Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
You should be able to rent easily in Santa Clarita valley with that money, that is if you are okay with a one bdrm apartment. If you are fine with a single, then plenty of options in Glendale, Burbank, Studio City.
If the OP has concerns about the "air is bad" in Bakersfield, just be aware that the suggested areas of Riverside County and Santa Clarita have poorer air quality (more ozone and smog) than Bakersfield. Burbank would have better air quality than any of those.
And chose the location that works best for you all the way around.
For example, I lived with roommates along the Central Coast when I was in my 20s. It was fun, great, etc and I enjoyed it at that stage of life. But later my goals changed, (career, financial, etc). I wanted to have more cash to do things like travel, plan for retirement, etc. and couldn't justify higher housing costs against that. I also wanted more career advancement than was available to me along the Central Coast. And I found I enjoyed free-time on the weekends in the mountains more than weekends along the beach.
Nothing wrong with personal choices and goals. Just match the city to yours.
If the OP has concerns about the "air is bad" in Bakersfield, just be aware that the suggested areas of Riverside County and Santa Clarita have poorer air quality (more ozone and smog) than Bakersfield. Burbank would have better air quality than any of those.
And chose the location that works best for you all the way around.
For example, I lived with roommates along the Central Coast when I was in my 20s. It was fun, great, etc and I enjoyed it at that stage of life. But later my goals changed, (career, financial, etc). I wanted to have more cash to do things like travel, plan for retirement, etc. and couldn't justify higher housing costs against that. I also wanted more career advancement than was available to me along the Central Coast. And I found I enjoyed free-time on the weekends in the mountains more than weekends along the beach.
Nothing wrong with personal choices and goals. Just match the city to yours.
Yeesh, FresnoFacts! Why do you always have to chime in with facts that pops people's bubbles.
Y'all ever drive approaching Los Angeles and see grayish fog blanketing the city? That's smog produced by the cars in the population of 9.8 million in the Los Angeles County.
Ever been to Bakersfield and the south end of the San Joaquin Valley, pure smurf, deep enough to affect the health of the sequoias up in the park.
As a kid we ran CIF in Los Angeles, and the air nearly killed us, the taste of chlorine, the foul yellowness. It may be bad now, but I have not seen it bad, or any where near what it was like 50 years ago. But, tis true, I seldom go to Los Angeles, I would prefer to go to Yucca Flat.
There are an unimaginable amount of pollutants in the air. For example:
1. Standard pollutants from cars, industry, etc. (Everyone in the central valley has a car. It is normal to do a 10 mile drive and never see a car with more than one person in it).
2. Fire. People in the central valley think burning things to be wise. They burn trash. They burn wood in their homes. They burn entire fields of crops for crop rotation. Given the amount of farmland in the area, burning ends up being very significant.
3. Remember all that farmland mentioned in point 2? You don't think that's organic farmland, do you? The vast majority of farmland in the valley is sprayed with chemicals you don't want to be around. It's even dropped from planes! Further, guess what happens to those chemicals when the owners burn their fields? Yeah.
4. Allergens. The farmland releases a lot of pollen. On top of that, people in the CV decorate their yards with hyper (not hypo) allergenic plants. Walk down a street and you'll be greeted with a cornucopia of smells ready to gag your olfactory senses. There are also horrifying fungi floating around ready to kill anyone with a weakened immune system. Try looking up San Joaquin Valley fever (Coccidioidomycosis)
Anecdotal evidence: I'm a runner. I run. Sometimes I run fast! Sometimes not. When I'm away from the CV I run about 3 miles every few days. Outside. I like running outside. When I'm in the CV I can run about half a mile outside before my body is done. My muscles are fine. The air is just that bad. Your exercise will be taking place in a gym if you want to do anything strenuous.
Poor and stupid: If you maintain low socio-economic status then you'll find you fit right in! Education is frowned upon in the central valley. Remember the words I used above such as "cornucopia" and "hypoallergenic"? The vast majority of people in the CV wouldn't know what those words mean. They could look it up in a dictionary, but won't because they neither know how nor care to. They fear education. If you have a master's degree or higher they will suspect you of being a sorcerer. Take care that you are not burned at the stake in some sort of colorful pagan ritual near the train tracks. Being mostly idiots, people in the CV make very little money. Check poverty and education levels in the area. You will be terrified.
In sum, the central valley of CA is one of the worst places in the USA you could choose to live. Aside from the significant health risks, you will be placing yourself in a population of dangerous/selfish morons who are more likely to scrape their knuckles upon the cement than work to better humanity.
I live about 3 hours north of SF along the 101.
Anything north of Santa Rosa is fairly safe. I rent a 3 bedroom house for $1,300.
Apartments go for about $700.
Now, the problem...if you want to see it that way, may be employment.
How hard do you want to work? Not many 'office' jobs, more labor type work up here.
I agree with the previous posts, and if you are willing to sacrafice space for location then $700-$1000 is a decent budget. I know the Monterey Bay area so here are some examples.
**Since you said "California" and not specifically "Southern California" check these out:
There are an unimaginable amount of pollutants in the air. For example:
1. Standard pollutants from cars, industry, etc. (Everyone in the central valley has a car. It is normal to do a 10 mile drive and never see a car with more than one person in it).
2. Fire. People in the central valley think burning things to be wise. They burn trash. They burn wood in their homes. They burn entire fields of crops for crop rotation. Given the amount of farmland in the area, burning ends up being very significant.
3. Remember all that farmland mentioned in point 2? You don't think that's organic farmland, do you? The vast majority of farmland in the valley is sprayed with chemicals you don't want to be around. It's even dropped from planes! Further, guess what happens to those chemicals when the owners burn their fields? Yeah.
4. Allergens. The farmland releases a lot of pollen. On top of that, people in the CV decorate their yards with hyper (not hypo) allergenic plants. Walk down a street and you'll be greeted with a cornucopia of smells ready to gag your olfactory senses. There are also horrifying fungi floating around ready to kill anyone with a weakened immune system. Try looking up San Joaquin Valley fever (Coccidioidomycosis)
Anecdotal evidence: I'm a runner. I run. Sometimes I run fast! Sometimes not. When I'm away from the CV I run about 3 miles every few days. Outside. I like running outside. When I'm in the CV I can run about half a mile outside before my body is done. My muscles are fine. The air is just that bad. Your exercise will be taking place in a gym if you want to do anything strenuous.
Poor and stupid: If you maintain low socio-economic status then you'll find you fit right in! Education is frowned upon in the central valley. Remember the words I used above such as "cornucopia" and "hypoallergenic"? The vast majority of people in the CV wouldn't know what those words mean. They could look it up in a dictionary, but won't because they neither know how nor care to. They fear education. If you have a master's degree or higher they will suspect you of being a sorcerer. Take care that you are not burned at the stake in some sort of colorful pagan ritual near the train tracks. Being mostly idiots, people in the CV make very little money. Check poverty and education levels in the area. You will be terrified.
In sum, the central valley of CA is one of the worst places in the USA you could choose to live. Aside from the significant health risks, you will be placing yourself in a population of dangerous/selfish morons who are more likely to scrape their knuckles upon the cement than work to better humanity.
This is the truest, most beautiful thing ever written about the Central Valley.
High School Graduate or higher
At the time of the last survey, 3,472 people in the community had a high school degree, or 94.3 of the population (compared to the national average of 80.40%).
Bachelor's Degree or Higher in Carmel Valley, California
1,731 people in Carmel Valley also had a Bachelor’s degree or higher, which represented 47 of the total population (National average was 24.40%).
Median Household Income in Carmel Valley, CA
The median household income in the community at the time of the last survey was $70,799. The median household income in the U.S. was $41,994.
Median Family Income in Carmel Valley, CA
In the last complete census survey, the median family income in the community was $85,191. Median family income in the U.S. was 50,046.
Individuals below the poverty level in Carmel Valley, CA
Individuals living below the poverty line in the community was 184, or 3.9 percent . The percentage of individuals living beneath the poverty level in the country was 12.40%.
There are an unimaginable amount of pollutants in the air. For example:
1. Standard pollutants from cars, industry, etc. (Everyone in the central valley has a car. It is normal to do a 10 mile drive and never see a car with more than one person in it).
2. Fire. People in the central valley think burning things to be wise. They burn trash. They burn wood in their homes. They burn entire fields of crops for crop rotation. Given the amount of farmland in the area, burning ends up being very significant.
3. Remember all that farmland mentioned in point 2? You don't think that's organic farmland, do you? The vast majority of farmland in the valley is sprayed with chemicals you don't want to be around. It's even dropped from planes! Further, guess what happens to those chemicals when the owners burn their fields? Yeah.
4. Allergens. The farmland releases a lot of pollen. On top of that, people in the CV decorate their yards with hyper (not hypo) allergenic plants. Walk down a street and you'll be greeted with a cornucopia of smells ready to gag your olfactory senses. There are also horrifying fungi floating around ready to kill anyone with a weakened immune system. Try looking up San Joaquin Valley fever (Coccidioidomycosis)
Anecdotal evidence: I'm a runner. I run. Sometimes I run fast! Sometimes not. When I'm away from the CV I run about 3 miles every few days. Outside. I like running outside. When I'm in the CV I can run about half a mile outside before my body is done. My muscles are fine. The air is just that bad. Your exercise will be taking place in a gym if you want to do anything strenuous.
Poor and stupid: If you maintain low socio-economic status then you'll find you fit right in! Education is frowned upon in the central valley. Remember the words I used above such as "cornucopia" and "hypoallergenic"? The vast majority of people in the CV wouldn't know what those words mean. They could look it up in a dictionary, but won't because they neither know how nor care to. They fear education. If you have a master's degree or higher they will suspect you of being a sorcerer. Take care that you are not burned at the stake in some sort of colorful pagan ritual near the train tracks. Being mostly idiots, people in the CV make very little money. Check poverty and education levels in the area. You will be terrified.
In sum, the central valley of CA is one of the worst places in the USA you could choose to live. Aside from the significant health risks, you will be placing yourself in a population of dangerous/selfish morons who are more likely to scrape their knuckles upon the cement than work to better humanity.
Ok...Like your post. I have SEVERE allergies/breathing issues/mold issues...
We (husband and children) currently live in Bend, Oregon. I HATE living here. We are both well educated, and my husband works at the Community College in Bend. We would like to live someplace warmer, sunnier, more opportunities, university town. Bend is VERY boring, and very cold for about 9 months out of the year. The other three months are very, very HOT. There isn't much to do here unless you can afford several thousand dollars/year to participate in winter snow sports. If you don't like cold, snow, being jobless, high cost of living with no employment opportunities, then Bend is not the place for you. Not to mention the transplants from Orange County that have polluted the city with the culture that says you are only good, decent, and "cool" if you have a giant Range Rover, or GMC Denali, house on the butte that is WAY bigger than you need, and outfits that cost thousands of dollars. All of this being said, we want to leave. My husband would like to work at a University. We want warmth, culture, diversity, job opportunities. Do you have any honest opinions about places in California that fit those needs? Also, safety is a pretty big priority for us as well. We would have two children in schools...one in elementary and one in high school. Any advice would be much appreciated! Thanks!!
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Question...
