Safe neighborhood in greater Santa Cruz area? (San Jose, Watsonville: high crime, safe area) - City-Data Forum

waterlady · 10-19-2011, 10:36 AM

Hi all,

I am living in San Jose now and not loving it. I am considering moving to Santa Cruz with my young kids. However, now that I am doing research about the city I am starting to wonder if that would be the best decision. I keep reading about the gang problems, drug problems, and high crime rate. Are there safe areas anywhere in the greater Santa Cruz area that would be a good place to raise my kids?

I recently moved to San Jose and am still learning about the greater Santa Cruz area. I would appreciate as much detail as possible in any answers.

Thank you in advance!

jaijai · 10-19-2011, 11:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by waterlady

Hi all,

I am living in San Jose now and not loving it. I am considering moving to Santa Cruz with my young kids. However, now that I am doing research about the city I am starting to wonder if that would be the best decision. I keep reading about the gang problems, drug problems, and high crime rate. Are there safe areas anywhere in the greater Santa Cruz area that would be a good place to raise my kids?

I recently moved to San Jose and am still learning about the greater Santa Cruz area. I would appreciate as much detail as possible in any answers.

Thank you in advance!

Yes there are many areas in the county that are safe and not as crazy as Santa Cruz proper.
Explore Soquel.
It is, imo, the most family friendly town in the coastal area of the county.
I don't have children so i don't know about the school system but it's just my impression that the Soquel schools are good ... or at least relatively so.
I don't know if your children will be going to public school but, if private is an option, there is The Mountain School right up the road from the center of Soquel.
I have lived in places in Soquel where we didn't even lock our doors.
The center of Soquel is fun when school lets out as there are 2 elementary schools and the high school within walking distance.
You can really get a sense of the young peoples world and how they seem to be fairing during that part of the afternoon.

Mountain Elementary School

Aptos is another option but again, i don't know about the schools.
I consider Aptos to be very safe.
There is no reason that you need to be relegated to Santa Cruz proper.
Have you done much exploring? just driven around the county to get a feel for everything? a feel for the different communities and a sense of how the county is connected?
There are also town in the S.C. mountains.
Scotts Valley (which is just a very short drive up HWY17 from the coast and not quite in the thick of the mountains and redwoods as the other mountain towns) may be a good choice.
It's close to the coast but less frenetic ... a bit more stayed / conventional.

It also depends on what kind of life / living situation that you want.
If rural appeals to you there are some really beautiful parts of Bonny Doon for example.
If you want a more neighborhoody / sub-urban scene that i'd say either Aptos or Soquel would be the two towns to look seriously at (although there are many parts of both towns that are semi-rural and out a way from the coast).

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Non-incorporated Towns and Communities:

waterlady · 10-19-2011, 11:23 AM

Thank you for the quick reply. I haven't driven around much to check out the neighborhoods, I always seem to end up at the beach

Im looking for a quiet, safe, suburban neighborhood to raise my kids. I will definitely look at Soquel & Aptos.

Thank you again for the info!

jaijai · 10-19-2011, 12:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by waterlady

Thank you for the quick reply. I haven't driven around much to check out the neighborhoods, I always seem to end up at the beach

Im looking for a quiet, safe, suburban neighborhood to raise my kids. I will definitely look at Soquel & Aptos.

Thank you again for the info!

If you want safe, quiet and suburban ... yes, Aptos and Soquel.
You'll have more suburban neighborhood choices in Aptos.
Soquel is a small town and much of it is in more semi-rural areas.
There are some lovely and quiet neighborhoods in Capitola as well but there are also neighborhoods that are more ifffy.
I think that the best way to explore the neighborhoods of Aptos and Soquel (and parts of Capitola ... the parts nearest to Capitola village and on over in the direction of Soquel Drive) is to get off HWY1 at the Bay / Porter exit and take a left and head into the center of Soquel.
That will put you on Soquel Drive and it's a good way to orient yourself.
Using Soquel Drive as your reference point, head through Soquel center and in the direction of Aptos and explore all of the areas that run off of Soquel Drive.
Once you get your bearings you can branch out into more neighborhoods.
Good luck.

waterlady · 10-19-2011, 12:08 PM

Thank you!!!

jaijai · 10-19-2011, 04:07 PM

You're welcome.
Take Soquel Drive all the way to and through Aptos and explore, then that will eventually take you to the frontage rd. and you when you get to the end of that you can either take a nice drive down Freedom Blvd. toward Watsonville (it's a fun rd.) or get onto the freeway, go just a bit south, get off at the Larkin Valley / San Andreas Rd. exit, take a right, go about 2-3 miles down San Andreas Rd. until you get to Manresa state beach .... best beach in the county.

OrangeSunset · 10-21-2011, 06:01 PM

Scott's Valley also seems like a nice little town with very schools and somewhat affordable housing. Check it out!

SmoothBBQ · 10-21-2011, 08:05 PM

Yup, Soquel, Capitola and Aptos are very nice. Santa Cruz too, but the boardwalk area is where I'd avoid.

imcurious · 10-21-2011, 08:50 PM

I think Scotts Valley is very family oriented. I think wherever you live, you have to keep an eye on your kids and know what they are up to . . .beach towns are a little more crazy, in general, I think, especially for teenagers . . .I don't know what I would do - definitely check out Scotts Valley.