college communities in California... (San Diego, Pomona: rent, house prices, to buy)

[the city]

I want to know the scoop on college communities in California. Would you live in a college community? Do you think the benefits of having a university in your community are good? What about a large amount of college aged students living in a community?

College communities I know of:
-San Luis Obispo (Cal Poly SLO)
-Santa Cruz (UC Santa Cruz)
-Berkley (UC Berkley)
-Goleta (UC Santa Barbara)
-Seaside (CSU Monterey Bay)
-Pomona (Cal Poly Pomona)
-Palo Alto (Stanford)

With a large college aged demographics I find interesting that the retail and entertainment scene changes in a community. There is less of a family feeling and more of a younger generation feeling in the community.

On a side note, I feel a well-known university that becomes the largest employer base in a community creates a community to be a college-based community. On the other hand in California, a majority of cities are farming based and may have a smaller university in the city but is not the largest employer. The farming communities tend to have more families, and not a concentration of college students.

[wburg]

I am always impressed by how spectacularly wrong you are about nearly everything, "the city."

[Ceece]

I believe one of the reasons an area gets chosen as a top place to live and retire is because there is a college or university nearby. This is especially sought after by active retirees who want to relocate. I've always lived within 20 miles or so of a university, and even closer to community colleges, so my answer would be yes, I WOULD live in a college community. And you can add Chico to that list.

[jbunniii]

What a strange poll. Why would someone not want to live in a college community? I could see not wanting to live on a street surrounded by rowdy college students, but those streets tend to be a small minority of most college towns. What other downsides would there be, aside from possibly higher rents/house prices?

[SOON2BNSURPRISE]

I love the Santa Barbara area and the area has a college. Most of the student population lives around Isla Vista and although they may venture into SB Isla Vista is the real College town.

What about LA they have many Universities in the area. Does anyone want to live near USC though? I like the school and the area close by is nice, but it is surrounded by an area that I would not want to live. UCLA on the other hand is in an area that I love.

Malibu has Pepperdine but I am sure that the people living there would live there college or no college. Most of us can't afford to buy and many to even rent in Malibu.

Camarillo now has California State University Channel Islands at the old Camarillo State Hospital. Since the campus is out in the farm land and surrounding hillside they have their own housing at the campus. I would bet that not a lot of people from Camarillo venture out there or have it on their minds. Nice to have a school near by but it is not affecting the life style of those in Camarillo.

San Diego has a nice campus. I have had many friends attend that school. Still I am thinking that the area would still have a vibrant populace without the school. Lots to do and many employers in the area as well.

Each of these communities I am sure like having a school or many schools near by. The schools enhance the experience of those communities but doesn't define it.

[bouncethelight]

Originally Posted by SOON2BNSURPRISE

San Diego has a nice campus. I have had many friends attend that school. Still I am thinking that the area would still have a vibrant populace without the school. Lots to do and many employers in the area as well.

San Diego actually has several universities - SDSU, UCSD, and USD - and then Point Loma Nazarene University, which is right on the ocean, and has the most beautiful view...

[californio sur]

Cal Tech is located in Pasadena & considered a fun place for college students. Someone mentioned Chico way up in northern California; it is a great little city because of the university. Also Arcata & Santa Cruz are enhanced by their universities. Redlands is a nice setting for it's college.

[senzanome]

I lived in Whittier for 40 years, near Whittier College. Now I live near CSUF in Fullerton.
So, yes I would live near a University.

My military duty was also spent in a city with a very famous college, Oxford, England.

[SOON2BNSURPRISE]

Originally Posted by bouncethelight

San Diego actually has several universities - SDSU, UCSD, and USD - and then Point Loma Nazarene University, which is right on the ocean, and has the most beautiful view...

Even better, but I bet that San Diego is enhanced by the schools but not the main focus of the citys existence.

[CA central coast]

People looking to retire and looking at a college town to do so is pretty standard, "city".

Even with all the gov't. jobs, I'd still consider the SLO area pretty agricultural.