La Mesa/Lemon Grove (San Diego, San Carlos: apartments, crime, roughest)

[mjkk2001]

I am thinking of moving to one of these cites from PA. Can someone tell me a little about the cities? How's the crime, weather, ability to get around, etc. I do have family in both, but I want to hear about the cities from a non-family member.

Thanks!

[Sassberto]

Originally Posted by mjkk2001

I am thinking of moving to one of these cites from PA. Can someone tell me a little about the cities? How's the crime, weather, ability to get around, etc. I do have family in both, but I want to hear about the cities from a non-family member.

Thanks!

La Mesa is definitely the nicer area. Generally the area south of 8 tends to be smaller postwar homes on larger lots (typically 7-10k sf lots), more diversity, more access to the lovely Village and shopping. North of 8 is a more of a mid-century tract home feel, more driving, more stripmalls. Either is good, you will find bad pockets but no outright bad areas.

I live right near the La Mesa / San Diego border which is probably the "roughest" part of La Mesa. There are some shabby homes but it is really pretty solid middle class area, without the gang problems that parts of Lemon Grove have.

Lemon Grove is not all bad but in general I recommend staying north of 94. Avoid Jamacha-Lomita, Lomita Village, and Skyline in Lemon Grove. You can get big lots in Lemon Grove and there are some nice canyon neighborhoods there too. The best areas I've seen are the neighborhoods south of Broadway near College / Massachussets Ave. It gets rougher as you go towards Spring Valley.

[mjkk2001]

Thanks, I will keep those tips in mind.

What things are there to do in La Mesa? Is it easy to navigate?

[jksouthbay88]

Well both are nice "small" sized cities.Simi-safe,simi-rough but you shouldn't really have to worrie bout stuff like that because it is in small pockets.Great shopping and entertainment is out in the E.County communities. But you are right next to East San Diego;skyline,encanto,p.h.,college area.

[mjkk2001]

Thanks!

How is the cost of living in these two places?

[tande1n5]

Actually, I still don't understand the streets in La Mesa and I have an apartment there. In my opinion, it's layout extremely strange. It's like living in a midwest/southern town with a midwest/southern vibe.... in San Diego. My neighbor had a drawl and he's born and raised.

It's safe, pretty boring, but it's location is great to catch anything that La Mesa itself may not have. As far as cost, it's probably one of the "best values" in the SD area in my opinion (but don't let the word out or it won't be for long ). It's not fancy, but it's safe, and the prices are pretty down to earth considering that Southern California cheap usually doesn't mean safe.

In short, a good middle class town that seriously looks to be right out of the midcentury midwest. Depending on where you live, some schools in the area aren't that bad... none are wonderful, but compared to the schools right across the city limit in east San Diego south of the 8, (less than a mile away), they're damn good.

[mjkk2001]

Awesome. Thanks for the info.

If anyone has any more information on La Mesa, let me know. What type of restraunts, stores, etc are there?

[tande1n5]

La Mesa has the typical cross section of restaurants and stores. Plenty of good mom and pop style places, but there are also all the chains. Grossmont center has Target, Wal-Mart, Cost Plus, all the usuals, and there's a long strip mall along the trolley line that has Costco and places like that.

[AFTERSHOCK]

I live in Lemon Grove...I love Lemon Grove. It is so peaceful and far enough from the big city to actually see a lot of stars in the sky at night. You wake up in the morning to birds singing. It is mostly houses and duplexes...not a lot of apartments at all. So its good for a family. Not a lot of crime here either.

[FormerMexifornian]

Originally Posted by mjkk2001

I am thinking of moving to one of these cites from PA. Can someone tell me a little about the cities? How's the crime, weather, ability to get around, etc. I do have family in both, but I want to hear about the cities from a non-family member.

Thanks!

I lived in La Mesa for years (north of I-8 in an area called "San Carlos" right across the street from Cowles Mtn.). I escaped 7 months ago and will never look back.

I was born and raised in San Diego, CA, and my advice to anybody considering moving there....DON'T.