10 Pros And Cons Of Living In California To get us rolling. SCHOOLS Benicia public schools spend $8,132 per student. Benicia, CA is a seaside town that people think of when they think "getaway vacation". A Benicia public option is bus to Vallejo Transit Center from Benicia. There is a direct transfer point to BART in Richmond. If you do, we have the highest gas prices in the nation, along with the high insurance costs that are required by law (as it should be) or you cant register your vehicle. There is a nice little downtown area, and a lot of activities sponsored by the park and recreation (you can check out their brochure on-line). It is small, everyone knows everyone, which has pluses and minuses, but it also provides a hometown feel that many places in California do not. Youll discover that not only is it one of the best sports-related metro areas in the country, but San Francisco offers several cultural options as well. When youre used to the hotter, dryer climates in the southern part of the state, then living in this city can feel downright chilly. Im 25 now and I guess I can say that its not the easiest for me to make new connections. Thank you so much for your replies, we will explore Davis and also Napa . Everyone gathers at the green field at the end of 1st Street and watches the fire works. Pros and Cons of Living in Each State - Dividends Diversify One thing you quickly learn after moving to California is that you will never go hungry. The hipsters tend to stay in the Mission district, and then youll find the blue collar folks down by the Marina. Select any tags that apply to this area. Also does anyone know of resources for commuters from Benicia? They also have a thriving and vibrant small- town arts scene. 12 Pros And Cons Of Living In California: Must-Read Before Moving To CA There is a lot of activities that you can do in the city. They both have advantages of amazing views from many neighborhoods. The Pros and Cons of Living Trusts - AARP Perhaps one of my favorite things about living in California is the constant sunshine. This may be the most honest review of anything (period) Ive ever read on the internet. We lived in Benicia for 10 yrs and we made the big mistake of moving away from it. Much of the homework appears to be driven by parent demand for "rigorous" academics, so that even the teachers I know who recognize the dubious value of homework in elementary feel compelled to issue substantial homework packets. Admittedly, most of California has a Mediterranean climate with pleasant humid-free summers, especially cities that line the coast. Calculated annually per 100,000 residents. The community often has little events that are great for meeting new people. Another really fun event is the Tree Lighting Ceremony. Ive lived in Sacramento twice- fun times, but you never have much money to spare. In Oceanside, the cost of living is 43.8% higher than the national average. Benicia is in Solano County. Living in Redding, CA Redding, California is a moderately-sized city with a population of 91,320 inhabitants. Im a California native and have lived in San Diego, Los Angeles and San Francisco over the past ten years. 22 Pros and Cons of Living in Halifax: Should You Move to Nova Scotia Ive never done anything like this before. In Benicia there are a lot of parks. My goal is to be part of a pretty active community in a walkable charming old seaport town. Youll have a plethora of Micheline-Star restaurants and phenomenal cheap eats to choose from. California is often considered the most beautiful state in the country and its not hard to see why. The core downtown area is kinda cute, but Benicia's got it beat by a landslide. Benicia is a small, family-friendly town and we have lots of fun downtown activities for families and teens. In addition to being a great spot in the state of Georgia, it is also a great spot in the United States. The United States would annex California in 1846, with the USS Portsmouth sailing into San Francisco Bay to raise the American flag. We live in Benicia, and moved here for the great schools. You can relax at Baker Beach with your family and friends, enjoy one of the eccentric dive bars along the coast, or take a tour of the Museum of Modern Art. Yet another thing to be mindful of while living in California are the constant droughts. Is California A Good Place to Live? Pros and Cons of Living in Cost of Living in Benicia, California Our cost of living indices are based on a US average of 100. The refineries are all ''down wind'' and don't really have any impact on your quality of life. Living in Benicia offers residents a sparse suburban feel and most residents own their homes. 6. The weather is always nice enough in San Francisco to get outside, so youll see people enjoying the outdoors through hiking and cycling. Both cities are relatively well-run, as these things go; I'd give Pinole the administrative edge. Let me know if you have any questions or comments below, its always a pleasure to hear from you! At present, California is the worst state in the country for fire dangers. California is home to nine national parks, which means it has more national parks than any other state in America, including Alaska! Especially a young woman. highest homeless populations in the country, most expensive cities in America for home buyers, 7 EPIC Places to Visit in Death Valley (With 4-Wheel Drive), 20 HONEST Pros & Cons of Living in Tucson (Locals Advice), 15 HONEST Pros & Cons of Living in Los Angeles, California. Youre never too far from the mountains, beach, desert or forests, which is one of the biggest reasons my parents moved to California to raise a family. There are two Macy's stores near Benicia - one in Concord (about 15 miles away) and the other in Fairfield (also about 15 miles away.) It really is a beautiful hidden gem in the Bay Area and I feel lucky to live here! But if you lived walking distance to downtown you would not see them. Right now not for something specific like work or study, I just really need the change. Thanks to its temperate climate, it is also one of the best walking communities in the United States. I work for Macys and am scared to death to drive out there (foolish I Know) . I not ready to drop off the vine yet, but I want a lifestyle change. When making a big move. In fact, Los Angeles is the second most diverse cities in the country, second only to New York City. However, it is very much an island mentality, insular/small community, and you have to cross a bridge at $5/pop to get to the Bay Area. Benicia has an overall crime rate of 14 per 1,000 residents, making the crime rate here near the average for all cities and towns of all sizes in America. Suburb Population 27,191 If you want to eat out while living in the city, then be prepared to pay much more than what the average American spends for the privilege. I dont see this improving anytime soon so when you move to California youll need to learn how to better conserve water. - CON: Expensive non-essentials No longer do you need to be stuck in long-term lease agreements. I worked in Benicia for 5 years (commuting from Berkeley), and spent time in Vallejo for work purposes during that job. Yet another perk of living in California is seldom feeling rushed. The downtown area is pretty flat, so it is perfect for strolling around or bicycling. Not each of them applies to every state. About Benicia. Can you tell us about the schools? Don't drive 29 miles/hr in a 25 mile zone, 'cause the cops will ticket you immediately. Overall, Valero is the economic engine of town - largest employer, taxpayer, etc. There is no doubt that living in San Francisco is expense. At this point, anyone living in California knows that wildfires are inevitable during the summer and we actually plan around them. We lived in California in the past two other times, once in Lompoc and other in Monterey. Benicia has a refinery and on occasion you can smell it. Benicia has a violent crime rate of 99 crimes per 100,000 residents which is far lower than the national average. I appreciate any info/input you have. If I need Berkeley or SF fix, we just drive down and can be on the Bay Bridge in 20mins with no traffic. It's definitely cheaper than Berkeley, safe, quiet, but with a great ''old town'' downtown. - The Weather Northern California is home to a lot of wonderful weather. She treated us super well and drove us around to give us a feel of the entire town. An increase in your homes value can be a good way to generate tax-free equity that can create long term financial security. My husband & I moved to Benicia with our 13-year-old son more than 33 years ago. San Francisco is renowned for its cultural diversity. At least you wont be shoveling snow by the foot like people to the north are during the winter months from the same storms. Can you share your insights? People tend to drive faster and with more aggression, so youll need to turn up your defensive driving skills a notch. I have heard very good things about the Cameron School, in El Cerrito,which offers speech therapy and preschool style classes for students who qualify in WCCUSD. Wildfires have been engulfing the west coast in record numbers over the past few years and California has definitely been hit the hardest. I have great news, you should be able to stave off boredom while living in California because theres never a shortage of fun things to do! 5. The best areas in Benicia and in surrounding cities are easier to find when you are able to make informed decisions. Based on the housing stock, population density, and the proximity of amenities of the area. There are clearly many advantages of living in the city. It is a family oriented community with many kid-friendly events (family movie night in the park once a month in summer, children's art festival in the park, street fairs, parades, farmer's market on thursday nights, swimming pool, classes and camps through the parks and recreation department, good library events). Rent is ridiculous and taxes will take up to 60% of your income. If you want to save some cash by ditching the vehicle, then San Francisco has you covered with its public transportation system. Additionally, Barcelona enjoys a bit more than 2500 hours of sunshine a year - about average for the south of Europe. There are unique offerings in each area, with a lot of pros and cons to consider with each one, but there are also stereotypes that youll want to consider. Google Maps likes to tell you when the next bus will arrive, but it is rarely accurate. Have you ever consider Benicia? Pros and Cons of Living in California Feel free to email me! But these are the things most people are looking for. ben suarez bread / joseph wiley kim burrell / pragmatic theory of truth pros and cons. The landscape is as diverse as it gets and changes drastically from north to south. Also people say move to Texas- rethink that- not only are prices going up there, but the weather SUX with humidity, heat, and no mountains so escape to, no snow skiing. He arranges charts, rehearses and plays shows(mostly Cabaret and standards). Rent too high. 8. Heres a quick breakdown of the median home prices for the three major cities in California: San Francisco: The median home price in San Francisco is $1.4 million and the city also has the highest rent in the country. Commute from Benicia to SF is a two-bridge commute. Most points in downtown Martinez are (for those without mobility limitations) within walking distance of the Amtrak station. The homeless population has gotten completely out of control and is scary at this point. In Benicia there are a lot of parks. Have you considered Benicia? I worked a few years in downtown Benicia commuting from Berkeley this combo. Disadvantages of a Living Trust Funding a Trust Is Expensive . It continues to be one of the worst and deadliest earthquakes in U.S. history. In just two years, the population reached 25,000 people. Also, yoga culture is huge in San Diego. San Diego alone is home to more than 7,000 restaurants, and the Hispanic cuisine is considered the best in the country thanks to the citys close proximity to Mexico. Since most everyone moving to California arrives with a car, you can expect nightmarish traffic to become part of your daily life in California. When you do need to travel somewhere, using an Uber or Lyft is still affordable. So Im thinking of relocating to California, myself. Benicia City Hall, 250 East L Street Benicia, CA 94510 Phone: (707) 746-4200 Benicia seems to have a condensed downtown with a nice mix of businesses, Pinole is closer to the city and looks to have its downtown more spread out, but also a very cultural, thriving community. 8. How safe is benicia? Explained by FAQ Blog It only takes one missed stop to figure that issue out. This goes hand-in-hand with the relaxed vibe. A couple of them are atypical learners/creative types. Fantastic schools, a good community, and much more affordable than the Bay Area. Benicia fan. One of the reasons why people are consistently attracted to the idea of living in San Francisco is because of its emphasis on diversity. We're hoping for diversity, for a whole approachthat is not hyper focused on testing (art, music, theater valued as well as academics), and not huge amounts of homework every night. If you live downtown, you can walk to everything without a car. Without any friends or family waiting for me there. We also have friends in Roseville who absolutely love its family-friendliness and easy light rail commute into downtown Sac. There are two NFL teams in the region as well. 24+ Pros And Cons Of Living In California (You Must Know) Characterized by the quintessential beaches, surging tides, the iconic Hollywood, palms trees, the Golden Gate Bridge, and so many more California is undoubtedly one of the most recognizable states in the United States of America. Manage Settings vehicle trips take 60% longer during rush hour in San Diego. Get some big dogs and move to Benicia! We just moved there from Oakland in February and absolutely love it! Based on employment rates, job and business growth, and cost of living. Benicia is one of the the best places to raise a family in the Bay Area right now. Since you don't need to deal with the commute into SF (which can be horrendous, from what I've heard), the only downside I can think of is that you can see the oil refinery 'stacks' from some parts of the town (the neighborhoods above the freeway), and that kind of mars some of the scenery. Benicia is known to be family friendly as more than 76% of the population has already tied the knot. Public transportation in San Francisco covers the entire city. Prices were lower there, but she believes theair quality from the refinery has affected their health and that of others she knows in the community. Residents of urban areas may struggle with their mental health. 1. Canada is Beautiful Let's face it - Canada is one of the most Instagrammable (read, stunningly beautiful) places in the world. Those are awful places to live with skewed statistics on crime and things because it isnt a total picture of this great state. Great parks. Although technically anyone can live anywhere and find a reasonable level of acceptance, youll want to research the different neighborhoods in San Francisco to see where your comfort zone is going to be. Is buying and building a home in Smith River, Ca any better when it comes to the cons you stated.