relocating info for N Calif or Oregon coast (San Francisco, Sacramento: rent, hotels)

[Honey Pie]

It has been a dream of mine to live on the coast for many years. I guess the problem is being able to find a job so I can afford to live there. Right now I work at an Applied Technology College doing student registration/receptionist/student motivator in Utah. Does anyone have any suggestions as to where a good place to relocate is, either on the Northern California or Oregon coast?? What about the locations of Applied Technology Colleges? thank you for any help you could give me. ......Honey Pie

[JakeDog]

It's cold and wet in both...be prepared.

[notmeofficer]

ATC inst anywhere near the coast in Nor Cal or So Oregon that I recall

Coastal living is very expensive ..less so in Oregon but still close to Cali prices next to the ocean.. slightly cheaper inland 5 miles or so

After the Bay area you leave population centers and there aren't any large towns for the remainder of California and Oregon

In nor cal there is Eureka, in Oregon, Gold beach, Florence,Astoria other than that the towns get pretty small and jobs become scarce. The weather gets wetter and cold,,, although a small part of southern Oregon coast does have a sunny area.. brookings/gold beach see more sun than Eureka/Arcata...
I like Florence Oregon very much.. but Ive only visited in the spring and summer and not during the winter.. Oregonians report the weather can be pretty depressing when it is grey for several months and they don't see the sun

Better paying jobs... Pelican Bay State Prison, County employment,, maybe some hospital jobs,, (there aren't even any large hospitals that I recall)

So Oregon is pretty much a retirement area.. seasonal vacation work

Eureka and Arcata living is "different" you would have to be prepared for cold damp fog many days a year (look at summer temps.. when its 110 here sometimes its 50 there .. and that is a high)... and a community that is struggling.. my opinion only.. see for yourself with a visit there.

[Honey Pie]

I want to thank JakeDog and notmeofficer for your information.
I guess that maybe I have created in my mind an ocean paradise with me sitting on the front porch of a cute little house, with a fireplace, of course. Well it is a nice dream I suppose. I used to live in Nor Cal in Gridley. 1 Hour north of Sacramento on Hywy 99. The Kiwi capital of the United States. The cost of living was pretty low about 12 years ago, but even there, in Gridley, prices have increased dramatically. I think my sister bought her house (4 bed. 2 bath, large landscaped yard with walnut trees and mandarin orange trees, all remodeled with laminate floors,new tile) fairly cheaply. But now she can sell it for $450,000. !!!
To be more practical, I am thinking that I need to look a little ways away from the beach, if I am going to find an affordable place to live.
I would appreciate any help from anyone out there....Honey Pie

[ThanksABunch]

I lived in Astoria, Oregon, which is in the northern Oregon coast area. I was there for one year and this was back in 2000...so the rent is probably higher now...but I was paying $550 for a cute one-bedroom duplex that overlooked the Columbia river. I had moved there from Portland because I dreamed of coast living and wanted to try it.

This place was such a blessing to me because I was in a transitional time in my life and I wanted to "find myself". The Oregon coast is a wonderful place to nurture personal growth and if you are ready to turn within and do some soul-searching, this is the right place for it. It doesn't nurture getting out in the world socially, for some reason. It is so strange because everyone I met there felt the same way in regards to this. It is a gentle, quiet, subdued energy that is great when you need that. When you are ready for more action and aliveness, you can head to Portland, just a quick drive away..so keep that in mind as well!

Don't let all the stuff about darkness and rain get you down too much, although I have met people who just cannot handle it. If you are prepared for it and have an escape plan each winter (to a sunny place for at least a week!)...you'll be fine. Nov, Dec, and Jan can be brutal on the coast. Rain and darkness can drive you crazy...but the sunny days are so incredibly beautiful and pleasant that most people put up with the wet! I ended up investing in a good therapy light (used for seasonal affective disorder, which I never had..but wanted to avoid!) and that helped, I believe. Mold can be a problem if you are prone to allergies...and I got sick a lot (little colds) when I was there....so I had to be on top of that. Extra vitamin C is good!

I was a single mom with a young child living alone and I felt totally safe and happy there. I spent a lot of time walking around town and loved it...when it was sunny, that is! I actually got to a point where I didn't mind the rain and finally gave up my umbrella. No point!

Keep in mind that each coastal town in Oregon is totally different..so you'll have a lot of places to choose from.

Astoria attracts a lot of young families, artists, and..well..."interesting folks!". It is gorgeous and is often referred to as "little San Francisco" due to all the Victorian homes scattered throughout the hills. I met a lot of anti-television people whose reason for not having it was because they didn't trust the government, etc. I think I was the only person on my street with cable. People there definately have a "live and let live" outlook...but it can get to a point where it is to the extreme in that they take little interest in their neighbors at all. I made a few friends there, but ended up feeling isolated and ended up going back to Portland. It isn't the ideal place for a single person looking for a partner. A very interesting place, for sure..but has the highest rainfall, I believe, in Oregon. Any place that makes Portland seem dry and sunny must be pretty wet!

About an hour south of Astoria is Cannon Beach. It is beautiful..although it is often full of tourists..but not too terrible. I spent a lot of time in Cannon beach while living in Astoria and considered moving there. It was a better match for me: More alive and youthful than Astoria. A lot of artists make their home there and it is a very liberal town. You don't see a lot of teenagers or college students spending time there because it tends to be a more pricey and more geared towards quiet dinners and coffee. More 30s/40s crowd spend time there.

Seaside is next as you head south from Astoria. Very different than Cannon beach. Cheaper and not as beautiful, in my opinion. Much diffferent crowd with lots of children, teens, and families who are looking for more affordable, chain hotels, restaurants while on vacation. Nice long, wide beach, but very windy, usually. Boardwalk along beach is nice for walking and biking. Very busy little downtown in summer with tons of touristy stuff, like arcades and fast food. Fun place, but I would never live there.

I haven't spent much time any further south than seaside, but there are several nice towns with lots of character...and each very unique.

Good luck to you on your search!!! Any questions, let me know!!