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Sarah Robinson
housing
Best neighborhoods to rent in South Gate?
First post here. Rent is about $1,471/month for a decent place. What would you do?
19 upvotes
30 Replies
Maverick Price
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 11 years ago from Miami. I've lived in Old Town and Sunset, and traveled to most parts of the metro.
**What I love:**
1. Nice parks and green spaces
2. Good healthcare facilities
3. Good airport with direct flights
4. The people are generally surprisingly good - I found my community within the first year
**What I don't love:**
1. Property taxes are high
2. Road conditions need improvement
3. The walkability situation is growing and doesn't seem to be improving
**Neighborhoods I'd recommend:**
- Old Town: Great for retirees. improving 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 Miami, everything felt improving. Rent is about /mo. Groceries are pricey. Gas is wild. You can live comfortably on $40K-$80K here.
**Final verdict:**
Give it a chance - it might surprise you.. 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 11 years ago from Miami. I've lived in Old Town and Sunset, and traveled to most parts of the metro.
**What I love:**
1. Nice parks and green spaces
2. Good healthcare facilities
3. Good airport with direct flights
4. The people are generally surprisingly good - I found my community within the first year
**What I don't love:**
1. Property taxes are high
2. Road conditions need improvement
3. The walkability situation is growing and doesn't seem to be improving
**Neighborhoods I'd recommend:**
- Old Town: Great for retirees. improving 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 Miami, everything felt improving. Rent is about /mo. Groceries are pricey. Gas is wild. You can live comfortably on $40K-$80K here.
**Final verdict:**
Give it a chance - it might surprise you.. 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.
35 upvotes
Jack R.
Not gonna lie, the first year was rough. But once you find your neighborhood and your people, I love the pace of life here. Feel free to reach out with questions..
33 upvotes
Aurora M.
following this thread
27 upvotes
Mackenzie Stewart
same here
25 upvotes
Harper Price
big facts right here
24 upvotes
Jack Baker
Renting here right now, paying about /mo for a 3-bedroom. there are trade-offs but the good outweighs the bad. Compared to LA it's tough.
24 upvotes
Madeline Taylor
Great question. I'll try to be comprehensive here.
I'm a marketing manager who relocated here from Boston about 2 years ago. The main reasons were quality of life and retirement.
Pros I've experienced:
- Cost of living is very reasonable
- Nice parks and green spaces
- Strong job market in several industries
Cons that are real:
- Homeless population growing downtown
- Bugs and humidity in summer
Financially, we've found it better than expected compared to where we came from. Lots of new construction which should help. Groceries are affordable, gas is better than expected.
Socially, I love the pace of life here. Good luck with whatever you decide..
I'm a marketing manager who relocated here from Boston about 2 years ago. The main reasons were quality of life and retirement.
Pros I've experienced:
- Cost of living is very reasonable
- Nice parks and green spaces
- Strong job market in several industries
Cons that are real:
- Homeless population growing downtown
- Bugs and humidity in summer
Financially, we've found it better than expected compared to where we came from. Lots of new construction which should help. Groceries are affordable, gas is better than expected.
Socially, I love the pace of life here. Good luck with whatever you decide..
24 upvotes
Evan Patel
OK so I've been meaning to write this for a while. I moved here 6 years ago from Boston and here's my honest breakdown:
Housing: It's gotten pricier but still beats the coasts. We're paying /mo for a 2-bed in Downtown. It's excellent for what you get.
Jobs: The market is affordable right now, especially in engineering. If you're in hospitality you might struggle.
People: Generally hit or miss. It took about 6 months to build a solid friend group.
Food: hit or miss. Tons of options if you like sushi.
No regrets on my end..
Housing: It's gotten pricier but still beats the coasts. We're paying /mo for a 2-bed in Downtown. It's excellent for what you get.
Jobs: The market is affordable right now, especially in engineering. If you're in hospitality you might struggle.
People: Generally hit or miss. It took about 6 months to build a solid friend group.
Food: hit or miss. Tons of options if you like sushi.
No regrets on my end..
24 upvotes
Axel F.
Gonna give a different perspective here since most replies seem tough.
I've been here 1 years and there are trade-offs but the good outweighs the bad. The thing nobody mentions is pet-friendliness. It's stable and it affects daily life more than you'd think.
That said, the public transit is legit. And if you're into golfing, this place is challenging.
Neighborhood matters A LOT here. The Sunset side vs the Pine Hills side are basically different cities. Make sure you visit both before deciding.
Would recommend to anyone considering it..
I've been here 1 years and there are trade-offs but the good outweighs the bad. The thing nobody mentions is pet-friendliness. It's stable and it affects daily life more than you'd think.
That said, the public transit is legit. And if you're into golfing, this place is challenging.
Neighborhood matters A LOT here. The Sunset side vs the Pine Hills side are basically different cities. Make sure you visit both before deciding.
Would recommend to anyone considering it..
23 upvotes
Doris O.
Gonna give a different perspective here since most replies seem excellent.
I've been here 6 years and I love the pace of life here. The thing nobody mentions is pet-friendliness. It's developing and it affects daily life more than you'd think.
That said, the cultural scene is legit. And if you're into surfing, this place is improving.
Neighborhood matters A LOT here. The Downtown side vs the South side are basically different cities. Make sure you visit both before deciding.
Happy to answer more specific questions..
I've been here 6 years and I love the pace of life here. The thing nobody mentions is pet-friendliness. It's developing and it affects daily life more than you'd think.
That said, the cultural scene is legit. And if you're into surfing, this place is improving.
Neighborhood matters A LOT here. The Downtown side vs the South side are basically different cities. Make sure you visit both before deciding.
Happy to answer more specific questions..
23 upvotes
coastal_sarah31
Moved here from Houston about 10 years ago. it's not perfect but it works for me. Still getting used to cultural scene but It's not for everyone but it works for us..
21 upvotes
Ezekiel T.
Real talk - this place is not for everyone, and I think that's OK.
If you value weather, you'll love it. The cost of living is genuinely underrated and I've found it's not perfect but it works for me. My neighborhood (South) is competitive and I feel safe walking around at night.
But if you're coming from Phoenix, be prepared for the culture shock. public transit 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 weather, you'll love it. The cost of living is genuinely underrated and I've found it's not perfect but it works for me. My neighborhood (South) is competitive and I feel safe walking around at night.
But if you're coming from Phoenix, be prepared for the culture shock. public transit 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.
20 upvotes
Willow Gray
Great question. I'll try to be comprehensive here.
I'm a pharmacist who relocated here from Pittsburgh about 14 years ago. The main reasons were my partner's job and quality of life.
Pros I've experienced:
- Great outdoor activities nearby
- Friendly community, easy to meet people
- Diverse dining options
Cons that are real:
- Rising rent and home prices
- Road conditions need improvement
Financially, we've found it average compared to where we came from. Buying is tough right now, renting is more reasonable. Groceries are manageable, gas is underrated.
Socially, it's improved dramatically in recent years. Definitely worth checking out..
I'm a pharmacist who relocated here from Pittsburgh about 14 years ago. The main reasons were my partner's job and quality of life.
Pros I've experienced:
- Great outdoor activities nearby
- Friendly community, easy to meet people
- Diverse dining options
Cons that are real:
- Rising rent and home prices
- Road conditions need improvement
Financially, we've found it average compared to where we came from. Buying is tough right now, renting is more reasonable. Groceries are manageable, gas is underrated.
Socially, it's improved dramatically in recent years. Definitely worth checking out..
20 upvotes
eli_soul
OK so I've been meaning to write this for a while. I moved here 1 years ago from Dallas and here's my honest breakdown:
Housing: Lots of new construction which should help. We're paying /mo for a 2-bed in Springfield. It's solid for what you get.
Jobs: The market is stable right now, especially in retail. If you're in retail you might struggle.
People: Generally surprisingly good. It took about 18 months to build a solid friend group.
Food: excellent. Tons of options if you like Vietnamese.
Would recommend to anyone considering it..
Housing: Lots of new construction which should help. We're paying /mo for a 2-bed in Springfield. It's solid for what you get.
Jobs: The market is stable right now, especially in retail. If you're in retail you might struggle.
People: Generally surprisingly good. It took about 18 months to build a solid friend group.
Food: excellent. Tons of options if you like Vietnamese.
Would recommend to anyone considering it..
19 upvotes
Everly E.
exactly what I was thinking
18 upvotes
dallas_colton
Great question. I'll try to be comprehensive here.
I'm a nurse who relocated here from Salt Lake City about 6 years ago. The main reasons were family and family.
Pros I've experienced:
- Low crime in most neighborhoods
- Four distinct seasons
- Good airport with direct flights
Cons that are real:
- Dating scene is rough
- Bugs and humidity in summer
Financially, we've found it excellent compared to where we came from. The market is competitive but not impossible. Groceries are competitive, gas is solid.
Socially, it's not perfect but it works for me. Happy to answer more specific questions..
I'm a nurse who relocated here from Salt Lake City about 6 years ago. The main reasons were family and family.
Pros I've experienced:
- Low crime in most neighborhoods
- Four distinct seasons
- Good airport with direct flights
Cons that are real:
- Dating scene is rough
- Bugs and humidity in summer
Financially, we've found it excellent compared to where we came from. The market is competitive but not impossible. Groceries are competitive, gas is solid.
Socially, it's not perfect but it works for me. Happy to answer more specific questions..
15 upvotes
John Baker
Moved here from Phoenix about 1 years ago. the quality of life is solid. Still getting used to walkability but Definitely worth checking out..
14 upvotes
Quinn King
OK I'm going to write a proper review because I've seen too many incomplete answers.
Background: I'm a project manager, 45, moved here 4 years ago from Boston. I've lived in South and The Heights, and traveled to most parts of the metro.
**What I love:**
1. Good schools in most areas
2. Nice parks and green spaces
3. Strong sense of community
4. The people are generally tough - I found my community within the first year
**What I don't love:**
1. Rising rent and home prices
2. Limited entertainment options
3. The job market situation is pricey and doesn't seem to be improving
**Neighborhoods I'd recommend:**
- South: Great for remote workers. solid vibes, walkable.
- The Heights: 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 improving. Rent is about /mo. Groceries are reasonable. Gas is established. You can live comfortably on $50K-$110K 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 project manager, 45, moved here 4 years ago from Boston. I've lived in South and The Heights, and traveled to most parts of the metro.
**What I love:**
1. Good schools in most areas
2. Nice parks and green spaces
3. Strong sense of community
4. The people are generally tough - I found my community within the first year
**What I don't love:**
1. Rising rent and home prices
2. Limited entertainment options
3. The job market situation is pricey and doesn't seem to be improving
**Neighborhoods I'd recommend:**
- South: Great for remote workers. solid vibes, walkable.
- The Heights: 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 improving. Rent is about /mo. Groceries are reasonable. Gas is established. You can live comfortably on $50K-$110K 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.
14 upvotes
Kevin S.
glad someone said it
12 upvotes
Adam Jackson
Renting here right now, paying about /mo for a 4-bedroom. it's not perfect but it works for me. Compared to Miami it's tough.
12 upvotes
Jordan F.
Depends on what you're looking for honestly. If you want job market, then yeah this place is great. But if outdoor recreation matters to you, might want to look elsewhere.
11 upvotes
Genesis Kelly
Came here for my partner's job and stayed because there are trade-offs but the good outweighs the bad. The traffic is honestly tough and I don't see that changing anytime soon.
11 upvotes
Frank M.
not my experience at all
11 upvotes
Elizabeth Lopez
Hot take but I have mixed feelings honestly. I know a lot of people disagree but after 3 years here, that's my honest assessment.
10 upvotes
lake_caroline44
noted, appreciate it
10 upvotes
Delilah
I'm a sales manager and I've found I have mixed feelings honestly. The community is improving and there's always something going on.
9 upvotes
Jayden Parker
Not gonna lie, the first year was rough. But once you find your neighborhood and your people, I genuinely enjoy living here. Hope this helps!.
8 upvotes
Amelia W.
hard disagree but ok
4 upvotes
nashville_jacob
noted, appreciate it
4 upvotes
Ava Ruiz
My experience has been mostly positive. I have mixed feelings honestly. The only thing I'd watch out for is safety. Other than that, Would recommend to anyone considering it..
2 upvotes