Wanting to move to California but have a few concerns. (Sacramento: apartment, how much)

[Tulemutt]

Originally Posted by Pilotprincess

My advice is don't! It's a mess here.

Such a mess that it has become the nation's most populous state because people hate it here. Wait, that doesn't make sense.

[wburg]

Like Yogi Berra used to say, "Nobody goes there, it's too crowded!"

[Canonind]

I can't resist….when Humbolt is mentioned, it's impossible not to think of a famous slogan (might be outdated) anywhere near the area like Santa Rosa on up…Smoke Humbolt Homegrown. It gets shockingly hot in the Sacramento region on up. Up north of Covelo in the pines and mountains during hunting season I've had to experience 115 degrees camping. Redding scorching hot at 112 when I was there. Sacramento during it's hot months is tough. It used to be the hottest time of the year when you had to go back to school and go to the State Fair. I think Santa Rosa would be a great place to live today. You have to get use to how things work though because a beautiful sunny day in Santa Rosa will have you in your car heading to Bodega Bay with a wine cooler and a towel….but it will be so cold and cloudy there at the beach. You will fry like lobster in just 30 minutes in the cold. Also about Humbolt, I picture Viet Nam. Helicoptors of federal agents.

[Pilotprincess]

Originally Posted by Tulemutt

Such a mess that it has become the nation's most populous state because people hate it here. Wait, that doesn't make sense.

Many people are leaving due to the taxes and politics, which are quite awry.

[ukiyo-e]

OP: Check out Bend, OR. It has cool summers and not that much snow right in town, yet the Mt. Bachelor ski area is 20 minutes away and gets tons of it. You can get a 1 BR in your price range. The town is politically rather middle-of-the road and while you'll find drug use everywhere, it's not as prevalent there as many other places. There's a trail along the Deschutes River similar to the American River parkway in Sacramento, but safer.

[ryuns]

Originally Posted by ukiyo-e

OP: Check out Bend, OR. It has cool summers and not that much snow right in town, yet the Mt. Bachelor ski area is 20 minutes away and gets tons of it. You can get a 1 BR in your price range. The town is politically rather middle-of-the road and while you'll find drug use everywhere, it's not as prevalent there as many other places. There's a trail along the Deschutes River similar to the American River parkway in Sacramento, but safer.

Bend is a really nice city. Lovely, low crime, great beer. The winter is long and cold, but you're right about not getting that much snow, so the weather generally doesn't prevent people from traveling, especially if they have AWD, which everyone seems to. It's very self-contained, but also super isolated, both by distance and topography. It's a daunting task to get to the other side of the Cascades for several months of the year.

[Ghostly1]

Originally Posted by Pilotprincess

Many people are leaving due to the taxes and politics, which are quite awry.

For every one that leaves there seems to be a half dozen clamoring to replace them.

[nightlysparrow]

Look at Ventura.

[NickB1967]

Originally Posted by Ghostly1

For every one that leaves there seems to be a half dozen clamoring to replace them.

And yet, 2010 was the first census ever from which California did not gain a congresscritter. And this in spite of illegal aliens being counted in the population.

I'm older now and manged to purchase my house and get my pension job while *that* lasts, but anyone younger? Get out of California.

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by dreamingofcalifornia

I am considering moving to California, and one of the main reasons is the weather. I lived in Florida and now live in New York and hate the weather in both states. Florida was always too hot, and New York gets too hot in the summer. I like a place with mild climate. I can handle cold weather just fine but not heat. 70 degrees is as hot as I like it to get. Anyway, I would first secure a job before I move but all that aside, I am lost as to what areas to look into. I do plan on having a kid soon (within a year) and would like an area with decent schools and low crime. Definitely an area with low drug use (that includes marijuana). I know areas like Humbolt County have a high marijuana use so that's out, but I was thinking about maybe the Roseville area, Elk Grove, or even Sacramento. I'd be renting to start off and I'd like the rent to be no more than $900 with utilities. I know I can find that in areas like Elk Grove but I'm not sure if it's a good area. Anyone that could help I would greatly appreciate it. Thank you!! Also I'm a vegetarian (considering becoming vegan) and would like to be nearby an organic supermarket (or at least one with an organic section) and maybe a few vegetarian/vegan restaurants.

Forget Sacramento. Too hot in the summer. Try the Bay Area. Much cooler on the Bay, especially in San Francisco, Berkeley, Oakland. It hits 90 for about 2 weeks a year in September, that's it. Most of the time it's in the 60's and 70's, winter it can dip into the 40's, but more typically, 50's.