Mariposa and Cottonwood, CA. Pros and cons?

[BeauCharles]

Originally Posted by Unsworth

Lived in Mariposa for about 25 years. Raised my family there. Of the few places I would live in California this would be one of them. Small town, conservative and people are friendlier there than a lot of California. You do not feel oppressed by crime. Walked around town day or night and did not feel threatened. Too quiet for some people. Yosemite not far away. Ansel Adams Wilderness Area not far away. Traffic not an issue. (No stop lights in the entire town) Weather is typical for California but it cools off at night a littler better than the low lands. Warm to hot summers and not so cold winters. The amount of snow you get is really a function of elevation. The family that owns the one large grocery store in town has improved it over the years. If you like to garden the soil is not so great.

Totally forgot about that . Yeah, its pretty rocky reddish clay. My dad took some old railroad ties and built kind of a semi-raised bed into the hillside by our house. Hauled in a bunch of manure and decent fill dirt and mixed it with the native poor mountain soil. Worked pretty well. I will say that if you have 10-15 acres it can definitely keep you busy. Seems we had some project going all the time maintaining and improving the place.

[lovetogarden]

My son is starting college at UCMerced in the fall. He is my only child and I am a single mom. With that being said I want to relocate to a relatively quiet, crime free place near him. Mariposa sounds ideal. However I need to have work. I have office skills, gardening experience and can cook. Would love to work with children. I do not like to drive in the fog, so does anyone have the names of some towns near UCM that fit my situation? Would probably rent a house, how much is the average rent?

[tikkasf]

Originally Posted by lovetogarden

My son is starting college at UCMerced in the fall. He is my only child and I am a single mom. With that being said I want to relocate to a relatively quiet, crime free place near him. Mariposa sounds ideal. However I need to have work. I have office skills, gardening experience and can cook. Would love to work with children. I do not like to drive in the fog, so does anyone have the names of some towns near UCM that fit my situation? Would probably rent a house, how much is the average rent?

Perhaps a bit more information would result in some helpful replies in regard to rents. What size house would work for you....1 or 2 bedrooms ? What is your rental budget? My thoughts are you may be better off planning on living in Merced or town close by given your comments on employment and winter driving on a country rode may not be for you. If you prefer a house, I suggest looking for a older 2 bedroom home. couple examples below (I know which neighborhoods are crime ridden)

https://www.rentjungle.com/859-w-21s...20460c984899f/
http://www.featuredrentals.com/details/4J7QK2

[lovetogarden]

Thank you soo much. Im looking for a two bed two bath maybe one bath if I really like it. No more the $900 a month. I would love an older home with a cute little yard. Doesn't have to be fancy at all. I would take great care of it and be a good neighbor. No parties, early to rise and early to bed. Thank you again.

[Michael Hollister]

Moved to Mariposa in 2000. The town was a bona fide rural area/stop, with no stop-signs, stop-lights or traffic. Urban crime did not exist per se--where there are people there is crime--and you can leave your doors and cars unlocked without concern. Jobs were scare, most being seasonal (Yosemite, tourist businesses), with zero night-life after 10 pm, restaurants, fast-food, and quickee marts included. Virtually NO cell phone service, at all.
2018 Mariposa is different. Traffic--not necessarily bumper-to-bumper, but time-/noise-impacting--is tangible now. The first 4-way stop is north of town. There are partial sidewalks in some areas. A homeless shelter and an inmate release program, has been added. A modern, and fairly large, public assistance building affords increased employment opportunities to Mariposa locals in the government sector. An often "cliquey," predisposed, older population, however (coupled with the usual, government "listings"--the latter of which seems manipulated by current workers--) pretty much guarantees a need to relocate for work.
A drugstore doubles as a pseudo-Walmart (large, unique inventory). There is a Subway, and a Burger King. There is one grocery store, which caters overtly to tourists, but leaves locals to deal with fatty, overpriced meat; and a meager "at-first-blush" selection of same. The store is remodeled and employees regularly "profile" customers--(some!) are asked subjectively to "leave backpacks up front"--likely because of theft, an influx of people migrating to work in Yosemite, and people taking advantage of upgraded, public programs. EVERYTHING costs more in the mountains, a sad reality since many exist on fixed (or zero) incomes.
There IS cell service in Mariposa, but little outside of town. Internet exists, but one provider guarantees customer "abuse" via sketchy service.
Schools are above national standards, academically, with graduates competing successfully in all subjects on national campuses. It is unfortunate there is little for the young in Mariposa.
Drugs (meth) is a problem, generating substantial difficulties within the community. I would not recommend the local hospital. Period.
Wildlife is in abundance, still, and seeing deer, fox, turkeys, and various bird life soothes.
Police are like any small, town law enforcement--current "toys," vehicles, replete with "as-needed" quotas to feed same--sans overwhelming crime.
Zero diversity within the population. Large older population. Women outnumber men. Lagging technical knowledge/education; many not familiar with Hulu.
Mariposa weather is in the 100s in summer--every summer--and drops to nighttime lows in the 30s about 4-5 weeks in winter. You will need heat. Air-quality is very good--no smog--but burning is allowed, and woodstoves are used still, so there are days when a smokey haze is evident in early morning hours.
There is bus service to Merced and Yosemite. Services (plumbers, lawn care, housekeepers, car maintenance) are in short supply in Mariposa. It is necessary to go off the mountain to get help; sometimes as far as Fresno.
Rental properties are scare, with rental costs ranging from $675-$950. Prices inflate during tourist season. Housing purchases are lower than most of California, and availability is up as people relocate for employment. Despite Mariposa's scenic attributes, and friendly population, unemployment is an ongoing issue. There are still no nighttime attractions; everything closes by 10pm.
Mariposa is a mostly quiet, rural town that caters to tourists. If you have steady income, Mariposa is for you. If you are in reasonably good health, Mariposa is for you. If you're seeking a short, break from urban hassles, Mariposa is for you. Your dollar buys more in Mariposa, compared to the rest of California, but purchasing power is mitigated greatly by goods and services unavailability.
It all sounds more terrible than it actually is. Mariposa is a nice, little town everyone should visit; just remain realistic about what you seek longterm.

[BeauCharles]

Originally Posted by Michael Hollister

If you are in reasonably good health, Mariposa is for you.

This is why we relocated to Merced. Dad got lung cancer that spread to his bones and the trips to his GP in Merced and Doctor's Hospital in Modesto were so painful for him. Its not the first time I've seen this. Its a big retirement community, but only of a certain age. Once people get quite elderly or in ill health they usually have to move back down to wherever they came from for family support and medical care.

[NorthernFog]

Originally Posted by NoMoreSnowForMe

I think the Cottonwood/Red Bluff area is nice. Nicer than Redding proper, but you're close enough to take advantage of what Redding has to offer - health care, great shopping, concerts, etc.

The only real downside to the area is the weather. I moved there to retire a couple years ago, and it was just too bloomin' hot for me, so I moved away. Seriously, it's 100+ degrees from mid May to mid October. And it doesn't cool down at night. It's not unusual for it to be upwards of 117 degrees. Really. And it won't cool down until about 3 am, and then is intolerable by 10 am.

Otherwise, there is a lot to enjoy as far as outdoor recreation, such as fishing on the Sacramento River, and Whiskeytown Lake - when you can stand the heat.

Winters are wonderful, because it's really sunny. That area is one of the sunniest places on earth. And you won't get a lot of snow. It can get cold, but it will usually be sunny. But, the summers are very long and very brutal.

Redding is at the extreme northern end of the Central Valley. Mariposa is up out of the part of the Valley that is south of Sacramento.