Is El Cajon REALLY that bad? (San Diego, La Mesa: apartment, living in, move to)

[socketz]

What is your price range ? I would not live on the 8 east beyond La Mesa going east, especially not rentals. When you rent, the idea is to rent in an area you could not afford to buy in....or step up a few levels. El Cajon is simply uneventful/undesirable to most. I think you'd get tired of living there in about a week. I think La Mesa is probably the best value out there, cost a little more than El Cajon, but is also alot nicer. Mission Valley or even uptown near Sass is also good for rentals. Lots of college students in all these areas.

[tande1n5]

I'd also look along the 125 corridor there, it's kind of La Mesa/El Cajon/Santee's meeting point (and I guess a little of San Diego itself around what I would consider San Carlos.)

It's a little out of the way, having to go on the 125 for a little while, but that area is in my opinion much nicer than the valley of El Cajon, and I wouldn't imagine prices are much different. Mostly houses around there, though, but you can tell the people have pride of ownership, because the houses aren't on dirt or dead grass like they are in so many parts of El Cajon. I'm sure rentals can be found, though, and you can find that the 52's eastern end can be a good alternative to the 8 sometimes, so your drive times might actually be better.

I currently live in La Mesa around Baltimore on the north side of the 8, and it's not "upscale" or "beautiful" but it's plenty safe (I go out of town a ton, and for long periods, and never had a problem) and I don't really think that the price can be beat for a rental, especially when compared to mission valley.

[back2cali123]

What is the commute like from Poway to El Cajon? Is there alot of traffic in the morning?

[tande1n5]

If you took 67 it wouldn't be too bad at all, except that it's a 2 lane, windy road and if someone wrecks it could tie things up.

[elcajon1]

El cajon is worse then sping vally due to people in el cajon dont care about nothing i live in coral gardens on bradley ave in el cajon and my next door negihor broke into my house and took all my stuff in sping valley i never had a problem everyone was nice i liked the apts i was in DO NOT MOVE TO EL CAJON THEY DO NOT LIKE NEW PEOPLE I HAD TO FIND THAT OUT THE HARD WAY I HOPE THAT HELPS

[SD Observer]

There are really nice parts of El Cajon.
Especially in Granite Hills and Fletcher Hills neighborhoods.

Also most of La Mesa, Santee and Rancho San Diego are nice.

El Cajon has some shady areas and the apartment complexes down in the valley are to be avoided. This mostly has to do with the low-income, parolees, and gang members who were expelled from SD.

But as I said there are some really nice areas of El Cajon. Not always the most upscale, but safe and decent neighbors.

Good luck on your choice.

[iskray917]

Really the only places to avoid in El Cajon are all the dumpy apartments and tiny houses in the core of the town. There are quite a lot of nice places around the outside of El Cajon. Just because the address says 'El Cajon' don't automatically assume it's bad.

[oBak]

El Cajon is a lot better now than it was when I left there 14 years ago. Back then it was run down places, meth labs, and drug busts every day. But this was on S. Anza, and later Lincoln.
I personally would never move back there, but my dad has lived there since 89 and he has had no problems.

[sdurbanite]

Originally Posted by iskray917

Really the only places to avoid in El Cajon are all the dumpy apartments and tiny houses in the core of the town. There are quite a lot of nice places around the outside of El Cajon. Just because the address says 'El Cajon' don't automatically assume it's bad.

Very true, those hills that surround the El Cajon Valley are full of nice homes and neighborhoods.

[jksouthbay88]

El Cajon is a pretty cool place.I like it.Would I live there?Yes!Not that bad at all.They get that National City/South Bay rap which is never true.Problem spots do exist but what real city dosn't have them?

And for elcajon1,did you live somewhere else in SD?Are you are native?I mean if they "don't accept new people well" then that's a notion of Community Pride in my opinion.One thing San Diego locals need to improve on is defending our home and don't let the tourists and newbies run this place.