the state of California
Albany, California Location in California Show map of California Albany, California Location in the United States Show map of the United States Albany, California Location in North America Show map of North America
Country	United States
State	California
County	Alameda
Incorporated	September 22, 1908
Area
• Total	5.47 sq mi (14.16 km2)
• Land	1.79 sq mi (4.64 km2)
• Water	3.68 sq mi (9.52 km2)  67.28%
Elevation	43 ft (13 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	20,271
• Density	11,324.58/sq mi (4,372.49/km2)
Time zone	UTC−8 (PST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−7 (PDT)
ZIP Codes	94706, 94707, 94710
Area codes	510, 341
FIPS code	06-00674
GNIS feature IDs	1657902, 2409674

Albany (ⁱ/ˈɑːlbəni/ awl-BƏ-nee) is a city located on the east side of San Francisco Bay. It is in northwestern Alameda County, California, United States. In 2020, about 20,271 people lived there.

History of Albany

Albany and much of the East Bay was part of Rancho San Antonio, granted to the Peralta family in 1820.

In 1908, a group of women in the area decided to take action. They were upset because garbage from Berkeley was being dumped in their community. These women, armed with shotguns and a rifle, bravely stopped the garbage wagons. They told the drivers to go home, and the drivers quickly obeyed.

Soon after this event, the people living in the town voted to become an official city. They first named it the City of Ocean View. However, in 1909, they changed the name. They wanted to make sure their city was not confused with a nearby part of Berkeley that was also called Ocean View. The new name chosen was Albany, in honor of Albany, New York. This was the hometown of the city's first mayor, Frank Roberts.

Geography of Albany

Albany is a city with a total area of about 5.5 square miles (14.2 square kilometers). Most of this area, about 3.7 square miles (9.5 square kilometers), is water. The land area is about 1.8 square miles (4.6 square kilometers).

The main street for shopping in Albany is Solano Avenue. It runs across the city from west to east. You'll find many small shops, restaurants, and services there. Another important street is San Pablo Avenue, which goes from north to south.

Albany is right on the eastern shore of San Francisco Bay. It shares borders with Berkeley to the south and east. To the north, it borders the cities of El Cerrito and Richmond. The city's northern and southern edges are marked by two creeks: Codornices Creek to the south and Cerrito Creek to the north.

Cerrito Creek gets its name from "El Cerrito de San Antonio," which is now known as Albany Hill. This hill is a famous landmark because it's so close to the bay. Most of Albany is quite flat, which is unusual for the Bay Area.

A big change to Albany's waterfront is the Albany Bulb. This area used to be a garbage dump that stuck out into San Francisco Bay. It was once home to a small art community. Now, it's part of the new Eastshore State Park. The University of California Berkeley also has a large student housing area called UC Village in Albany.

Population and People

In 2010, Albany had a population of 18,539 people. By 2012, the population grew to 18,969. The city is home to a diverse group of people. Many different backgrounds and cultures are represented in Albany.

About 25% of the population is under 18 years old. The median age in Albany is 37 years. This means half the people are younger than 37 and half are older. Most people in Albany live in homes, with a mix of owners and renters.

Economy and Jobs

Albany has several important business areas. Solano Avenue is popular for walking and has many small shops and restaurants. San Pablo Avenue is more for cars and has larger businesses. There's also a business area near the Eastshore Freeway.

Albany was home to Golden Gate Fields, a famous horse racing track. It was the only one in the Bay Area until it closed in June 2024.

The price of homes in Albany has been increasing a lot in recent years.

Top Employers in Albany

Here are some of the biggest employers in Albany, based on a 2013 report:

Education in Albany

Albany Middle School, 2000

Public schools in Albany are managed by the Albany Unified School District. This district covers the entire city. It includes three elementary schools: Marin, Ocean View, and Cornell. There is one middle school, Albany Middle School. For high school, there's Albany High School and MacGregor High School. The district also runs the Albany Children's Center.

Albany High School is known as one of the best public schools in the San Francisco Bay Area. It is recognized for its strong academics. In the 2009–10 school year, about 92.1% of its students graduated.

Albany also has two private high schools. These are Tilden Preparatory School and St. Mary's College High School. St. Mary's campus is partly in Albany and partly in Berkeley.

The University of California, Berkeley has a large student housing complex in Albany called UC Village. It is mainly used for families.

Arts, Culture, and Fun

Midtown Albany

One of Albany's most popular events is The Solano Avenue Stroll. This annual street festival happens on Solano Avenue in Albany and Berkeley. It attracts over 250,000 visitors every second Sunday of September. The festival started in 1975 as a "thank you party" from local businesses to their customers. In 2001, the The Library of Congress recognized the Solano Stroll as a "National Local Legacy."

Albany is home to Golden Gate Fields, which was the only commercial horse racetrack in the Bay Area. It also has the Eastshore State Park, which runs along the San Francisco Bay. The Albany Bulb is another unique spot along the waterfront.

The schools in Albany have a great music program. High school music groups, both bands and choirs, have performed at many festivals. The Albany High School Jazz Band was even chosen to perform at the Essentially Ellington festival in New York City in 2010. Only 15 schools were picked for this special event.

Albany has volunteer groups that help the community. Albany Strollers & Rollers works to make bicycling and walking safer and easier. Friends of Five Creeks is a group that helps keep local creeks clean and healthy.

The Albany Community Center is a modern building that opened in 1994. It houses the Albany Public Library and the Community Center itself. Many community events and cultural activities take place there.

Notable People

• Tim Armstrong, musician and lead singer of Rancid and Operation Ivy
• Anna Baltzer, activist
• Walter De Maria, sculptor
• Matt Freeman, musician and bassist of Rancid and Operation Ivy
• Edith Frost, musician
• Edi Gathegi, actor
• Tyson Griffin, UFC fighter
• Ron Hansen, former Major League Baseball player
• Lil B, rapper, artist
• Lil Debbie, rapper, artist
• Ann Richards, singer
• Ron Silliman, poet
• Angel Tompkins, actress
• Devon Franklin, film producer, author
• Matt Haney, politician
• Dave Rude, musician

See also

In Spanish: Albany (California) para niños