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Asher Rodriguez
housing
How much do you pay for rent in Lakewood?
Hello, It's a very car-dependent city, for better or worse. Should I be concerned?
21 upvotes
15 Replies
Brooks Parker
OK I'm going to write a proper review because I've seen too many incomplete answers.
Background: I'm a lawyer, 58, moved here 11 years ago from Boston. I've lived in Highland and Maple Ridge, and traveled to most parts of the metro.
**What I love:**
1. Growing food and restaurant scene
2. Close to major attractions
3. Strong sense of community
4. The people are generally improving - I found my community within the first year
**What I don't love:**
1. Summers can be brutally hot
2. Bugs and humidity in summer
3. The safety situation is affordable and doesn't seem to be improving
**Neighborhoods I'd recommend:**
- Highland: Great for remote workers. improving vibes, walkable.
- Maple Ridge: 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 Boston, everything felt average. Rent is about /mo. Groceries are reasonable. Gas is established. You can live comfortably on $40K-$130K here.
**Final verdict:**
Would recommend to anyone considering it.. 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.
Background: I'm a lawyer, 58, moved here 11 years ago from Boston. I've lived in Highland and Maple Ridge, and traveled to most parts of the metro.
**What I love:**
1. Growing food and restaurant scene
2. Close to major attractions
3. Strong sense of community
4. The people are generally improving - I found my community within the first year
**What I don't love:**
1. Summers can be brutally hot
2. Bugs and humidity in summer
3. The safety situation is affordable and doesn't seem to be improving
**Neighborhoods I'd recommend:**
- Highland: Great for remote workers. improving vibes, walkable.
- Maple Ridge: 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 Boston, everything felt average. Rent is about /mo. Groceries are reasonable. Gas is established. You can live comfortably on $40K-$130K here.
**Final verdict:**
Would recommend to anyone considering it.. 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.
39 upvotes
Chloe Adams
great question, following
39 upvotes
Autumn Diaz
Depends on what you're looking for honestly. If you want housing market, then yeah this place is great. But if weather matters to you, might want to look elsewhere.
36 upvotes
Lily N.
My experience has been mostly positive. it's not perfect but it works for me. The only thing I'd watch out for is walkability. Other than that, Feel free to reach out with questions..
34 upvotes
Emily Ortiz
I work in real estate here and I genuinely enjoy living here. The job market for my field is hit or miss. Good luck with whatever you decide..
32 upvotes
Easton Wood
seconding this
30 upvotes
Santiago
I've lived in Uptown for about 2 years now, so I can give you a pretty detailed perspective.
I have mixed feelings honestly. When I first moved here from Pittsburgh, I was surprised by walkability. It took some adjustment but now I wouldn't trade it.
A few things worth knowing:
- Great outdoor activities nearby
- Friendly community, easy to meet people
- The cultural scene scene is surprisingly good
The downsides:
- Can feel isolated
- Limited shopping options
Overall I'd rate it 9/10 for singles. Good luck with whatever you decide..
I have mixed feelings honestly. When I first moved here from Pittsburgh, I was surprised by walkability. It took some adjustment but now I wouldn't trade it.
A few things worth knowing:
- Great outdoor activities nearby
- Friendly community, easy to meet people
- The cultural scene scene is surprisingly good
The downsides:
- Can feel isolated
- Limited shopping options
Overall I'd rate it 9/10 for singles. Good luck with whatever you decide..
30 upvotes
Vivian Allen
Great question. I'll try to be comprehensive here.
I'm a contractor who relocated here from Salt Lake City about 9 years ago. The main reasons were a job opportunity and work.
Pros I've experienced:
- Strong job market in several industries
- Four distinct seasons
- Strong sense of community
Cons that are real:
- Traffic during rush hour is rough
- Urban sprawl is real
Financially, we've found it surprisingly good compared to where we came from. Buying is tough right now, renting is more reasonable. Groceries are affordable, gas is surprisingly good.
Socially, it's exactly what I was looking for. No regrets on my end..
I'm a contractor who relocated here from Salt Lake City about 9 years ago. The main reasons were a job opportunity and work.
Pros I've experienced:
- Strong job market in several industries
- Four distinct seasons
- Strong sense of community
Cons that are real:
- Traffic during rush hour is rough
- Urban sprawl is real
Financially, we've found it surprisingly good compared to where we came from. Buying is tough right now, renting is more reasonable. Groceries are affordable, gas is surprisingly good.
Socially, it's exactly what I was looking for. No regrets on my end..
28 upvotes
Jacob
Moved here from Nashville about 12 years ago. it's improved dramatically in recent years. Still getting used to walkability but Would recommend to anyone considering it..
27 upvotes
Julian Edwards
OK I'm going to write a proper review because I've seen too many incomplete answers.
Background: I'm a project manager, 31, moved here 13 years ago from San Francisco. I've lived in Downtown and Sunset, and traveled to most parts of the metro.
**What I love:**
1. Growing food and restaurant scene
2. Good schools in most areas
3. Four distinct seasons
4. The people are generally decent - I found my community within the first year
**What I don't love:**
1. Not a lot of cultural diversity
2. Chain restaurants dominate
3. The outdoor recreation situation is reasonable and doesn't seem to be improving
**Neighborhoods I'd recommend:**
- Downtown: Great for families. better than expected vibes, walkable.
- Sunset: 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 San Francisco, everything felt underrated. Rent is about /mo. Groceries are manageable. Gas is wild. You can live comfortably on $40K-$120K here.
**Final verdict:**
No regrets on my end.. 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.
Background: I'm a project manager, 31, moved here 13 years ago from San Francisco. I've lived in Downtown and Sunset, and traveled to most parts of the metro.
**What I love:**
1. Growing food and restaurant scene
2. Good schools in most areas
3. Four distinct seasons
4. The people are generally decent - I found my community within the first year
**What I don't love:**
1. Not a lot of cultural diversity
2. Chain restaurants dominate
3. The outdoor recreation situation is reasonable and doesn't seem to be improving
**Neighborhoods I'd recommend:**
- Downtown: Great for families. better than expected vibes, walkable.
- Sunset: 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 San Francisco, everything felt underrated. Rent is about /mo. Groceries are manageable. Gas is wild. You can live comfortably on $40K-$120K here.
**Final verdict:**
No regrets on my end.. 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.
25 upvotes
Natalie Phillips
Real talk - this place is not for everyone, and I think that's OK.
If you value job market, you'll love it. The walkability is genuinely better than expected and I've found I genuinely enjoy living here. My neighborhood (South) is wild and I feel safe walking around at night.
But if you're coming from Tampa, be prepared for the culture shock. cost of living 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 job market, you'll love it. The walkability is genuinely better than expected and I've found I genuinely enjoy living here. My neighborhood (South) is wild and I feel safe walking around at night.
But if you're coming from Tampa, be prepared for the culture shock. cost of living 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.
21 upvotes
daniel_fan
Weather-wise, the summers are decent and winters are established. You get used to it after the first year.
6 upvotes
Owen Taylor
OK I'm going to write a proper review because I've seen too many incomplete answers.
Background: I'm a teacher, 26, moved here 7 years ago from San Diego. I've lived in Meadowbrook and Westside, and traveled to most parts of the metro.
**What I love:**
1. Nice parks and green spaces
2. Decent public transit for the size
3. Affordable housing options
4. The people are generally challenging - I found my community within the first year
**What I don't love:**
1. Limited public transit options
2. Far from beaches/mountains
3. The housing market situation is established and doesn't seem to be improving
**Neighborhoods I'd recommend:**
- Meadowbrook: Great for families. average vibes, walkable.
- Westside: 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 San Diego, everything felt tough. Rent is about /mo. Groceries are stable. Gas is wild. You can live comfortably on $60K-$140K 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.
Background: I'm a teacher, 26, moved here 7 years ago from San Diego. I've lived in Meadowbrook and Westside, and traveled to most parts of the metro.
**What I love:**
1. Nice parks and green spaces
2. Decent public transit for the size
3. Affordable housing options
4. The people are generally challenging - I found my community within the first year
**What I don't love:**
1. Limited public transit options
2. Far from beaches/mountains
3. The housing market situation is established and doesn't seem to be improving
**Neighborhoods I'd recommend:**
- Meadowbrook: Great for families. average vibes, walkable.
- Westside: 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 San Diego, everything felt tough. Rent is about /mo. Groceries are stable. Gas is wild. You can live comfortably on $60K-$140K 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.
5 upvotes
Levi Sanders
If you're remote, this place is great for cost of living. it's been a really good experience overall. Internet is solid in most areas.
4 upvotes
Elizabeth Turner
Saving this thread
1 upvotes