Where to live with job in Downtown SAC

[JVinci]

Breakdown of Sacramento Neighborhoods surrounding downtown:
Highly Desirable/Established:
-East Sac
-Elmhurst
-Land Park
-Curtis Park

Good/Established:
-South Land Park
-Tahoe Park

Good/Urban/Nightlife:
-Midtown

Up and coming/Gentrifying:
-North Oak Park (north of Broadway Blvd)
-Small pockets of Oak Park (Stay more west and away from MLK)

Suburban Feel:
-Natomas
-West Sac (actually a different city)


There are also plenty of nice areas going down Fair Oaks and into Carmichael but I don't know the areas well enough to comment. Green haven/Pocket can be nice too.

Apparently there's a heavy Midtown bias on the forum, but with good reason. It really is unique and a great place to live. I currently rent in a 4-plex with the other tenants being a young couple, a couple in their 40's, and a woman in her 50's. All different demographics but we all enjoy being down here. I am actually leaving midtown as I recently just bought in Curtis Park, but I'm still an Uber ride away from everything that I love about the Grid

Hope this helps!

[NoMoreSnowForMe]

I suggest living in Davis. It's very safe. Lots of bike trails all over town - known as bike city. The university grounds are gorgeous with trails, too. There are a lot of events on campus and a farmer's market in downtown. And you can catch a commuter bus to downtown Sacramento. I lived in Sacramento and in Davis (in my 40's), and loved Davis. Sacramento can be hit and miss safety-wise. Davis is very safe, overall.

Davis is a university town, but is also a family town. There really is no bad neighborhood. You wouldn't be able to afford to buy there on your budget, probably, but it would be a great place to rent while you figure out where you want to buy.

sacramento apartments / housing rentals "davis" - craigslist

Yolobus Routes

The Amtrak train station is right in downtown Davis, too, and the Capital Corridor train is another option to take you into Sacramento, and the other way into SF.

City of Davis, CA : Home

[mysticaltyger]

Originally Posted by NoMoreSnowForMe

I suggest living in Davis. It's very safe. Lots of bike trails all over town - known as bike city. The university grounds are gorgeous with trails, too. There are a lot of events on campus and a farmer's market in downtown. And you can catch a commuter bus to downtown Sacramento. I lived in Sacramento and in Davis (in my 40's), and loved Davis. Sacramento can be hit and miss safety-wise. Davis is very safe, overall.

Davis is a university town, but is also a family town. There really is no bad neighborhood. You wouldn't be able to afford to buy there on your budget, probably, but it would be a great place to rent while you figure out where you want to buy.

sacramento apartments / housing rentals "davis" - craigslist

Yolobus Routes

The Amtrak train station is right in downtown Davis, too, and the Capital Corridor train is another option to take you into Sacramento, and the other way into SF.

City of Davis, CA : Home

Davis is nice, but it's too far and it's also significantly more expensive. Commute + more expensive rent/housing = double whammy.

[NoMoreSnowForMe]

Originally Posted by mysticaltyger

Davis is nice, but it's too far and it's also significantly more expensive. Commute + more expensive rent/housing = double whammy.

I disagree. Look at the rental prices - tons of rentals in the OP's price range. It took me longer to drive across Sacramento than it did to get to downtown Sacramento on the express bus from Davis. I lived in both in my 40's and vastly preferred living in Davis. Cheaper isn't always better, and unless the OP wants to live in downtown Sacramento, which isn't nearly as safe, she'll likely be stuck in traffic for just as long as a trip from Davis would be.

[WizardOfRadical]

Originally Posted by NoMoreSnowForMe

I disagree. Look at the rental prices - tons of rentals in the OP's price range. It took me longer to drive across Sacramento than it did to get to downtown Sacramento on the express bus from Davis. I lived in both in my 40's and vastly preferred living in Davis. Cheaper isn't always better, and unless the OP wants to live in downtown Sacramento, which isn't nearly as safe, she'll likely be stuck in traffic for just as long as a trip from Davis would be.

OP may be able to afford a dingy 50 year old house to rent on that budget. But forget buying in Davis with a 300k loan, unless you are putting down 200k.