Davis 1st yr Grad Student- Where do I live? (Sacramento: 2014, apartment complexes)

[mctraver]

Hi I am starting at Davis this fall 2014 and need some ideas on the best locations to live. I heard that downtown is a good area but it seems that apartments are going quick. Can anyone provide good places to go check out in the downtown area? I am looking for a 2x1 or 2x2 (as well as a roommate) as it seems most 1x1 are $900+. The max I could afford for 2x1 or 2x2 is $1400 but that’s pushing it. Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated! Thanks

[wburg]

Downtown Davis or Downtown Sacramento?

[ryuns]

Most Davis students live in Davis. Lots of options for student housing, and housing around the city. Grad students tend to live a little farther from campus, but not exclusively. You can definitely live in Sac but the commute is obnoxious, particularly if you're not on a normal (by which I mean, if you have a 3 hour break in the middle of the day, it's not really practical to come home, but if you're in Davis, you can just bike home and hang out for a while if you want). If you're working or going to school in Sac though, definitely look at Sac.

[cmrubin]

Have you checked the ASUCD Community Housing listings (chl.ucdavis.edu)? Davis is not so huge that the areas you live in will make a big difference. Avoid the Olive Drive area, though, and some parts of East Davis around the shopping center at E. 8th St and Pole Line Road are pretty seedy.

Your rental $$ will go farther in Woodland, but it means a 10 mile commute and being kind of out in the boondocks.

[misaligned]

You will have plenty of options that fit within your budget. I highly recommend you live in Davis. It's much nicer than the surrounding areas. Despite what the poster above mentioned I don't think there are any parts of Davis I would consider seedy. Less desirable perhaps, but nowhere in Davis is really seedy.

[NoMoreSnowForMe]

Originally Posted by misaligned

You will have plenty of options that fit within your budget. I highly recommend you live in Davis. It's much nicer than the surrounding areas. Despite what the poster above mentioned I don't think there are any parts of Davis I would consider seedy. Less desirable perhaps, but nowhere in Davis is really seedy.

Agree, unless things have dramatically changed since I lived there. You can live anywhere in Davis and easily bike to campus. Also, all the buses are run by the university, and all end up at the university - or at least they used to all be run by UCD.

The town is flat, so biking is a breeze, plus lots of bike lanes everywhere, and the town is really bike friendly, as in they're used to sharing the road.

I agree you should check out the UCD off-campus website, and Craigslist, if you didn't get any on-campus options.

Enjoy your time in Davis. It's a nice town.

[anderscl]

I would suggest contacting your program to see if there's people looking for roommates. They might be helpful in helping you find a spot with some friends.

Regarding the seedy areas mentioned above--the Olive drive area is near the railroad tracks and not really what you'd want. The 8th St./Pole line area has some apartment buildings that are a bit run down--nothing threatening, again, just probably not what you'd want.

Downtown (Davis) is nice, but way overpriced. Anything within a few blocks (or sometimes more) of the university is often ridiculously priced for the condition of the building, apartment size, etc. Just get a bike and live anywhere in town. You can live three miles out and get to campus in 15-20 minutes without much effort.

[NorCalLover]

I lived on Olive Dr. for a year and didn't have any problems. The worst you might encounter is hearing the trains. That said, like what others said, pretty much all of Davis is nice, and you can live anywhere. It's easy to get around via bike and transit. I'd avoid anywhere immediately by campus, particularly frat row just North of campus, as it'll be loud and dominated by undergraduates.

I like downtown a lot, it's adorable and has tons of local businesses clustered together, but it is the most expensive place to live. West Davis is quiet, has a lot of graduate students, and gives you more bang for your buck. Along with traditional apartment complexes another thing you could look into is renting a room in a house with other grad students. You can find these options on craigslist.