Working in both Stockton and San Francisco (Sacramento, Oakland: lease, crime)

[SAGGAS]

I need some suggestions on where to live! Would it make more sense to commute from San Francisco (area) to Stockton one day a week or to commute from Stockton to San Francisco one day a week. I am currently living in the Outer Sunset area of San Francisco about 2 blocks from the ocean but I only have a summer lease.
I will be teaching one course at SFSU and two courses at Delta Community College (one is on-line, however) in Stockton in the fall. The SFSU course is on Mondays at 9:00 a.m. I know I cannot afford to stay in San Francisco on an adjunct's salary but I don't know where to go. I am going to miss the amenities of San Francisco like the local markets and bakeries and the plentiful outdoor activities (but I miss the sunshine, too). Would it make sense to live somewhere central to both places, like Pleasanton or Livermore and take the BART to SFSU and drive to Stockton? Or would it be best to live in Stockton, drive to Pleasanton and take the BART in?

Any other suggestions? Lodi maybe?

[jade408]

Pleasanton, Livermore and Lodi are all really suburban. You'll get the sun, and some outdoor stuff but it is Suburban. Stockton is hit and miss. It is easier to make friends in SF than any of the other places on your list.

Driving from Stockton to Pleasanton is pretty sucky, especially if your travel time is around commute time. It is around a 90 minute drive (or more) in the AM, and the return traffic to Stockton starts at about 2:30p or 3p and lasts till 7 or later.

What are your living priorities?

[ServoMiff]

Generally speaking, it's easier to live in SF and commute out to the burbs for the reverse commute, but SF to Stockton is quite a hike, even if once a week and getting back into the city in the evenings is a bit more congested than it is getting out - the earlier you can make the commute, the better.

[NorCalLover]

It all depends on your budget. One option would be to rent in Oakland, which is an ok commute on transit to SFSU and a reserve commute drive to Stockton. Another thought is that you could live in Sacramento, in or around the Midtown area. You'd get the urban environment for significantly less there, and for commuting to SFSU you could either take the Amtrak to BART/Muni or drive and park at Daly City BART and either take the bus or SFSU shuttle.

[Bulldogdad]

Originally Posted by jade408

Pleasanton, Livermore and Lodi are all really suburban. You'll get the sun, and some outdoor stuff but it is Suburban. Stockton is hit and miss. It is easier to make friends in SF than any of the other places on your list.

Driving from Stockton to Pleasanton is pretty sucky, especially if your travel time is around commute time. It is around a 90 minute drive (or more) in the AM, and the return traffic to Stockton starts at about 2:30p or 3p and lasts till 7 or later.

What are your living priorities?

^^This OP.

I live and have my business in San Joaquin County. I also used to make a daily commute over the Altamont from Stockton many years ago it does suck especially since you going all the way to SF State, ugh! It is only one day though. In your situation I'd say live somewhere in the middle, if you can afford it.

The one thing Stockton has going for it vs anywhere else is the lower rents even in the Nice Areas vs East Bay or Tracy/Mountain House.

Dont forget to factor in communting costs into your decision. Youll burn a lot more gas in stop n go traffic than most calculators will give you. Add 30% to those figures.

[justmeinca]

Originally Posted by SAGGAS

I need some suggestions on where to live! Would it make more sense to commute from San Francisco (area) to Stockton one day a week or to commute from Stockton to San Francisco one day a week. I am currently living in the Outer Sunset area of San Francisco about 2 blocks from the ocean but I only have a summer lease.
I will be teaching one course at SFSU and two courses at Delta Community College (one is on-line, however) in Stockton in the fall. The SFSU course is on Mondays at 9:00 a.m. I know I cannot afford to stay in San Francisco on an adjunct's salary but I don't know where to go. I am going to miss the amenities of San Francisco like the local markets and bakeries and the plentiful outdoor activities (but I miss the sunshine, too). Would it make sense to live somewhere central to both places, like Pleasanton or Livermore and take the BART to SFSU and drive to Stockton? Or would it be best to live in Stockton, drive to Pleasanton and take the BART in?

Any other suggestions? Lodi maybe?

[redg415]

You would actually be going against commute commuting from SF or any city nearby to the central valley/stockton, lot's of people who live out there commute to the bay area, same goes for people in the sacramento areas. If SF is getting expensive there are many many other great bay area cities in the eastbay that are more affordable and would reduce your drive to stockton, and not too bad a drive from San Francisco. I would never move to the central valley personally, lots of nice town have been invaded by bay area/LA area gangs, also I find living in the bay area or even sac has alot more to offer to see and do and urban life and entertainment, the list goes on. Just my two cents i have friends/family all over and and know all or NORCAL very very well.

[SAGGAS]

Thank you for all the input and suggestions. I appreciate this very much. I have not heard many people suggest living in Stockton for the very reasons mentioned-crime and the gangs. That is a shame because the UP campus is beautiful and the community college campus is really nice, too. I have thought about Livermore. Any suggestions or thoughts on that area? I never thought of Sacramento. Do people commute to San Francisco from there? I am willing to take public transportation for the one day a week I have to be in the city.
My class at SFSU is Monday morning at 9:00 a.m. until 12:00 noon. I am already planning on leaving around 5:00 a.m.
My class at Delta is on Wednesday evenings from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m.; the other one is on-line.
I love being outside and having good markets and bakeries around; I am not a night person and do not care about entertainment in terms of bars but I do like outdoor accessibility-running and walking. I don't have kids or a husband to factor into the mix so it is just me. My summer lease ends August 1 so I have to find a place really soon!
I am open to suggestions; I am much more familiar with the OC/SoCal and only know my little neighborhood here in San Francisco (Outer Sunset). Please name some cities!

[pistola916]

Originally Posted by SAGGAS

Thank you for all the input and suggestions. I appreciate this very much. I have not heard many people suggest living in Stockton for the very reasons mentioned-crime and the gangs. That is a shame because the UP campus is beautiful and the community college campus is really nice, too. I have thought about Livermore. Any suggestions or thoughts on that area? I never thought of Sacramento. Do people commute to San Francisco from there? I am willing to take public transportation for the one day a week I have to be in the city.
My class at SFSU is Monday morning at 9:00 a.m. until 12:00 noon. I am already planning on leaving around 5:00 a.m.
My class at Delta is on Wednesday evenings from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m.; the other one is on-line.
I love being outside and having good markets and bakeries around; I am not a night person and do not care about entertainment in terms of bars but I do like outdoor accessibility-running and walking. I don't have kids or a husband to factor into the mix so it is just me. My summer lease ends August 1 so I have to find a place really soon!
I am open to suggestions; I am much more familiar with the OC/SoCal and only know my little neighborhood here in San Francisco (Outer Sunset). Please name some cities!

I am an SFSU alum (c/o 2012) and a Sacramento native.

Because you're only going to be at SF State once per week, I'd suggest living in the East Bay. At least that way you are within the Bay Area and all the urban amenities it has to offer. You can ride BART to Daly City and take the campus shuttle there. Living in Stockton is a drag. I wouldn't recommend it. Crime is high there. You could also try to live in Sacramento. Sac is convienent to many outdoor activities and the downtown area has plenty of things to offer. The drive to the Stockton campus from Sac would be about an hour, and two hours to SFSU.

Ideally, if I were you, I'd stick to the East Bay.