Is Manhattan Beach, Los Angeles better than Palo Alto, Santa Clara in California? NorCal vs SoCal (San Francisco: homes, job market)

[ExoticLocales]

I'd like to know similarities and differences or just tell me why it is or isn't better.

[floppo02]

Wouldn't really want to live in either, both wealthy, and insular communities. I guess at gun-point I would rather live in Manhattan Beach not only because the homes look imo generally better, but I'm an LA boy, and it's pretty close to LA culture and amenities.


South Bay LA > South (SF) Bay

[Racer46]

Prefer the LA area as while not as beautiful the weather is better; of course homeless are an issue there.

[18Montclair]

These are 2 of my favorite places but for different reasons. I think Manhattan Beach is in a better location relative to LA than Palo Alto is relative to San Francisco, but then, Palo Alto is much more of it's own center of gravity, it has a world class university, it has one of the most upscale malls in the state(Stanford Shopping Center), it is the beating heart of the American venture capital scene and is a major Silicon Valley outpost of jobs and corporate headquarters.

Manhattan Beach is well, on a beach, and that is a major plus in my book, so if youre looking for a more laid back, beach-oriented lifestyle, smack in the middle of LA, MB of course, wins.

They both have excellent school districts, they both have really nice weather imo, they both have lots of affluent, cultured residents, both are in very interesting areas with lots nearby, etc.

As far as quality of life, I think Palo Alto edges out Manhattan Beach but we're talking 99.99% vs 99.95%--of course it all depends on a person's personal taste and what they are looking for in a place to live.

I voted for Palo Alto because it's definitely more my style, but I would have no problem living in Manhattan Beach too.

[roadwarrior101]

I think this is a loaded question. If you have the money to afford the lifestyle of Manhattan Beach (or other high-end SoCal beach towns, such as Newport Beach, Laguna Beach, La Jolla, Montecito, etc.) and can manage to avoid a massive commute, its tough to beat this.

The problem here is that the job market in LA overall is inferior to that of the Bay Area. Palo Alto is right in the heart of the Silicon Valley job center, so you probably could avoid a massive commute and have a top paying job. It likely will be tougher (not impossible though) to say that same if you lived in Manhattan Beach. LA job centers are more spread out and overall the industries don't pay as well, despite the top areas being as expensive as the Bay Area.

My other comment is on the weather. While I agree that year-round, Manhattan Beach has better weather vs PA, I think the summers are nicer in PA. I tend to prefer warmer/sunnier weather. Manhattan Beach (and much of the SoCal coastal areas) tend to get a lot of fog and not often terribly warm. Granted, they're still warmer than the coastal areas in NorCal, but in NorCal, most of the "prime" areas are a bit further inland.

[ExoticLocales]

Thanks for the replies. Commute is not a factor. Both places are an option too, though it seems MB is dominating the Poll.

[BRinSM]

To add to what others have said, it's a no-lose situation. I have lived in both LA and Bay Area and love both PA and MB. Having said that, if your career is in tech, PA is a clear winner. Also, if your outdoor preferences are for mountains and redwood forests, PA is a clear winner. I love the beach, but I find the forests much more approachable and refreshing. If you surf, you'll likely feel quite differently. In a perfect world, I'd be able to split my time between the two. To be clear though, it doesn't necessarily have to be those specific cities, there are plenty of fantastic options nearby both that aren't quite as expensive but still offer a great lifestyle.

[Racer46]

Originally Posted by BRinSM

To add to what others have said, it's a no-lose situation. I have lived in both LA and Bay Area and love both PA and MB. Having said that, if your career is in tech, PA is a clear winner. Also, if your outdoor preferences are for mountains and redwood forests, PA is a clear winner. I love the beach, but I find the forests much more approachable and refreshing. If you surf, you'll likely feel quite differently. In a perfect world, I'd be able to split my time between the two. To be clear though, it doesn't necessarily have to be those specific cities, there are plenty of fantastic options nearby both that aren't quite as expensive but still offer a great lifestyle.

Very good points.

[Bert_from_back_East]

Before posters begin singing the praises of Manhattan Beach, which they always do, you should probably know that the city experiences cool or cold weather about 335 days per year, and that might even be a lowball estimate.

[ExoticLocales]

Originally Posted by Bert_from_back_East

Before posters begin singing the praises of Manhattan Beach, which they always do, you should probably know that the city experiences cool or cold weather about 335 days per year, and that might even be a lowball estimate.

That doesn't detract from MB.