Neighborhood Facts
The Lower San Antonio neighborhood is one of the most diverse communities in Oakland.
Race and Ethnicity: Total Population 399,477
| White | 19.8 percent |
| Black | 18.9 percent |
| Native American | .09 percent |
| Asian Pacific Islander | 36 percent |
| Other | 18.5 percent |
| Two or More Races | 5.9 percent |
| Latino (of any race) | 35.2 percent |
Source: U.S. Census 2000
The Lower San Antonio district is a gateway for immigrants wanting to settle in the Bay Area. Nearly 48 percent of the neighborhoods foreign-born residents come from Latin America. About 41 percent come from Asia.
A significant number of residents in the neighborhood are struggling to make ends meet. According to the U.S. Census, the median annual household income in the Lower San Antonio is $38,820 (1999 dollars) compared with $57, 267 for Oakland’s overall annual media household income. In 2000, the 28.5 percent of the Lower San Antonio’s residents lived in poverty compared to 9.7 percent of Oakland’s total population. That same year, 42.5 percent of the Lower San Antonio’s children lived in poverty compared to 12.3 percent of Oakland’s children.
Many who live in the Lower San Antonio are linguistically isolated from the rest of Oakland and the Bay Area. According to the U.S. Census, 32 percent of residents here do not speak English well. About 33 percent of residents speak English only in the household. Twenty-nine percent speak Spanish in the home and 21 percent speak Chinese at home.
Despite a push to develop more stability in the neighborhood, the Lower San Antonio continues to show signs of transiency. Most residents, about 77 percent, rent their homes, while 18.6 percent own the homes they live in. In comparison, about 56 percent of Oakland residents rent their homes, while 38 percent own the homes they live in.