Alamo

Alamo is a prestigious unincorporated community located on Interstate 680 just south of Walnut Creek and rising into the foothills of Mt. Diablo. Sometimes, Alamo is referred to as “Alamo-Blackhawk” as steady development flows one area into another. Both areas are considered big-money communities, home to top and rising executives.

Alamo has a population of 15, 626 with 94 percent of the resident homeowners. Several large homes and estates hide behind hedges and Alamo has some streets nestled among large oaks and tall pines.

Recreation includes the Roundhill subdivision private 18-hole golf course and tennis courts and Livorna Park. Regional parks and Mt. Diablo State park are located nearby. Many residents can afford their own tennis courts and pools and horses. Several stables and riding academies can be found in or around town.

Alamo is served by the San Ramon Valley School District, and schools score very high, top 10 percent in state. Parents do (and are expected to do) a lot of fund raising for the schools and assist with school activities. The district has recently opened four schools but is still short of space and Alamo schools are crowded, which might force changes in the attendance boundaries. Check with the school district (925) 552-5500.

Alamo is patrolled by the sheriff’s department, which has a substation in Alamo. Most of Alamo taxes itself for extra protection from the sheriff’s department. Some homeowners buy private security and some of the new subdivisions are gated. 

San Francisco commuters have to get through the Caldecott Tunnel and over the Bay Bridge bottlenecks. BART stations in Walnut Creek and Pleasanton offer alternatives.