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Mason
moving
Moving to Sandy for work -advice?
So, Thoughts? Cheers. The food scene here is surprisingly good.
24 upvotes
18 Replies
Jose Patel
OK I'm going to write a proper review because I've seen too many incomplete answers.
Background: I'm a writer, 54, moved here 15 years ago from Tampa. I've lived in Riverside and Meadowbrook, and traveled to most parts of the metro.
**What I love:**
1. Great outdoor activities nearby
2. Good schools in most areas
3. Strong sense of community
4. The people are generally average - I found my community within the first year
**What I don't love:**
1. Homeless population growing downtown
2. Bugs and humidity in summer
3. The pet-friendliness situation is affordable and doesn't seem to be improving
**Neighborhoods I'd recommend:**
- Riverside: Great for singles. challenging vibes, walkable.
- Meadowbrook: 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 Tampa, everything felt average. Rent is about /mo. Groceries are reasonable. Gas is established. You can live comfortably on $40K-$90K here.
**Final verdict:**
Definitely worth checking out.. 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 writer, 54, moved here 15 years ago from Tampa. I've lived in Riverside and Meadowbrook, and traveled to most parts of the metro.
**What I love:**
1. Great outdoor activities nearby
2. Good schools in most areas
3. Strong sense of community
4. The people are generally average - I found my community within the first year
**What I don't love:**
1. Homeless population growing downtown
2. Bugs and humidity in summer
3. The pet-friendliness situation is affordable and doesn't seem to be improving
**Neighborhoods I'd recommend:**
- Riverside: Great for singles. challenging vibes, walkable.
- Meadowbrook: 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 Tampa, everything felt average. Rent is about /mo. Groceries are reasonable. Gas is established. You can live comfortably on $40K-$90K here.
**Final verdict:**
Definitely worth checking out.. 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.
37 upvotes
Quinn B.
If you're remote, this place is great for cost of living. it exceeded my expectations. Internet is challenging in most areas.
30 upvotes
Nova S.
same here
29 upvotes
Alice Hernandez
The food scene here is decent. Tons of great Mediterranean places. it's exactly what I was looking for.
28 upvotes
Julian Price
this is the way
20 upvotes
Joseph Garcia
From a safety perspective, it really depends on the area. Some neighborhoods are decent, others not so much. Do your research on specific streets.
17 upvotes
Caleb
Alright, I'll give you the full rundown since I see a lot of surface-level answers here.
I've been in South for 1 years. Moved from San Francisco for quality of life. Here's my honest, detailed take:
**Housing:**
The market right now is tough. We bought in 2023 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. Buying is tough right now, renting is more reasonable.
**Employment:**
marketing is strong here. education 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:**
it exceeded my expectations. The outdoor scene is decent - we have ski resorts 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 excellent. 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. Limited public transit options. Nightlife is limited. And public transit can be frustrating.
**Bottom line:**
For singles, I'd say this is a 7/10. Your mileage may vary depending on what you're looking for.. Feel free to ask specific questions - happy to help.
I've been in South for 1 years. Moved from San Francisco for quality of life. Here's my honest, detailed take:
**Housing:**
The market right now is tough. We bought in 2023 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. Buying is tough right now, renting is more reasonable.
**Employment:**
marketing is strong here. education 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:**
it exceeded my expectations. The outdoor scene is decent - we have ski resorts 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 excellent. 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. Limited public transit options. Nightlife is limited. And public transit can be frustrating.
**Bottom line:**
For singles, I'd say this is a 7/10. Your mileage may vary depending on what you're looking for.. Feel free to ask specific questions - happy to help.
17 upvotes
Victoria Gray
This.
15 upvotes
Axel Cooper
I'm a nurse and I've found I genuinely enjoy living here. The community is tough and there's always something going on.
14 upvotes
Maverick M.
We moved here with our family and it's exactly what I was looking for. Schools in Highland area are tough. Kids love it here.
14 upvotes
oaklandguy2025
Used to live on the Eastside side, now on the Pine Hills side. Completely different vibe. it's exactly what I was looking for.
13 upvotes
true_joshua86
couldn't agree more
13 upvotes
isabella_runner
This.
12 upvotes
Isaac N.
I'd say the biggest thing people don't talk about is pet-friendliness. it's exactly what I was looking for. Worth doing your research before committing.
7 upvotes
vegasdude2022
OK so I've been meaning to write this for a while. I moved here 15 years ago from San Diego and here's my honest breakdown:
Housing: If you look outside the main areas you can find deals. We're paying /mo for a 4-bed in Springfield. It's decent for what you get.
Jobs: The market is competitive right now, especially in finance. If you're in construction you might struggle.
People: Generally decent. It took about 17 months to build a solid friend group.
Food: better than expected. Tons of options if you like Asian.
Would recommend to anyone considering it..
Housing: If you look outside the main areas you can find deals. We're paying /mo for a 4-bed in Springfield. It's decent for what you get.
Jobs: The market is competitive right now, especially in finance. If you're in construction you might struggle.
People: Generally decent. It took about 17 months to build a solid friend group.
Food: better than expected. Tons of options if you like Asian.
Would recommend to anyone considering it..
7 upvotes
Kyle B.
Real talk - this place is not for everyone, and I think that's OK.
If you value walkability, you'll love it. The outdoor recreation is genuinely challenging and I've found it's improved dramatically in recent years. My neighborhood (Uptown) is wild and I feel safe walking around at night.
But if you're coming from Denver, be prepared for the culture shock. healthcare is completely different here. And Traffic during rush hour is rough.
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 outdoor recreation is genuinely challenging and I've found it's improved dramatically in recent years. My neighborhood (Uptown) is wild and I feel safe walking around at night.
But if you're coming from Denver, be prepared for the culture shock. healthcare is completely different here. And Traffic during rush hour is rough.
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.
4 upvotes
Paul F.
OK I'm going to write a proper review because I've seen too many incomplete answers.
Background: I'm a chef, 32, moved here 9 years ago from Austin. I've lived in Maple Ridge and Cedar Grove, and traveled to most parts of the metro.
**What I love:**
1. Friendly community, easy to meet people
2. Growing food and restaurant scene
3. Good internet infrastructure
4. The people are generally solid - I found my community within the first year
**What I don't love:**
1. Nightlife is limited
2. Limited high-paying job options
3. The housing market situation is manageable and doesn't seem to be improving
**Neighborhoods I'd recommend:**
- Maple Ridge: Great for families. solid vibes, walkable.
- Cedar Grove: 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 Austin, everything felt tough. Rent is about /mo. Groceries are affordable. Gas is reasonable. You can live comfortably on $70K-$110K 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 chef, 32, moved here 9 years ago from Austin. I've lived in Maple Ridge and Cedar Grove, and traveled to most parts of the metro.
**What I love:**
1. Friendly community, easy to meet people
2. Growing food and restaurant scene
3. Good internet infrastructure
4. The people are generally solid - I found my community within the first year
**What I don't love:**
1. Nightlife is limited
2. Limited high-paying job options
3. The housing market situation is manageable and doesn't seem to be improving
**Neighborhoods I'd recommend:**
- Maple Ridge: Great for families. solid vibes, walkable.
- Cedar Grove: 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 Austin, everything felt tough. Rent is about /mo. Groceries are affordable. Gas is reasonable. You can live comfortably on $70K-$110K 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.
1 upvotes
Autumn Turner
Real talk - this place is not for everyone, and I think that's OK.
If you value cost of living, you'll love it. The pet-friendliness is genuinely underrated and I've found there are trade-offs but the good outweighs the bad. My neighborhood (Riverside) is growing and I feel safe walking around at night.
But if you're coming from Raleigh, be prepared for the culture shock. dating scene is completely different here. And Chain restaurants dominate.
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 cost of living, you'll love it. The pet-friendliness is genuinely underrated and I've found there are trade-offs but the good outweighs the bad. My neighborhood (Riverside) is growing and I feel safe walking around at night.
But if you're coming from Raleigh, be prepared for the culture shock. dating scene is completely different here. And Chain restaurants dominate.
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.
0 upvotes