what is Pleasanton like? (San Jose, San Francisco: low crime, daycare, house)

[cmt2011]

My husband is considering jobs in the bay and we're heard that living in Pleasanton is a good compromise to keep costs lower than living in Mountain view. I work from home and have a 17 month old so my biggest concerns are safety, good daycare options (part time) and things to do to meet other moms and to have fun with my daughter. And Schools at some point. We've looked at a few of the housing options and it does seem like we could find something very nice in our budget, I'm just looking for an idea of what it's like living in this community.

[roadwarrior101]

Originally Posted by cmt2011

My husband is considering jobs in the bay and we're heard that living in Pleasanton is a good compromise to keep costs lower than living in Mountain view. I work from home and have a 17 month old so my biggest concerns are safety, good daycare options (part time) and things to do to meet other moms and to have fun with my daughter. And Schools at some point. We've looked at a few of the housing options and it does seem like we could find something very nice in our budget, I'm just looking for an idea of what it's like living in this community.

I have been to Pleasanton a lot, since my wife's parents live over there. It is rather upscale and has a nice little downtown. You are correct in that the schools are very good. It is very family oriented. On the downside, I don't find it as dynamic as Mountain View or the rest of the Silicon Valley. It is a little slower paced, much more conservative and religious. If this appeals to you, you'll like living there. I personally would not like that environment.

[mstnghu2]

Personally, I love the Pleasanton area. My wife and I would move there right away if it was practical or cost-effective for what we currently need in a place. Pretty much the entire 680 corridor in the East Bay (Pleasanton, Dublin, San Ramon, etc.) are very nice.

I can definitely see how it would not appeal to people who may prefer a place that's a little more vibrant or has more "grit", but I like the area a lot. The whole area is very clean and well kept and you can sense that people take pride in their community and there's not the semi-"ghetto/thuggish" vibe that tends to be strong in the East Bay (think Hayward, Union City, etc.). Crime is also very low and schools are very good.

I'm not sure what your preference is as far as weather goes, but keep in mind that the inland East Bay locations get very warm in the summer, unlike places closer to the bay. Personally, I like the weather there, but some people may think it's too hot in the summer.

[cmt2011]

thank you both for your responses. I think just the way in which you both gave your opinions, being so well put and respectful, shows a lot about the area

So far, it does sound like it could be a very good fit for us and what are needs are at this point. The heat most likely won't be an issue for us because we both grew up in So Cal where it's in the 100's for a large part of the summer.

One thing I am curious about now, is it pretty easy to get into the city for museums, plays, nightlife if you want to?

[roadwarrior101]

Originally Posted by cmt2011

thank you both for your responses. I think just the way in which you both gave your opinions, being so well put and respectful, shows a lot about the area

So far, it does sound like it could be a very good fit for us and what are needs are at this point. The heat most likely won't be an issue for us because we both grew up in So Cal where it's in the 100's for a large part of the summer.

One thing I am curious about now, is it pretty easy to get into the city for museums, plays, nightlife if you want to?

Well, you have good access to the city via BART and it is very easy to park at Dublin/Pleasanton and go to the city for a play/dinner/drinks/ballgame, etc. BART does stop running a little after midnight, so its probably not the best bet if you're into the nightclub scene. May not be an issue if you're more family oriented anyway.

[aiai]

My husband works at Santa Clara, one of his colleagues used to live in Pleasonton for the same reasons as yours. A month ago, he just sold his house in Pleasonton and relocated back to the Silicon Valley because he said he couldn't take the traffic anymore. I don't know where your husband will be working at but you might have to take this into your consideration too. A lot of people live in Pleasonton drove south to work everyday.

[sonarrat]

If you work at Chevron in San Ramon or at the Lawrence Livermore Labs, the commute's not so bad. If you're working in Mountain View, it will be very tedious. 237 is a massive bottleneck and 101 isn't much better.

[NorCal Dude]

Pleasanton is stepford wives suburbia. With more pickup trucks and Suvs with jumbo tires, more Asians, minus the new england charm.

[JohnSoCal]

We lived and worked in Pleasanton. It is a great place to live. Pleasanton is very nice, clean, good schools and a very low crime rate. I disagree with the pickups in Pleasanton. You will see that more in Livermore east of Pleasanton. You are more likely to see BMWs than pickups in Pleasanton.

You have great access to San Francisco via BART. We often went into the city on BART to go to the SF Giants games and play tourist.

[melwagner]

Yes, living in Pleasanton would suck if you worked in Mountain View. You may love it, but your husband will be miserable on his daily commute. Try closer to San Jose. The Willow Glen area of San Jose is charming and very family oriented with a great downtown, community events, and 3 great elementary schools. Plenty of mom to mom bonding opportunities here as many women are stay at home moms or work only part time. Zip code is 95125.