Good area to live (rent) near Downey? - Moving from TX (Long Beach: apartment, to rent)

[ashguy77]

Folks,
I am posting this in the OC forum as my relatives live in OC and am interested in living there after the move (moving from Dallas to OC for job, getting about 40% raise so should be able to handle additional cost of living, or at least I hope so!). I will be working in the Downey area. So, what is the best place to live nearby that is fits the following criteria?
(We are a young couple no kids yet, may start family in a year)
- Relatively short commute to Downey
- Low Crime, very imp to be in safe area
- Educated, professional folks around us

We will rent for a year and then buy. Right now I need some advice on the best area to rent in! If you do have advice on the area we need to start looking for homes later next year, then that is appreciated too!

And yes, you can recommend me places outside OC too that fit
Thank you and excited to possibly move to CA! Possible because there is an option of staying back in Dallas and travelling quite a bit.

Ash

[NaplesRes]

East Long Beach (El Dorado Park, Belmont Shore, etc)
- coastal and suburban neighborhoods
- good schools
- very safe
- pretty easy/short drive to Downey

[LivinginOC]

Downey is in LA county. Naples recommended Long Beach which is also LA county.

To live in OC, the commute to Downey would start at a minimum of about 20 (from extreme north OC) minutes and go up from there. In north OC, I would recommend Placentia (only a small pocket of area you wouldn't want to live in), Brea, Yorba Linda and parts of Fullerton (there is a college here so plenty of educated people. ). All are freeway close for you commute and are very safe places to live.

[NaplesRes]

[quote=LivinginOC;9659836]Downey is in LA county. Naples recommended Long Beach which is also LA county.

This is correct.

Many people live and work in different counties though. The county line in largely irrelevant. Many consider OC as an LA suburb.

you're right to think about living close to your job. traffic is no fun here.

[LivinginOC]

[quote=NaplesRes;9660351]

Originally Posted by LivinginOC

Downey is in LA county. Naples recommended Long Beach which is also LA county.

This is correct.

Many people live and work in different counties though. The county line in largely irrelevant. Many consider OC as an LA suburb.

you're right to think about living close to your job. traffic is no fun here.

Agreed. The OP said that recommending places not in OC was fine, too. I was just letting them know which cities were in which counties and offering a few OC recommendations.

I also agree about minimizing the commute! We are actually very fortunate as my husband works just down the street from where we live. We do drive around the county a lot but he doesn't have a commute to work which makes life much less stressful.

Good luck with your move!

[bhcompy]

For strict OC, LivinginOC has a good list, but I would add the OC cities on/near the 605 down to Seal Beach as well. La Palma, Cypress, Los Alamitos, Rossmoor, Seal Beach, western Garden Grove, western Buena Park, etc are all good to great areas.

Since you want educated professionals, you're talking about the more expensive areas, and of those that would probably be Cypress, Los Alamitos, Rossmoor, and Seal Beach.

Now, Downey itself isn't bad in most parts. There are plenty of aerospace workers that live and have lived there for years. Lakewood is a mix of public service(cops, fire, etc) and aerospace among other things(100k pop, mostly families). Cerritos is one of the most expensive in the area and very well educated. And Long Beach, as mentioned, is nice too.

[ashguy77]

Thank you for the recommendations so far. Like I said, I didn't know whether to post in OC or LA forums as I am flexible (25 mins commute is fine). I've only known OC well through my Aunt and don't have a clue of LA County.
I'll investigate the areas listed above...IF I add the following criteria, does that shorten the list?
- Close to Restaurants/Bars things to do?

Thanks,
Ash

[NaplesRes]

Originally Posted by ashguy77

Thank you for the recommendations so far. Like I said, I didn't know whether to post in OC or LA forums as I am flexible (25 mins commute is fine). I've only known OC well through my Aunt and don't have a clue of LA County.
I'll investigate the areas listed above...IF I add the following criteria, does that shorten the list?
- Close to Restaurants/Bars things to do?

Thanks,
Ash

If that is important I give a strong recommendation to Belmont Shore in Long Beach. It's a very walkable town with the amenities you're looking for. Good mix of young professionals, families, etc.

[bhcompy]

Look in the coastal cities then. Belmont Shore, Seal Beach. Parts of Fullerton fit as well.

Granted, every area has bars and restaurants

[ashguy77]

Any recommendations on a nice Apartment community in Cypress, Los Alamitos, Rossmoor, Belmont Shore, Seal Beach or some parts of Buena Parks, Fullerton? Basically in one of the nice areas from where Downey will be 20-25 minutes drive?
I'm looking at the $2100 price range for a 2 BR apartment with decent amenities and not too old or creaking.
Thanks,
Ash