Vacaville vs nearby towns (Davis, East Sac, Fairfield, N Vallejo) (Benicia)

[sav858]

Davis is the nicest followed by Vacaville. Vacaville will have more amenities but you're close to all the amenities of Sac if you're in Davis. Benicia if you want a cooler climate but you have to go into Vallejo for amenities or cross the bridge and go in Concord/Walnut Creek. I really wouldn't consider other towns along that corridor personally.

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by ServoMiff

I might have an opportunity for a job in Vacaville, and am wondering where our best choices for safe, affordable living would be, along with proper amenities and nearby (within 30-40 mins) of a major airport.

From having lived in the East Bay (Walnut Creek) and in Cole Valley 6-7 years ago, I know the microclimate situation and that the closer to the bay, the cooler it'll be, which is a draw, but I think we both prefer a more quiet place to live that's not as congested, which I don't know is even possible in the Bay area any longer. We're coming from Seattle/Bellevue now, so either way it's gonna feel hot to us regardless.

Originally Posted by sav858;

Davis is the nicest followed by Vacaville. Vacaville will have more amenities but you're close to all the amenities of Sac if you're in Davis. Benicia if you want a cooler climate but you have to go into Vallejo for amenities or cross the bridge and go in Concord/Walnut Creek. I really wouldn't consider other towns along that corridor personally.

OP, like the man said ^^^ , Davis if you think you can live with the heat. Will have health care close by, too. If you want a cooler climate, Benicia is wonderful. Small-town feel, but it has all the basics. I don't know where you'd go for med specialists, though. You could do a search for whatever type of MD your wife requires, with key words: Benicia, also Vallejo, and Walnut Creek, to see what turns up.

You could visit both locations, to see which would work best for you. Davis gets very hot during the summers. It's a university town, which is a nice amenity to have, IMO, for the public lecture series, concerts, and other events. Benicia will have easier access to San Francisco and the rest of the Bay Area, fwiw.

[ippi76]

Commuting in the Bay Area really sucks, I would not do it if you do not have to. Vacaville will be fine if you are fine with an ordinary big box store Starbucks Costco suburbia lifestyle, if you want a hipster eclectic stuff then no.

Vacaville will be cheaper than Davis too. If you really need Trader Joe's and want some more ”culture” sure Davis if you can affford it.
Anywhere you go closer to SF = more $$$ so I wouldn't recommend why commute and pay more. I'd imagine Vacaville houses will all have air conditioning so no worries there (outside of sure kind of stuck in your house july august sept).

[2sleepy]

Originally Posted by sav858

Davis is the nicest followed by Vacaville. Vacaville will have more amenities but you're close to all the amenities of Sac if you're in Davis. Benicia if you want a cooler climate but you have to go into Vallejo for amenities or cross the bridge and go in Concord/Walnut Creek. I really wouldn't consider other towns along that corridor personally.

Given the price of housing in Davis, I can't think of a reason that I would live there. Drive time between Vacaville and Sac is about 15 minutes more than Davis to Sac. If it weren't for the cost of housing I would be living in Benicia, it's a delightful little town, great weather most people are very friendly and a very proactive Police Dept that seems able to deter quite a bit of crime that plagues adjacent communities like Vallejo

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by 2sleepy

Given the price of housing in Davis, I can't think of a reason that I would live there. Drive time between Vacaville and Sac is about 15 minutes more than Davis to Sac. If it weren't for the cost of housing I would be living in Benicia, it's a delightful little town, great weather most people are very friendly and a very proactive Police Dept that seems able to deter quite a bit of crime that plagues adjacent communities like Vallejo

Hooray for Benicia! One of the early state capitals. Original home of Mills College.

[sav858]

Originally Posted by 2sleepy

Given the price of housing in Davis, I can't think of a reason that I would live there. Drive time between Vacaville and Sac is about 15 minutes more than Davis to Sac. If it weren't for the cost of housing I would be living in Benicia, it's a delightful little town, great weather most people are very friendly and a very proactive Police Dept that seems able to deter quite a bit of crime that plagues adjacent communities like Vallejo

More quaint, compact, and character than Vacaville. Probably better with arts and culture I'd imagine too. More like 20-30 min depending on traffic. Closer to the airport too.

[mattja]

So, no children. Plans in the near future?

Buy or rent? Condo or single-family home? If buying, timeframe? These details matter.

[RMESMH]

Originally Posted by Ruth4Truth

Hooray for Benicia! One of the early state capitals. Original home of Mills College.

I’m a fifth generation native, had a family member attend Mills during the First World War, and I dated the step daughter of a Mills professor, and I didn’t know that.

Learn something every day.

[RedWolf6450]

I'd check out Benicia or Davis. Benicia IMO is really underrated, and you feel apart of the Bay Area with connections to the ferry and very easy access to Walnut Creek, Berkeley. There is a nice bay breeze too. Davis if you want the academic and student vibe, or want very high achieving and pretty competitive schools. Both are really nice options, liberal leaning, safe, nice communities.

[Valley Boy]

If the job is in Vacaville, just live in Vacaville. Forget Benicia, all those towns on the water out that way have oil refineries. It's all bad from Port Chicago to Rodeo.

Davis is not a place you live in unless you are affiliated with the University, or make six figures.