Hey folks, You can expect to pay around $1,558 for rent here. It's a a mid-size city city with about 222K people. Traffic can be rough during rush hour, no sugarcoating that. The school system varies a lot by neighborhood. There's a growing tech scene which is exciting. Has anyone dealt with this? I'd say it's better for families than young singles. Night life is decent if you know the right spots. The food scene here is surprisingly good. It's a very car-dependent city, for better or worse. The parks and outdoor areas are a huge plus. It's changing fast — some good, some not so much. Downtown has improved a lot in recent years. It's not perfect, but the community is solid. Traffic can be rough during rush hour, no sugarcoating that. I'd say it's better for families than young singles. Public transit needs a lot of work honestly. There's a growing tech scene which is exciting. Cost of living is definitely rising, but still manageable.
21 upvotes
8 Replies
Wyatt
Can confirm, been here 4 years.
37 upvotes
Lily Parker
Real talk - this place is not for everyone, and I think that's OK.
If you value public transit, you'll love it. The walkability is genuinely pretty good and I've found it exceeded my expectations. My neighborhood (Lakewood) is wild and I feel safe walking around at night.
But if you're coming from San Diego, be prepared for the culture shock. safety is completely different here. And Nightlife is limited.
My advice would be to visit for at least a week before committing. Rent first, don't buy. And explore multiple neighborhoods - they're all different.
30 upvotes
Aria Rivera
Great question. I'll try to be comprehensive here.
I'm a pharmacist who relocated here from Pittsburgh about 5 years ago. The main reasons were cost of living and school.
Pros I've experienced:
- Growing food and restaurant scene
- Strong job market in several industries
- Lots of new development happening
Cons that are real:
- Rising rent and home prices
- Urban sprawl is real
Financially, we've found it solid compared to where we came from. Lots of new construction which should help. Groceries are growing, gas is tough.
Socially, it's exactly what I was looking for. Definitely worth checking out..
24 upvotes
Willie M.
This.
22 upvotes
Austin Walker
OK so I've been meaning to write this for a while. I moved here 14 years ago from Seattle and here's my honest breakdown:
Housing: The market is competitive but not impossible. We're paying /mo for a 3-bed in Lakewood. It's pretty good for what you get.
Jobs: The market is manageable right now, especially in finance. If you're in healthcare you might struggle.
People: Generally tough. It took about 4 months to build a solid friend group.
Food: tough. Tons of options if you like seafood.
Happy to answer more specific questions..
20 upvotes
Bella
Bought a house here in 2019 and it was the best decision I ever made. Property values have gone about the same since then.
19 upvotes
Weston Brooks
Totally agree!
6 upvotes
Eleanor Hernandez
Public transit is challenging here. You'll probably need a car for most things. there are trade-offs but the good outweighs the bad.
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