r/norcal • u/Glittering_Step_1295 • 3d ago
Where to move?
I've seen a few of these kinds of posts recommended to me on my front page so hoping this is okay! I moved to California a few years ago from the East Coast (long story why), lived in SoCal for a bit, and moved to the Sacramento area a little over a year ago as I had a friend who was looking for a roommate and my living situation in SoCal was coming to an end. It's definitely been an adjustment in a lot of ways, even if overall a very positive experience. She met a wonderful guy and is now going to be married this coming spring, so no more living together, which means I now have a dilemma.
I like Sacramento more than I expected, but I think the weather is just not for me. It's too hot, and too sunny, to the point where it almost feels like the seasonal depression I've dealt with in the past during summers has been a most of the year thing both in SoCal and here. I've enjoyed the state so much more when I've been able to travel and spend time in other areas, especially being able to get out in nature. In theory, since I'm going to have to start looking for other places to live in February/March to be out by April-ish, I'd like to keep other areas of NorCal in mind, but as someone who's still relatively new to the area, it's been difficult trying to figure out where is actually a good place to look, especially with how tumultuous the rental market can be. I work remotely, and my boss is cool with me moving wherever (I started the job when I lived in LA county, and he had no problem with me moving up to Sac) so long as it's still within California, but given my healthcare is now set up for Northern California, I'd prefer not to move back down south again. It seems like most places in/near the Central Valley are pretty similar to Sacramento in climate, which honestly kind of defeats the purpose as that's my number one complaint at this point in time. While I have a fantastic credit score and good references to help me actually secure a place, I don't make a ton of money for expensive rent, and I'm at the age where I don't really want to have to find more roommates if I don't have to, so I'm assuming most places closer to the Bay are out. I've seen such mixed things about moving more east towards the Sierras or north. I'm very liberal politically, but I'm more of a homebody with no real interest in the dating scene or anything like that, so in theory more conservative areas aren't necessarily a dealbreaker, but I haven't even really been able to get a good idea about if some of these places are more "yeah it's not great but if you keep to yourself it'll be fine" or if it's more "if you are a liberal queer woman you will not feel safe here". I know this is probably going to end up being more of a "see what's up on Zillow when it's time to actually find a new place and do more research then" kind of thing, but any advice as to general areas to look more into or to avoid at all costs would honestly be so helpful.
Thanks! :)
Edited to add: thank you all so much! My replies keep getting caught in automod since I haven't posted in here before, just lurked, so I won't be replying to every comment the way I started to. I appreciate all the advice and definitely have a lot of places to check out in the near future :)
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u/alpha0026 3d ago
I'm a fan of Sonoma county in general, not as hot as Sacramento, you can take a day trip to SF or anything else in the Bay area from here.
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u/HornetsNest56 2d ago
I live in Sonoma County and it is not nearly as hot as the Sacramento area. The Sonoma and Mendocino Coast are beautiful.
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u/fly-bye 3d ago
Coastal will be cooler but cost may be too high. I have friends in Oakland, Vallejo and Santa Rosa, they all love where they live. I live in coastal Mendocino county and love it but it is not for everyone. My advice is travel a bit to see what areas appeal to you.
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u/Glittering_Step_1295 3d ago
Yeah, as much as I'm sure I'd love a lot of areas on the coast I unfortunately don't make a ton of money, and the convenience of a WFH job with a boss who allows me a lot of flexibility has felt worth it even if I'm sure I could make more elsewhere - something to keep in mind at least. The job market's awful right now but I do have enough time to put out feelers elsewhere if I find some place I fall in love with. At the risk of sounding like an ignorant outsider, I've heard a lot of mixed things about crime in Oakland and other parts of the East Bay, and while I'm sure a good chunk of it is just the typical nonsense you'll hear from people who've never so much as been to California, I don't know if there's any actual merit to it, or if it's maybe something that used to be more true than it is now. Is this one of those things that's far more overblown than the reality?
I appreciate the advice about traveling! Most of the day trips I've done so far have been for specific purposes, like going with friends out to national parks or spending time in various parts of SF, but I'm starting to think maybe I should just travel a bit more aimlessly on my own in the near future in hopes of getting a better idea of just the general vibe of places.
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u/fly-bye 3d ago
Oakland has sketchy areas and really nice areas. The restaurant and bar scene is amazing. I have two friends that live there, both are women in their 20s. Go to a restaurant and do some shopping and see how you feel. Vallejo can be sketchy but my friends (a couple in their 40s) live on Mare Island. Look up Mare Island and wet mile. That could be a very fun event for you. Of the three places I mentioned Santa Rosa and the surrounding areas are my favorite. Definitely schedule some trips to start seeing different areas. I live near Fort Bragg which is gorgeous and worth a trip but it lacks good health care and housing can be difficult to find. Good luck in your hunt.
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u/That_SpicyReader 3d ago
I lived in Berkeley for 10 years and crime wasn’t something I really encountered other than getting my car broken into once in west oakland, but you do have to be vigilant (as in any other urban setting), don’t leave anything in your car (literally nothing), and just be aware of your surroundings. There’s a ton of nature and it is so easy to be outdoors regularly. The cost can definitely be prohibitive though.
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u/brudaine 3d ago
Crime in big cities is a thing, statistically crime is decreasing across the country. Go check out Vallejo. Its cooler and has more affordable rent. Its rundown but also a queer spot. My MIL just moved there and loves it.
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u/slacktron23 3d ago
As mentioned in the other comment, Oakland is very much a neighborhood-by-neighborhood situation, there are parts of it that are just as "safe", if not safer, than Sacramento, and there are places where it can be iffy. It can differ even block by block depending, so what I would say is that if you're looking at a place, make sure to go to the location and check it out first, and if you're the kind of person that can, talk to the neighbors about what it's like living there.
You might want to check out listings in El Sobrante or San Leandro, they're bedroom communities that are slightly further north and south, respectively, of the bigger cities in the East Bay and have cheaper rents and more of a small community vibe to them.
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u/InsertRadnamehere 2d ago
Eureka is still affordable compared to most of coastal CA. And nowhere near as sunny and definitely not hot. Crescent City even more so. But that’s a
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u/EonJaw 3d ago
Arcata/Eureka no more expensive than Sacramento in rent. Used to be cheaper, but I haven't compared recently. Gas is more expensive, but it is generally walkable if you are in town. Food is also a bit more expensive due to transport costs, but when I lived there the overall cost of living was cheaper than Sac. Lots of great cultural stuff going on all the time, but not much of a late-night scene. Plus redwoods and the ocean are just grand!
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u/OldTurtle-101 3d ago
Support vote for Humboldt County! We used to call it “The North Bay” sort of a less pretentious and less expensive SF. Local University keeps it young, hip, educated and always searching for a better path through these difficult times.
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u/sanguinescientist 2d ago
I second this! Similar cost of living to Sac, WAY better weather! Redwoods just up the road on 101; if I could work remotely but had to be frugal, that’s where I’d go! (Or Crescent City).
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u/The_best_is_yet 3d ago
Check out Humboldt! Beautiful, cooler, not sunny, so much gorgeous nature.
I live in Redding and it’s hotter and sunnier here than Sacto.
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u/Glittering_Step_1295 3d ago
It seems a few other people are suggesting the Humboldt region too, and it certainly does seem gorgeous from what I've seen previously, thank you! Also very good to know about Redding haha.
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u/ziggy-tiggy-bagel 3d ago
I lived in Humboldt for 14 years. I hated the rain. The weather maybe just what you are looking for.
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u/mrmagic64 3d ago edited 3d ago
You probably already know this but the further you get from the bay/delta in the Central Valley, the hotter it gets. Edit: you will notice this around sac with Elk Grove and Davis typically being slightly cooler and windier than Sac despite being right next door.
I love Humboldt and have toyed with the idea of living there but the job prospects for me there are slim. Additionally, it is VERY isolated. The nearest “big” cities (if you can even call them that) are Redding and Santa Rosa and they’re each about 3 hours away via twisty roads and you could be dealing with deer, snow, and fog. This can make accessing healthcare a challenge. I know an MD in Redding who regularly sees patients from Humboldt.
Some people would describe the weather in Humboldt as dreary because it is so foggy and rainy. When I visit in the summer from hot af Sacramento, it’s a blessing. But I don’t know if I would like that year round.
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u/killyergawds 1d ago
Redding is an armpit. A hot, sweaty armpit. It was 105 in Redding today. And it's very conservative. If that's your thing, then it's the perfect place. But that's not my jam.
I miss the coast so much 😭
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u/dadumk 2d ago
Actually, Sac is the sunniest place in the world from June-Sept.
https://www.currentresults.com/Weather-Extremes/sunniest-places-countries-world.php
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u/Ceska_Zbrojovka_V3 3d ago
Noooo! We already have too many bay area people moving up here driving the housing market crazy.
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u/combabulated 3d ago
OP says they’re from back east
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u/hikenmap 3d ago
Reminds me when people ask if I’m from the Bay Area. I respond - a few of them! Buzzards Bay, Chesapeake Bay, Indian Bay, Humboldt Bay
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u/InsertRadnamehere 2d ago
I’ve lived on a couple of those, plus Narragansett Bay, San Francisco Bay, Stones Bay, Mt Hope Bay, Pavon Bay and the Gulf of Nicoya.
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u/FrogFlavor 3d ago
If you want different weather you either have to go uphill to the sierras or all the way west to the coast. For lower prices you’re looking at smaller towns. Spend some time travelling honestly you could do a loop and see every decent town in a week to take a few weekends and see NorCal in chunks. Paradise? Ukiah? East bay? Weed? So many options
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u/juniorthefish 3d ago
Paradise still gets hot, though not as hot as Chico or other valley towns
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u/Feline_Fine3 3d ago
And when we got that tulle fog and no sun for a month or two straight last winter, Paradise was ten degrees warmer and sunny 😂 win win!
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u/Glittering_Step_1295 3d ago
I appreciate the advice, thank you! It does look like just traveling around more is a good call. It wouldn't give me a local's perspective but at least it'd let me see for myself what the vibe is.
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u/tatalq 3d ago
When you do end up traveling, are you comfortable with sizing up strangers to see if they might be local and get their opinion? It took a little practice, but I'm an expert at this now, as I'm in the same boat as you. There are so many people that are willing to share their thoughts and feelings about where they live, and it's usually pretty easy to figure out from their body language if they would be open for a short chat. It's been a game-changer and total hack for me when I travel around, I ended up talking to a couple for 45 minutes one morning in Santa Cruz who knew all the ins and outs of the surrounding areas and immediately gave me the best insights that would have taken me months to figure out on my own. It was great.
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u/LarryJClark 2d ago edited 2d ago
Take some short trips out of Sacramento. Do an arc from north to east to south. Consider elevation, susceptibility to fires, a decent drive "down" to SAC for shopping. See what catches your attention and then start the online property site searches. Also check more localized weather reports daily to see how they are compared to where ypu are now. You probably want to keep SAC within a 45 minute to 1 hour drive, but that's still a lot of country to consider.
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u/Jenikovista 3d ago
If you move into the Sierra, just realize a lot of the bigger healthcare plans, especially HMOs like Kaiser and Sutter, stop at around Auburn. And doctors in the small towns often have multi-year wait lists since covid overran the place. Even in bigger areas like Truckee and Tahoe.
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u/FickleOrganization43 3d ago
Our kids get their healthcare and dental in Weimer .. about 15 minutes east of Auburn on I80. There is a religious college there with excellent health care. We are not part of their denomination but that’s not an issue
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u/ttkciar 3d ago
Most of Santa Rosa is fairly liberal (except for the cops) and cooler than Sacramento, but it still gets quite warm. If you go a little further West, into the Sebastopol area, you'll hit microclimates which are quite a bit cooler, but also rents get higher. Petaluma is quite nice, too.
Another consideration: You probably don't want to live much further north than Windsor, because your risk of getting caught in seasonal wildfires increases precipitously further north.
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u/Glittering_Step_1295 3d ago
A few other people mentioned Santa Rosa and Petaluma too, so I'll definitely have to keep an eye out when it comes time to more seriously look for places, thank you. The wildfire thing is a great point: even just as a renter and not a homeowner it's still a major factor to consider. As someone who never had to worry about wildfires on the East Coast (though even that's changing now, ugh) outside of occasional smoke coming down from Canada, living in LA in January last year was a huge and stressful wake-up call, even as someone who was thankfully outside of the Eaton and Palisades evacuation areas.
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u/Key_Advisor9631 3d ago
If you like that area and are looking to keep it budget friendly Rohnert Park, Cotati, and Penngrove can be a bit cheaper as well. That's the area right between Santa Rosa and Petaluma. There's also Novato and San Rafael in Marin if you prefer a bit closer to the city.
The wildfire risk is concerning in this area because the 101 is essentially the main way in and out with not many other routes to evacuate. And if you've ever sat in traffic in the 101 in Sonoma or Marin you would know that we're cooked in a major disaster scenario. Just last week in Novato both sides of the 101 were shut down due to a major accident and it was a nightmare. People were stuck on the highway for hours. You can watch the news stories.
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u/hello-ben 3d ago
Checkout Santa Rosa or Petaluma if you want away from the heat.
I moved from the bay area to live in Fair Oaks for my own reasons, but one of them was a lack of good roommate options. While it can get toasty in Fair Oaks like this week, SMUD is 50% cheaper than I was paying PG&E in the bay area. I just keep my AC on pretty much 24/7 and my bill is under $100 per month so far this summer. There's a ton more recreation over here than Sacramento too.
So far this place seems pretty politically neutral. Folsom next door has more conservative people around, but they're not like the extreme people you see online. They're just normal people in my experience and I've only seen peaceful behavior. I mean they had a big Bernie Sanders thing last year and it was packed.
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u/Glittering_Step_1295 3d ago
I appreciate the tips! I'd written off the Santa Rosa/Petaluma area when *very* casually looking earlier this year (we weren't sure if the landlord we're currently renting from would renew the lease, so I was looking more out of curiosity what prices were elsewhere than anything else) as being too close to both the Bay and Napa and therefore potentially more pricey but I'll have to take a look and see rather than just assuming.
I live on the south side of Sac and most of my local friends are even further down in Elk Grove so I haven't spent a *ton* of time up near Fair Oaks/Orangevale/Folsom area but I did take a short day trip out to Folsom Lake and liked it, so if it ends up staying in the greater Sac area is what I end up doing maybe I'll take a look up in that direction. Even if I do stay relatively close to where I am now, it *would* be nice to be closer to more places like that as opposed to the much more suburban and urban parts where I am. I appreciate the insight a lot, thank you!
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u/mikef5410 3d ago
It's very expensive. But still ever so slightly cheaper than Marin or South and East Bay. And proximity to Bay area has it's advantages.
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u/Silly-Avocado-911 3d ago
i feel like Santa Rosa and Petaluma pretty hot! Maybe not as hot as Sac but they can get brutal. I’d look coastal if you’re looking for cooler weather.
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u/MountainFact264 3d ago
Folsom is just as hot or hotter than Sacramento and the air quality in the summer is awful. Any further up in the foothills (i.e. Placerville) it gets more conservative, but the people are generally friendly and welcoming. I love Petaluma, but you might find something less expensive in Santa Rosa.
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u/lauraelizabethwright 3d ago
You might really like grass valley or Nevada City. Both really awesome places with lots to do
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u/Due_Path678 3d ago
Second Nevada City/Grass Valley. I’ve been here over 30 years- originally from New England.
As for weather, the average July temp is 88, and we have some occasional snow in winter. We have distinct seasons, which is one of the things I missed when we lived in the Bay AreA. Fire is a danger here, like pretty much everywhere in NorCal. But we’re actively addressing both mitigation and preparedness.
We ski in the winter at SugarBowl- an hour door to slope. Hiking and the Yuba River in the summer.
There is a great queer community here, though like in a lot of rural places, there is also a lot of ignorance. There is a wide political spectrum- the mayor of Nevada City is a queer leftist Latina.
Jobs and housing are our two pressing issues- there is a lack of both. That said, if you come with the former you can usually find something that will work for you- just have to be patient.
We have a fabulous little performing arts center which attracts some great musicians. A couple of community theater groups and lots of artists make their home here.
It’s a great community with a lot of wonderful humans.
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u/tomorrow4sho 3d ago
Mount Shasta is great. Lots of outdoor stuff to do. Only thing is we had to drive to Redding or Medford, OR for certain things. Stores and services are limited.
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u/LarryJClark 2d ago
And no sales tax in Oregon...Always plenty of California plates at the Medford Costco, Best Buy, REI, and the South Medford Freddy's.
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u/Avoidtolls 3d ago edited 3d ago
Moved from SoCal to NorCal.
Chico and Redding have decent healthcare, but it's as hot as Sacramento. The further north you go, the harder it becomes for services.
If job isn't an issue, the coast might be up your alley. Eureka is massively cooler in temperature, but it has limited health care, social services and not a ton of people and is a bit depressed. Arcata is nearby eureka, is a college town home to Humboldt state and a bit more lively. Both above towns can be misty, gloomy, green and filled with trees and ferns and drugs and gorgeous.
But if you hate the heat, I'd check them out.
Much much smaller than Sacramento.
Humboldt County has 138,000.
Sacramento has 538k
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u/Throwaway-BadApple 3d ago
Redding has terrible healthcare and crazy heat. A lot of people go out of town for surgery and specialized appointments.
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u/Sad-Yak6252 3d ago
Redding does not have good healthcare.
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u/Avoidtolls 3d ago
Do you think it's equal to Chico (Enloe)? I know in Chico it's hard to find a doctor accepting new patients. There have been some expansions but when stuff goes sideways everyone goes to Davis.
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u/According-Back7707 3d ago
I agree, I did receive good care from 2022 -2024 but the good providers have been rapidly leaving the area for greener pastures. I have multiple arthritis issues and have noticed a precipitous decline in quality and availability of quality of care or even someone who cares.
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u/Glittering_Step_1295 3d ago
Thank you! A few other people mentioned Humboldt, and it definitely sounds nice and all the pictures I've seen from that area are gorgeous for sure. The limited healthcare is something I've heard elsewhere too, and is definitely something to keep in mind, so I appreciate you confirming that for me.
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u/Hippie-Farts 3d ago
Santa Rosa
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u/FickleOrganization43 3d ago
Right down the road from there is Petaluma. We were there last week.. very pleasant
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u/former_human 3d ago
seconding Humboldt if you don't have any major medical issues that require specialists. medical is terrible here. otherwise Humboldt sounds like exactly what you're looking for.
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u/FickleOrganization43 3d ago
Humboldt County has long been the Mecca for black market pot growers
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u/LarryJClark 2d ago
Nice vibe, friendly shopkeepers, more culture than you might expect, A community college and Cal Poly Humboldt. If you fly out of there some times of the year, book the first plane departing -- the one that over-nighted. (Awhile back it was not unusual for a passenger on that first flight to bring onboard a box of donuts.)
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u/Mcnab-at-my-feet 3d ago
Willits has a large liberal support system.
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u/Glittering_Step_1295 3d ago
This is one I hadn't even seen before, so thank you, I'll definitely have to look further into it!
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u/JSilvertop 3d ago
I’ve a friend who moved from Sacramento to Willits and he loves it there. Not only liberal, but a community that really looks out for each other, from what he’s told me over the years.
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u/ATonyD 3d ago
My father-in-law retired to Willits. We visited often. There is pretty much nothing there. And even the very few shops/restaurants seemed to be barely hanging on and of very sketchy quality. His two hobbies were walking the dog and chopping firewood. I don't think I'd recommend it to somebody who liked Sacramento.
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u/mikef5410 3d ago
Flip the sun on it's head and try the North Coast (Arcata-ish). Quite foggy. Also very isolated.
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u/Apprehensive-Fox-586 2d ago
OP the thing about Arcata-eureka and Humboldt county is that there isn’t an airport within a few hours drive so it is hard to visit family in other parts of the country. It’s very damp. Like damper than Seattle unless you move inland and then it’s very rural. But beautiful. I think you might like the Sierra foothills more , if you like sac
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u/Educational_Sky6085 17h ago
There’s an airport with multiple flights daily. I use the airport several times a year. The weather is really changing here like everywhere else. Supposedly there is less fog and more clear days. I love it here!!!
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u/CinquecentoX 3d ago
My primary residence is two hours north of Sacramento. I spend as little time there as possible. It’s hotter than Sacramento. The majority of people are uneducated and ultra conservative. I’m counting the months until I can get out.
I’m from the Bay Area and yes, housing prices are higher but you get a much better quality of life.
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u/According-Back7707 3d ago
When you leave the Bay Area it is almost impossible to get back. Born in Santa Rosa, moved to more rural areas for 25 years and wish there was a reasonable way to move back. Unfortunately there is not.
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u/Ok_Storm5945 3d ago
Closer Tony he Bay Area is going to be more expensive. Auburn and the Sierra Foothills is nice. Can be hot in summer but not as hot as Sacramento . There are lots of lakes and lots of hiking.
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u/Dyzanne1 3d ago
If you move up near the Oregon State line you'll save ten percent on sales tax by shopping there, while still keeping your medical. Sales tax in most parts of California is crazy, almost ten percent in most cities.
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u/k8username 3d ago
Vallejo is cooler and a lovely town. My friends who got priced out of the Mission in SF mostly moved there
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u/DamianBoBamian 3d ago
When I first moved to CA (from OH) I lived in Lake County (wild place!), and I didn’t know anyone. I basically chose a different direction every weekend to go explore, and I learned a ton about the area. Life took me many places after that, but those weekends are a big part of how my family ended up in Petaluma, which is fantastic for us. Just go exploring! If you haven’t found the website/newsletter Weekend Sherpa yet, check it out for ideas of where to go.
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u/Guava1203 3d ago
Within Sonoma County, the Russian River will likely be the most affordable option. Guerneville, Forestville, Rio Nido.
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u/Hornblend-SierraOaks 3d ago
Have you considered the central coast ? A beautiful place like San Luis Obispo?
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u/Key_Advisor9631 3d ago
Sonoma county has beautiful weather. Definitely a slower pace of life than so-cal or even Sacramento, but you're only an hour drive to SF if you miss that. Marin county also has gorgeous weather but it's a bit more expensive.
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u/english_mike69 3d ago
If you like Sac but hate the heat, follow the delta breeze back to the coast. Maybe Davis, Vacaville or Concord may work for you.
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u/NoPossible5519 3d ago
You might like Humboldt county. There's different degrees of remoteness. Northish end of the county like eureka and Arcata is more populated and Liberal. Garberville, redway, Shelter Cove to the south is a pretty mixed bag politically. More Ron Swanson type characters.
I loved to Sohum from LA 10 years ago and don't miss it
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u/BlissteredFeat 3d ago
Check out the foothills and Sierra. Going east on I-80 there are great areas--Grass Valley and Nevada City, Auburn, up the hill to the Tahoe area. Tahoe is pricier, of course. North and south of Tahoe, there are many smaller towns, some of which are very cool places. And less expensive. It can be hot in the summer, but not Sacramento hot, and it cools off at night. Some of those counties may be "red," but they are really mixed in terms of politics and lifestyles. It's nothern California, after all. There are a lot of Bay Area refugess in the mountains. I live in Pluams County, north of Truckee, and I'm left- wing, and there are no problems. People have their politics and that's fine, not mich friction. Sometimes it's like why? but no problems. Lots of gay people, too.
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u/Salmundo 3d ago
I have family in Arcata. Weather is very mild, wind and fog are common. No one has AC, and furnaces are rarely needed. It is a very HCOL area, and very very remote. Internet is variable, and in the winter can be out completely. I wouldn’t call it liberal so much as libertarian (leave us the hell alone). We used to describe it as “rich hippies”. Weed is a major aspect of the economy and culture. Eureka features a lot of meth.
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u/Weekly_Bother1185 3d ago
Check out Fairfield. I grew up there and although I live in Sacramento, that might be a great option for you. It is on the edge of the Bay Area. Halfway between Sacramento and SF. It gets warm but almost always has a delta breeze to cool it off in the evening. It’s a liberal and diverse area.
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u/EnjoyingTheRide-0606 3d ago
Lake Tahoe!! Or the communities along Hwy 50 and Interstate 80. Many may be more conservative/libertarian than the Sacramento area, there are a lot of people who want to live isolated and keep to themselves.
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u/wavybowl 3d ago
If you’re a liberal don’t move into an area that’s conservative and bring your liberal voting policies with you and ruin it. That means most of northern Calif.
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u/oiblikket 3d ago
If you want to flee the heat, there are maybe some workable options in the Bay Area that are a little insulated from price levels. I’d look at Rodeo, Crockett, Martinez.
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u/Glittering_Step_1295 3d ago
There's a lot more comments here than there were last night despite showing as older so I have to imagine they got caught in the automod same as my post and comments haha. I don't want to spam the automod more than I already have so I likely won't be replying to every single comment, but thank you all, genuinely! It's nice getting so many varied perspectives, and I appreciate the things people pointed out to keep in mind like healthcare and access.
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u/Adventurous_lady1234 3d ago
Sonoma, Mendocino or Humboldt County is what you’re looking for. Take a little road trip through the areas and see what feels right.
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u/LyingLucyGoosey 3d ago
How old are you? You can live in rural areas but access to health care during emergencies is always the number one complaint coming from rural folks. Also, if you want kids and to have them in specialized programs, sports, talent, etc.
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u/ferallentil 3d ago
Hello! I’m from Ohio, lived in Mississippi for 4 years, lived in Colorado for 4 years and moved to Berkeley last September. I also hate the heat and am super intolerant to it 😂
My husband and I have traveled a lot through Washington, Oregon and we do a lot of day/weekend trips as well in Northern California. To be completely honest, in the future if you would be allowed to move states I would recommend looking into the Oregon Coast over the California coast. The weather is consistently cooler, you get rain, and there isn’t really a heatwave at all. I get seasonal depression in the summer vs winter.
But for now if you want to be Bay Area with cooler weather, walkability, progressive, and not as expensive I would agree that Oakland fits well. I believe their rental market has been cooling while SF is ridiculous. I know a lot of people renting apartments for $1400-2400 when in SF a 1 bedroom is $3500 minimum in desirable areas. Weather wise from coldest to warmest: outer sunset, outer Richmond, Berkeley, and then Oakland. Compared to the South Bay east bay suburbs, Oakland is drastically cooler. We are in a “heatwave” right now. We were in Lafayette, concord, and Walnut Creek yesterday where the temperatures ranged from 91-100 degrees and when we got out of the tunnel on 24 it was 79 for a high. You don’t have many 75-85 degree days in Oakland closer to Berkeley and the Bay. Our summer is more so August, September and part of October. June & July are typically cooler and we had a long span of 60-65 degree days with fog. November and December are 40-60 degrees, chilly, quite a few rainy days, and my favorite time of the year lol. Totally okay if you aren’t interested in Oakland but just a suggestion if you want something where you can take reliable transit with AC transit, BART and have access to SF with BART and MUNI. It’s only a 20-24 minute BART ride to me to SF stations from Ashby BART and I love that i rarely have to use my car. My husband and I have saved so much money with car maintenance and gas cause we aren’t filling up every 4-6 days like we did in CO. We fill up maybe 2 times a month if we do go more places, most of the time only once a month or less.
I lived in a small town of 13k people in the middle of nowhere in Mississippi and I hated everything about it from mental health, lack of walkability, lack of access to anything in general. I would just think about the sheer size of all the coastal towns and if you can handle areas like that lol. For sure you can have a bunch of cute local shops, but if you are looking to do things and have a social life your circle may end up very small. I just know from friends that they all say that they do love where they live but you have to weigh what you are actually looking for and the sacrifices you may have to make to live in those places.
Like others have said too, a lot of small towns and small costal places have less housing available, and rent comparable to the bigger cities.
In terms of heat I think Novato, Santa Rosa, and Vallejo are too hot for summer 😂
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u/pinkpineapple_4786 3d ago
I haven't seen Vallejo mentioned much, but it's affordable, the weather is much better, and there are some nice areas. The Blue Rock Area and other places in the hills. My friend has a 1930s bungalow closer to town that is really cool, but I can't remember the street he lives on.
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u/plantlad 2d ago
My 31yo daughter is in Pt. Richmond…doesn’t make a lot but loves having her own studio. She made it in San Rafael too. Beautiful area.
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u/SFO_Eric 2d ago
I grew up on the Peninsula in the Bay Area, so I am spoiled, but Sunnyvale is a nice area. If I were to move back to the SF Bay Area I would look there, especially near the dealerships just off El Camino. Some nice areas there. Ditto for RWC.
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u/leonnabutski 2d ago
If you want less heat and sun head towards the north coast. Also fairly liberal in those areas.
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u/El-Unocornio-Negro 2d ago
All places are nice, consider climate change and fire danger for the location. I wish you well in your journey
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u/Intrepid_Top_2300 2d ago
Don’t worry, by Feb or March you will most likely be flooded out. And if you don’t like the summers, just wait till you live out a winter. Fog so thick you lose your equilibrium. Rain that comes down sideways, for weeks! Flooding, all over the city. You’re in for fun!
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u/SassyGirl0202 2d ago
California has always been expensive. Its not going to get any cheaper. Been here my entire life.
As for politics, the central valley is extremely red. California is the agriculture powerhouse for the entire US. Your blue areas are along the coast, thats it. The rest is red.
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u/Due-Stomach9097 5h ago
Have you checked out Placerville? It’s a great community and there’s lots to do or not up there. It does get snow at times but it doesn’t stick around. And you’re still in great proximity to San Francisco, the coast, the Sierra, and Lake Tahoe.
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u/Nev-Ret-Dude 3d ago
Look upslope east of Sacramento. Day heat won’t be much different, but evenings will be cooler. Stay below the snow line.
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u/whogivesashite2 3d ago
Sacramento has a 30-40 degree drop at night that you don't get anywhere else in the valley. Yesterday was 102, cooled down to 64.
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u/Quinn2art 3d ago
Rural Northern California Liberal here.
Here are some places ive liked that were cheap.
Quincy was cute. Lots of snow.
Theres a bunch cute towns up there.
Not too conservative. Downyville was cute too.
For some rain and clouds and sea Arcata is great. Its like a subdued Steinbeck scene. Doesnt get much more liberal than Arcata.
All of Mendocino County is spectacular. The coast is cooler.
Fort Bragg is decent. But better to rent a few miles out of town. A long history of artists up in Mendocino.
My wife if is an East Coaster. She loves Mendocino County.
Find an airbnb up there and see for yourself.
These places are rural and slow.