Moving to Santa Rosa from OR w/Children (Napa: low crime, employment)

[elcapitan]

My wife and I, as well as our two small children are considering moving to Santa Rosa from Eugene Oregon. I was born and raised in the Napa Valley and left when I was sixteen (now in mid-twenties), so I am not all that familiar with current day Santa Rosa.

Perhaps some people could chime in on their thoughts:

1. Has Santa Rosa changed for the better or worse over the
last ten years?

2. Is it a good place to raise children? i.e. good schools and
parks, low crime, ample childcare

3. Do the professional salaries match the cost of living?
(Wife and I are both CPA's.)

4. Are employment prospects good in Santa Rosa, or do most
professionals commute to the city?

5. Since Eugene Oregon basically has all of the above, is
there anything about Santa Rosa that would make the
move worthwhile? (BESIDES the weather )

6. What type of neighborhood would $550k buy into?

We truly appreciate any input....If anyone is curious, feel free to ask us about Eugene!

[norcal06]

The biggest change since you were there is traffic. It has become a real issue here and very difficult to get around. There was a large influx of pop. but now people are starting to leave since cost of living is much higher than incomes. Try relator.com for housing ideas. Rohnert park is a short commute to santa rosa and possibly more kid/family friendly.