Loading listings
Hayward is a city of about 160,000 in the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area, positioned between Oakland to the north and Fremont to the south along the east shore of the bay. The city has a long industrial and working-class history rooted in the canning, salt, and manufacturing industries, and today it is one of the more affordable mid-sized cities in the Bay Area. CSUEB sits on a hilltop above the flatlands near Mission Boulevard, and the campus draws students from across the East Bay and Central Valley. Two BART stations, a growing downtown restaurant scene along B Street and Main Street, and access to the regional trail network along the bay shore give Hayward a livability that students often underestimate. Rents are meaningfully lower than in Oakland or Berkeley, and the city's multicultural mix of Filipino, Latino, and South Asian communities creates a diverse dining and retail landscape along Mission Boulevard.
Blocks within walking distance of the Hayward BART station have the densest concentration of apartment buildings in the city, ranging from studio units to larger flats. The walkability score here is the highest in Hayward, with coffee shops, a farmers market, and essential services all nearby.
Mission Boulevard runs the length of the city and is lined with apartment complexes that suit students on most budget levels. Direct bus service to CSUEB runs along this road, making it a reliable choice for students who prefer not to rely on a car.
Castro Valley sits at the eastern edge of Hayward and offers a quieter suburban feel with access to BART for commutes to campus and the wider Bay Area. The neighborhood has a small-town downtown with good dining options and lower street noise than the Mission corridor.
South Hayward offers some of the city's most affordable rents and has seen infrastructure improvements in recent years near the South Hayward BART station. Students who prioritize rent savings over walkability often choose this area and use BART to bridge the distance to campus.
Here's what you need to know about getting around Hayward.
BART is the backbone of Hayward's transit network, with two stations serving the city: Hayward station near downtown and South Hayward station further south. Both connect directly to San Francisco, Oakland, and Fremont on the same line, making car-free commuting genuinely viable for CSUEB students. AC Transit bus routes supplement BART throughout the city, with lines running along Mission Boulevard and connecting to the CSUEB campus directly. Students who live within a few blocks of either BART station enjoy one of the stronger transit connections of any CSU campus in the Bay Area.
Downtown Hayward and the blocks immediately surrounding the Hayward BART station are reasonably walkable, with grocery stores, pharmacies, and restaurants within a short radius. The Mission Boulevard corridor is busy and best navigated by bike with traffic awareness, though a striped bike lane exists along portions of the route to campus. The Hayward Creek Trail and connections to the Bay Trail offer pleasant car-free routes for recreational rides. Students living in Castro Valley have hillier terrain but can reach the BART station on a direct downhill run that many find manageable.
Hayward's residential neighborhoods offer plentiful street parking in most areas outside of the downtown BART station vicinity, where permit zones apply. The CSUEB campus requires a valid permit for all vehicles parked on site, and popular lots near the library and student union fill before 9 a.m. on busy class days. Street parking along Mission Boulevard near campus is limited on weekdays, so students who drive should plan arrival times accordingly. Many off-campus apartments in the Mission corridor include one assigned parking space, which is worth confirming before signing a lease.
Common questions from students searching for housing.
One-bedroom apartments in Hayward generally range from $1,900 to $2,500 per month, which is lower than Oakland or Berkeley but still reflects Bay Area pricing. Shared two-bedroom units often work out to $1,100 to $1,500 per person. Rents in South Hayward and along Mission Boulevard tend to be on the lower end of the range.
Browse student housing near each Hayward-area university.