San Miguel

San Miguel is basically a neighborhood in Concord. For some reason which I do not know, it is instead listed as a “Census Designated Place”. I don’t know what that means, but apparently it is not technically a part of Concord or Walnut Creek to the south.

It is a total hodgepodge of a neighborhood as well, with a mix of single family homes, planned communities, mobile homes, apartments, business offices and work yards used by BART and for a mini storage facility. It also has a hill to its east with a pretty good trail, perfect for a walk or maybe even for biking.

BART’s Concord Station is just to the north though probably not close enough for most people to make it there on foot, but definitely close enough to ease the commute if you get there early enough to find a parking space.

On the far northern end of the neighborhood, near BART is a modeled community. It is one of those nicer communities with newer buildings in a fairly traditional California style with adobe walls and red-tiled roofs. If you like that kind of community setting for living, this could be an option for you. Condos here go for about $275 K or so--these condos/homes are pretty new having been built in 2008.

You will also find a couple of industrial areas here where some companies have their HQ’s, I think. Systron Donner--some kind of defense contractor that makes sensors and GPS systems has an office which I think is their headquarters here. The Educational Testing Service (ETS) who makes the SAT and other similar tests, also has an office here.

Much of the middle section of San Miguel is made up of two large mobile home parks with some apartments sandwiched in between them. Prices run at less than $100 K.

On the southern end of the neighborhood there is the BART repair yard and the mini-storage yard. And south of that is a nicely kept set of homes that could almost be a neighborhood onto itself. the homes are large Ranch homes and they are on quiet streets where kids can play basketball without worrying too much about traffic.

Unfortunately the schools here are not too great and crime is sort of so so as well.

Overall a pretty good neighborhood that I would not recommend it for families especially because of the mediocre schools.