Moraga is off-the-beaten path in the Berkeley Hills
Moraga, in the Berkeley Hills, is spread across land that ranchers inhabited in the 1800s. Dairies and small farms eventually replaced the large ranches. Over the years, Moraga became more connected—and commutable—to the cities on the other side of the Berkeley Hills, first by rail, then by a highway dug through the Caldecott Tunnel, then a BART train. It is now home to 17,000 people.
Moraga makes up the southern point of a triangle of towns created by Moraga, Orinda and Lafayette. Collectively, these towns are known as Lamorinda, and they share a reputation for great schools and agreeable weather. Moraga is the furthest from Interstate 24, which connects the area to Berkeley and Oakland, where many residents commute to work in the professional and tech industries. “Moraga is a wonderful town with a small-town vibe in the heart of the Bay Area. We have beautiful, green rolling hills, and the schools are consistently rated at the top,” says Anya Gorman, a Realtor with Compass Realty who grew up in Moraga. “A lot of people come here from the cities. They come for the schools and stay for the wonderful community.”
The town of Moraga is surrounded by rolling hills, great schools, and nature.
Drive past the big cities, through the Caldecott Tunnel and head to quiet, upscale Moraga.
One of the main ways Moraga is connected the cities on the other side of the Berkeley Hills is via BART.
Moraga Commons Park includes a versatile skate park.
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Rheem Valley is the biggest residential area
Clusters of homes on generous lots line the hilly roads of Moraga. Many are ranch-style homes with open terraced backyards and views of the mountains. Multi-level contemporary homes with facades of brick, stone or stucco are also common. The median price for a home is $1.7 million, and home values are more than three times the national average.
The Rheem Valley area encompasses the central section of Moraga and includes the commercial district. Homes range from $1 million to $2.5 million. A cluster of condos near the town center is priced from $450,000 to $800,000. The Saint Mary’s neighborhood has townhomes and condos near the college that range from $600,000 to $1.2 million. In the southwest area of Moraga, hillside homes run up to $3 million.
Clusters of homes on generous lots line the hilly roads of Moraga.
Ranch homes in Moraga are large, modern, and very popular with residents.
Many of the luxury homes in Moraga have beautiful manicured gardens.
The Saint Mary’s neighborhood has lots of ranch homes and condos near the college that range from $600,000 to $1.2 million.
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Well-regarded schools include highly ranked Campolindo High
The Moraga School District serves the community and is graded A by Niche. Campolindo High School is graded A-plus and was ranked 27th in California by U.S. News. Nine of its students were finalists in the 2024 National Merit Scholarship program. Moraga is home to Saint Mary’s College, a private Catholic school established in 1863, with a student body of 4,000. The college offers over 70 majors and adds to the community’s culture with the Museum of Art and LeFevre Theatre, a performing arts theatre. In 2024, Town FC, a farm soccer team for the San Jose Earthquakes, began playing at Saint Mary’s Stadium.
Los Perales is a small elementary school with a great reputation.
Students are the highest priority at Orinda Intermediate School.
Campolindo High School is an A-plus graded and high ranked public high school.
Saint Mary's College of California is a private Catholic college in Moraga, California.
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Recreation and community life at Moraga Commons Park
Moraga Commons Park has playgrounds and sports facilities, and the Moraga Valley Swim & Tennis Club, in the center of town near Donald Reservoir, has trails with views of the hills. Moraga Country Club has an 18-hole golf course set in the hills. The 7-mile Lafayette-Moraga Trail was recently upgraded. It connects to Lafayette and is well-traveled by bikers and hikers. Surrounding the city are recreation areas such as Lafayette Reservoir Recreation Area and Orinda Oaks Open Space. Painted Rock on the hillside that overlooks the town is a feature that brings the community together. “We have a unique tradition,” says Gorman. “Kids in high school will paint it with team colors. Everyone sees it driving through town.”
Community events are held at Moraga Commons and Hacienda de las Flores Park. The September Pear & Wine Festival celebrates Moraga's history and the fall harvest. The Bunnies & Brews is a happy hour gathering in March that features food trucks and live entertainment. Plus, there's a Fourth of July celebration, a summer concert series and a tree lighting in December.
Feel like a kid again at Moraga Commons Park, which has playgrounds and sports facilities to enjoy for locals and visitors alike.
Donald reservoir is a 260-acre park that offers views of the valley and Mount Diablo.
A man practices his driving at the Moraga Country Club, which has an 18-hole golf course set in the hills.
Painted Rock on the hillside that overlooks Moraga is a feature that brings the community together.
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Rheem Valley Shopping Center includes a movie house and art gallery
Moraga is home to Canyon Club Brewery, a brewpub with an outdoor space and live music. It often has a waiting list for seating. Ristorante Amoroma is an old favorite that has been around since 2002. Rheem Theatre shows first-run movies in an Art Deco building with a colorful exterior, and Moraga Art Gallery hosts local artist receptions. Midtown shopping areas midtown have big box stores, while nearby Lafayette has a thriving downtown area on Mount Diablo Boulevard.
The Canyon Club Brewing is a brewpub with an outdoor space with great food and live music.
The Moraga Art Gallery hosts local artist and receptions and its an artists's magnet in the community.
Rheem Theatre shows first-run movies in an Art Deco building in Moraga.
Grocery shopping made easy at Moraga's Safeway.
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Moraga Way for getting in and out of town
Moraga Way is the main route to enter and exit Moraga. It goes through Orinda to connect with Interstate 24, which connects to East Bay cities. It's 13 miles to Berkeley and Oakland, 22 miles to San Francisco and 21 miles to Oakland International Airport. These places are all accessible by BART as well, which has a station in Orinda. The County Connection system offers bus service to the Moraga area, with several stops along Moraga Way. The John Muir Medical Center in Walnut Creek is under 10 miles away.
Bay Area fog, with a chance of wildfires
During the summer, fog comes over the Berkeley Hills and settles into the valley, but it burns off by afternoon. Moraga is at risk of wildfires; a blaze caused evacuations in 2019, but it was contained before reaching town. Moraga shares a fire district with Orinda, and local officials are addressing risks by enforcing rules such as banning vegetation near structures and funding gutter guards that protect homes from flying embers.
Crime rates in Moraga
The overall crime rate in Moraga decreased by 14% from 2022 to 2023, according to the town’s police department. Data from the California Department of Justice shows the property crime rate has gone down steadily since 2002. The violent crime rate has increased a bit, but the actual numbers are low, with 1.19 violent crimes per 1,000 people reported in 2023.
Caldecott Properties and founder Andy Read joined Corcoran Icon Properties in 2022. Andy specializes in residential real estate in the East Bay and has brokered over $1 billion in sales. Prior to founding Caldecott Properties in 2005, Andy began his real estate career in New York City before joining San Francisco-based Lofts Unlimited.
Founded by Barbara Corcoran in the 1970’s, Corcoran remains the #1 residential brokerage in Manhattan and one of the fastest growing brokerages on the West Coast. Corcoran Icon Properties has 24 offices throughout Northern California & the Bay Area with 800+ sales associates.
Andy’s listings have been featured in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Architectural Digest, Dwell, San Francisco Chronicle, People Magazine, San Francisco Business Times, USA Today.
A Bay Area native, Andy graduated from U.C. Davis with degrees in Sociology and Philosophy. Andy enjoys renovating houses, 60’s movies, pick-up basketball, and supporting animals & the arts.
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