San Gabriel Valley vs. North Orange County

[sll3454]

You don't have to BS around and be politically correct.

There are more gang violence and crime in cities like El Monte, La Puente, and Baldwin park than in northern cities like Monrovia, Arcadia, Glendora, San Dimas, etc.

These south SGV cities also happen to have some of worst schools in the SGV, and the north SGV cities reputed for low crime rate have some of the best schools.

As mentioned before, Azusa has gangs--and Pasadena definitely has gangs. NW Pasadena/Altadena is infamous for being the "bad" area of Pasadena. No tap dancing around that.

I think Arcadia is the best family-oriented city in the SGV--definitely one of the best in the LA County.

Most Recent Crime Rates From city-data.com:

National Average: 319.1

Some SGV Cities:
El Monte 276.5
Monrovia 197.3
Arcadia 203.3
Duarte 211.1
Whittier 277.7
Baldwin Park 232.0 (Pretty good for a "bad" area.)
Pasadena 240.9
Temple City 116.0 (We have a winner! But somehow it was on your "bad" list.)
La Puente 202.1 (Another one from your "bad" list, but a little lower than Arcadia.)

ALL of these are pretty safe. (Compare them to the national average.) To say Arcadia is very safe is fine, but you don't have to make La Puente, Baldwin Park, and El Monte out to be unsafe in order to do it. The people there might not, on average, have as much education; they might not have as much money - but that doesn't make them bad people, or their neighborhoods unsafe.

[tillymonster]

Right so I should have wrote N. SGV vs N. OC. I find the bums in the park ranting to themselves at a *nice* park in Anaheim to be more bothersome then "gang activity" because as some mentioned above, it doesn't effect most people. Rightly said. Random tagging everywhere that the city doesn't bother to clean up effects my general outlook on how much the city cares. In Anaheim/Stanton they let the bums annoy people, allow construction crews to leave trash and mark danger zones haphazardly, don't bother cleaning up tagging or trash.

I heard from my husband the Pasadena/Monrovia/Arcadia was very on top of things during clean up after the crazy wind storm a few weeks ago. The cops protected the nice houses from possible looting efficiently. This is why I think the N. SGV would be the better place to raise some kids up. I don't care that much about the weather.

[genjy]

Originally Posted by sll3454

Most Recent Crime Rates From city-data.com:

National Average: 319.1

Some SGV Cities:

Arcadia 203.3
La Puente 202.1 (Another one from your "bad" list, but a little lower than Arcadia.)

ALL of these are pretty safe. (Compare them to the national average.) To say Arcadia is very safe is fine, but you don't have to make La Puente, Baldwin Park, and El Monte out to be unsafe in order to do it. The people there might not, on average, have as much education; they might not have as much money - but that doesn't make them bad people, or their neighborhoods unsafe.

Yes, they do have similar scores... but if you read the charts carefully--La Puente has more robberies and assaults, despite being a smaller city than Arcadia.

A huge chunk of Arcadia's crime is thefts, which I think is generated from the giant Arcadia mall and all the retail stores the city has. Shoplifters.

[Nightscape]

You've got to take into consideration not all of noc is like stanton/anaheim.
There is a big difference between stanton/garden grove/anaheim compared to brea/fullerton/yorba linda.

I grew up in Fullerton from the age of 6, in a wonderful/safe community with some of the best public schools in the state/nation. I'm obviously biased since having grown up in that area and have never lived in sgv, so can't tell you much about "living" in sgv. Pasadena & South Pasadena are wonderful areas and wouldn't hesitate twice about the areas.

Good luck with your decision!

[yowps3]

NOC isnt as good as it's southern neighbors..

[BRinSM]

Originally Posted by yowps3

NOC isnt as good as it's southern neighbors..

i disagree. i'd choose fullerton, huntington beach or tustin over irvine or mission viejo every day of the week.

[ragnarkar]

Originally Posted by sll3454

Most Recent Crime Rates From city-data.com:

National Average: 319.1

Some SGV Cities:
El Monte 276.5
Monrovia 197.3
Arcadia 203.3
Duarte 211.1
Whittier 277.7
Baldwin Park 232.0 (Pretty good for a "bad" area.)
Pasadena 240.9
Temple City 116.0 (We have a winner! But somehow it was on your "bad" list.)
La Puente 202.1 (Another one from your "bad" list, but a little lower than Arcadia.)

ALL of these are pretty safe. (Compare them to the national average.) To say Arcadia is very safe is fine, but you don't have to make La Puente, Baldwin Park, and El Monte out to be unsafe in order to do it. The people there might not, on average, have as much education; they might not have as much money - but that doesn't make them bad people, or their neighborhoods unsafe.

Seems N. OC cities are slightly safer although SGV cities are still below average in crime as well

N. OC Cities:

Santa Ana: 244.4
Westminster: 239.3
Fullerton: 238
Anaheim: 230.9

Comparable SGV cities to the above: Pasadena, Baldwin Park, West Covina, Norwalk,

Buena Park: 219.9
Brea: 218.4
Stanton: 213.8
Garden Grove: 211
La Habra: 203.2
Costa Mesa: 195.4

Comparable SGV cities: Rosemead, Alhambra, Arcadia, La Puente, Monrovia

Newport Beach: 160.2
Tustin: 159.4
Placentia: 134.9
Orange: 121.9

Comparable SGV cities: San Gabriel, Claremont, San Dimas, San Marino, Temple City, Walnut

Notable SGV cities with higher crime than the least safe bunch in OC:

Whittier, El Monte, Downey. Montebello

[ecarg]

I agree with Nightscape, I live in Diamond Bar which is close to North OC. I visit Brea often and it's a very nice city. Same with Yorba Linda - and the schools are great. Some areas of Fullerton are quite nice too.

[tillymonster]

Thanks everyone. I agree that Fullerton/YL/Brea are all very nice but most defiantly expensive and IMHO full of self-important types who shop at the mall for sport and drive BMWs. I'm a bit tired of it, frankly, living in OC most of my adult life and like a change. I want to get away from the whole soccer mom thing too-- which seems very OC to me in general but, I'm trying not to judge. I find the SGV to be a bit of a "diamond in the rough" and am hoping it does have comparable schools and safety. Thank you all so much for all these pros/cons!

[Jeanius4U]

Originally Posted by tillymonster

Thanks everyone. I agree that Fullerton/YL/Brea are all very nice but most defiantly expensive and IMHO full of self-important types who shop at the mall for sport and drive BMWs. I'm a bit tired of it, frankly, living in OC most of my adult life and like a change. I want to get away from the whole soccer mom thing too-- which seems very OC to me in general but, I'm trying not to judge. I find the SGV to be a bit of a "diamond in the rough" and am hoping it does have comparable schools and safety. Thank you all so much for all these pros/cons!

Psst... I was a soccer mom in SGV! Theres a lot of that here! We even have malls that are always packed with those goofy people with which you speak.!