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I spent 18 years in Ohio. Great place to grow up. You will find midwesterns all over SoCal.
NC feels a little isolated to me. The Midwest is kinda of isolated though there is distance between towns and cities.
NC I see Stale buildings newer stucco- NC reminds me of Vegas burbs newer towns not a lot of history or character. Great school districts though- beautiful new schools unreal. Coastal is nice but not for everyone. I personally love Encinitas- it reminds me of the Midwest because some of the neighborhoods are very close knit, celebrate holidays together block parties. Friendly people but not Midwest in their interests - they are gonna bike and surf in the fall not watch a football game. Ramona will give you a Midwest feel the mountains may throw you off, but the people are very community oriented.
Bates Nut Farm in Valley Center reminds me of the midwest
I disagree with El Centro. It's similar in that it is flat and there are farms- although some parts of the Midwest are older industrial areas. Midwest people escape the plains for the mountains on the weekends and they love what farms can put on their plates but those same folks don't want to live by the farm.
If you grew up in urban areas of the Midwest it is absolutely nothing like So Cal.
I've been here for 15 years from the Midwest, and I don't think you'll find what you are looking for here. The types of people that move to Southern California from the Midwest are, in general, the types of people that never really wanted to be in the Midwest and wanted something more glamorous, prioritizing weather and "beach living" over family. Even a lot of the Midwestern folks here seem to pretend they aren't from the Midwest. Likely part of that is because you'll tend to get subtle attitude and snobbery from people like Encinitan or "I'm a 4th generation Californian" types that quietly disdain the Midwest and those from there for coming here, crowding them out of "their homeland" (ask the real native americans about that attitude, ha!) and increasing the prices. The types of Midwesterners that move here generally don't like the Midwest and badmouth it, which feeds the cycle of native Californians thinking "why would anyone live there" since that is all they hear from the ones who chose to leave, vs. the ones who stayed and love it there.
Many of us, myself included, wish we could bring the great people from the Midwest to join us in the natural beauty and great weather San Diego has to offer, but you'll just have to accept the tradeoff that while you will get a beautiful place with great weather, you'll have to accept the crowds, traffic, sometimes flaky people and also the "suuurfs up braaaahhhhhh" semi-employed salesman types.
This generalizes a LOT though, so obviously you can find your niche no matter where you are at. I would say the East of 5 areas of Encinitas and South Carlsbad, and probably Poway would be the most attractive to Midwesterners looking for good family life based on my 15 years of living all over the county.
In order to answer your questions, I think we need some more information.
For instance, what specifically does a "midwestern feel" mean to you?
Have you already visited Southern California and San Diego County? Which areas did you see during your trip and which appealed to you when you visited?
Also, it would be helpful if you could give us an idea of what you're thinking of for a housing budget here in Southern California. No sense in us telling you that an area where homes start at $1 million plus feels just like Minnesota if your budget is $500,000.
As for your question about what part of Southern California has the most "midwestern" feel, although I haven't lived in the midwest myself, both of my kids went to college and/or grad school in the midwest, and, over the years, I've spent a lot of time in Minnesota-Iowa-Wisconsin-Illinois-Michigan for various reasons.
The part of Southern California that always makes me say, "this feels just like the mid-west!" are the areas around El Centro and Brawley in the Imperial County. Those are both small cities surrounded by miles and miles of agriculture. The area has the same flatness and endless farm vistas that you'll find in, say, Southern Illinois. However, it's also out in the desert, so it is VERY hot there (by hot, I mean months of 100+ temperatures) and you may not be thinking of finding the rural midwest, but something else.
You mentioned North County. Are you talking about North County Coastal or North County Inland?
To me (and others might disagree) North County Coastal is probably the area that I would say is the least like the midwest in feel. Don't get me wrong - the North County coastal area can be a very nice place to live (although it is expensive), but I don't think you'll find much "midwest feel" there.
On the other hand, North County Inland has some communities that might strike someone as feeling a little more "midwestern" in feel. I'm thinking of places like Poway, Ramona, Fallbrook.
But, without knowing what YOUR definition of "midwestern feel" is, I'm just guessing.
For me, a place with a Midwestern feel isn't overly pretentious, and has a fairly cohesive community. I realize lawn sizes will be smaller, generally speaking, in Southern CA, but having a little yard would be nice. And I hope people don't yell racist (I'm not) but I am most comfortable being in a majority European-American neighborhood .
For me, a place with a Midwestern feel isn't overly pretentious, and has a fairly cohesive community. I realize lawn sizes will be smaller, generally speaking, in Southern CA, but having a little yard would be nice. And I hope people don't yell racist (I'm not) but I am most comfortable being in a majority European-American neighborhood .
You didn't mention your budget so I am taking a shot in the dark, but to some extent these places all fit what you are looking for:
Poway
Alpine
Santee
Ramona
Jamul
Fallbrook
Encinitas*
Carlsbad*
Solana Beach*
Julian
Pine Valley
Temecula (just over the SD county border in Riverside County)
Murietta (ditto)
Perhaps San Elijo Hills in San Marcos (don't know the demographics there though).
Expect to spend $800,000 and up in the areas that are asterisked. (You can spend that much in many of the other areas too, but you'll also find some lower priced options.).
Also, depending on your budget you might want to look in Southern Orange County. Post what you are looking for in the Orange County sub-forum, and you'll likely get some good suggestions for areas there
This list is not all inclusive, and I am sure that some will disagree with some of the options. You didn't mention any other concerns --- like where you need to commute to, or whether schools are important --- but those could whittle down some of these suggestions. My goal is just to give you a starting point for further research.
So, really the best bet is to come out for a visit and see which areas feel like home to you. Good luck with your search!
I've been here for 15 years from the Midwest, and I don't think you'll find what you are looking for here. The types of people that move to Southern California from the Midwest are, in general, the types of people that never really wanted to be in the Midwest and wanted something more glamorous, prioritizing weather and "beach living" over family. Even a lot of the Midwestern folks here seem to pretend they aren't from the Midwest. Likely part of that is because you'll tend to get subtle attitude and snobbery from people like Encinitan or "I'm a 4th generation Californian" types that quietly disdain the Midwest and those from there for coming here, crowding them out of "their homeland" (ask the real native americans about that attitude, ha!) and increasing the prices.
Do I think it's a good idea for people to move here from the Midwest or anywhere else and then try to recreate what they had back home here? Sure don't. It seems really foolish. And given the cost of living differences, why would you even try to do that? My point, which you clearly missed, was just that. Why not leave home behind and come to a new place and make that new place home, rather than trying to recreate the Midwest in So Cal.
Despite your hollow assertion, I don't disdain anyone for moving to San Diego and as a property owner, I'm also not opposed to them driving up prices, thank you very much.
You didn't mention your budget so I am taking a shot in the dark, but to some extent these places all fit what you are looking for:
Poway
Alpine
Santee
Ramona
Jamul
Fallbrook
Encinitas*
Carlsbad*
Solana Beach*
Julian
Pine Valley
Temecula (just over the SD county border in Riverside County)
Murietta (ditto)
Perhaps San Elijo Hills in San Marcos (don't know the demographics there though).
Expect to spend $800,000 and up in the areas that are asterisked. (You can spend that much in many of the other areas too, but you'll also find some lower priced options.).
Also, depending on your budget you might want to look in Southern Orange County. Post what you are looking for in the Orange County sub-forum, and you'll likely get some good suggestions for areas there
This list is not all inclusive, and I am sure that some will disagree with some of the options. You didn't mention any other concerns --- like where you need to commute to, or whether schools are important --- but those could whittle down some of these suggestions. My goal is just to give you a starting point for further research.
So, really the best bet is to come out for a visit and see which areas feel like home to you. Good luck with your search!
Do I think it's a good idea for people to move here from the Midwest or anywhere else and then try to recreate what they had back home here? Sure don't. It seems really foolish. And given the cost of living differences, why would you even try to do that? My point, which you clearly missed, was just that. Why not leave home behind and come to a new place and make that new place home, rather than trying to recreate the Midwest in So Cal.
Despite your hollow assertion, I don't disdain anyone for moving to San Diego and as a property owner, I'm also not opposed to them driving up prices, thank you very much.
This is what people do everywhere though, they're trying to improve one aspect of their life (weather), while thinking nothing else changes. People want to pay the cost of living difference, but also wish that people were a little more "normal" by Midwest standards. That is why I said as much as we'd like it to be that way, it just doesn't exist so don't bother.
Go talk to people in places like Denver, Boise, Bend, etc. about how well those departing California to improve one aspect of their life (cost of living), while also trying to "make it more like California" have done in the eyes of locals. We as a species for whatever reason have this subtle competitiveness or something, must be in our DNA that we don't like "outsiders" coming in as it seems to happen everywhere for various reasons (culture difference, race, socioeconomic status, etc.). We fear what is different.
Point being that it is all a compromise, no one should move anywhere across the country and expect it to be like where you left. Though those same Denver, Boise, Bend, Montana locals will tell you its turning into California :-)
The jab at you was based on the entire collection of posts I've read of yours over the years. From my perspective, though you are good about being subtle, you tend to often display an arrogance and snobbery related to the fact that you're more of a local than others for some reason (in this case the comment about "as a property owner", etc.). I used you as an example because you capture the essence of the snobbery and arrogance from "locals" I was referring to.
This is what people do everywhere though, they're trying to improve one aspect of their life (weather), while thinking nothing else changes. People want to pay the cost of living difference, but also wish that people were a little more "normal" by Midwest standards. That is why I said as much as we'd like it to be that way, it just doesn't exist so don't bother.
Go talk to people in places like Denver, Boise, Bend, etc. about how well those departing California to improve one aspect of their life (cost of living), while also trying to "make it more like California" have done in the eyes of locals. We as a species for whatever reason have this subtle competitiveness or something, must be in our DNA that we don't like "outsiders" coming in as it seems to happen everywhere for various reasons (culture difference, race, socioeconomic status, etc.). We fear what is different.
Point being that it is all a compromise, no one should move anywhere across the country and expect it to be like where you left. Though those same Denver, Boise, Bend, Montana locals will tell you its turning into California :-)
The jab at you was based on the entire collection of posts I've read of yours over the years. From my perspective, though you are good about being subtle, you tend to often display an arrogance and snobbery related to the fact that you're more of a local than others for some reason (in this case the comment about "as a property owner", etc.). I used you as an example because you capture the essence of the snobbery and arrogance from "locals" I was referring to.
I don't agree with your assessment of me, but you're entitled to your opinion.
Lots of military people here from the Midwest both active duty and retired. Just my opinion but seems a lot of the older established pricier neighborhoods like Carlsbad , Coronado and La Jolla have quite a few Midwesterners who have been here for years.
Location: Miami (prev. NY, Atlanta, SF, OC and San Diego)
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When I lived in OC, Long Beach was referred to as Iowa by the sea.
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