Best place to live in Orange County (for a family) if job is in LA (Los Angeles: apartment, to rent)

[TX2OC2LA]

Ok, so I have spent a LOT of time doing broad searches of this general topic and I believe starting this thread will help a lot of people (including myself because this is happening to me), please take a moment and respond with your opinion or advice!

For the people and families who get jobs in the Los Angeles county area, but would prefer to live and commute up from Orange county, where is their best option to live?

For the sake of argument, and to allow everyone's opinion to be relevant and open for discussion, lets just agree the "areas" someone might be working would be in regions of LA that might include anywhere from the downtown area, to the north/northeast areas and out heading east/southeast toward the county lines.. I'm not including the south and west sides because the answer to that is pretty obvious, live in a beach city.. So the specific question is "where" should a family live in Orange County if they have to commute into these mentioned parts of LA for work?

When I say "best": I believe these four universal factors relate equally to all families, when considering the term "Best," regardless of religion, class, lifestyle choice, personal interest or ethnicity:
1) Safe/Nice (aka low crime, neighborhoods not totally run down, comfortable for women to go out at night)
2) Family Friendly (Quality family friendly activities and establishments within reasonable distances, nice parks, nice neighborhoods, etc.. )
3) Schools (Highly rated public schools, Charter school options, Private school options)
4) Quality of Life (Commute from location in Orange county to Los Angeles county areas mentioned cannot exceed 1.5 hours on an average day, excluding random traffice jams, etc.. )

I personally have to start apartment hunting immediately but will hopefully move into a home in a few years, so this thread should remain relevant for many years! Please share your thoughts!

[veritasveritas]

Cerritos, La Palma, Cypress.

[dexter14]

Originally Posted by TX2OC2LA

Ok, so I have spent a LOT of time doing broad searches of this general topic and I believe starting this thread will help a lot of people (including myself because this is happening to me), please take a moment and respond with your opinion or advice!

For the people and families who get jobs in the Los Angeles county area, but would prefer to live and commute up from Orange county, where is their best option to live?

For the sake of argument, and to allow everyone's opinion to be relevant and open for discussion, lets just agree the "areas" someone might be working would be in regions of LA that might include anywhere from the downtown area, to the north/northeast areas and out heading east/southeast toward the county lines.. I'm not including the south and west sides because the answer to that is pretty obvious, live in a beach city.. So the specific question is "where" should a family live in Orange County if they have to commute into these mentioned parts of LA for work?

When I say "best": I believe these four universal factors relate equally to all families, when considering the term "Best," regardless of religion, class, lifestyle choice, personal interest or ethnicity:
1) Safe/Nice (aka low crime, neighborhoods not totally run down, comfortable for women to go out at night)
2) Family Friendly (Quality family friendly activities and establishments within reasonable distances, nice parks, nice neighborhoods, etc.. )
3) Schools (Highly rated public schools, Charter school options, Private school options)
4) Quality of Life (Commute from location in Orange county to Los Angeles county areas mentioned cannot exceed 1.5 hours on an average day, excluding random traffice jams, etc.. )

I personally have to start apartment hunting immediately but will hopefully move into a home in a few years, so this thread should remain relevant for many years! Please share your thoughts!

Cant help much without knowing your budget...if you want all you listed, be prepared to spend a small fortune in OC

[Fast Cat]

Originally Posted by veritasveritas

Cerritos, La Palma, Cypress.

Northwest Huntington Beach meets these requirements, except perhaps no. 4. I can't imagine any location in OC that meets your commute time requirement if you are traveling to locations north of downtown or to West LA. I commute to El Segundo and it takes almost an hour leaving before 4:00 in the afternoon.

[PoppySead]

If it's specific to the OC then I would agree with Cypress, HB maybe even some places in Anaheim but I don't see why you don't just head up to Burbank, or Santa Clarita or Northridge if you want to live outside of the city with an easier commute, although there really isn't any such thing as a short commute but at least in the other direction the Metrolink would be an easier option.
I know some people who commute all the way to Irvine daily, but they are on the road a long time. Me no likey.

[PoppySead]

Originally Posted by mbell75

Cant help much without knowing your budget...if you want all you listed, be prepared to spend a small fortune in OC

That's the thing. The affordable option differs from the great option.

[quizzer25]

Originally Posted by TX2OC2LA

Ok, so I have spent a LOT of time doing broad searches of this general topic and I believe starting this thread will help a lot of people (including myself because this is happening to me), please take a moment and respond with your opinion or advice!

For the people and families who get jobs in the Los Angeles county area, but would prefer to live and commute up from Orange county, where is their best option to live?

For the sake of argument, and to allow everyone's opinion to be relevant and open for discussion, lets just agree the "areas" someone might be working would be in regions of LA that might include anywhere from the downtown area, to the north/northeast areas and out heading east/southeast toward the county lines.. I'm not including the south and west sides because the answer to that is pretty obvious, live in a beach city.. So the specific question is "where" should a family live in Orange County if they have to commute into these mentioned parts of LA for work?

When I say "best": I believe these four universal factors relate equally to all families, when considering the term "Best," regardless of religion, class, lifestyle choice, personal interest or ethnicity:
1) Safe/Nice (aka low crime, neighborhoods not totally run down, comfortable for women to go out at night)
2) Family Friendly (Quality family friendly activities and establishments within reasonable distances, nice parks, nice neighborhoods, etc.. )
3) Schools (Highly rated public schools, Charter school options, Private school options)
4) Quality of Life (Commute from location in Orange county to Los Angeles county areas mentioned cannot exceed 1.5 hours on an average day, excluding random traffice jams, etc.. )

I personally have to start apartment hunting immediately but will hopefully move into a home in a few years, so this thread should remain relevant for many years! Please share your thoughts!

I have a similar thread as well. Looking to rent in Cypress/Cerritos and carpool to work in Santa Monica.
What have you decided?

[TX2OC2LA]

Originally Posted by veritasveritas

Cerritos, La Palma, Cypress.

Thanks, I have friends in different areas around the OC/LA border areas and they also recommended these general locations. I took a trip out through Cerritos/Cypress area, seems nice enough, kind of older neighborhoods right of the highway in these towns.

[TX2OC2LA]

Originally Posted by mbell75

Cant help much without knowing your budget...if you want all you listed, be prepared to spend a small fortune in OC

I left the budget part off to allow a broader scope of answers.. Personally, I am trying to get either an apartment or house (rental) for under $1600 a month, but would go up to $2000 if necessary.. We need 3 bedroom or larger if possible.

[TX2OC2LA]

Originally Posted by Fast Cat

Northwest Huntington Beach meets these requirements, except perhaps no. 4. I can't imagine any location in OC that meets your commute time requirement if you are traveling to locations north of downtown or to West LA. I commute to El Segundo and it takes almost an hour leaving before 4:00 in the afternoon.

Thanks! I have a few friends in HB selling me on moving back there, just not sure about the commute from that part of the 405 on up. I will be commuting to the San Gabriel valley area, so from HB I'd be looking at a commute up the 405, to the 605 to the 210, most likely.. Which isn't bad and I know from experience I want to avoid the 5 and 10 highways. Back when I lived in Santa Monica, I hated having to sit on those roads, there by the 405, just a nightmare.. Which is my primary interest in moving back to the OC and commuting around/up to the LA area if we can.