Transferring to Woodland Looking for Advice on Areas to live and HIgh Schools (Sacramento: 2009)

[danalyze16]

Can anyone offer some advice on good high schools and neighborhoods to live in or around the Woodland/Davis/Sacramento area?

I am transferring to Woodland with my company. My wife is an RN and we have a daughter who is a sophomore in High School. We currently live in suburban area of Chicago. Wife will be trying to get in at UC Davis Med Center in Sac and I will be working in Woodland. We are looking for areas with good high school and where neither of us would have horrible commutes...or where decent public trans could get one of us to and from.

We have lived suburban outside Chicago all of our lives but would not be averse to living in Sacramento if the conditions match what we are looking for.

Initially we will be looking at rental for housing be it apartment, townhome or home until we get our feet wet with the area and adjust and find a home to buy.

Any help, advice or information would be appreciated. Thanks!

[edwardius]

We can give you better feedback if you provide a little more information. What are you looking to spend and how big of home do you need?

You can find a map of area schools by test score here.

California School Performance Maps

You can compare that with a map of the craigslist classified ads here to get a sense of how much it costs to live in a given area.

HousingMaps

Lastly you can look up test score information about various schools in Sacramento and Yolo County here.

2008 Base API County List of Schools - YOLO County

2008 Base API County List of Schools - Sacramento County

If Davis is too expensive, there is a Charter School in Natomas that might offer the best combination of good high school in an affordible neighborhood. But you might want to contact the Natomas Charter School to see if they have any openings before you buy in that neighborhood.

2008 Base API School Report - Natomas Charter #19

Natomas Charter School | "Reforming public education by developing quality, innovative educational opportunities"

[danalyze16]

For initial housing we are looking only to rent until we get to know the area. Looking for 2 Bed 2 Bath or 2 Bed 1 Bath...Home, dup, town-home, apt. is not important as it will be temporary until we decide on a place/neighborhood to call home and buy.

Looking to be in the ballpark of $1500 mo or less for rent...pets allowed if possible?

The key for us is trying to find a decent area where the commutes to Woodland for me and UC Davis Med Center for wife won't kill us and that has a good high school for our sophomore daughter.

Let me know if any more info is needed. Thanks again.

[charles strickland]

You know I think Citrus Heights would probably be a really good choice. Its where all of the artists, street poets, musicians and hipsters live. You could easily commute to Woodland or the Med Center from Citrus Heights. Citrus Heights is centrally located close to everything.

[edwardius]

You should definitely be able to find something to rent that will accept pets in Natomas in your budget. I would try to find something with less than a six month lease if you can manage it. Natomas is probably half way between Woodland and the med center.

[humboldtrat]

Forget the commute and stay in Woodland - a nice town, maybe a little sketchy in some places. Here are some samples of rentals:

Rentals Available In Woodland, California

Woodland Apartments for Rent - House Rentals in Woodland, CA

[angelbug]

Originally Posted by charles strickland

You know I think Citrus Heights would probably be a really good choice. Its where all of the artists, street poets, musicians and hipsters live. You could easily commute to Woodland or the Med Center from Citrus Heights. Citrus Heights is centrally located close to everything.

I think commuting from Citrus Heights to Woodland would get old really quick. I used to visit a friend over there frequently, and even doing it once a week got tiring, especially on Friday nights when there was a lot of traffic going up to Tahoe.

I live in Davis and there are small 3 bedroom houses that rent in my area for $1500 a month. I have neighbors who work at the UC Med Center, and Woodland is 15 minutes away. I would not live in Woodland if you have a high schooler...the schools there are pretty bad, and have a very high dropout rate.

Someone suggested Natomas - I don't know about the schools there, but the commute would definitely be much easier than from Citrus Heights.