What is Moraga?
Moraga is a small, suburban incorporated town in Contra Costa County, in the San Francisco Bay Area. Despite its size, Moraga is one of the wealthiest places in the United States (as of 2000).
To locate Moraga, it is surrounded by the cities of Lafayette and Orinda, unincorporated community of Canyon (formerly Sequoya), Walnut Creek, Oakland, San Francisco, Concord and Berkeley.
Town history
The town of Moraga’s rich and intresting history began when a Native American tribe called Saklan, from the Bay Miwok community used to inhabit the area.
The town was named for Joaquin Moraga, who was the grandson of Jose Joaquin Moraga, who was second in in command of the Juan Bautista de Anza’s 1776 expedition. The elder Moraga is also credited as the founder Presideio of San Francisco, and of El Pueblo de San Jose de Guadalupe, which is the present-day Califronia city of San Jose. Joaquin Moraga’s father, Gabriel Moraga, was also a soldier and early explorer.
After Mexico became independent from Spain in the early 19th century, Joaquin Moraga and his cousin Juan Bernal received a land grant from the Mexican government. Moraga and Bernal’s land grant was measured at 13,316 acres, and originally named as Rancho Laguna de los Palos Colorados (Ranch of the Lake of the Redwoods). In 1841 Moraga then erected an adobe structure on a hill which overlooed the Moraga Valley, which, in 1954, was designated a California Historical Landmark. Moraga’s adobe still stands today in the neighboring city of Orinda. and is considered the oldest existing structure building in the whole Contra Costa County. However, it’s a private dwelling owned by new residents, and not open to the public. Another structure that bears Moraga’s legacy is the Joaquin Moraga Intermediate School.
Moraga’s adobe and rancho provided a successful and comfortable life for him and his family, where evening fandagos and barbecue parties were often held. He sold three pieces of his property: The Redwoods of Canyon (to Elam Brown, who became the founder of Lafayette), six acres of land (to John Courter, the founder of Moraga Valley Store) and forty acres of land to squatter Isaac Gann.
Moraga opened its first post office in 1886, but a year later it closed. However, it repoened in 1915. In 1955 Moraga built and opened another new post office. During the first half of the 20th century the Oakland Antioch Railroad provided services from Oakland to Chico, with the line passing through Moraga. Now this line became the Sacramento Northern Railroad.
The town voted to be an incorporated town and it became such, on November 13, 1974. It became the Town of Moraga.
Is it nice to live in Moraga?
One of the nicest places to live in California is Moraga, which is located in Contra Costa County. Residents in Moraga enjoy a sparse suburban vibe, and the majority own their homes. There are numerous eateries, coffee shops, and parks in Moraga. In Moraga, which has a large population of retirees and young professionals, people tend to have moderate political views. High praise is given to Moraga’s public schools.
The economy in Moraga
The unemployment rate in Moraga is 6.8%. 6.0% is the US average. Over the past year, the job market in Moraga has grown by 1.4%. A greater rate of job growth than the US average of 33.5% is expected over the next 10 years, at 36.9%. A resident of Moraga makes an average yearly income of $60,576. The yearly average in the US is $28,555. A Moraga resident’s median yearly household income is $132,651. The yearly average in the US is $53,482.
The weather and climate in Moraga
On average, 24 inches of rain fall in Moraga, California each year. The average annual rainfall in the US is 38 inches. There is typically no snow in Moraga. Snowfall in the US averages 28 inches a year. In Moraga, there are typically 260 sunny days each year.
The US has 205 sunny days on average. On average, 66 days per year in Moraga have some form of precipitation. Rain, snow, sleet, or hail are all types of precipitation that fall on the earth’s surface. In Moraga, June, September, and August are the best months, while January and December are the least agreeable.
With an average high temperature of 82.8° in July, which is colder than much of California, Moraga has its hottest month. There are six pleasant months in Moraga, with average high temperatures of 70 to 85 degrees.
June, October, and September are the three most enjoyable months of the year in Moraga. In general, Moraga experiences modest, tolerable humidity levels. There are a few summer days when the humidity is terrible.
The three moistest (yet most comfortable) months are August, July, and June. With 4.4 inches of rain, February is the wettest month in Moraga, and July is the driest with 0.0 inches. With 11.1 rainy days, January is the rainy month in Moraga, and July is the driest with just 0.2 rainy days.
Moraga is one of the least snowy places in California because there hasn’t been much snowfall on record there. In Moraga, snowfall that can be measured is unusual. So if you don’t like snow, you can live here and you’ll love it.
The cost of living in Moraga
Moraga is more affordable than the US average if the number is less than 100. The cost of living in Moraga, California is higher when the index is above 100.
The population in Moraga
16,750 people call Moraga home. The population density is 1,793 persons per square mile. While the US median age is 37.4, Moraga’s is 44.7. In Moraga, there are 2.6 individuals per home, which is lower than the 2.6 national average. The family in Moraga: Married: 57.1%, Divorce rates are 7.8%, 35.6% of people are married with kids, 7.8% of unmarried people have children.
The education in Moraga
There are 8 schools in Moraga, 5 of which are public and 3 privates. The average cost per pupil in Moraga schools is $9,984, compared to $12,383 nationally. There are 21 students for every teacher, 0 for every librarian, and 1,856 for every counselor.
Campolindo High School, Saint Mary’s College of California, a private college, Los Perales Elementary, Donald L. Rheem School, Camino Pablo School, and Joaquin Moraga Intermediate School are all located in Moraga. 2011 saw Moraga ranked as one of the best cities to live and learn in.
Things to do/Places to visit in Moraga
#11 NCAA basketball team, St. Mary’s Gaels
The St. Mary’s Gaels, who are presently ranked 11th in the NCAA basketball league, are from Moraga. This private college’s Spanish Renaissance, California Mission, and Observatory architecture is a sight to behold. There are game tickets available, and it beats rush-hour traffic in Oakland.
The Oakland Hills
The Oakland Hills are generally a Moraga tradition, although they are technically in Oakland. Local youth find them to be a mainstay. One ascends to routes like Fish Ranch and Grizzly Peak to truly stunning sights after driving via the winding roads of the nearby canyon. If there isn’t any fog, the Hills are at their most beautiful after sunset, making the picturesque (and lengthier) route to Berkeley and Oakland the ideal option.
The Redwood Trail
Redwood Park and the larger park system in the Oakland hills offer dozens of miles of single track in the forests and are situated in the canyon area between Oakland and Moraga. The parks, which slant uphill and downwards, are incredibly quiet and continue to be covered in shadow from the Redwood branch. One can choose to hike the lengthy and extremely steep French trail, which circles through the Chabot neighborhood of Oakland, or they can choose to go straight via the picnic and field area on a milder inclination.
The Commons
The Commons is a park that has a trail head, a frisbee golf course, a bocce ball pit, skating domes, and play areas. It’s a fun spot to pass the time with friends. In the summer, family-friendly bands perform at the theater, which primarily serves as a public gathering place for kids to run around.
La Hacienda
La Hacienda, which was initially constructed in 1916 as an orphanage, was enlarged throughout the 1970s while it was owned by Donald Rheem. He added horsetracks and stables, tennis courts, and a swimming facility to the site. La Hacienda, a real Spanish mansion, subtly echoes the ancient and beautiful aesthetic of Iberian culture, in contrast to most of contemporary Californian architecture. The mansion is now accessible to the general public and frequently hired out for weddings. The estate’s gardens and paths are available for the public to enjoy in addition to the main residence.
Hiking at Rancho Laguna Park
Rancho Laguna Park is reached by turning left onto Camino Pablo after continuing on Moraga Road to the west. The park itself is a beautiful area with BBQ grills. The paths that start at the park’s rear are where you’ll find Rancho Laguna’s true gem. These routes can be used to a scenic trail that runs alongside the Moraga reservoir by passing through lovely hillside pastures. Although many residents use these trails, they never feel crowded.
Frisbee Golf at Moraga Commons
Frisbee golf, a game adored by fraternities everywhere, is just one of the many activities available at Moraga Commons Park, which is also home to a number of open grassy areas perfect for picnics and BBQs, as well as basketball hoops, a skate park, sand volleyball courts, a cross-fit trail, and a children’s playground. The nine-hole Moraga Frisbee Golf Course winds its way around the hill at Moraga Commons Park. A wonderful workout and view are combined as the course winds up and down the hill.
A few other interesting facts about Moraga
Moraga is home to the branch of the Contra Costa County Library, and Saint Mary’s College of California, whose original location used to be in San Francisco and then in Oakland. Moraga has also been known as a “dog-friendly” town since 1979, where it adopts an off leash use times at all of its community parks — so Moraga might be your pet dog’s haven!
As of 2000 census, this lovely little town was named one of the highest-income areas in the United States, ranking at no. 79. The town’s population stands at 16,016, as of 2010 US census.
We interviewed a truck driver for ecodumpster, he drives all around the bay area yet describes Moraga Ca as “without a doubt the hidden jewel of the San Francisco bay”. Take that for what you will but Moraga is amazing.
Conclusion
Although Moraga may seem small to you, it undoubtedly has much to offer. This one can be ideal for you if you desire to reside somewhere without many people.