Rancho Cordova vs. Santa Maria crime (Sacramento, Orcutt: real estate, 2013, violent crime)

[ElectroPlumber]

We are residents of Rancho Cordova, a suburb city of Sacramento.

I've been reading posts on Santa Maria and it seems there are conflicting opinions on the level of crime and the general desirability of living there. Some say crime is localized around the high school and is more "gang on gang". Some say they would only live in Orcutt. Some say Santa Maria itself is ok in the southern part. Others say they bike around Santa Maria without fear

I'm wondering if someone who is familiar with the crime in both Rancho Cordova (or at least Sacramento) and Santa Maria could comment on how the two areas compare crime-wise. We also have our share of gang crime here.

On a list of the most dangerous cities in CA, Sacramento was rated more dangerous than Santa Maria, so I'm wondering if even though there may be some crime, it isn't any higher of a level than what I've become accustomed to living in Rancho Cordova.

We are looking for an area to retire in, so schools, etc, are not an issue for us.

[ddennis669]

The real estate website Trulia.com has a link to a map with specific crime data showing location, date, and crime. Enter an address and then scroll down a bit to find the Neighborhood Info section and the Crime link. You can zoom in to the block level and you could compare your neighborhood in Rancho Cordova to various neighborhoods in Santa Maria.

Santa Maria has had a lot of car thefts this year but violent crime is down of late.

[ElectroPlumber]

Originally Posted by ddennis669

The real estate website Trulia.com has a link to a map with specific crime data showing location, date, and crime. Enter an address and then scroll down a bit to find the Neighborhood Info section and the Crime link. You can zoom in to the block level and you could compare your neighborhood in Rancho Cordova to various neighborhoods in Santa Maria.

Santa Maria has had a lot of car thefts this year but violent crime is down of late.

Thanks, I've looked at a lot of crime statistics. What I should have said is how does the level of crime actually feel like to residents? We have a lot of the type of crime here that we usually don't even know about because although it happens in Rancho, it is of the type that doesn't affect us.

That's why I'm trying to get a comparison from people who live there and are also familiar with the Sacramento area as to whether it's really something they worry about. From the posts I've read, there seems to be differing opinions about whether it's really an issue or not in Santa Maria.

[the city]

Gang crime has GONE WAY WAY WAY down. They are opening a jail in Santa Maria and they opened up the old jail temporarily and got more funding to crack down on gang crime and the economy shifted a bit where some low-pay jobs are getting eliminated. The downtown area pass the mall, civic center, and fallas is definitely where crime is concentrated. South of Betteravia and into Orcutt is really safe.

All of the news reportings of car jacking, assault, and gun shots are always in the northeast and sometimes northwest part of the city.

[ElectroPlumber]

Originally Posted by the city

Gang crime has GONE WAY WAY WAY down. They are opening a jail in Santa Maria and they opened up the old jail temporarily and got more funding to crack down on gang crime and the economy shifted a bit where some low-pay jobs are getting eliminated. The downtown area pass the mall, civic center, and fallas is definitely where crime is concentrated. South of Betteravia and into Orcutt is really safe.

All of the news reportings of car jacking, assault, and gun shots are always in the northeast and sometimes northwest part of the city.

Thanks City, that's good too hear.

[HDL]

I'm curious about this also. I was just reading last night that Santa Maria was ranked #10 Most Violent City in 2013 and I didn't see Rancho Cordova/Sacramento area on the list and it worries me to think that area could be worse than RC??? Any other resources to use to learn more besides Trulia?