How does Sacramento stack up against Anaheim?

[ryanst530]

Originally Posted by Mr5150

Aniaheim is part of greater LA. Sacramento is not. Unless Disneyland is your reason for living, Sacramento is the clear winner.

OC has a lot going for it, not just Disneyland. Beaches are nearby, mountains/trails are nearby, there is a high quality restaurant scene, high quality shopping scene, aesthetically appealing residential neighborhoods, great schools, great weather, and a fantastic overall vibe.

Sacramento has fewer of these things. It's a perfectly functional city with a bit of something for everyone, but it's not as all-inclusive as OC/Anaheim, hence why OC/Anaheim is a highly sought after location for many and very expensive.

That being said, OC/Anaheim's desirability is somewhat irrelevant if you can't afford living there. As with everything in life, we take what we have and make the best of it. You can still enjoy a very high quality of living in Sacramento, or for that matter, any location in California with the right mindset and some creative thinking.

[Chimérique]

Ryan, a fair assessment you gave, i agree. Except for the all-inclusive bit. That "all-inclusive" is for the 1%.

Sacramento is one of the most diverse AND integrated cities in the USA.

Your bit about enjoying a high quality of life in Sacramento is true and I could afford to live in Orange County but I choose Sacramento not just because housing costs are cheaper but because I like what it has and where its going. My money goes a lot further in Sac, I find I can do more of the California cool things throughout the state, and Sacramento has enough of that Cool stuff right in town.

Sacto Metro has a lot going for it. Rivers and Lakes, mountains and hills nearby, there is a high quality restaurant scene, high quality shopping scene, aesthetically appealing residential neighborhoods, great schools, great weather, and a fantastic overall vibe.

Folsom (Sacto County) was named the best city in California to raise a family.

Incidentally, LA often maligns the OC; but I've always liked OC. When I lived in LA, I would occasionally drive down to Huntington Beach to surf for a change of pace over LA beaches.

[tstieber]

Anaheim actually has a surprisingly cool and walkable downtown, but it's nowhere near the scale of Sacramento. Anaheim itself is just okay, and it needs is greater context within OC to be attractive, whereas Sac is a true, historic, established city. I personally think that Anaheim's access to nearby beaches and mountains, compared to the Midwestern flatness of Sac, gives it an edge for day to day scenery, but as far as the attributes of a city, there's no comparison to Sacramento.

I'm still incredulous that nobody is comparing the obvious OC counterpart to Sacramento, which is Long Beach. Similar population, both with historic Victorian neighborhoods adjacent to an established downtown with thriving food and arts scenes, comparable skylines, etc. They could be siblings.

[pacific2]

Originally Posted by tstieber

Anaheim actually has a surprisingly cool and walkable downtown, but it's nowhere near the scale of Sacramento. Anaheim itself is just okay, and it needs is greater context within OC to be attractive, whereas Sac is a true, historic, established city. I personally think that Anaheim's access to nearby beaches and mountains, compared to the Midwestern flatness of Sac, gives it an edge for day to day scenery, but as far as the attributes of a city, there's no comparison to Sacramento.

I'm still incredulous that nobody is comparing the obvious OC counterpart to Sacramento, which is Long Beach. Similar population, both with historic Victorian neighborhoods adjacent to an established downtown with thriving food and arts scenes, comparable skylines, etc. They could be siblings.

That's an interesting comparison, but Long Beach is actually in LA County, not OC.

[tstieber]

Originally Posted by pacific2

That's an interesting comparison, but Long Beach is actually in LA County, not OC.

Oh wow, you're right! I always thought it was the northernmost point of OC. Thanks for that info. It does make an interesting comparison against Sacramento though!

[sean1the1]

Originally Posted by tstieber

Oh wow, you're right! I always thought it was the northernmost point of OC. Thanks for that info. It does make an interesting comparison against Sacramento though!

Yeah, despite being in LA County I know what you mean. long Beach is an entire city with almost 500k people, and has so much to it. It will always be overshadowed by it's big brother LA though the two even border each other, and 4 million people makes 500k look like nothing. OTHO it's the best comparison for Sacramento than anything in OC. Not to mention Long Beach is actually a beach lol with many affordable areas. I've recently come to love long Beach it has some beautiful neighborhoods, and districts.

[Chimérique]

Originally Posted by tstieber

Oh wow, you're right! I always thought it was the northernmost point of OC. Thanks for that info. It does make an interesting comparison against Sacramento though!

Yeah, I almost bought a house in Long Beach. It is an interesting comparison, yet not, because it's really just another part of LA. When living in LA sometimes we would take the blue down (downtown LA to downtown Long Beach) just for variety but it didn't feel that much different than LA, lots of grit, and it feels like LA more than it feels like OC.

Having said that, Long Beach is right next door to Seal Beach which is in OC. The City of Seal Beach is like one of the last city beach towns that still have nice little manicured stucco single family homes with little yards right up to the beach, like time forgot (looks like PB in the early 80's.) Actually, I could be wrong about Seal Beach these days as those little homes could now be giant apartment buildings now, as I have not been in 3 or more years.

Similarity with Sacto: Long Beach had one of the largest share of craftsman style homes in California, and there are a lot of state workers down there, population size, cool older neighborhoods from the 20's, 30's, 40's that are still preserved. Long Beach State and Sacramento State.

I do fly into Long Beach airport sometimes from Sacramento as it is an easy in easy out airport. We try to always fly into the airport that is closest to our activities in LA: either Long Beach, LAX, Burbank, Ontario or OC.

Median Home Value-Cost

Sacramento $320,000

Long Beach $590,000
Anaheim $598,000

[tstieber]

Originally Posted by Chimérique

Yeah, I almost bought a house in Long Beach. It is an interesting comparison, yet not, because it's really just another part of LA. When living in LA sometimes we would take the blue down (downtown LA to downtown Long Beach) just for variety but it didn't feel that much different than LA, lots of grit, and it feels like LA more than it feels like OC.

Having said that, Long Beach is right next door to Seal Beach which is in OC. The City of Seal Beach is like one of the last city beach towns that still have nice little manicured stucco single family homes with little yards right up to the beach, like time forgot (looks like PB in the early 80's.) Actually, I could be wrong about Seal Beach these days as those little homes could now be giant apartment buildings now, as I have not been in 3 or more years.

Similarity with Sacto: Long Beach had one of the largest share of craftsman style homes in California, and there are a lot of state workers down there, population size, cool older neighborhoods from the 20's, 30's, 40's that are still preserved. Long Beach State and Sacramento State.

I do fly into Long Beach airport sometimes from Sacramento as it is an easy in easy out airport. We try to always fly into the airport that is closest to our activities in LA: either Long Beach, LAX, Burbank, Ontario or OC.

Median Home Value-Cost

Sacramento $320,000

Long Beach $590,000
Anaheim $598,000

We visited Long Beach last Fall for the First Time In many years and were really struck by the physical similarities of the two cities. The similarly-sized downtown, the hipster coffee shops and breakfast places scattered around the periphery of the downtown, the old neighborhoods and their architecture, and the leafy, tree-lined streets that are not as common in Southern California. Although reasonably close to LA, it still seemed pretty far and very much is own separate entity.

Median home price isn't bad for SoCal!

[sean1the1]

Originally Posted by tstieber

We visited Long Beach last Fall for the First Time In many years and were really struck by the physical similarities of the two cities. The similarly-sized downtown, the hipster coffee shops and breakfast places scattered around the periphery of the downtown, the old neighborhoods and their architecture, and the leafy, tree-lined streets that are not as common in Southern California. Although reasonably close to LA, it still seemed pretty far and very much is own separate entity.

Median home price isn't bad for SoCal!

The Belmont shore area, and the Naples islands are some of my favorite neighborhoods in California. Most people have their boats right in their back yard up to the canal's, and the homes have a Manhattan Beach type design winch would make you think you weren't in Long Beach.