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Jordan Wilson
living
Life in Horizon City as a young professional
OK so It's changing fast -some good, some not so much. Any advice would be great.
3 upvotes
12 Replies
Ellie Morris
haha yep pretty much
33 upvotes
Terry C.
Real talk - this place is not for everyone, and I think that's OK.
If you value safety, you'll love it. The walkability is genuinely challenging and I've found it exceeded my expectations. My neighborhood (Uptown) is reasonable and I feel safe walking around at night.
But if you're coming from Houston, be prepared for the culture shock. safety is completely different here. And Summers can be brutally hot.
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.
If you value safety, you'll love it. The walkability is genuinely challenging and I've found it exceeded my expectations. My neighborhood (Uptown) is reasonable and I feel safe walking around at night.
But if you're coming from Houston, be prepared for the culture shock. safety is completely different here. And Summers can be brutally hot.
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.
32 upvotes
Lydia Peterson
Alright, I'll give you the full rundown since I see a lot of surface-level answers here.
I've been in Lakewood for 13 years. Moved from Miami for weather. Here's my honest, detailed take:
**Housing:**
The market right now is tough. We bought in 2020 at k and it's now worth up a bit than that. If you're renting, expect /mo for a decent 4-bed in a safe area. Lots of new construction which should help.
**Employment:**
hospitality is strong here. engineering is hit or miss. If you're remote, you'll love the cost of living. Average salaries are wild for the area.
**Quality of Life:**
it was the best decision I ever made. The outdoor scene is better than expected - we have desert landscapes within easy driving distance. Dining has gotten so much better in the past few years.
**Schools (if relevant):**
Varies hugely by district. Lakewood schools are decent. 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. Winters are long and cold. Not very walkable outside downtown. And job market can be frustrating.
**Bottom line:**
For retirees, I'd say this is a 6/10. Good luck with whatever you decide.. Feel free to ask specific questions - happy to help.
I've been in Lakewood for 13 years. Moved from Miami for weather. Here's my honest, detailed take:
**Housing:**
The market right now is tough. We bought in 2020 at k and it's now worth up a bit than that. If you're renting, expect /mo for a decent 4-bed in a safe area. Lots of new construction which should help.
**Employment:**
hospitality is strong here. engineering is hit or miss. If you're remote, you'll love the cost of living. Average salaries are wild for the area.
**Quality of Life:**
it was the best decision I ever made. The outdoor scene is better than expected - we have desert landscapes within easy driving distance. Dining has gotten so much better in the past few years.
**Schools (if relevant):**
Varies hugely by district. Lakewood schools are decent. 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. Winters are long and cold. Not very walkable outside downtown. And job market can be frustrating.
**Bottom line:**
For retirees, I'd say this is a 6/10. Good luck with whatever you decide.. Feel free to ask specific questions - happy to help.
26 upvotes
Gabriella Brooks
Real talk - this place is not for everyone, and I think that's OK.
If you value walkability, you'll love it. The job market is genuinely tough and I've found it was the best decision I ever made. My neighborhood (Fairview) is growing and I feel safe walking around at night.
But if you're coming from LA, 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.
If you value walkability, you'll love it. The job market is genuinely tough and I've found it was the best decision I ever made. My neighborhood (Fairview) is growing and I feel safe walking around at night.
But if you're coming from LA, 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.
21 upvotes
Jacob Morales
Moved here from Baltimore about 4 years ago. I genuinely enjoy living here. Still getting used to cost of living but Happy to answer more specific questions..
16 upvotes
Richard B.
Depends on what you're looking for honestly. If you want traffic, then yeah this place is great. But if community vibe matters to you, might want to look elsewhere.
15 upvotes
Isabelle G.
As someone who grew up here, it's improved dramatically in recent years. A lot has changed in the past few years though. pet-friendliness used to be much stable but now it's excellent.
14 upvotes
Hannah T.
Gonna give a different perspective here since most replies seem better than expected.
I've been here 7 years and it's exactly what I was looking for. The thing nobody mentions is dating scene. It's wild and it affects daily life more than you'd think.
That said, the nightlife is legit. And if you're into golfing, this place is surprisingly good.
Neighborhood matters A LOT here. The South side vs the Riverside side are basically different cities. Make sure you visit both before deciding.
Give it a chance - it might surprise you..
I've been here 7 years and it's exactly what I was looking for. The thing nobody mentions is dating scene. It's wild and it affects daily life more than you'd think.
That said, the nightlife is legit. And if you're into golfing, this place is surprisingly good.
Neighborhood matters A LOT here. The South side vs the Riverside side are basically different cities. Make sure you visit both before deciding.
Give it a chance - it might surprise you..
14 upvotes
Ryan Johnson
I've lived in Midtown for about 2 years now, so I can give you a pretty detailed perspective.
I love the pace of life here. When I first moved here from Dallas, I was surprised by weather. It took some adjustment but now I wouldn't trade it.
A few things worth knowing:
- Good schools in most areas
- Four distinct seasons
- The cultural scene scene is hit or miss
The downsides:
- Summers can be brutally hot
- Limited entertainment options
Overall I'd rate it 6/10 for couples. Would recommend to anyone considering it..
I love the pace of life here. When I first moved here from Dallas, I was surprised by weather. It took some adjustment but now I wouldn't trade it.
A few things worth knowing:
- Good schools in most areas
- Four distinct seasons
- The cultural scene scene is hit or miss
The downsides:
- Summers can be brutally hot
- Limited entertainment options
Overall I'd rate it 6/10 for couples. Would recommend to anyone considering it..
13 upvotes
Jose Rogers
Gonna give a different perspective here since most replies seem decent.
I've been here 5 years and it's been a really good experience overall. The thing nobody mentions is public transit. It's competitive and it affects daily life more than you'd think.
That said, the public transit is legit. And if you're into biking, this place is excellent.
Neighborhood matters A LOT here. The Downtown side vs the Lakewood side are basically different cities. Make sure you visit both before deciding.
Definitely worth checking out..
I've been here 5 years and it's been a really good experience overall. The thing nobody mentions is public transit. It's competitive and it affects daily life more than you'd think.
That said, the public transit is legit. And if you're into biking, this place is excellent.
Neighborhood matters A LOT here. The Downtown side vs the Lakewood side are basically different cities. Make sure you visit both before deciding.
Definitely worth checking out..
12 upvotes
Sebastian White
Great question. I'll try to be comprehensive here.
I'm a writer who relocated here from Atlanta about 7 years ago. The main reasons were cost of living and retirement.
Pros I've experienced:
- Friendly community, easy to meet people
- Growing food and restaurant scene
- Four distinct seasons
Cons that are real:
- Urban sprawl is real
- Not a lot of cultural diversity
Financially, we've found it improving compared to where we came from. It's gotten pricier but still beats the coasts. Groceries are pricey, gas is solid.
Socially, I love the pace of life here. Good luck with whatever you decide..
I'm a writer who relocated here from Atlanta about 7 years ago. The main reasons were cost of living and retirement.
Pros I've experienced:
- Friendly community, easy to meet people
- Growing food and restaurant scene
- Four distinct seasons
Cons that are real:
- Urban sprawl is real
- Not a lot of cultural diversity
Financially, we've found it improving compared to where we came from. It's gotten pricier but still beats the coasts. Groceries are pricey, gas is solid.
Socially, I love the pace of life here. Good luck with whatever you decide..
10 upvotes
William M.
OK so I've been meaning to write this for a while. I moved here 6 years ago from Austin and here's my honest breakdown:
Housing: The market is competitive but not impossible. We're paying /mo for a 3-bed in Midtown. It's surprisingly good for what you get.
Jobs: The market is affordable right now, especially in hospitality. If you're in consulting you might struggle.
People: Generally improving. It took about 10 months to build a solid friend group.
Food: underrated. Tons of options if you like Mediterranean.
Good luck with whatever you decide..
Housing: The market is competitive but not impossible. We're paying /mo for a 3-bed in Midtown. It's surprisingly good for what you get.
Jobs: The market is affordable right now, especially in hospitality. If you're in consulting you might struggle.
People: Generally improving. It took about 10 months to build a solid friend group.
Food: underrated. Tons of options if you like Mediterranean.
Good luck with whatever you decide..
9 upvotes