Vandenberg AFB Area (and yes I read the other threads on it) (Lancaster: mortgage)

[Eol]

So I am debating taking a job out at Vandenberg AFB and spent the last couple days reading threads here on it, calling real estate agents, and talking to some local co-workers out there but nobody telling me what I want to hear.

Basically as far as I can tell I am going to want to move Vandenberg Village or even better, out near Solvang, Ballard, or Buellton but even that doesn't help me much (and wiki isn't helping either).

What I need to know is:

1) Are any of these area's livable on 4000 take home a month (renting, not buying) and do folk actually rent houses out that way?

2) Are these area's country / rural? I see lots of open space when I look at a map and I can't imagine their aren't farm houses / ranch houses for rent out in BFE between the cities / towns ... I mean I am seeing nothing along 1

3) What I really want when I get down to it is a area that is safe my three year old daughter to play unsupervised and I can afford to live making #1 ... I am single income (the wife is a housewife) so #1 is the big one ... especially as I have a house I am already paying a mortgage on in the Midwest (that 4K is after I pay that mortgage) ...

The numbers look nice on paper but not trying to have my quality of life suffer; especially as I am not one of those "California is awesome so no matter where you live here its better than anywhere else" people.

My gut feeling at the moment that the entire area around Vanderberg AFB is either rich and nice (outside my pay range) or poor and I might as well be in Lancaster or Palm Dale .. e..g not much in the middle class arena

Also note that I am ok within a 30 minute commute of VAFB ... I was looking north up at Pismo Beach but I think the commute is hell

[SoCalif]

I live north of V.A.F.B. and I would say yes you could rent on an income of $4,000 a month. Yes, the area in which you describe is very much rural, many properties with horses, especially in the Santa Ynez Valley. The Santa Ynez/Buellton area I would consider safe. The Pismo Beach commute would be about 45 minutes to V.A.F.B. main gate via HWY 1, no traffic to deal with what so ever.

[Greenchili]

We live in Lompoc and hubs works on base. Im a "housewife" too,but prefer
term homemaker. Anyhoo, yes, you could live on that amount and rent.
The commute from Buellton wouldnt be bad. Its a lovely drive I think. Its
safe too. And by the way, California is awesome.


Greenchili

[SnowFlower]

Could anyone tell me if there is any company there on VAFB or in the general location looking to hire an Engineer ASAP!!!!

I would greatly appreciate any help in this endeavor.
Thank you

If you know of someone then please direct message me or even tell me in this forum if that is allowed.
Thanks again

[Woof]

Last time I looked into this area, someone said that rents were a little more reasonable in Lompoc than other places, although some said the quality of life there wasn't really great. I wouldn't know, never been there, but you could search the thread titles for "Lompoc".

[CA central coast]

Lompoc and Santa Maria would be the most affordable, I'd avoid them though. A bit higher crime, some gang activity. This area of CA is super expensive. 4000k a month take home ain't shabby. I believe you can rent and live fairly comfortable on that. You might want to look into maybe a nice area of Orcutt, and Los Alamos. I really like Los Olivos also.