Montclair is an affluent neighborhood in the Oakland hills,part of the larger Montclair District, and considered by real estate brokers, mainstream media, and Bay Area residents as among Oakland's most prestigious neighborhoods.
It's a Greenstreets map area more than anything. It's also an Oakland colloquialism. When people say "Montclair," they either refer to the wider Montclair District or the shopping area, Montclair Village, or any of the surrounding neighborhoods in the hills. The neighborhood extending behind and around Montclair Village––east and west of Highway 13 –– is considered as "Montclair" as well. Montclair consists of tree-lined streets, narrow and winding roads, and an eclectic mix of homes ranging from early twentieth century cottages and substantial mid-century moderns to large mansions and estates. Irrespective of style,size, and age, homes in Montclair consistently rate among the most expensive real estate in Oakland.
Children who live in Montclair attend one of the three Montclair schools: Joaquin Miller, Montclair, and Thornhill. Thornhill draws from the western part of the Montclair neighborhood, around the Thornhill canyon. Montclair Elementary students live behind Montclair Village or to the section of Montclair south of Highway 13. Joaquin Miller students live around Shepard Canyon or in the Piedmont Pines area.
As one of Oakland's premier hillside communities, Montclair is known for its panoramic views of the San Francisco Bay and wooded canyons, the charming Village commercial district, highly rated schools, and the classic (and contested) American marker of a neighborhood's preferred social and economic status : high real estate prices and low crime rates..
