Best place to live in Northern California? (Sacramento, Roseville: house prices, tech jobs)

[Catkin]

We are currently living in the UK and are thinking of moving to Northern California but don't know whereabouts to live. My husband works in IT (AIX / Linux Administrator) and we have 2 daughters (age 5 and 10 months). We therefore would like to live somewhere within reasonable communting distance to IT work and large shops but ideally in a small friendly town with good schools and a baptist church. We are looking to buy a detached house with a good size garden (maybe with a pool) in a friendly neighbourhood. Great weather would be a bonus. It would be nice to be able to get to a beach within a 45 minute drive (not essential though) and for vacations we like to spend time camping / lake fishing / kayaking etc. (obviously when baby is bigger!!) Can anyone recommend somewhere that would suit us? Also, what are the pros and cons of living in northern california? If you have any links to IT jobs and salaries in the area / house prices that would be very much appreciated. Thanks in advance!

[LiveInColfax]

With wanting to be near the ocean I would suggest Sebastapol, St Helena, Bodega, maybe Petaluma (that is a bigger city though). If you can be farther from the ocean Placer & El Dorado Counties have high tech jobs and a scattering of smaller towns all within 40 minutes or so of Sacramento. I would suggest Granite Bay, Folsom, Newcastle, Auburn as a few possibilites, it all depends on your definition of a small town. Intel is in Folsom, HP in Roseville. There are lots of recreation lakes, camping in the mountains. Nevada City and Grass Valley also have some high tech jobs, good schools, and shopping, cooler winters.

[$$$Devin$$$]

i would suggest the redding area up mopre towards oregon. I visited down there for maybe a week and was surprised at the weather and awesome atmosphere down there.

[Charles]

Originally Posted by Catkin

We therefore would like to live somewhere within reasonable communting distance to IT work and large shops but ideally in a small friendly town with good schools and a baptist church. We are looking to buy a detached house with a good size garden (maybe with a pool) in a friendly neighbourhood. Great weather would be a bonus. It would be nice to be able to get to a beach within a 45 minute drive (not essential though) and for vacations we like to spend time camping / lake fishing / kayaking etc. (obviously when baby is bigger!!) Can anyone recommend somewhere that would suit us? Also, what are the pros and cons of living in northern california? If you have any links to IT jobs and salaries in the area / house prices that would be very much appreciated. Thanks in advance!

Why do you want to move to Northern California?

Have you ever been to Northern California?

What is your housing price range?