Living in Monterey County with kids (Salinas, Seaside: rental, condo, crime)

[MtnSurfer]

Hello,

It is looking more likely that our family will be moving to the Monterey area soon. I will be working for the DoD at Fort Ord.

We have three young children (2, 4, 7) and homeschool. We will probably rent first to really get a better idea of where we want to buy eventually. We are basically looking for neighborhoods with a good sense of community *and* which have other children as well. It would be nice to have other children close by for kids to play with, etc...

Obviously Monterey and Pacific Grove are more pricey compared to the surrounding areas such as Seaside, Marina, Oak Hills and Prunedale which we are looking at as well. So with the higher cost of living in Monterey and PG I wonder how many families with younger children actually live there anymore? Are the demographics totally different in these areas?

I grew up in a similar 'expensive' beach town - Hermosa Beach. And it changed from a place with a lot of families to a place for singles (many roomates), dual income no kids (DINKS), retirees (old money), etc... So schools closed and became condo complexes, etc... as the demographic changed. Neighborhood children became a novelty. Oh, isn't that 'Special' ... a family.

Are there many families with kids left out there in Monterey/PG? I love that area for its proximity to other things. But I am not sure if it would be a good fit for our family...

Thanks,

Derek

[calidude]

Ya hermosa is a very nice town. I used to live in SLo county as a kid used to travel to Carmel and MOnterey all the time. If looking for cheaper try SALinas my cousin lives there and if it matters im white. People say Salinas is bad its not but the crime is alot higher than Carmel by the Sea and Monterey

[TimC2462]

Originally Posted by MtnSurfer

Hello,

It is looking more likely that our family will be moving to the Monterey area soon. I will be working for the DoD at Fort Ord.

We have three young children (2, 4, 7) and homeschool. We will probably rent first to really get a better idea of where we want to buy eventually. We are basically looking for neighborhoods with a good sense of community *and* which have other children as well. It would be nice to have other children close by for kids to play with, etc...

Obviously Monterey and Pacific Grove are more pricey compared to the surrounding areas such as Seaside, Marina, Oak Hills and Prunedale which we are looking at as well. So with the higher cost of living in Monterey and PG I wonder how many families with younger children actually live there anymore? Are the demographics totally different in these areas?

I grew up in a similar 'expensive' beach town - Hermosa Beach. And it changed from a place with a lot of families to a place for singles (many roomates), dual income no kids (DINKS), retirees (old money), etc... So schools closed and became condo complexes, etc... as the demographic changed. Neighborhood chidren became a novelty.

Are there many families with kids left out there in Monterey/PG? I love that area for its proximity to other things. But I am not sure if it would be a good fit for our family...

Thanks,

Derek

With a good sense of community, I would rate Pacific Grove right up there. It is a small town next to Monterey and Pebble Beach area. I can't comment on whether or not if there are still families with kids left in the area, since things can change in just 7 years. Best memories of my life in Pacific Grove were from 1992 to 2001. I didn't go to school there because I lived in Marina, but we had a business on Grand Ave. The Good Old Days, Feast of Lanterns, so many various activities kept the city busy.

Even if you don't live in Pacific Grove, that doesn't prevent you from visiting the city to participate in their events. It's a small town that will never loses its charm.

Tim C.

[sheri257]

I know that everybody screams that they can't raise a family in those areas because of the cost of living but, I do see a fair number of kids ... more than you would expect, actually. However, for all I know they could be people on vacation who bring their kids.

[CA central coast]

I thought Fort Ord closed?

[MtnSurfer]

Originally Posted by sheri257

I know that everybody screams that they can't raise a family in those areas because of the cost of living but, I do see a fair number of kids ... more than you would expect, actually. However, for all I know they could be people on vacation who bring their kids.

Yes, I guess it is hard to tell unless you live there or know someone who does. Obviously there are great things for kids to do like go to the aquarium, parks, beaches, etc... So many families do visit. I guess I am going to have to try and meet some families and/or residents there to get the inside scoop.

With regards to affordability it is kind of funny. Although we probably can't afford to buy in Monterey or PG we probably 'can' afford to rent. In fact the rental prices for 3+ bdrm houses in Seaside vs PG for example are not really that different (+/- a few hundred $). Now of course the home prices are. But if we are going to rent anyway for lets say the first year I am seriously considering PG or Monterey. I think that would be a fun place to live even if only for season.

- Derek

[MtnSurfer]

Originally Posted by CA central coast

I thought Fort Ord closed?

Yes, it was decomissioned. But the DoD still has facilities on the the base which it uses for ongoing projects. So there are actually quite a few DoD contractors and gvmt employees working there.

[MtnSurfer]

Originally Posted by TimC2462

With a good sense of community, I would rate Pacific Grove right up there. It is a small town next to Monterey and Pebble Beach area. I can't comment on whether or not if there are still families with kids left in the area, since things can change in just 7 years. Best memories of my life in Pacific Grove were from 1992 to 2001. I didn't go to school there because I lived in Marina, but we had a business on Grand Ave. The Good Old Days, Feast of Lanterns, so many various activities kept the city busy.

Yes, I have actually heard about some of these activities from a Realtor in the area. I guess it is just good to hear about from others who have experienced it as well. PG sounds like a fun place to live. So we may give it a go for a season even if there aren't as many children living there.

I think the kids will like all that the area has to offer. But you are right. If we end up living in Seaside for example we can always drive over there since it is not very far.

[jenndslp]

I live in Pacific Grove. I have two young children and a 12 year old step daughter who attends PG middle school. There are tons of young families in the area. Our schools are great, there are tons of parks and places to go with children including the beach, aquarium, museums. It is expensive here. But honestly worth every penny! I feel that it is one of the most amazing towns in CA. I didn't grow up here, I've lived in many different parts of CA. I love that Pacific Grove has a small town feel to it. Even though we are right next to Monterey and Pebble Beach, we don't get as much tourist traffic through here. We have all kinds of fun festivals and parades and activities for the community year round. I have also lived in Monterey, Marina and on Fort Ord. Even though I don't know if I will be able to afford to buy a house here any time soon...I can't imagine living anywhere else.

[Charles]

Originally Posted by MtnSurfer

Are there many families with kids left out there in Monterey/PG?

Derek, you are doing exactly the right thing by posting on City Data. However, what it is going to take is knocking on doors of homes in close proximity to a home you would consider buying. Child density can vary greatly from street to street; I know - we are living this problem now (and solving it by moving).

Michele and I literally knocked on doors up and down the street on which we were considering buying a home in Huntsville. We asked people if there were kids on this street and we got replies like "There's two girls 7 and 5 over there, Twin boys in that house, a 9 year old and a 6 year two doors down...."; We had to be sure.

The last thing you want is to drive around a neighborhood, see some kids riding their bikes, buy a home, and later realize all those kids live two blocks away (which for your kids' ages is too far right now).