An unrealistic commute? (Oakland, Stockton, Modesto: housing, travel, job)

[Edwin R]

Hello. I've been offered an opportunity in Modesto but really don't want to live there. There is a school in Menlo Park I'd like to enroll my son in and was wondering if the commute is at all realistic (between Menlo Park area and Modesto). More than 2 hours? Is there a train connection? Also, on the chance it can be done, is Menlo Park a good place to live? Thanks for any input.

[humboldtrat]

Bad news! This is an unrealistic commute. It would take at least 2 hours one-way. The bad parts are crossing a bridge and later getting on I-580 which is horrible on any given day. As for a train, there are Amtrak trains (the San Joaquin) that leave Oakland and eventually get to Modesto (via Martinez and Stockton), but the train would take longer than driving. Google Amtrak for more info.
Menlo Park is a nice upper middle class town with nice schools (Menlo School & College - where your son is going?). Menlo Park is much nicer than Modesto. Housing isn't cheap in the area - maybe $750K - $1mil for something nice. If you want to split the difference, check out San Ramon, Danville or Pleasanton which are very nice areas about halfway between Modesto and Menlo Park.

[Edwin R]

Actually, I have just read from another post that even a commute between San Ramon and Tracy is a nightmare. So I guess it is Modesto (#373) or nothing..
Thanks for your reply.

[BearBranch]

Your right. Its all Modesto. Housing is sure a lot less expensive. You may be pleasantly surprised.

[wilkermoo]

That commute would be awful. Believe me, it is not worth it to live that far from your job. It took me an hour to commute each way to my job when I loved in CA and it is draining. It sucks up all of your free time and then you come home and have no family time left.

Fortunately that commute would be traveling in the opposite direction as the rest of the commuters, but I think you would end up regretting it in the end. Modesto is not a bad area. A lot of people that work in the Bay Area move out towards Modesto to be able to afford a home. You could at least move to towns like Pleasanton, Livermore, Dublin and be much closer to Modesto and those are very desirable areas to live in the Bay Area.

[jscore]

I wouldn't do such a commute for any price.

[sonarrat]

Western Menlo Park is really really nice, but the North Fair Oaks and Ravenswood areas are rundown with very poor school districts. At any rate, there are some great schools in Modesto, and it's much less expensive to live there.

[DMenscha]

Don't give up on Modesto, You don't have to live in the city of Modesto. There are some nice towns uphill like Oakdale, Riverbank and Escalon. When I left Menlo Park I was paying $1800/month for 1/2 of a duplex, I pay $1200 on a home on 3 acres now.

Modesto isn't the dark side of the moon, give you kid a break and let him grow up in a nice town where he gets to see his father from time to time

[higas]

Originally Posted by Edwin R

Hello. I've been offered an opportunity in Modesto but really don't want to live there. There is a school in Menlo Park I'd like to enroll my son in and was wondering if the commute is at all realistic (between Menlo Park area and Modesto). More than 2 hours? Is there a train connection? Also, on the chance it can be done, is Menlo Park a good place to live? Thanks for any input.

Yep, that commute is unrealistic. First of all Menlo Park is on the SF peninsula which means you have to 1) fight east bay and then peninsula traffic and 2)cross one of three bridges. Better to find another school closer to Modesto or bite the bullet and pay to live in/around Menlo Park. I live in Ohio, but incidentally used to work in Menlo Park. Nice area...but that was over 20 years ago. The whole peninsula (pretty much) was really nice back then. My hubby works in California in East bay and you DON'T want to live there. Crime is horrible. Our car was broken into three times before it was finally stolen two months ago. Police are understaffed and did nothing to find the car. It finally turned up in Pleasanton last week, but we'd already settled w/our insurance and signed it over to them. Best of luck on your move!