I take my daughter to a lot of activities in Benicia. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. Redding has a high percentage of people who are married with children when compared to the rest of the country. In total, more than 72% of the population is classified as married and 67% have kids. . Taxes too high. A waterfront City of 28,000, Benicia is known for its small-town charm, history, and high quality of life. I couldnt agree more! If so, make sure to site a proper source otherwise you are not adding value to the conversation and everyones time is precious. The cost of living in San Francisco is equally high. They also have a thriving and vibrant small- town arts scene. 8. Please. You are a short drive from some of the best places in California. Thank you! I have great news, you should be able to stave off boredom while living in California because theres never a shortage of fun things to do! When weighing the pros and cons of living in Dallas, the pros greatly outweigh the cons. Don't drive 29 miles/hr in a 25 mile zone, 'cause the cops will ticket you immediately. In the past year, appreciation rates for homes in the Benicia area were 5.8% and 5 year appreciation rates were 10.7%. We live in Benicia, and moved here for the great schools. And if you're looking to be as remote as possible, there are plenty of opportunities to live in the mountains without any neighbors in eyesight. Its hard to enjoy everything the state has to offer if you arent bringing in a considerable annual income. Select any tags that apply to this area. Not others. Theres only one word of caution: not every landlord permits pets, so youll want to ask in advance before bringing your pup along for this adventure. We have two children under 2. Youll notice that there is a different flow to the traffic as well. This is a city that is often said to be a "love it or hate it" type . Most restaurants tailor their menus to healthy eating instead of huge portions of high-carb foods. The Economic Life Puerto Rico is more about social life than economics. Moving to a cheaper area now that kids are gone, Kid friendly neighborhoods in the East Bay. Benicia has lots of open space, a state park on the water, and plenty of places to hike. The housing market in San Francisco is pricing everyone out. Ill be the first to admit I dont know what the right solution for homelessness is, but I want to be transparent about it for anyone considering moving to California because you will notice it on a daily basis. Although there are free parking options outside of the city center, the average monthly rate to keep your vehicle stored while you work comes to about $310 per month. Kelly, Hmm, well, I worked in Benicia for many years and was never seriously tempted to live there. Overall, Valero is the economic engine of town - largest employer, taxpayer, etc. Since most everyone moving to California arrives with a car, you can expect nightmarish traffic to become part of your daily life in California. From the amazing landscapes to the diversity, to the warmth of the people and the low cost of living. We're moving to the north bay area in couple of months. The culture is also backwards in the South, things you thought were fashionable as a given- be it clothing, music, even lingo- often dont even exist there. Based on employment rates, job and business growth, and cost of living. There are about 23.6 students per teacher in Benicia. Based on violent and property crime rates. In Benicia there are a lot of parks. If you want to eat out while living in the city, then be prepared to pay much more than what the average American spends for the privilege. I agree with some of your assessments. Therfore just to visit weekend ok but not to live in Cali. For comparison purposes, the average price in the United States for the same space is about $1,175 per month. Does anyone have any negative or positive experiences with the above, especially the refinery. If we take a closer look at each of the categories individually, we see that Redding ranks well for amenities (A+) and weather (B). Here we have the 13 pros that we and the people in the video think are the best traits of living in Colombia. Dylyn, Berkeley Parents Network, founded in 1993,isbased in Berkeley, California andis a 501(c)(3) nonprofit online network for parents in the San Francisco Bay Area. Because of the citys location near fault lines, there is always the lingering threat of the Big One that exists in residents minds. The perks of living in San Francisco are almost endless. Without any friends or family waiting for me there. All three of the major cities in California clock in as some of the most expensive cities in the entire country. Niche is not a lender and does not endorse the products of these advertisers. But if you lived walking distance to downtown you would not see them. Im glad Im not the only one feeling this. 2. Much of the homework appears to be driven by parent demand for "rigorous" academics, so that even the teachers I know who recognize the dubious value of homework in elementary feel compelled to issue substantial homework packets. It is 45 minutes from San Francisco, three hours from Lake Tahoe, an hour from Napa, and 15 minutes from Concord, that has a vibrant night life. Niche ranks thousands of places to live based on key statistics from the U.S. Census and expert insights. Good Stuff. Since you don't need to deal with the commute into SF (which can be horrendous, from what I've heard), the only downside I can think of is that you can see the oil refinery 'stacks' from some parts of the town (the neighborhoods above the freeway), and that kind of mars some of the scenery. is it still impossible to buy a house ? Personally, I would not want to live in so isolated a place as Benicia, but I know plenty of people who love it. Regrettably for Redding, there are some categories for which it does not score well, this includes: crime (F), cost of living (F), education (F), employment (D) and housing (D-). Parking is a significant problem as well. Are people dying by the hands of the government in California or did I miss something? Benicia is a small town on the carquinez strait bordering Vallejo. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. It is very much a small town. Purchasing your new home can come with many financial benefits, some of which are more lucrative than others. it seems that everyone who lives here knows how special this place is and wants to take care of it. Explore the dramatic desert in the Mojave, the granite cliffs of Yosemite National Park, the towering trees in Redwood National Park or the rolling hills of Napa Valley and youll see what all the fuss is about. Especially a young woman. Benicians consider that Martinez is somewhat similar in a lot of ways to Benicia (although my understanding is that their refinery has much less capacity); Concord obviously is a much larger town (really a small city) and harder to generalize, but don't underestimate the value of proximity to BART. Thanks for your candor. The town puts on wonderful holiday celebrations and the entire town comes out to celebrate. Enter California, a state that averages 260+ days of sunshine per year. There is a very active moms club with about 130 members. If you live downtown, you can walk to everything without a car. But if you choose to live in a city further inland, you can expect blazing hot summers. If youre planning on relocating and making this area your permanent home, its nice to know that there is an ample amount of amenities and things to do within walking distance or a short drive. You will always find people out with their pets during the day, enjoying the sunny weather in the city when it arrives. Benicia has an overall crime rate of 14 per 1,000 residents, making the crime rate here near the average for all cities and towns of all sizes in America. The median sale price is $407,500, which is lower than neighboring state of California. You can also find affordable rentals around the state in popular cities like Henderson, where a two-bedroom apartment averages around $1,700. I never felt the need to join a mom's club, or something, 'cause I met so many people just by walking downtown, going to the parks or doing my groceries. People in the city take this issue very seriously. The North Bay is really a great place to live. Waisting paycheck to move to Cali. My husband is a professional musician (piano player) who makes his living playing for famous(and not so famous) singers. happy empty nesters. One thing I do miss about Berkeley/Oakland/Albany are the amazing restaurants, but my kids are little so we rarely go out anyway. ben suarez bread / joseph wiley kim burrell / pragmatic theory of truth pros and cons. Costco is close by, and plenty of Starbucks. We are looking for any feedback, both positive and/or negative, in regards to the community, schools, neighborhoods, and refinery. There is a nice little downtown area, and a lot of activities sponsored by the park and recreation (you can check out their brochure on-line). There are so many transplants here that its hard to pin down what a real Californian is these days so anyone can pass for one. Yet another thing to be mindful of while living in California are the constant droughts. Since Im being honest, Id like to point out that wildfires will become a part of your daily vocabulary while living in California. We are from a small city in south florida. Permanent residents can receive medical for free or at extremely low costs. Even if you want a studio apartment, you're going to be paying more than $2,000 per month to live in the city. Benicia or Martinez for commute to Oakland? The town is very laid back, so the police officers seem to jump on any violation where they can. California is a pay to play state, theres no way around it. Compare today's top mortgage and refinancing providers. My 'husband' and I want to move to either Benicia or Pinole. Tax ID:46-4347971, About BPN Contact BPN Credits Terms of Use, Connecting Bay Area families online since 1993, Daycares & Preschools with Current Openings, Parent Classes, Workshops & Groups with Openings, Advice about Classes, Camps, Groups, & Tutors. You displayed the positive of moving to California and the negative alike.