moving to Edwards AFB , CA (Los Angeles, Bakersfield: low crime, hotels, buying a house)

[mikel_jenni]

My hubby may be getting a job at the Edwards base. I have heard some things about drugs and crime around that area and I'm now thinking it may not be a smart move. Is it true about the high amount of drug and crime in this area?
We would like to find a nice place to raise our family with good schools, community and low crime. We live in New England now and like the 4 seasons, small town feel it has. Any suggestions?
I noticed Tehachapi on the map being a higher elevation, how far of a drive is it to the base from there? How are the schools, crime, people there?
Thanks for your help!

[Ritchie_az]

I'm considering Tehachapi, too. I would work in Palmdale.
The drive for you (to Edwards) will depend on where on the base you would work and where in Tehachapi you would live, but anywhere from 45 minutes to over an hour each way seems like a good guess. That's a pretty long commute, but not for California standards (I have an aunt that used to live in the L.A. basin who would commute an hour-and-a-half to two hours, depending on traffic, each way). So you will have to consider if that commute is too much for you.
Tehachapi has four seasons, has a small town feel, is very friendly, low crime (especially for California), and good schools. It's a great little oasis tucked between Lancaster and Bakersfield (both of which don't have the greatest reputations).
If the commute won't be too long for you, Tehachapi is the best choice, IMHO, out of all the cities and towns in the area around Edwards.

[mikel_jenni]

Thanks for your help Richie. I hope you don't mind but I have a few more questions.. My hubby doesn't need to take this job but thinks it would be a good opportunity for us, but reading about the crime and drugs being high around there is making us nervous. Is it that bad there? Would it be unwise for us to move there with our family? Also is there a big difference with the temp between Tehachapi and the other towns in the lower elevations? My hubby works about 45 minutes now from home, so he is used to it. He would drive it but wouldn't want any farther. I understand that the base is big and it would depend on where he would be working to how long it would take to get to different towns, but we are not exactly sure where in the base it would be yet. Are there anyother towns 45 mins or less from the base you would consider a nice, safe place to raise a family with good nieghborhoods and schools? We're not city people and would perfer small town/ rural area. Once we find out where on the base his job would be we can determine what towns would work best for us.. Thanks again, I really appreciate it!!

[mikel_jenni]

oops Ritchie.. sorry about that

[Mike121]

Next to Edwards AFB, you have Lancaster, Mojave, Lake Los Angeles, California City, and Boron.

Lake Los Angeles and Boron have seen better days. Boron is a small run-down town (but with a nice vibe, though.) Lake LA is probably not recommended.

Mojave is really a highway crossroads town: mostly hotels, gas stations, and restaurants at the side of the highway.

Lancaster is a California suburb sort of town. Lots of tract homes and malls. It does have a rather high percentage of people on disability and welfare. In general, the west side is better.

One thing to note is that for these neighborhoods on the farthest edge of the LA Area is that they are kind of boom town. When LA is going well, people, money, and jobs get pushed out into the desert. When LA is failing, those towns tend to dry up. Right now, LA is definitely in a down cycle, so these desert towns are not hot property.

Even so, I wouldn't rule it out.

If I were to move out there, I'd get a place not so far from the MetroLink Stations in Lancaster or Palmdale, so that I could take the train into downtown LA from time to time.

Also, buying a house right now, you'd get a place for very cheap, but, it may take a very long time for it to grow in value. In fact, it may never grow in value if LA doesn't substantially recover.