Corona vs. Temecula (Riverside, San Bernardino, Oceanside: crime, homes, neighborhoods)

[flo2900]

IMHO, a biased opinion, the more centrally located Corona offers more in terms of options, you can be in more places faster. The 91 freeway is NOT congested going west. The worst time for the 91 freeway going west is in the morning 6-8 but never bumper to bumper... the worst I experienced is going 35-40 mph for a short 10 minutes...so if you`re at home in Corona and want to go to OC is never a chore. Coming back going east bound is different, however, there`s virtually NO traffic until about 3:30 pm. The only real traffic going east is between 3:30PM and 6:30PM

The 91 freeway is very congested but not any worse than 405 as an example. Why isn`t anyone complain about 405 as much as 91?
The real estate market of Corona backs up Yorba Linda which is one of the most expensive in So Cal. Corona is about twice as affordable as Yorba Linda. Yorba Linda is being marketed very good to keep its value up against Corona. One way of marketing Yorba Linda is making Corona look twice as bad.
There`s NO reason why homes off Gypsum Canyon in YL are 70% more than homes off Green River in Corona. There are 2 miles between Gypsum Canyon and Green River.
Weather is identical in YL compared with Corona and people dont complain of being hot in YL and YL has the same 91 freeway problem.
Just my 2 cents!

[Yvonne1207]

Yeah... and I wouldn't move to Yorba Linda either. It is essentially Corona West.

Someone asked about safety. I did not feel at all unsafe living in Corona.. I lived in the southern part, off Foothill near Main/Magnolia. A very nice area of the city, and the house are going for dirt cheap (relatively) since many many are foreclosures.

[eclipxe]

Originally Posted by flo2900

IMHO, a biased opinion, the more centrally located Corona offers more in terms of options, you can be in more places faster. The 91 freeway is NOT congested going west. The worst time for the 91 freeway going west is in the morning 6-8 but never bumper to bumper... the worst I experienced is going 35-40 mph for a short 10 minutes...so if you`re at home in Corona and want to go to OC is never a chore. Coming back going east bound is different, however, there`s virtually NO traffic until about 3:30 pm. The only real traffic going east is between 3:30PM and 6:30PM

The 91 freeway is very congested but not any worse than 405 as an example. Why isn`t anyone complain about 405 as much as 91?
The real estate market of Corona backs up Yorba Linda which is one of the most expensive in So Cal. Corona is about twice as affordable as Yorba Linda. Yorba Linda is being marketed very good to keep its value up against Corona. One way of marketing Yorba Linda is making Corona look twice as bad.
There`s NO reason why homes off Gypsum Canyon in YL are 70% more than homes off Green River in Corona. There are 2 miles between Gypsum Canyon and Green River.
Weather is identical in YL compared with Corona and people dont complain of being hot in YL and YL has the same 91 freeway problem.
Just my 2 cents!

The problem with the 91 and living on the other side of the county line is that it is the ONLY direct pass from Corona to OC. There are no alternate surface streets, just the option of going up the 71 all the way through Chino Hills then Brea, etc.

Corona is more centrally located if your life is based in North OC or Los Angeles. Like I said before, Temecula is a good option as you have decent access to South OC (CA74) and North Coastal SD (Carlsbad/Oceanside/Encinitas/La Jolla, Sorrento Valley). When it comes to things to do, I personally prefer San Diego to Los Angeles.

Corona -> Quick access to North OC and San Bernardino cities
Temecula -> Quick access to North SD and Riverside cities

Corona -> Decent access to South OC
Temecula -> Decent access to South OC (I'll give Corona the slight nod here)

Corona -> Major city = LA
Temecula -> Major city = SD

Corona -> More established, more overall character, more expensive
Temecula -> Newer, pockets of character (Old town, the hills, meadowview, etc), less expensive (prices are in line with 2.5-3x household income now)

Corona -> Some restaurant and shopping options (Dos Lagos). Limited entertainment options (must commute out of town)
Temecula -> Regional shopping center and restaurants. Pechanga (live shows every weekend, boxing, comedy club, gambling, restaurants), golf, wineries (and their restaurants),

From my observation, Corona seems like the usual OC/LA suburb (which is NOT a bad thing). Most people in the area commute to larger LA or OC cities for entertainment and fun.

Temecula has a bit more "sense of place". I think part of this is due to being further removed from the OC/LA culture. Downtown Temecula, Pechanga, The Mall all are community gathering areas that gives the city a different vibe. When I'm in Corona I feel like I'm just a bit far from where the action is in OC or LA. A good place to rest my head until I resume my life in civilization. Temecula feels like it has it's own thing going on - there's actually a city type vibe. People come to Temecula as a destination. I don't think Corona has ever been a "destination".

Also look at it this way. Corona and the surrounding cities (Norco, etc) all feed into the OC/LA markets as suburbs in their own right. Temecula on the other hand serves as a central hub in South County Riverside and has its own suburbs that feed into IT (Wildomar, Lake Elsinore, Menifee, Winchester, French Valley, Murrieta). While I'm sure long-term residents hate the fact that Temecula has grown to become a destination for many folks (more traffic) it does mean that less of our lives need to be lived outside the city boundaries.

Again, just my viewpoint. I have many friends that live in Corona and they love it because their lives are in OC and it gives them the cheapest way to live the OC lifestyle without the OC pricetag.

[WunderPit]

Originally Posted by eclipxe

The problem with the 91 and living on the other side of the county line is that it is the ONLY direct pass from Corona to OC. There are no alternate surface streets, just the option of going up the 71 all the way through Chino Hills then Brea, etc.

Corona is more centrally located if your life is based in North OC or Los Angeles. Like I said before, Temecula is a good option as you have decent access to South OC (CA74) and North Coastal SD (Carlsbad/Oceanside/Encinitas/La Jolla, Sorrento Valley). When it comes to things to do, I personally prefer San Diego to Los Angeles.

Corona -> Quick access to North OC and San Bernardino cities
Temecula -> Quick access to North SD and Riverside cities

Corona -> Decent access to South OC
Temecula -> Decent access to South OC (I'll give Corona the slight nod here)

Corona -> Major city = LA
Temecula -> Major city = SD

Corona -> More established, more overall character, more expensive
Temecula -> Newer, pockets of character (Old town, the hills, meadowview, etc), less expensive (prices are in line with 2.5-3x household income now)

Corona -> Some restaurant and shopping options (Dos Lagos). Limited entertainment options (must commute out of town)
Temecula -> Regional shopping center and restaurants. Pechanga (live shows every weekend, boxing, comedy club, gambling, restaurants), golf, wineries (and their restaurants),

From my observation, Corona seems like the usual OC/LA suburb (which is NOT a bad thing). Most people in the area commute to larger LA or OC cities for entertainment and fun.

Temecula has a bit more "sense of place". I think part of this is due to being further removed from the OC/LA culture. Downtown Temecula, Pechanga, The Mall all are community gathering areas that gives the city a different vibe. When I'm in Corona I feel like I'm just a bit far from where the action is in OC or LA. A good place to rest my head until I resume my life in civilization. Temecula feels like it has it's own thing going on - there's actually a city type vibe. People come to Temecula as a destination. I don't think Corona has ever been a "destination".

Also look at it this way. Corona and the surrounding cities (Norco, etc) all feed into the OC/LA markets as suburbs in their own right. Temecula on the other hand serves as a central hub in South County Riverside and has its own suburbs that feed into IT (Wildomar, Lake Elsinore, Menifee, Winchester, French Valley, Murrieta). While I'm sure long-term residents hate the fact that Temecula has grown to become a destination for many folks (more traffic) it does mean that less of our lives need to be lived outside the city boundaries.

Again, just my viewpoint. I have many friends that live in Corona and they love it because their lives are in OC and it gives them the cheapest way to live the OC lifestyle without the OC pricetag.

that was a great post. pretty much right on! long-time So-Cal'er here.

[bmxmamma]

We moved to the Mountain Gate area of South Corona almost 8 years ago from South Orange County. You will never hear a single complaint from us. We love, LOVE our neighborhood, the people are friendly, and we are a close knit community up here. We do get hot in the Summer with the rest of the IE but most people don't know that along the side of the mountain we do get a nice breeze up here. We also have a very beautiful view on the valley from the front of our house and the kids bedrooms.

Temecula is also a nice area but chose not to go any further South since my husband works in Santa Fe Springs. My SIL's both live South in the Temecula/Murrieta area and they like it there just fine.

[BRinSM]

Originally Posted by bmxmamma

We moved to the Mountain Gate area of South Corona almost 8 years ago from South Orange County. You will never hear a single complaint from us. We love, LOVE our neighborhood, the people are friendly, and we are a close knit community up here. We do get hot in the Summer with the rest of the IE but most people don't know that along the side of the mountain we do get a nice breeze up here. We also have a very beautiful view on the valley from the front of our house and the kids bedrooms.

Temecula is also a nice area but chose not to go any further South since my husband works in Santa Fe Springs. My SIL's both live South in the Temecula/Murrieta area and they like it there just fine.

your husband is a trooper, that is a brutal commute!!! I used to commute from Anaheim to SFS and that was 30 minutes plus each way. Corona is over twice the distance, he must be in the car for hours every day.

[MtnDude]

Well, I've lived in Temecula for a few years and can tell you my reality....

The population of Temecula is 60% Ex-San Diegans...Because it is right smack on the San Diego County line. There is not an equal mix of Superficial OC/LA people. It is a very very clean suburban town. Great schools and working class people and very family oriented. It is closer to anything in San Diego than OC or LA....You have the Santa Ana mountain range that runs all along Western Riverside County and there is no other access to OC besides the 2 lane 20 mile dangerous drive through the Ortega Highway on CA -74....

Corona is a total armpit....It's a dirty city with a view of brownish/yellowish smog filled sky's everyday 360 days a year. The only time you can see the mountains or Mount Baldy in Corona is on 1 out 5 days a year when there is a clear sky from Santa Ana Winds...

Corona has a pretty high crime rate overall and most of the city has a large massive population of Hispanic Gangs. Which are clearly known and visible. It is not green acres there for sure. The only normal and nice part of the city is South Corona...All of the new track homes and strips malls built all along Ontario Ave and everything else south on the bottom of the mountain area. Other than that...there ain't jack squat to do in Corona...No art, No culture, No entertainment, No nightlife, Just Millions of Illegal aliens and hispanic gangs...everywhere you go in that city...I spent a lot of time there with friends I had from there and experienced the reality there. It is definetly not an all American city. Over half of the city is Ghetto and Industrial park factories...Oh and the Riverside/Corona Area has one the highest air pollution content in the entire USA...Was reading an article in Time Magazine about Riverside/Corona area and it's insane air pollution and living there and breathing the air there is equivelant to smoking 1 pack of Cigs a year for every year you live there total. Pretty vile and nasty.

But other than that, Temecula has thee lowest crime rate overall in all of Riverside County for any city.....It's just safe and clean and you rarely see homeless people....Temecula has a nice quiet atmosphere and has 5 times more restaurants, malls and places to shop than the dirty crown town of Corona......But realisticly Corona has a lot of Thuggish people in general and has no good quality of life to raise kids in...But it's for you to decide...Everyone has their own likes and dislikes...

[flo2900]

Originally Posted by MtnDude

Well, I've lived in Temecula for a few years and can tell you my reality....

The population of Temecula is 60% Ex-San Diegans...Because it is right smack on the San Diego County line. There is not an equal mix of Superficial OC/LA people. It is a very very clean suburban town. Great schools and working class people and very family oriented. It is closer to anything in San Diego than OC or LA....You have the Santa Ana mountain range that runs all along Western Riverside County and there is no other access to OC besides the 2 lane 20 mile dangerous drive through the Ortega Highway on CA -74....

Corona is a total armpit....It's a dirty city with a view of brownish/yellowish smog filled sky's everyday 360 days a year. The only time you can see the mountains or Mount Baldy in Corona is on 1 out 5 days a year when there is a clear sky from Santa Ana Winds...

Corona has a pretty high crime rate overall and most of the city has a large massive population of Hispanic Gangs. Which are clearly known and visible. It is not green acres there for sure. The only normal and nice part of the city is South Corona...All of the new track homes and strips malls built all along Ontario Ave and everything else south on the bottom of the mountain area. Other than that...there ain't jack squat to do in Corona...No art, No culture, No entertainment, No nightlife, Just Millions of Illegal aliens and hispanic gangs...everywhere you go in that city...I spent a lot of time there with friends I had from there and experienced the reality there. It is definetly not an all American city. Over half of the city is Ghetto and Industrial park factories...Oh and the Riverside/Corona Area has one the highest air pollution content in the entire USA...Was reading an article in Time Magazine about Riverside/Corona area and it's insane air pollution and living there and breathing the air there is equivelant to smoking 1 pack of Cigs a year for every year you live there total. Pretty vile and nasty.

But other than that, Temecula has thee lowest crime rate overall in all of Riverside County for any city.....It's just safe and clean and you rarely see homeless people....Temecula has a nice quiet atmosphere and has 5 times more restaurants, malls and places to shop than the dirty crown town of Corona......But realisticly Corona has a lot of Thuggish people in general and has no good quality of life to raise kids in...But it's for you to decide...Everyone has their own likes and dislikes...

wow... Corona people pack your stuff and head out to Temecula!

[MtnDude]

Originally Posted by flo2900

wow... Corona people pack your stuff and head out to Temecula!

Why not? Corona is a total sh*thole...nothing clean or glamorous about the place. Temecula has such a better quality of life than the nasty smog filled north of Riverside County.

[that1guy]

Originally Posted by MtnDude

Well, I've lived in Temecula for a few years and can tell you my reality....

The population of Temecula is 60% Ex-San Diegans...Because it is right smack on the San Diego County line. There is not an equal mix of Superficial OC/LA people. It is a very very clean suburban town. Great schools and working class people and very family oriented. It is closer to anything in San Diego than OC or LA....You have the Santa Ana mountain range that runs all along Western Riverside County and there is no other access to OC besides the 2 lane 20 mile dangerous drive through the Ortega Highway on CA -74....

Corona is a total armpit....It's a dirty city with a view of brownish/yellowish smog filled sky's everyday 360 days a year. The only time you can see the mountains or Mount Baldy in Corona is on 1 out 5 days a year when there is a clear sky from Santa Ana Winds...

Corona has a pretty high crime rate overall and most of the city has a large massive population of Hispanic Gangs. Which are clearly known and visible. It is not green acres there for sure. The only normal and nice part of the city is South Corona...All of the new track homes and strips malls built all along Ontario Ave and everything else south on the bottom of the mountain area. Other than that...there ain't jack squat to do in Corona...No art, No culture, No entertainment, No nightlife, Just Millions of Illegal aliens and hispanic gangs...everywhere you go in that city...I spent a lot of time there with friends I had from there and experienced the reality there. It is definetly not an all American city. Over half of the city is Ghetto and Industrial park factories...Oh and the Riverside/Corona Area has one the highest air pollution content in the entire USA...Was reading an article in Time Magazine about Riverside/Corona area and it's insane air pollution and living there and breathing the air there is equivelant to smoking 1 pack of Cigs a year for every year you live there total. Pretty vile and nasty.

But other than that, Temecula has thee lowest crime rate overall in all of Riverside County for any city.....It's just safe and clean and you rarely see homeless people....Temecula has a nice quiet atmosphere and has 5 times more restaurants, malls and places to shop than the dirty crown town of Corona......But realisticly Corona has a lot of Thuggish people in general and has no good quality of life to raise kids in...But it's for you to decide...Everyone has their own likes and dislikes...

A suburb is a suburb is a suburb is a suburb...Watch "Weeds". The final episode of season 3, Nancy's partner said that there is another valley and town and another valley and town and that it went all the way down to Mexico. Dead on. If you live in ANY nicer part of a suburb in SoCal, you pretty much been to them all. So the people that post things such as this town is better (except in terms of spatial location or prices) andcomparing nicer areas to nicer areas (nice area of Temecula vs. a nice area of Corona), do so because they do not understand that a stucco box in a hillside masterplan is the same no matter where in SoCal.