Places to live within commuting distance of Fontana? (Riverside, Stockton: foreclosures, rental)

[NorthToSouthernCA]

Hello everyone,

My husband and I will need to relocate next year to southern California due to his job. His company is based in Fontana, and we're looking for places to live withing commuting distance.

We've had some people suggest Oak Hills, Corona, or Beaumont. What do you think? Any other ideas? Looking for some locals' opinions of the areas.

We're mostly concerned about living in a safer area. Right now we live in a quiet, smaller town (in a subdivision) that's about 15 or 20 minutes from a bigger city and shopping, which we've been very happy with. We're a little sad to leave actually.

Thanks for any suggestions.

[Count David]

IMO, Oak Hills and Beaumont (and even Corona) would be unnecessarily long commutes, but to each their own.

I'd start with Fontana and Rancho Cucamonga (and its parts that call themselves Alta Loma and Etiwanda). You can find something suitable in either city.

[NorthToSouthernCA]

Thanks for the reply, David. Fontana reminds us a little too much of Stockton, so we probably won't end up looking there. Husband's had a 35 minute commute for the five years we've spent here in CA so far (originally from Spokane, WA), so if we keep it around that, he's happy. Is there anyone from the high desert area, Beaumont, or Corona who'd like to give the pros and cons living there? What about the commute? Thanks for any help.

[Count David]

Originally Posted by NorthToSouthernCA

Thanks for the reply, David. Fontana reminds us a little too much of Stockton, so we probably won't end up looking there. Husband's had a 35 minute commute for the five years we've spent here in CA so far (originally from Spokane, WA), so if we keep it around that, he's happy. Is there anyone from the high desert area, Beaumont, or Corona who'd like to give the pros and cons living there? What about the commute? Thanks for any help.

Have you seen the northern parts of Fontana (north of Baseline, along the 15/210)? If Fontana reminds you of Stockton, the entire IE will remind you of Stockton. IMO the only difference between the IE and the Central Valley is that the IE isn't surrounded by farms, but instead, by mountains, desert, and a megalopolis.

I'm originally from Corona (Home Gardens aka the barrio), have lived in Rancho Cucamonga (Alta Loma), and I have also lived in Spokane (Sunset Hill).

What is attracting you to Beaumont? It's pretty random, and well, far. Redlands, Loma Linda, Yucaipa, and Calimesa are much closer to Fontana, and are all more than perfectly fine.

The High Desert has been ravaged by foreclosures, the traffic to/from it sucks, and it's basically populated by people who were pushed out there during the housing boom, so now it's extremely cheap -- and you get all the pros/cons that go along with that. The air is cleaner, winters are colder, summers are hotter, but he'd have to commute through the Cajon Pass, which occasionally has problems with fog, wind, and snow (no, people in the IE/HD have absolutely no clue how to drive in it). Overall, the Victor Valley is tract-home gridded desert (you'll see what I mean when you see it).

Corona is an old agricultural/mining/manufacturing town that grew into a semi-affluent suburb. It's a great place overall, but you won't find anything there that you can't find closer to Fontana. Depending on where in Corona you'd be commuting from, the commute to Fontana can be anything from simple to horrible.

What about Rancho Cucamonga? General consensus is that it is better than Corona...

[Fontucky]

City-data.com crime index, 2010:

Stockton, CA: 699.2
Spokane, WA: 547.6
Fontana, CA: 224.2

U.S. average = 319.1

[NorthToSouthernCA]

Thank you so much for all the details. I'll look into the other areas you mentioned. I suppose Fontana is just like any other big city in that it depends on where you live as to the crime rate. I'll check out the northern areas. I'm shocked Spokane's crime rate is so high, Fontucky. We lived out in the Valley and never worried about a thing. Although our rental house in the Shadle area just got a rock thrown through the window last weekend (grrrr) so maybe I shouldn't be so surprised. Anyway, thanks for taking the time to give me some good suggestions and advice. Much appreciated.

[Fontucky]

That's probably for the city limits and doesn't include Spokane Valley. I didn't look up the stats for SV. I see it's now an incorporated city. When I lived in Spokane SV was a county area.

[Chelito23]

I have to say, as someone who doesn't live in the IE but travels there for day jobs frequently and has friend in the area....the difference between what I see when I visit vs. what I read online is shocking.

It really isn't as bad as it's portrayed. It is what it is, an area that is far removed from LA, more affordable, has bad air quality....but the entire area isn't one big nightmare. There are certainly pockets of high desireability there and I dare say that the majority of the area is liveable, especially if you are used to diversity and are familair with suburban CA suburban communities (and their pros and cons). There are of course not so nice areas scattered around...but that is just how California is in general.

I have a friend in Fontana off Baseline, it is perfectly fine in that area. Rancho Cucamonga, right next door, is very nice. I am also somewhat familiar with Riverside which some people write off completely, but there are many mundane areas that are perfectly liveable. The same goes for many other communities in the IE that get written off for no reason other than people talking smack.

To compare it all to Stockton is really an exageration. Life is what you make of it and if you come into something like a move, expecting a long commute to be necessary, you will find you are going to be paying more for housing and gas than is necessary.

To answer your question about Beaumont though...yes, it's fine. With no traffic it's about 30 minutes Fontana....and Corona is nice as well....but I wouldn't say either city is worth that commute when you have nice areas in Rancho Cucamonga or along Basline in Fontana...so why look to do the same 30 minute commute you already do, wouldn't it be nice to cut that out if possible? I guess that attitude that long commutes are necessary are part of why CA has so much contamination, congested freeways and unhappy people. It's up to you..but at leat visit before ruling anything out.

[Fontucky]

Originally Posted by Chelito23

I have to say, as someone who doesn't live in the IE but travels there for day jobs frequently and has friend in the area....the difference between what I see when I visit vs. what I read online is shocking.

That's because the ones who slam the entire IE fall into the following categories:

• They've never been here and are parroting stereotypes.
• They've been to one of the less than desirable parts and are parroting stereotypes.
• They're stuck in one of the less than desirable parts and are filled with venom because of that fact.
• They grew up here and resent the changes. That happened to the area where I grew up. Rather than complain, I moved.

A good example of what you're talking about is Lake Elsinore. That town is lambasted on a regular basis here on C-D. I spent last Sunday there with some friends. We went out for brunch downtown, then spent the next couple of hours walking the business district , browsing antique shops. Weather was perfect, the lake was beautiful, the town is clean, people we encountered were friendly, and my friends love their life in the old part of town.

Imagine that. According to the naysayers here at C-D, they should be surrounded by meth cookers, criminals and crime.

[Dub D]

Fontana gets such a bad rep. Everyone focuses on the area near the 10 freeway. Fontana is a HUGE city, stretching from the 60 all the way just north of the 210. N. Fontana for the most part is pretty nice. Driving Corona to Fontana is a god awful commute. I do the opposite drive and I see how bad it is daily.

Beaumont is extremely different than Corona and Fontana. Its a much smaller city but there will be alot of growth. Corona and Fontana are well over 120k and I'm sure Beaumont is about 50k. If you want to live in Corona, DO NOT live in South Corona. Its nice but that commute, man, the 91 is just so bad.