What is Stockton like? (Sacramento, Oakland: job market, living in, restaurants)

[Don Vito]

I dont think stockton is ALLTHAT bad, i mean there are alot of places much worse in california that i could think of. Compton, watts, east oakland, richmond, south sacramento,, etc. On the other hand its really not all that good, and thats what is working against it. I dont know how many high schools they have now, but virtually all of them save maybe Lincoln are really in bad shape. You really have no alternative but to send your kids to private schools for a decent learning enviornment. Crime rates are really high, lots of home forclosures, drug and graffitti and gang issues. I donno i guess stockton is kind of a pit, but i guess i kind of like pit-towns cause im weird.

[WanttogotoMissouri]

I wouldn't go near Stockton with a ten foot pole. All I ever hear is that it has the number 1 crime rate in California, the #1 foreclosures in California. I wouldn't even go there if someone paid me! Elk Grove is real nice and safe I think.

[SoCal78]

Stockton is just a flat out ARMPIT! There's nothing to do there and there is nothing but farmland surrounding it 360 degrees. If you like tons of illegal aliens, track homes and duplicate strip malls with the same stores at every corner, then you'll love Stockton. And no Stockton doesn't have the # 1 crime rate in California. Don't know where you picked up that un-accurate statistic at. Oakland,CA was on the top 10 list for most most dangerous cities in 2007 for the united states and was the only city from CA on the list. All other cities were different states.

[Sir Barton]

There is NOTHING to do in Stockton. The downtown is ugly and the city itself has a lot of crime. The downtown also has a lot of bums walking the streets. In most areas of the town every other person driving a car looks like a thug. Stockton's not a decent place to visit, much less live.

If you do manage to find a decent neighborhood, be prepared to see people buying a house, then quickly leaving the house for good. The neighborhoods are noisy, what with gangsters driving down the streets listening to rap music and all. (It sounds like loud beating drums)

You might find some fun in Stockton, but it's short lived. You don't want to be there.

[cityx]

[quote=Sir Barton;2389638]
In most areas of the town every other person driving a car looks like a thug. Stockton's not a decent place to visit, much less live.

If you do manage to find a decent neighborhood, be prepared to see people buying a house, then quickly leaving the house for good. The neighborhoods are noisy, what with gangsters driving down the streets listening to rap music and all. (It sounds like loud beating drums).


*That's exactly how I feel about most of Sacramento! If Stockton is worse then it must be REALLY scary there.

[Calidreemer]

California agent starts the hardly magical, misery tour


By Steve Chawkins | Tribune Newspapers: Los Angeles Times December 30, 2007 This is an article about Stockton. I read it in the Chicago Tribune. I don't live in Stockton, nor have I visited. I currenlty live in a north suburb of Chicago. I did live in Elk Grove with relative for several months in 1990. We lived walking distance to Elk Grove Park. It was a friendly, well kept neighborhood when I lived there. My experience in Sacramento during that time is part of the reason I want to move back. I visited my old house (relative sold it around 1992) in 2004 and was sad to see how much the neighborhood had declined. On the flip side I also noticed a lot of growth in Elk Grove, with lots of new homes. Ours was an older, small ranch with a nice pool and hot tub.

I remember going to Lodi for cheap gas! That has probably changed too!

As with any area, there are pros and cons, it just depends on what your priorities are and what you can and can't tolerate. I am sure you will be able to find something that works for you.

Good luck!

[Sir Barton]

Originally Posted by cityx

*That's exactly how I feel about most of Sacramento! If Stockton is worse then it must be REALLY scary there.

Stockton is much worse than Sacramento. Sacramento is pretty fun, Stockton isn't tolerable.

[pistola916]

Sacramento is 100x better than Stockton. I have only been to Stockton once and thats when the 49ers were holding they're training camps there. I do pass on my way to LA, but there is nothing there.

[DMenscha]

Gee, I went to a wedding in Stockton last weekend at the UOP campus and all the driving through the city streets and over to the site of the reception were nothing but pleasant. Monday I had to pull off at Charter Way and I-5 and I was impressed at how much better the first 2 blocks were than when I first used to have to travel the full length of Charter way back in the 70's. I've been through the tougher areas in town before as well and I'm still not sure what the posters who have NEVER been there are thinking of.

[cityx]

[quote=choctawmicmac;938230]Actually it's open road between Sacramento and Stockton. But there's always traffic starting in Elk Grove.

Stockton is a medium town by California standards, of about 250,000. It hasn't changed much since the days of the old western TV show, "The Big Valley." It's still got that small-town, "Wild, Wild West" mentality.

I'll agree with the small town mentality.
But I seriously doubt that you'll find Linda Evans or Lee Majors riding through downtown in their shiny thoroughbreds!! They would probably be shot dead by some gang member or run over by some street racer in their beater car.