Redwood Shores

To find out why, you have to go back more than 60 years, when what is now Redwood Shores.

Welcome to Redwood Shores

Redwood Shores is officially part of Redwood City but you can't drive directly from one to the other without passing through Belmont or San Carlos. To find out why, you have to go back more than 60 years, when what is now Redwood Shores was a series of salt evaporation ponds and marshes owned by the Leslie Salt Company.
 
In the early 1960s, the company designated 1,400 acres of marshland for development. Following the lead of its northern neighbor, Foster City, the new community would be master-planned. It would also be ambitious; original plans called for an eventual population of 60,000.
 
Redwood Shores hasn't quite gotten there. Even with some big future development in the works, it's unlikely Redwood Shores will ever approach 60,000 residents. Right now, it has something over 10,000 residents, which suits the locals just fine. It also suits the national media; in 2009, Forbes Magazine named Redwood Shores one of "America's Top-Selling Luxury Neighborhoods," thanks to the community's large homes, beautiful setting and top-rate public schools, part of the Redwood Shores-Belmont district.
 
"Quality of life" in Redwood Shores is based on a few things that set this waterfront community apart from the rest of the Peninsula, beginning with its setting. Like Foster City, Redwood Shores was created on land reclaimed from San Francisco Bay. Development was made possible when Leslie Salt filled in its ponds and marshes, creating solid land but leaving the lagoons and canals that make Redwood Shores so unique.

Living in Redwood Shores means water views for almost everyone and backyard docks for many. It means taking the boat to the grocery store and lounging on the deck, watching the egrets and great blue herons skim across the water.
 
It can even mean swimming the lagoon. Redwood Shores' central lagoon offers three calm-water swim courses, ranging in length from a half-mile to two miles. Wear a wetsuit, though; the average water temp is less than 60 degrees Fahrenheit.
 
For those who prefer to get their exercise on dry land, Redwood Shores offers a seven-mile loop segment of the 500-mile Bay Trail. It passes parks, open spaces, shoreline, housing developments and even meanders past the most prominent features of the Redwood Shores' skyline: the signature cylindrical glass buildings that housed Oracle Corporation until their announced move to Texas at the end of 2020.

Though it was originally conceived as a residential community and has very little in the way of restaurants and stores, Redwood Shores has recently made a name for itself as a hub for the high tech industry. It began in 1994, when Oracle built its headquarters on what was once the site of Marine World, the aquatic-themed amusement park that opened in 1968, just as Redwood Shores' first neighborhood was completed, and then moved to Vallejo 18 years later.
 
When Oracle came, others followed, including gaming giant Electronic Arts, whose headquarters sits across Redwood Shores Parkway from The Marketplace, Redwood Shores' only major shopping center.
Restaurant choices at The Marketplace run toward fast food and Starbucks, but that's okay with Redwood Shores residents. Laurel Street, the shopping and dining center of downtown San Carlos, is only 3.5 miles from the Redwood Shores lagoon, and the Hillsdale Shopping Center, in San Mateo, is a 10-minute drive away. Redwood Shores gets the best of both worlds: convenience and quiet.
 
Why is Redwood Shores part of Redwood City if you can't get from one to the other without passing through another town? Because in 1959, when Leslie Salt was proposing its 60,000-person planned community, both San Carlos and Belmont spurned the then-virtual city's advances. Neither wanted to annex something so potentially large, so Redwood City stepped in. Ironically, today Oracle's gleaming towers can be seen from anywhere in downtown Belmont.

Overview for Redwood Shores, CA

11,783 people live in Redwood Shores, where the median age is 43 and the average individual income is $91,767. Data provided by the U.S. Census Bureau.

11,783

Total Population

43 years

Median Age

High

Population Density Population Density This is the number of people per square mile in a neighborhood.

$91,767

Average individual Income

Around Redwood Shores, CA

There's plenty to do around Redwood Shores, including shopping, dining, nightlife, parks, and more. Data provided by Walk Score and Yelp.

17
Car-Dependent
Walking Score
69
Bikeable
Bike Score

Points of Interest

Explore popular things to do in the area, including Baked By Renie, OLHSO Korean BBQ & Seafood Truck, and Coach John Ward- ThrowLow.

Name Category Distance Reviews
Ratings by Yelp
Dining 1.92 miles 5 reviews 5/5 stars
Dining 3.09 miles 25 reviews 5/5 stars
Active 1.78 miles 5 reviews 5/5 stars
Active 3.47 miles 5 reviews 5/5 stars
Active 3.33 miles 8 reviews 5/5 stars
Active 1.78 miles 5 reviews 5/5 stars

Demographics and Employment Data for Redwood Shores, CA

Redwood Shores has 4,739 households, with an average household size of 3. Data provided by the U.S. Census Bureau. Here’s what the people living in Redwood Shores do for work — and how long it takes them to get there. Data provided by the U.S. Census Bureau. 11,783 people call Redwood Shores home. The population density is 8,455.31 and the largest age group is Data provided by the U.S. Census Bureau.

11,783

Total Population

High

Population Density Population Density This is the number of people per square mile in a neighborhood.

43

Median Age

46.26 / 53.74%

Men vs Women

Population by Age Group

0-9:

0-9 Years

10-17:

10-17 Years

18-24:

18-24 Years

25-64:

25-64 Years

65-74:

65-74 Years

75+:

75+ Years

Education Level

  • Less Than 9th Grade
  • High School Degree
  • Associate Degree
  • Bachelor Degree
  • Graduate Degree
4,739

Total Households

3

Average Household Size

$91,767

Average individual Income

Households with Children

With Children:

Without Children:

Marital Status

Married
Single
Divorced
Separated

Blue vs White Collar Workers

Blue Collar:

White Collar:

Commute Time

0 to 14 Minutes
15 to 29 Minutes
30 to 59 Minutes
60+ Minutes

Schools in Redwood Shores, CA

All ()
Primary Schools ()
Middle Schools ()
High Schools ()
Mixed Schools ()
The following schools are within or nearby Redwood Shores. The rating and statistics can serve as a starting point to make baseline comparisons on the right schools for your family. Data provided by the U.S. Census Bureau.
Type
Name
Category
Grades
School rating

Property Listings

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