Willits CA questions (Santa Rosa, Montclair, Arcata: crime rate, teaching jobs, camp)

[GSXRScott]

I will be relocating to Willits for a job and need some information on the area. Opinions are welcome but unbiased information would be better. Looking for all manner of information ranging from crime rate to housing costs. THanks a bunch.

[18Montclair]

Im sure Willits has next to no crime. Its a small town that I used to go to once a year for Boy Scout Camp(Wente Scout Reservation). Its a really quaint, unpretentious(rare for anything near the Wine Country) small town that feels quite rural and is totally removed from the Bay Area's traffic and noise-its about a 2-3 hr drive to SF. If that's your thing, Willits is perfect.

[sav858]

Willits definitely has crime, more than one would expect for such a small isolated town. Meth is a big problem up there. There has been some violent crimes in the area related to all the pot growing going on around the area. The crime isn't so bad that I would recommend not moving there b/c of it but just know there are some problems in that small little town. My dad lives about 15 miles south in Ukiah and usually doesn't have anything good to say about that town.

The area is very scenic though and great if you love nature. Lots of mountains, forests, and lakes in the area. It's not too far from the coast but it is fairly isolated. The closest city is Ukiah and that place only has about 15,000 people in it. If you need more amenities you'll have to go all the way down to Santa Rosa, about 90 minutes south. So just make sure you don't mind small isolated towns before you move there.

[18Montclair]

Originally Posted by sav858

Willits definitely has crime, more than one would expect for such a small isolated town. Meth is a big problem up there. There has been some violent crimes in the area related to all the pot growing going on around the area. The crime isn't so bad that I would recommend not moving there b/c of it but just know there are some problems in that small little town. My dad lives about 15 miles south in Ukiah and usually doesn't have anything good to say about that town.

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OMG...I just did research-you are right. I guess the Willits of my idyllic youth was not so ideal anymore.

[outdoorman]

Hey Montclair don't feel bad- I too used to go to Willits year after year(decades ago to work at a SF Boys Club Summer Camp in Jackson State Forest) and remember it as one of the safest places with friendliest people you'd ever want to meet. Dating myself but this was in the 1970s and from time-to-time, I think that is got to be the nicest, prettiest, natural coastline I've been to. Wish I could own some property and live in the woods betw Ft. Bragg and Willits.

[joannayo]

Hi, I'm a single-mother of a 2 year-old boy looking for a relatively safe but beautiful & affordable place to live. I've been a teacher for 4 years & have my M.A. I'd like to know of there are any social scenes there in Willits or "lost coast" in general. My mother is a 60 yr. old retired artist & we're all 3 looking to move somewhere between Santa Rosa & Arcata.
Any info on teaching jobs & best places to live would be greatly appreciated. Thanks all!