Los Angeles area versus San Jose area...?! (Glendale, Saratoga: employment, quality of life)

[roadscholar2010]

I am considering moving out of Los Angeles (Glendale) to the San Jose area...have any of you done that? And if so, what have been the positive aspects of such move...THANKS for your input...

[bigdumbgod]

Cops don't mess with people here nearly as much as they do in L.A. (beach cities in most of my past experience, but also just about anywhere else down there). San Jose is safer, tidier, and just altogether less than all that is L.A. More geeks, though, but they're harmless. Traffic jams suck just about as much. Our pho rules.

Let's go Sharks.

[socketz]

L.A. is dozens of small cities within the city limits of a 20+ million person megatropolis. Which part of LA ?

Likewise, while a smaller population, the Bay Area is large and diverse as well (the city, East bay, Peninsula, South Bay, etc.).

I would say the traffic is terrible here, but you are coming from LA and nothing beats the 405.

[tstieber]

SJ is the nerd epicenter of America, LA is the tacky entertainment epicenter of America. Traffic, city street layout, and architecture feel very similar. Santana Row is a lot like the Grove. Traffic jams and jumbled freeways exist in both. SJ has a lot of Mexican culture, and a lot of palm trees, like LA. So SJ looks a lot like LA, but the culture is more iPad than lip injection.

[blueyes2]

Made the opposite move in order to find work. Would definitely be back in SJ if able to maintain employment there. Overall, a better place to live.

[mysticaltyger]

Originally Posted by blueyes2

Made the opposite move in order to find work. Would definitely be back in SJ if able to maintain employment there. Overall, a better place to live.

Could you elaborate on that?

I know, for one, SJ has cleaner air than anywhere in the LA area (except maybe the coastal cities).

[blueyes2]

I moved to LA because I could no longer afford to live in SJ without a job. I hate LA. I love SJ. One of the major differences is better weather. Also, better air. The surrounding area is cleaner in general and not so old and run down looking. People, in general, are more courteous, quiet, and less interested in criminal activity. It only takes about one hour to get across town, instead of two to three hours to travel less than 30 miles on stop, go 12 feet, stop LA freeways. The quality of life in SJ is just plain better. I look forward to returning, if only in my dreams.

[Wintermomma]

Originally Posted by tstieber

SJ is the nerd epicenter of America, LA is the tacky entertainment epicenter of America. Traffic, city street layout, and architecture feel very similar. Santana Row is a lot like the Grove. Traffic jams and jumbled freeways exist in both. SJ has a lot of Mexican culture, and a lot of palm trees, like LA. So SJ looks a lot like LA, but the culture is more iPad than lip injection.

LOL. Funny...and rather accurate. Though I find it much quicker to get around here...traffic is much better.

[mysticaltyger]

Originally Posted by blueyes2

I moved to LA because I could no longer afford to live in SJ without a job. I hate LA. I love SJ. One of the major differences is better weather. Also, better air. The surrounding area is cleaner in general and not so old and run down looking. People, in general, are more courteous, quiet, and less interested in criminal activity. It only takes about one hour to get across town, instead of two to three hours to travel less than 30 miles on stop, go 12 feet, stop LA freeways. The quality of life in SJ is just plain better. I look forward to returning, if only in my dreams.

Ok, thanks for your input! I used to think SJ was safe, but that seems to be changing. We've had a big spike in murders here. I had my car broken into TWICE in the last 2 weeks. That has never happened to me in the 14 years I've lived here, even when I lived on the bad side of town.

[blueyes2]

I had my personal safety problems in SJ but the atmosphere was not as negative there as it is down here. When I first moved here, I couldn't get used to all the police action, complete with sirens. In SJ, to get that kind of police action, a person had to live in the downtown area. It was so quiet in Saratoga I could sleep at any time of the night or day. I miss SJ and the entire Bay area.