List of cities and towns in the San Francisco Bay Area

The San Francisco Bay Area, commonly known as the Bay Area, is a metropolitan region surrounding the San Francisco Bay estuaries in Northern California. According to the 2010 United States Census, the region has over 7.1 million inhabitants and approximately 6,900 square miles (18,000 km2) of land.[1] The region is home to three major cities: San Francisco, Oakland and, the largest, San Jose.

Satellite map of the
San Francisco Bay Area

The Bay Area has been inhabited since antiquity, first by the Ohlone and Miwok peoples, followed by the Spanish, who first arrived in 1769 and established the area's first mission, Mission San Francisco de Asís, in 1776.[2][3][4] After being ceded to the United States in 1848, the Bay Area grew immensely due to the California Gold Rush, establishing itself as one of the most important regions on the West Coast. Today, the Bay Area is the home of Silicon Valley, Wine Country, and numerous companies, universities, bridges, airports, and parks.

The Bay Area consists of nine counties (Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Solano, and Sonoma) and 101 municipalities.[5] One, San Francisco, is a consolidated city–county. California law makes no distinction between "city" and "town", and municipalities may use either term in their official names.[6] The first municipalities to incorporate were Benicia and San Jose on March 27, 1850, while the most recent was Oakley on July 1, 1999.[7] The largest municipality by population and land area is San Jose with 1,013,240 residents and 178.26 square miles (461.7 km2). The smallest by population is Colma with 1,507 people,[8] while the smallest by land area is Belvedere at 0.52 square miles (1.3 km2).[9]

Cities

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County seat
Name Type County Population (2020)[8] Land area[9] Density (2020) Incorporated[7]
sq mi km2
Alameda City Alameda 78,280 10.45 27.1 7,491/sq mi (2,892.3/km2) April 19, 1854
Albany City Alameda 20,271 1.79 4.6 11,320/sq mi (4,372/km2) September 22, 1908
American Canyon City Napa 21,837 6.09 15.8 3,585.7/sq mi (1,384.5/km2) January 1, 1992
Antioch City Contra Costa 115,291 29.17 75.5 3,952.4/sq mi (1,526.02/km2) February 6, 1872
Atherton Town San Mateo 7,188 5.02 13.0 1,431.9/sq mi (552.8/km2) September 12, 1923
Belmont City San Mateo 28,335 4.63 12.0 6,120/sq mi (2,362.9/km2) October 29, 1926
Belvedere City Marin 2,126 0.52 1.3 4,090/sq mi (1,579/km2) December 24, 1896
Benicia City Solano 27,131 12.81 33.2 2,118.0/sq mi (817.7/km2) March 27, 1850
Berkeley City Alameda 124,321 10.43 27.0 11,920/sq mi (4,602.2/km2) April 4, 1878
Brentwood City Contra Costa 64,292 14.87 38.5 4,323.6/sq mi (1,669.4/km2) January 21, 1948
Brisbane City San Mateo 4,851 2.99 7.7 1,622.4/sq mi (626.4/km2) November 27, 1961
Burlingame City San Mateo 31,386 4.39 11.4 7,149/sq mi (2,760/km2) June 6, 1908
Calistoga City Napa 5,228 2.58 6.7 2,026/sq mi (782.4/km2) January 6, 1886
Campbell City Santa Clara 43,959 6.08 15.7 7,230/sq mi (2,791.6/km2) March 28, 1952
Clayton City Contra Costa 11,070 3.84 9.9 2,883/sq mi (1,113.1/km2) March 18, 1964
Cloverdale City Sonoma 8,996 3.14 8.1 2,865/sq mi (1,106.2/km2) February 28, 1872
Colma Town San Mateo 1,507 1.89 4.9 797.4/sq mi (307.9/km2) August 5, 1924
Concord City Contra Costa 125,410 30.55 79.1 4,105.1/sq mi (1,585.0/km2) February 9, 1905
Corte Madera Town Marin 10,222 3.16 8.2 3,235/sq mi (1,249.0/km2) June 10, 1916
Cotati City Sonoma 7,584 1.87 4.8 4,056/sq mi (1,566/km2) July 16, 1963
Cupertino City Santa Clara 60,381 11.33 29.3 5,329.3/sq mi (2,057.7/km2) October 10, 1955
Daly City City San Mateo 104,901 7.64 19.8 13,730/sq mi (5,301/km2) March 22, 1911
Danville Town Contra Costa 43,582 18.08 46.8 2,410.5/sq mi (930.70/km2) July 1, 1982
Dixon City Solano 18,988 7.10 18.4 2,674.4/sq mi (1,032.6/km2) March 30, 1878
Dublin City Alameda 72,589 15.23 39.4 4,766.2/sq mi (1,840.2/km2) February 1, 1982
East Palo Alto City San Mateo 30,034 2.53 6.6 11,871/sq mi (4,583/km2) July 1, 1983
El Cerrito City Contra Costa 25,962 3.67 9.5 7,074/sq mi (2,731/km2) August 23, 1917
Emeryville City Alameda 12,905 1.27 3.3 10,160/sq mi (3,923/km2) December 8, 1896
Fairfax Town Marin 7,605 2.23 5.8 3,410/sq mi (1,316.7/km2) March 2, 1931
Fairfield City Solano 119,881 41.59 107.7 2,882.4/sq mi (1,112.92/km2) December 12, 1903
Foster City City San Mateo 33,805 3.79 9.8 8,920/sq mi (3,444/km2) April 27, 1971
Fremont City Alameda 230,504 78.31 202.8 2,943.48/sq mi (1,136.48/km2) January 23, 1956
Gilroy City Santa Clara 59,520 16.54 42.8 3,598.5/sq mi (1,389.4/km2) March 12, 1870
Half Moon Bay City San Mateo 11,795 6.24 16.2 1,890.2/sq mi (729.8/km2) July 15, 1959
Hayward City Alameda 162,954 45.82 118.7 3,556.4/sq mi (1,373.13/km2) March 11, 1876
Healdsburg City Sonoma 11,340 4.42 11.4 2,566/sq mi (990.6/km2) February 20, 1867
Hercules City Contra Costa 26,016 6.41 16.6 4,059/sq mi (1,567.1/km2) December 15, 1900
Hillsborough Town San Mateo 11,387 6.17 16.0 1,845.5/sq mi (712.6/km2) May 5, 1910
Lafayette City Contra Costa 25,391 15.02 38.9 1,690.5/sq mi (652.70/km2) July 29, 1968
Larkspur City Marin 13,064 3.00 7.8 4,355/sq mi (1,681.3/km2) March 1, 1908
Livermore City Alameda 87,955 26.45 68.5 3,325.3/sq mi (1,283.92/km2) April 1, 1876
Los Altos City Santa Clara 31,625 6.54 16.9 4,836/sq mi (1,867.0/km2) December 1, 1952
Los Altos Hills Town Santa Clara 8,489 9.03 23.4 940.1/sq mi (362.97/km2) January 27, 1956
Los Gatos Town Santa Clara 33,529 11.55 29.9 2,902.9/sq mi (1,120.8/km2) August 10, 1887
Martinez City Contra Costa 37,287 12.63 32.7 2,952.3/sq mi (1,139.9/km2) April 1, 1876
Menlo Park City San Mateo 33,780 9.99 25.9 3,381.4/sq mi (1,305.6/km2) November 23, 1927
Mill Valley City Marin 14,231 4.78 12.4 2,977/sq mi (1,149.5/km2) September 1, 1900
Millbrae City San Mateo 23,216 3.27 8.5 7,100/sq mi (2,741/km2) January 14, 1948
Milpitas City Santa Clara 80,273 13.48 34.9 5,955.0/sq mi (2,299.2/km2) January 26, 1954
Monte Sereno City Santa Clara 3,479 1.63 4.2 2,134/sq mi (824.1/km2) May 14, 1957
Moraga Town Contra Costa 16,870 9.46 24.5 1,783.3/sq mi (688.5/km2) November 13, 1974
Morgan Hill City Santa Clara 45,483 12.94 33.5 3,514.9/sq mi (1,357.1/km2) November 10, 1906
Mountain View City Santa Clara 82,376 11.96 31.0 6,887.6/sq mi (2,659.3/km2) November 7, 1902
Napa City Napa 79,246 18.05 46.7 4,390.4/sq mi (1,695.1/km2) March 23, 1872
Newark City Alameda 47,529 13.92 36.1 3,414.4/sq mi (1,318.3/km2) September 22, 1955
Novato City Marin 53,225 27.48 71.2 1,936.9/sq mi (747.83/km2) January 20, 1960
Oakland City Alameda 440,646 55.93 144.9 7,878.5/sq mi (3,041.92/km2) May 4, 1852
Oakley City Contra Costa 43,357 15.87 41.1 2,732.0/sq mi (1,054.8/km2) July 1, 1999
Orinda City Contra Costa 19,514 12.85 33.3 1,518.6/sq mi (586.33/km2) July 1, 1985
Pacifica City San Mateo 38,640 12.58 32.6 3,071.5/sq mi (1,185.9/km2) November 22, 1957
Palo Alto City Santa Clara 68,572 24.10 62.4 2,845.3/sq mi (1,098.58/km2) April 23, 1894
Petaluma City Sonoma 59,776 14.42 37.3 4,145.4/sq mi (1,600.5/km2) April 12, 1858
Piedmont City Alameda 11,270 1.70 4.4 6,629/sq mi (2,560/km2) January 31, 1907
Pinole City Contra Costa 19,022 5.10 13.2 3,730/sq mi (1,440.1/km2) June 25, 1903
Pittsburg City Contra Costa 76,416 17.68 45.8 4,322.2/sq mi (1,668.8/km2) June 25, 1903
Pleasant Hill City Contra Costa 34,613 7.08 18.3 4,889/sq mi (1,887.6/km2) November 14, 1961
Pleasanton City Alameda 79,871 24.14 62.5 3,308.7/sq mi (1,277.48/km2) June 18, 1894
Portola Valley Town San Mateo 4,456 9.08 23.5 490.7/sq mi (189.48/km2) July 14, 1964
Redwood City City San Mateo 84,292 19.34 50.1 4,358.4/sq mi (1,682.8/km2) May 11, 1867
Richmond City Contra Costa 116,448 30.05 77.8 3,875.1/sq mi (1,496.20/km2) August 7, 1905
Rio Vista City Solano 10,005 6.60 17.1 1,515.9/sq mi (585.3/km2) January 6, 1894
Rohnert Park City Sonoma 44,390 7.29 18.9 6,089/sq mi (2,351.0/km2) August 28, 1962
Ross Town Marin 2,338 1.56 4.0 1,499/sq mi (578.7/km2) August 21, 1908
St. Helena City Napa 5,430 4.96 12.8 1,094.8/sq mi (422.7/km2) March 24, 1876
San Anselmo Town Marin 12,830 2.68 6.9 4,787/sq mi (1,848/km2) April 9, 1907
San Bruno City San Mateo 43,908 5.49 14.2 7,998/sq mi (3,088.0/km2) December 23, 1914
San Carlos City San Mateo 30,722 5.41 14.0 5,679/sq mi (2,192.6/km2) July 8, 1925
San Francisco City and county San Francisco 873,965 46.91 121.5 18,630.7/sq mi (7,193.3/km2) April 16, 1850[10]
San Jose City Santa Clara 1,013,240 178.26 461.7 5,684.06/sq mi (2,194.63/km2) March 27, 1850
San Leandro City Alameda 91,008 13.32 34.5 6,832.4/sq mi (2,638.0/km2) March 21, 1872
San Mateo City San Mateo 105,661 12.13 31.4 8,711/sq mi (3,363.2/km2) September 4, 1894
San Pablo City Contra Costa 32,127 2.62 6.8 12,262/sq mi (4,734/km2) April 27, 1948
San Rafael City Marin 61,271 16.59 43.0 3,693.2/sq mi (1,426.0/km2) February 18, 1874
San Ramon City Contra Costa 84,605 18.69 48.4 4,526.8/sq mi (1,747.8/km2) July 1, 1983
Santa Clara City Santa Clara 127,647 18.28 47.3 6,982.9/sq mi (2,696.1/km2) July 5, 1852
Santa Rosa City Sonoma 178,127 42.53 110.2 4,188.3/sq mi (1,617.10/km2) March 26, 1868
Saratoga City Santa Clara 31,051 12.78 33.1 2,429.7/sq mi (938.1/km2) October 22, 1956
Sausalito City Marin 7,269 1.76 4.6 4,130/sq mi (1,595/km2) September 4, 1893
Sebastopol City Sonoma 7,521 1.88 4.9 4,001/sq mi (1,545/km2) June 13, 1902
Sonoma City Sonoma 10,739 2.74 7.1 3,919/sq mi (1,513.3/km2) September 3, 1883
South San Francisco City San Mateo 66,105 9.20 23.8 7,185/sq mi (2,774.3/km2) September 19, 1908
Suisun City City Solano 29,518 4.01 10.4 7,361/sq mi (2,842/km2) October 9, 1868
Sunnyvale City Santa Clara 155,805 22.06 57.1 7,062.8/sq mi (2,727.0/km2) December 24, 1912
Tiburon Town Marin 9,146 4.48 11.6 2,041.5/sq mi (788.2/km2) June 23, 1964
Union City City Alameda 70,143 19.18 49.7 3,657.1/sq mi (1,412.0/km2) January 26, 1959
Vacaville City Solano 102,386 29.87 77.4 3,427.7/sq mi (1,323.45/km2) August 9, 1892
Vallejo City Solano 126,090 30.42 78.8 4,145.0/sq mi (1,600.4/km2) March 30, 1868
Walnut Creek City Contra Costa 70,127 19.76 51.2 3,548.9/sq mi (1,370.3/km2) October 21, 1914
Windsor Town Sonoma 26,344 7.44 19.3 3,540.9/sq mi (1,367.1/km2) July 1, 1992
Woodside Town San Mateo 5,309 11.47 29.7 462.86/sq mi (178.71/km2) November 16, 1956
Yountville Town Napa 3,436 1.49 3.9 2,306/sq mi (890.4/km2) February 4, 1965
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See also

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References

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  1. ^ "GCT-PH1 – Population, Housing Units, Area, and Density: 2010 – State — County / County Equivalent". 2010 United States Census. United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 12, 2020. Retrieved July 16, 2011.
  2. ^ Kroeber, Alfred L. (1925). Handbook of the Indians of California. Washington, DC: Smithsonian Institution, Bureau of American Ethnology. pp. 273, 462.
  3. ^ "San Francisco Bay Discovery Site". National Historical Landmarks Program. National Park Service. Retrieved July 16, 2011.
  4. ^ "Mission Dolores Parish: Home Page". Mission Dolores Parish. Retrieved July 16, 2011.
  5. ^ "Population and Land Area". FOCUS. Archived from the original on October 29, 2013. Retrieved July 16, 2011.
  6. ^ California Government Code Sections 34502 and 56722.
  7. ^ a b "California Cities by Incorporation Date". California Association of Local Agency Formation Commissions. Archived from the original (Word) on February 21, 2013. Retrieved June 14, 2012.
  8. ^ a b "Explore Census Data". United States Census Bureau. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved December 5, 2021.
  9. ^ a b "Places". 2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved December 5, 2021.
  10. ^ Long, Percy V. (1911). "Consolidated City and County Government of San Francisco". Proceedings of the American Political Science Association. 8 (Eighth Annual Meeting): 109–121. doi:10.2307/3038399. JSTOR 3038399.
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