So, I think I may have just found THE absolute cheapest California town ever... (house, live)

[BeauCharles]

I'm sure Hell is cheap but not too many people want to live there. Big difference between inexpensive but still fairly nice (like many places in the state) and cheap with near developing world poverty (farm labor settlements in the San Joaquin Valley).

[Brandon Graves]

Originally Posted by BeauCharles

I'm sure Hell is cheap but not too many people want to live there. Big difference between inexpensive but still fairly nice (like many places in the state) and cheap with near developing world poverty (farm labor settlements in the San Joaquin Valley).

Where exactly is that location? Isn't that located in the very hot and open desert of Riverside County?

[MtnSurfer]

Originally Posted by Brandon Graves

Where exactly is that location? Isn't that located in the very hot and open desert of Riverside County?

Hell, California is a locale in Riverside County, approximately 29 miles (47 km) west of Blythe on Interstate 10. -- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hell,_California



Then there is Hell's Gate in Death Valley - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hells_Gate_(California)

Knowing you, you'd probably like Hellhole Palms, California the best. At least its got trees!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hellho...ms,_California

Here's one that's probably pretty cheap in Hellhole Canyon:



You can pick that baby up for a song.

[ambient]

It's cheap for a reason, and that reason would be: virtually no one with a pulse would want to live there.

[riceme]

Originally Posted by Brandon Graves

Well, take Trona (in San Bernardino County) for instance. One of the cheapest towns in California.

The main, and largest, employer (or job site) of Trona is the Searles Valley Minerals mining plant, and it collects minerals from the dry Searles Lake bed. I heard that they pay pretty well, FWIW.

Also within the mining district (aside from Trona) are the small (or semi-ghost) towns of Red Mountain, Johannesburg, and Randsburg.

If you're suggesting that these things make Trona an attractive place to live, you would be incorrect. The smell of rotten eggs and sulfur permeates everything, everywhere in Trona.

My family settled in Atolia, which is right outside of Randsburg, when they got off the boat from Italy, and my mom was born in Trona.

Anyways, there's a reason Trona's cheap.

[riceme]

Originally Posted by David Aguilar

Yes.



That does have an effect, however, it's not something that would affect somebody with passive income, those fully retired, those who work at home/etc.



Yes, within Trona and outside of the plants, there is nothing beyond the schools, a sheriff station, a couple of stores/etc. Many Tronites do work in Ridgecrest.

Red Mountain has no services, IIRC there was one restaurant that kept opening/closing down. Johannesburg only has a gas station/mart/post office. Randsburg has one restaurant, I believe. Anybody else who works in those places would have to do so from home, in Ridgecrest, or at the proving grounds north of California City. Otherwise it's a ridiculous AND dangerous commute to elsewhere (US 395 is notorious for traffic deaths in that stretch, as is Garlock Rd).

Hopefully the Randsburg General Store is still open, and it still has the soda fountain and a lunch counter. They used to have the best milkshakes ever. My grandma and her sisters worked there when they were young before they moved away to go to high school and college.

The last sentence cannot be stressed enough. Kramer Jct all the way to Bishop is a dangerous stretch of road.

[Brandon Graves]

Originally Posted by riceme

If you're suggesting that these things make Trona an attractive place to live, you would be incorrect. The smell of rotten eggs and sulfur permeates everything, everywhere in Trona.

My family settled in Atolia, which is right outside of Randsburg, when they got off the boat from Italy, and my mom was born in Trona.

Anyways, there's a reason Trona's cheap.

Don't worry, I wasn't suggesting that. No.

At one point, Trona was one of my considerations for relocation, and perhaps it still is.

[riceme]

Originally Posted by Brandon Graves

Don't worry, I wasn't suggesting that. No.

At one point, Trona was one of my considerations for relocation, and perhaps it still is.

I can't help myself. I have to ask, why?

The people that live there are very proud, and I respect that. They should be. It's their home, and they are tougher than nails. If you want a sample of their toughness and grit, look up their high school football field on youtube. But most of those people's families have lived there for generations. Moving there on purpose is a whole 'nother thing.

Just... why? Have you ever been there?? I'm guessing not.

[Brandon Graves]

Originally Posted by riceme

I can't help myself. I have to ask, why?

The people that live there are very proud, and I respect that. They should be. It's their home, and they are tougher than nails. If you want a sample of their toughness and grit, look up their high school football field on youtube. But most of those people's families have lived there for generations. Moving there on purpose is a whole 'nother thing.

Just... why? Have you ever been there?? I'm guessing not.

No, I have not. I have, however, been researching Trona here and there for quite a bit of time now. When I was looking on Realtor and Zillow, I have observed several houses in Trona selling for less than 30K. They were (or are) THAT cheap.

But, yeah. I would like to take a trip up to Trona one of these days, and check it out for my own self.

[MtnSurfer]

Originally Posted by Brandon Graves

No, I have not. I have, however, been researching Trona here and there for quite a bit of time now. When I was looking on Realtor and Zillow, I have observed several houses in Trona selling for less than 30K. They were (or are) THAT cheap.

But, yeah. I would like to take a trip up to Trona one of these days, and check it out for my own self.

Brandon,

You've got many posts regarding finding the cheapest place to live which I find mildly entertaining. This is especially the case given all the other politically motivated threads, rant threads, etc... typically found on this forum.

I think you've also mentioned that your quest for cheap housing will be for your retirement. The big question is if you live in the middle of nowhere, how will you get quality services needed in your retirement. For example, finding decent medical services will be a challenge, not to mention, fire, police, supplies, etc...

BTW, if you go to Trona you'll have to take some pictures and post them. It looks like there are many abandoned houses out there and *not*a lot of other amenities. Take a look at this guys trip to Trona:

This is a followup to my first post about visiting Trona. To recap,

Derek