Moving to Watsonville with young kids (Prunedale, Aptos: schools, living, estate)

[rimmerama]

Originally Posted by Namasterising

Is this a safer part of watsonville?

It is not a part of Watsonville - it's an unincorporated area just to the south of Seascape.

[gracieanna]

Yes, La Selva Beach area is safer than Watsonville. I've never lived in Watsonville, but I worked in Aptos for years at Safeway, and lived in Santa Cruz County all my life. Watsonville has some large ranch homes in good neighborhoods, and smaller, older homes in decent neighborhoods. Watsonville has a large Hispanic population due to agriculture and there is some violent crime and gang activity. There are also many, many families and peace loving people, it is not a war zone like Richmond, CA or parts of Oakland, CA.
I worked in Aptos for years, it is very pricey and populated by wealthy white people, exclusively. Capitola is nearby but also expensive to live, although you will find more rentals probably. La Selva Beach or Corralitos are more rural.

[Salty VW]

Re: Comments regarding Watsonville not being safe: That was over 30 years ago! Sadly the city still suffers from it's past reputation, fact of the matter is that crime is at a 30 year low, in line with the national average, and lower than even Santa Cruz or Capitola. They've really cleaned the place up. The schools do infact suck though, anyone with money sends there kids to private school, others try to have them transfered to Aptos. By population, the town is primarily hispanic; however, there are pockets that are mixed or even close to %100 white. Much of the surrounding rural areas are primarily white as well. La Selva Beach is within te Watsomville area code, but really it's own little deal outside the city limits. I've lived there too and is very nice. The Wataonville area code is HUGE and encompases La Selva, Corrilitos, Pajaro Dunes, Mt. Madonna, etc, but the city itself is only two or three miles square.

I wouldn't not recommend the nicer parts of Watsonville as a place to live. It's within 10 minutes of both the beach and the moutains, crime is average, it has a nice small town feel, and lacks tourists. But I wouldn't send kids to public school there. The other bummer about Watsonville is that it lacks that beach town feel that cities like Santa Cruz and Capitola have. It is close to the beach, but it just doesn't have that same vibe. If nothing else though, it's a great place to start out on the central coast. If it's all you can afford, it sure as hell beats living in simmilarly priced inland neighborhoods.

[bigdumbgod]

Originally Posted by Salty VW

Re: Comments regarding Watsonville not being safe: That was over 30 years ago! Sadly the city still suffers from it's past reputation, fact of the matter is that crime is at a 30 year low, in line with the national average, and lower than even Santa Cruz or Capitola. They've really cleaned the place up. The schools do infact suck though, anyone with money sends there kids to private school, others try to have them transfered to Aptos. By population, the town is primarily hispanic; however, there are pockets that are mixed or even close to %100 white. Much of the surrounding rural areas are primarily white as well. La Selva Beach is within te Watsomville area code, but really it's own little deal outside the city limits. I've lived there too and is very nice. The Wataonville area code is HUGE and encompases La Selva, Corrilitos, Pajaro Dunes, Mt. Madonna, etc, but the city itself is only two or three miles square.

I wouldn't not recommend the nicer parts of Watsonville as a place to live. It's within 10 minutes of both the beach and the moutains, crime is average, it has a nice small town feel, and lacks tourists. But I wouldn't send kids to public school there. The other bummer about Watsonville is that it lacks that beach town feel that cities like Santa Cruz and Capitola have. It is close to the beach, but it just doesn't have that same vibe. If nothing else though, it's a great place to start out on the central coast. If it's all you can afford, it sure as hell beats living in simmilarly priced inland neighborhoods.

Also: Try Freedom, home of KPIG. Might want to brush up on the green thumb skills first, though.

[Salty VW]

Originally Posted by bigdumbgod

Also: Try Freedom, home of KPIG. Might want to brush up on the green thumb skills first, though.

Only problem with Freedom is the lack of smaller-affordable properties. Most are on an acre or more, and priced accordingly. Definitely a nice area though.

[imcurious]

I also say Aptos.

[imcurious]

Originally Posted by Namasterising

Is this a safer part of watsonville?

La Selva Beach is officially an unincorporated area of Santa Cruz County with a Watsonville address.

[robbie_831_408]

it's not considered watsonville but yes

[Roger and Kim]

We are white and have lived in Watsonville since 2001 and these answers here are not only typical but wrong. I moved here from Santa Cruz West side because we were tired of the drugs and crime and needles all over the beach. Yes, Santa Cruz area has one of the worst and highest crime rates in the entire United States. And this includes rape and assault which is also alive and well in the surrounding areas of Santa Cruz including Soquel and Aptos. In fact Aptos high has had a huge problem with their kids doing heroin with related suicides that is just getting higher. You won't find that in Watsonville schools. And that is a fact.

Watsonville is so much safer and a wonderful family environment. Aptos and Soquel are not much safer than Watsonville if you look at actual statistics. So these folks here are giving opinions based on...nothing. We live near the Target area and the Home Depot. Lovely parks, great stores and great neighbors.

Watsonville has numerous places to live that is lovely and with great neighbors that actually interact.
So keep and open mind. These folks that are giving you incorrect information should most definitely stay put.

[Roger and Kim]

Also many of my neighbors are hispanic. and I would never move back to the white santa cruz area of stand offish neighbors that were just nosy and not friendly. Such a difference living where neighbors area actually neighbors.