What is your opinion of Woodland, CA? (Davis: neighborhood, buy)

[hydro]

Dusting of gangs, abundance of Hispanics, decent enough

[NorCal Dude]

Woodland is an exurb of Sacramento. Basically a suburb seperated from Sacramento city limits by about 12 miles of farmland.

It is a blue collar cowtown, that had rural land paved over with suburban tracts and strip malls. The older part of town and downtown is in the central part of town near the railroad tracks.

Generally speaking it ranges from working class to lower middle class. It is a majority latino, with a sizeable white minority.

The schools aren't very good in terms of student performance and the town is known to have minor and even moderate gang issues .

Boston red sox player Dustin Pedroia grew up there. When asked to describe his hometown, he called Woodland "a dump". Maybe a little harsh, but the general consensus is that Woodland is a low brow community.

[nilknarf]

But watch out: Extremely high crime. I won't go there at night, and would never raise kids there. Lots of shooting, stabbings, robberies.

[semispherical]

Originally Posted by nilknarf

But watch out: Extremely high crime. I won't go there at night, and would never raise kids there. Lots of shooting, stabbings, robberies.

Where did you live in Woodland that validates this observation?

[hydro]

It's a lot better than the valley towns SOUTH of Sac. It's only real issue is the nortenos etc. If you don't run in those circles you are removed from issue.

[2sleepy]

I don't see any real reason to live in Woodland, in my opinion it's unattractive and boring. Rent is cheaper than Vacaville, Dixon and Davis so it attracts a fair number of folks who are marginally employed. They have a fair amount of property crime but I have never thought of it as a 'dangerous' place to live

[johnnyz]

I lived in Woodland back in the late 80's - early 90's... I thought it was a great place to live. Small town feel with Sacramento being only a 15 min drive and SF being roughly 1.5 hour drive depending on traffic and time of day...I do agree that there is a large hispanic population but there is also a large anglo / white population to pretty much even things out....As for crime, it's not much different than most other cities... just stay out of the rougher neighborhoods and you should be fine...I've gone back to visit the last two years and not much seems to really have changed since I lived there...... I actually wouldn't be opposed to moving back at some point....

[fbt]

it's a kind of a sleepy farm town, relatively safe and affordable for the area. Downtown shows promise, but just about 2 yrs ago got it's first real coffeeshop (despite the UCD students who live here). Lots of beautiful old buildings, and a trend toward more upscale offerings (it'll never be Davis tho). Some petty crime (I've had several bikes stolen in a few months, locks just cut, while at home), but I'd feel safe walking after dark in most (not quite all) of woodland (and I'm not exactly imposing looking). Lousy restaurants. Most of the comments above seem spot on to me, having lived here for a few years. You see a lot of retired white farmers, younger hispanic families, and students from UCD trying to save a bit on rent. That's pretty much it here. The economy is tomato & rice farming, county seat, and eldercare...unbelievable # of nursing homes (actually quite decent and fairly affordable). Lots of fundie churches, NRA bumper stickers, etc. As an older caucasian male I find everyone just super friendly...but I imagine if you were a gay black male it might not be the most welcoming community (it's a bit Mayberry). That's a guess tho, but I bet it's right. Woodland is as retro as Davis is progressive, in a sense. The almost exact opposite of Long Beach, CA, which I also like (for completely opposite reasons, ofc!).

[Another Place]

I see this post got resurrected almost a year later. I actually spent almost a full day here about 10 years ago. Went with the family to this area and paid a visit to this town.

I can't say anything about this place one way or another but it would definitely be the kind of place to live if you just wanted to live somewhere quietly and get away from everyone. After awhile all these towns that run through the central part of California start looking the same.

I will say this though...Any town that has a historical area named Dead Cat Alley can't be all that bad.

CaliGirlz - in the downtown area on Main Street I ate at a BBQ place and it was really good, I think it was Ludy's. The Buckhorn Saloon in Winters is on my restaurant Bucket List!

[Another Place]

Originally Posted by fbt

it's a kind of a sleepy farm town, relatively safe and affordable for the area. Downtown shows promise, but just about 2 yrs ago got it's first real coffeeshop (despite the UCD students who live here). Lots of beautiful old buildings, and a trend toward more upscale offerings (it'll never be Davis tho). Some petty crime (I've had several bikes stolen in a few months, locks just cut, while at home), but I'd feel safe walking after dark in most (not quite all) of woodland (and I'm not exactly imposing looking). Lousy restaurants. Most of the comments above seem spot on to me, having lived here for a few years. You see a lot of retired white farmers, younger hispanic families, and students from UCD trying to save a bit on rent. That's pretty much it here. The economy is tomato & rice farming, county seat, and eldercare...unbelievable # of nursing homes (actually quite decent and fairly affordable). Lots of fundie churches, NRA bumper stickers, etc. As an older caucasian male I find everyone just super friendly...but I imagine if you were a gay black male it might not be the most welcoming community (it's a bit Mayberry). That's a guess tho, but I bet it's right. Woodland is as retro as Davis is progressive, in a sense. The almost exact opposite of Long Beach, CA, which I also like (for completely opposite reasons, ofc!).

Of course...you do.

Long beach is my adopted home town. Lived all over it in the 80's and I miss it very much. But like they say, you can't go back. You know what's weird? When you've lived in in a number of completely different places and you get into a discussion with someone who's lived in the same small town their whole life and when you get into a discussion with them about other places they haven't a clue what you're talking about.

Woodland reminds me of towns like Selma, Sanger and Hanford that are in the lower SJV.