What can YOU tell me about these Northern California counties? (Any info IS welcomed!) (San Francisco: violent crime, felony)

[GracieKarm]

I moved to Paradise in February 2017, so this is my second winter here. Yes, it is cold compared to where I came from (Morro Bay). But, this place has caught my interest for some years and I finally wound up here due to not being able to survive on the coast and the high costs to live there.

This is a quirky town, but I really like it. At first, I was shocked how hard it was to find certain businesses since everything is almost buried behind or underneath HUGE ponderosa pines, lol. But, it is a forest fairyland that needs explored more by me and I will eventually get around to doing that.

Spring was absolutely lovely and I look forward to my second season of it. Summer was horrible, but I am used to 65 degree weather so the heat was a surprise and my body had a hissy. Still, I can handle it as long as I keep my window little AC unit cranked up, lol.

I like Chico. Not too thrilled with Oroville. Still learning about the little towns around us. The people are nice, the medical I can't complain about, but the grocery stores? OMG. Prices are twice what we paid on the coast. I go to Magalia to get our food at the super market there because they are cheaper than here. If you don't mind driving to many different markets, then you will be fine. I like buying in one store, myself.

And, I have never seen so many antique shops and thrift stores as here. Too many, in my opinion. I don't know how businesses survive when everything you need is at the MANY thrift stores here...for a whole lot less than going to Kmart.

Anyway....if I can't have my beach...this forest suits me just fine. I just miss sitting outside looking at stars. I am afraid to...BEARS!!!

[Acuda]

Hello fine folks. I'm bumping this thread instead of starting a new one. Brandon, you seem quite interested in different places, so I hope you don't mind if I can get even more specific info on Redding. Not trying to hijack this thread- still want to keep it on a Northern California city.

My wife and I are looking at Redding for relocation in summer 2019. We currently live outside of Austin, TX in a city called Cedar Park. We are both longtime elementary teachers and have a 5 year old daughter. We are big outdoor enthusiasts- camping (no facilities is no sweat), hiking, overlanding, trail running, racing, cycling, lovers of everything outdoors. We also love to go to breweries after a long run and kick back and enjoy a good beer. A good local restaurant and live music is awesome as well. We are politically progressive, but own a gun (it's not a big deal in Texas- lots of liberals do). We believe in science and are atheists, but do not care if someone is religious unless they shove it in our faces. Very live and let live. Bethel and their Glory Cloud is just silly though- but to each their own I guess.

I grew up in Southern California and graduated from the University of Oregon, so I've driven through the area numerous times. I know Redding is more conservative (don't care too much since we live in Texas already), hot (we live in Austin, so we are not concerned with the heat), is far from a major city (fine by us). Redding is also a few hours away from my wife's brother who lives in San Francisco.

Here are a few of my questions:

I've read that property crime can be high. Is that in lower income areas? Our budget is around $450,000 and we would like to find a place that has a little more land. I've seen places north of Redding (Lakehead) and Palo Cedro that look like very pretty areas. Am I going to run into issues in my price range? How about my car? I have seen a lot of inexpensive cars because it seems like cheap cars isn't a felony, but what about a $30,000 - 40,000 car? We don't keep things in the car that is visible.

Violent Crime? Is most of that meth-on-meth crime? Or do random people get accosted/assaulted walking near downtown or running on the trails? We don't plan to visit the tougher parts. We'll just want to check out some downtown restaurants, local events, etc.

If you are an outdoorsy type, do you love Redding? We will be out exploring the mountains and water every weekend. That is the reason we want to move there. Again, the heat will not be a big issue. The climate is like Austin.

Is there many others in Redding that seem similar to us?

We will be coming to visit this summer. If there is anything you recommend to check out, please let me know.

***Any local teachers? How hard is it to land a job? We will have clear credentials, master's, and with strong resumes with 12+ years. However, I realize it is often who you know. Which elementary districts would you recommend?

Thanks, y'all

[boney89]

Wonder if somebody got more input about crescent city beside like somebody mention before is bit isolated and redencky?

[xani]

OP is wasting time with this thread. Why don't you just head out there for vacation and visit the places of interest?
All these places had been already discussed to death on city-data, over and over, can just google the name of the place. Everyone will have own opinion on these counties/towns, and they'll be conflicting: one man's garbage is another man's treasure.


I had lived in most the counties and towns mentioned, I'd lived out of airbnb for years just renting homes in different NorthCal counties to travel around. Cheap usually = crime and meth. There're also things they don't mention on this forum, like major prolonged wildfire smoke events that no person should endure unless they want good chance of getting cancer and asthma. They don't put out wildfires in certain parts of the North, until fall rains take them down, which brings quality of life to nil there, for weeks.
I would't even want to stop to get gas in some of the towns mentioned here as decent or nice: been there, lived there, seen what's going on. Other places are great....but nothing that is good is "cheap" anymore, since this 2nd real estate bubble started going.

Hint: there's "compared crime rates" tool online, which uses federal database fed from local police agencies, very accurate on what kind of environment exist in the place -- if crime is much higher than US average (almost all CA cities have higher than average US crime)....there's a reason for it and shows what "types" you'll find yourself running into. (the only exception is state prison towns....these have low crime rates because of abundant LE, but the "types" are there, moved to be closer to their locked up familiy)

[DaisyMaeB]

I've lived in Lake County for 23+ years. Yes, areas of Clearlake can be pretty bad but Middletown, Kelseyville, and Lakeport aren't bad at all.

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by boney89

Wonder if somebody got more input about crescent city beside like somebody mention before is bit isolated and redencky?

Our former Crescent City resident here said, it can be very stormy in winter; 50+ mile/hr. gale winds. There's nothing to do in town, except walk on the beach and hike in the redwoods. For some people, that's not enough. Driving somewhere, where shopping can be done is a major day excursion.

[mgforshort]

We live in Paradise and I wouldn't move anywhere else, be it Paris, Rome, Barcelona, Budapest, or Santa Barbara and so forth. In my age, Paradise IS paradise.
Having said that one of my favorites is Dunsmuir, farther north off the five freeway. It's like a movie set, or something out of the fairies. Amazing charm and character.
Dunsmuir has a vibe like going back to the 1930's.

[Astoriahoney]

I live in Willows (Glenn county) and i love it. Very small town off the 5 which makes it convenient for me to drive to Sacramento, Vacaville or San Francisco. Close to Chico.

I’ve been here two years and heard crime in Clear Lake, Orland and Orville is bad due to Meth labs and addicts.

Heard great things about Durham

[DCMann2]

Originally Posted by Ruth4Truth

Our former Crescent City resident here said, it can be very stormy in winter; 50+ mile/hr. gale winds. There's nothing to do in town, except walk on the beach and hike in the redwoods. For some people, that's not enough. Driving somewhere, where shopping can be done is a major day excursion.

That's generally true of the entire coast north of Santa Rosa. Humboldt is far and away the largest community with the most amenities, facilities, industry, and activities on the north coast and I'd still consider it pretty sleepy and isolated.

And while Snow generally didn't like the weather in CC - and especially the winter storms - I personally do like both the weather and the winter storms here so obviously personal preference comes into play. Some people find summer temperatures in the 60s far too cold for them and the accompanying fog can be a downer for them, but for me as someone who grew up in a hot climate and hated it this is definitely a paradise for me.

[xani]

Dunsmuir was mentioned here....good luck getting any sleep there, trains blasting horns like hell broke loose throughout the night, not to mention interstate noise and fumes....it's all right on the interstate or on the train tracks.....and meth....a depressing town. There was a major train crash in the 90s there, polluting large area and killing a lot of fish with spilled pesticide, poisoning some residents too, and now crude oil trains barrel through there coming down on mountain curves (there was a minor derailing recently close to town but luckily nothing spilled or exploded)