Hello, I'm single, late 40s, and Median household income is $48,050, which feels on the lower side for the area. You can expect to pay around $989 for rent here. Traffic can be rough during rush hour, no sugarcoating that. The parks and outdoor areas are a huge plus. What would you do?
45 upvotes
14 Replies
Kennedy Harris
bump
34 upvotes
Jaxon Cruz
great question, following
25 upvotes
Sebastian Clark
OK I'm going to write a proper review because I've seen too many incomplete answers.
Background: I'm a writer, 27, moved here 12 years ago from LA. I've lived in Riverside and Uptown, and traveled to most parts of the metro.
**What I love:**
1. Cost of living is very reasonable
2. Friendly community, easy to meet people
3. Affordable housing options
4. The people are generally average - I found my community within the first year
**What I don't love:**
1. Winters are long and cold
2. Not a lot of cultural diversity
3. The dating scene situation is developing and doesn't seem to be improving
**Neighborhoods I'd recommend:**
- Riverside: Great for families. surprisingly good vibes, walkable.
- Uptown: More affordable, family-friendly.
**Neighborhoods I'd avoid:**
- Without naming names, stay away from areas east of downtown until you know the city better.
**Cost comparison:**
Coming from LA, everything felt better than expected. Rent is about /mo. Groceries are established. Gas is manageable. You can live comfortably on $40K-$90K here.
**Final verdict:**
Hope this helps!. It's not perfect - nowhere is - but for the price point and quality of life, it's hard to beat. DM me if you have specific questions.
18 upvotes
Hailey W.
Alright, I'll give you the full rundown since I see a lot of surface-level answers here.
I've been in South for 6 years. Moved from Austin for quality of life. Here's my honest, detailed take:
**Housing:**
The market right now is hit or miss. We bought in 2017 at k and it's now worth up a bit than that. If you're renting, expect /mo for a decent 1-bed in a safe area. It's gotten pricier but still beats the coasts.
**Employment:**
real estate is strong here. engineering is hit or miss. If you're remote, you'll love the cost of living. Average salaries are developing for the area.
**Quality of Life:**
I wouldn't want to live anywhere else right now. The outdoor scene is excellent - we have hiking trails within easy driving distance. Dining has gotten so much better in the past few years.
**Schools (if relevant):**
Varies hugely by district. South schools are underrated. If you have kids, this should be your number one factor in choosing a neighborhood.
**The Bad:**
I'd be lying if I said everything is great. Homeless population growing downtown. Limited entertainment options. And traffic can be frustrating.
**Bottom line:**
For singles, I'd say this is a 7/10. Would recommend to anyone considering it.. Feel free to ask specific questions - happy to help.
18 upvotes
Lily Rodriguez
I'd say the biggest thing people don't talk about is cost of living. the quality of life is solid. Worth doing your research before committing.
17 upvotes
Miles
facts
13 upvotes
phoenix_nora
hard disagree but ok
13 upvotes
Sadie Patel
Depends on what you're looking for honestly. If you want cost of living, then yeah this place is great. But if community vibe matters to you, might want to look elsewhere.
10 upvotes
Jeremiah Carter
as a local I can confirm
9 upvotes
Luna Hill
thanks for sharing
7 upvotes
mesadude2024
following this thread
5 upvotes
Ella
I work in legal here and I'm still on the fence after all this time. The job market for my field is underrated. Happy to answer more specific questions..
5 upvotes
Cameron Patel
Hot take but it's exactly what I was looking for. I know a lot of people disagree but after 13 years here, that's my honest assessment.
4 upvotes
Logan Wood
As someone who grew up here, I wouldn't want to live anywhere else right now. A lot has changed in the past few years though. safety used to be much manageable but now it's tough.
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