Need help with relocation to San Bernardino area (Pasadena, Rancho Cucamonga: 2013, neighborhoods)

[craigbarry]

My family may be relocating to start a job in the city of San Bernardino. We have narrowed our search to a few areas including Claremont and Rancho Cucamonga and possibly Corona. The housing prices are fine in that area, but we have some questions on the traffic and the air quality . First, is the poor air quality the same for each of those areas Claremont, Rancho Cucamonga, and Corona? Or is one area better than the other? We have friends in Pasadena and they do not seem to complain about the air quality, does Pasadena have substantially better air quality?

In addition, we would like to have a 45 minute or less commute each way including traffic. The approximate commute times would be traveling to San Bernardino at 7:00 a.m. and returning 4-4:30p.m. How long does the commute normally take from these locations. Google maps recommends taking the 210.

Thank you for any help and suggestions.

[mikelovato]

You'd have a reverse commute so it wouldn't be horrible. The air quality's probably roughly the same among those three. I did a quick search here on City Data to look at the Air Quality Index for the cities you mentioned. Doesn't seem to be a huge difference - Pasadena (47.3), Claremont (47.5), Rancho Cucamonga (50.3), Corona (53.2). But I haven't done a lot of research on air quality so someone smarter than me can probably tell you if that actually is a large difference.

In SoCal, I'd always look at keeping your commute as short as possible so if you're tied to those three options - I'd pick Rancho Cucamonga hands down.

[Kin Atoms]

To add my own opinion, I have experienced the air around Corona and to me it always frankly smelled of cows. Maybe that's cleared since (a good 5 years ago) but it was unmistakable. And given the choice between Rancho and Claremont, I'd go with Claremont. I think it has a better opportunity to rebound in the current economy and may be worth the commute for the neighborhoods at minimum vs. the Rancho area. That said, I'd agree with Mike about So CA, commuting, and the reverse commute for the OP. For all factors, on many levels and for my game, I'd go with Claremont.

Another opinion. Good luck in SB and wherever you wind up making a nest.

[Count David]

IMO Corona is too far, and the smog sits right over the central part of the city (everything west of I-15/south of CA-91) come summer.

You can do just as well much closer to San Bernardino. Redlands, Loma Linda, Grand Terrace, (and on, and on) for example.

[CaliforniaBears]

The 210 is a great freeway, I use it when I go from San Bernardino to Rancho Cucamonga miles better than the 10 freeway which always has traffic. Plus with the reconstruction of the 215 / 210 interchange it will make traffic run smoothly or horribly all depends when it gets finished in 2013.

When it comes to air quality I think the entire San Bernardino County suffers deeply with air quality if the air quality doesn't kill you then something else will. When it gets windy in the Fall it blows all that nasty smog towards the beaches.

[Fontucky]

Originally Posted by CaliforniaBears

When it comes to air quality I think the entire San Bernardino County suffers deeply with air quality

Yes, on this side of the mountains.