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Old 03-25-2011, 09:52 AM
 
5 posts, read 5,516 times
Reputation: 15

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We are a young family looking for a high and good quality of life. Currently, we're in a major Southern city, which like most cities in the Sunbelt, is taking some real economic heat. Crime is outrageous, and it just feels like low quality even though there are some good things. My occupation allows me live pretty much anywhere and I've no active familial ties where I am, or in CA, should we move to TO.

Why TO? Low Crime, and good schools, very pretty, and not LA, but close enough to do some LA stuff. But, are there other young folks there? Would it be wise to want to call CA home now with all the state mess? And is TO worth all the hassle that is living in CA? OC would come to mind, but I believe the values for raising a family are bad. That issue may just be bad anywhere in Southern California--I don't know.
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Old 03-25-2011, 10:15 AM
 
Location: Oxnard, CA
1,549 posts, read 4,248,095 times
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TO is probably an ok place to be. I don't know how many young people you will see there but I suspect there are some. Not too many places to party like Ventura or even Los Angeles but it might be a decent fit for you. I am wondering what Southern city you are from...I moved to Southern California more than 10 years ago but I'm originally from Memphis, TN.
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Old 03-25-2011, 10:47 AM
 
Location: Las Flores, Orange County, CA
26,338 posts, read 93,601,376 times
Reputation: 17830
Quote:
Originally Posted by forre23 View Post
We are a young family looking for a high and good quality of life. Currently, we're in a major Southern city, which like most cities in the Sunbelt, is taking some real economic heat. Crime is outrageous, and it just feels like low quality even though there are some good things. My occupation allows me live pretty much anywhere and I've no active familial ties where I am, or in CA, should we move to TO.

Why TO? Low Crime, and good schools, very pretty, and not LA, but close enough to do some LA stuff. But, are there other young folks there? Would it be wise to want to call CA home now with all the state mess? And is TO worth all the hassle that is living in CA? OC would come to mind, but I believe the values for raising a family are bad. That issue may just be bad anywhere in Southern California--I don't know.
I assume you when you write "young family" you are a family with small children. If so, then TO is outstanding, one of the best places in Southern California - as are many parts of Orange County.

The fact that you don't have to commute makes it perfect - as the biggest negative of TO is commuting east to jobs in the San Fernando Valley or worse "over the hill" to downtown or west LA.

Those "issues" you write of (and I am making assumptions in my mind as to what they are), are in every city. Whatever values you are thinking of are influenced from sources that are pushed to every community in the US. I saw them when I lived in Huntsville, AL and in Colorado Springs and when I visited Buffalo and Columbus, OH.
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Old 03-25-2011, 11:31 AM
 
5 posts, read 5,516 times
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Charles, I agree with you that "issues" occur everywhere in the USA. But, there is a difference between East St. Louis and Bismark ND, Hollywood and Carlsbad.. One of the issues is also just how much overblown (or not) is the financial issue in CA. For instance, one may say I'll leave TO for Houston Texas, only to find out that the situation is actually just as bad or worse. I'm not saying this is a certain truth, just an example.
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Old 03-25-2011, 05:18 PM
 
699 posts, read 1,340,393 times
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You've got only one life; might as well scratch the proverbial itch and enjoy it.

There are a few places that fit your description of bliss, but budget is part of the calculus too.

Can you share what your expectations are for cost of living?

Also, regarding "OC would come to mind, but I believe the values for raising a family are bad. That issue may just be bad anywhere in Southern California--I don't know" - I wouldn't say communities in OC have fundamentally different values from TO. TO shares a lot in common with towns like Mission Viejo, Irvine, Tustin, etc. I assume you're referring to materialism, which is a factor everywhere but more common in areas like Newport Coast and in pockets of just about any place that has wealth (perceived or otherwise -- Ladera Ranch comes to mind in the former category).
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Old 03-25-2011, 09:21 PM
 
Location: Conejo Valley, CA
12,460 posts, read 20,036,981 times
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There are certainly plenty of young families in Thousand Oaks, but its by no means a young city.

I'm not sure why you think the values are bad in Orange County, but they aren't going to be much different in Thousand Oaks. Thousand Oak is perhaps a bit more laid back, a bit less materialistic, but no dramatic differences.

In terms of the mess the state is in, well, its about the same as the mess the country as a whole is in. Neither the Thousand Oaks area or Orange county are doing poorly.
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Old 03-27-2011, 12:02 AM
 
Location: In a room above Mr. Charrington's shop
2,916 posts, read 11,059,598 times
Reputation: 1765
Thousand Oaks is suburban (very suburban, I might add) and ultra conservative. It's a car city with all the typical car stuff -- strip malls, neighborhoods, on-ramps, strip malls, neighborhoods, on-ramps. To get anywhere, you must drive, and gas in Ventura County is now $4.10/gal for 87. Guess it could be said that Thousand Oaks is Ventura County's own "Orange Curtain" (referring to Orange County's conservative bloc). If this picture meets with your likes, it might be a good fit. For me, the best thing about Thousand Oaks is its proximity to hiking in the Santa Monica Mountains. Good luck in your decision.
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Old 03-27-2011, 12:21 AM
 
Location: Conejo Valley, CA
12,460 posts, read 20,036,981 times
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Thousand Oaks, like other cities in Ventura County, is suburb. If someone doesn't like suburb and/or semi-rural living, they shouldn't move to Ventura County.

Also, contrary to the above, the most conservative city in Ventura County is Simi Valley. Thousand oaks is middle of the road. But even Simi Valley is nothing like say a conservative Southern city.
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Old 03-27-2011, 12:49 AM
 
Location: In a room above Mr. Charrington's shop
2,916 posts, read 11,059,598 times
Reputation: 1765
Should add: contrary to Thousand Oaks, west Ventura County is more Liberal and the growth values center more around busting down the car-culture sprawl mentality that still persists in places like Thousand Oaks and Orange County. The cities of Oxnard and Ventura are developing much differently than Thousand Oaks. Ox/Ven have embraced mixed-use zoning, walkable destinations and are ramping up public transportation. Thousand Oaks, indeed all of eastern Ventura County, is basically a car-based suburb of L.A. Western Ventura County is not. Just a little elaboration for the OP.
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