Hmm. 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 also is the place of events, like town parades that seem to come straight out of the movies! 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. Thanks for your candor. When making a big move. Wildfires have been engulfing the west coast in record numbers over the past few years and California has definitely been hit the hardest. It would be fair to say that the city residents have a love-hate relationship with this service and most days, its more of the latter. Living in Benicia - Benicia, California California is not the place you want to come to without knowing anybody. People in the city take this issue very seriously. Most points in downtown Martinez are (for those without mobility limitations) within walking distance of the Amtrak station. There is a lot of activities that you can do in the city. By 1900, that figure had doubled again. The Lifestyle is Very Laid-Back Shorts, sunglasses, and sandals is the non-official uniform or "California look" of the Palm Springs lifestyle. Benicia is a very sleepy town with a little bid of Santa Cruz feel to it. We lived in California in the past two other times, once in Lompoc and other in Monterey. Knowing that there are an abundance of amenities and things to do can ensure that you always have access to nearby grocery stores, restaurants and coffee shops. 6. Benicia is in Solano County. The schools are well-rated. Hi there. The price of most rentals is very reasonable and the houses are very nice. 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. Get some big dogs and move to Benicia! The road tripping opportunities are endless, you can spend days at the beach or peruse a plethora of museums or attend world-class events. We lived there for 10 years and I actually miss it tremendously. It would be fair to say that the Bay to Breakers festival is more like a second Halloween for adults to enjoy. Youll notice that there is a different flow to the traffic as well. Pros and Cons of Living in California In fact, California usually ranks as the worst 10-states for public education. About Benicia. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. The United States would annex California in 1846, with the USS Portsmouth sailing into San Francisco Bay to raise the American flag. Its also home to some of the worst performing schools in the country. If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page.. 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. 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. I recently moved from Berkeley to Benicia because, like you, we needed more space and couldn't afford more space in Berkeley. 3. If youre in the film industry you probably already know that Los Angeles is the place to be. Im guessing youve never live on your own. That said, groceries, utilities, public transport and even alcohol are all reasonably priced compared to the prices in most Western countries. Expensive energy costs; the cost of gasoline and electricity is very high in California compared to other states. I only was able to buy a house the 2nd time due to moving there during the recession- the same house I bought for $210 in 08 now would go for around $400K- it was only 1,200 sq ft. Id like to move back, but my salary of just over 100K just really wont cut it most anywhere- at least to buy a descent house that isnt a 500K shack! Benicia is a little gem that gets overlooked because of the nearby refineries. Private studio with shared pool - 8,000,000 - 12,000,000 IDR. MUNI is the public transportation system in San Francisco where you can hop onto a bus to get around the city. Pinole is OK. If you prefer to look for a condo as a way to save some money, then the average cost of that option is $1.25 million. When James Marshall discovered gold in the area, a surge of people came to make their fortune. My husband works in Sacramento, and we want to move a bit closer to his work. Benicia is known to be family friendly as more than 76% of the population has already tied the knot. If you arent involved in the high-tech sector, there are still excellent jobs in healthcare, hospitality, and indirect positions that contribute to the economy. Another really fun event is the Tree Lighting Ceremony. There's even a bounce house for the kids! There is very little police protection. At least you wont be shoveling snow by the foot like people to the north are during the winter months from the same storms. Not sure which area would be best. 2c. Conveniently located amenities and interesting attractions are a great way to continuously enjoy Redding on a regular basis. However, a high crime rate, high cost for shelter, and lagging economy might be a problem. Everyone is welcome, no matter what your race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, or socioeconomic status happens to be. 25 Pros And Cons Of Living In Georgia (Updated 2023) - Home Mindset 4. Feel free to contact me if you have more questions. You can get to the Fairfield store from Benicia without getting on busy highways. Another interesting fact is that San Francisco is one of the few large metro areas where Latinos are the majority ethnicity, with 39.1% of the population coming from this background. This makes me sad as a returning native of 6 years. Year after year, California tops the list as having the most devastating fires in the country and the trend seems to be getting worse nearly 12 million acres were burned in 2020 alone. Benicia is a suburb of Vallejo with a population of 27,191. . In moving around so much, Ive had an opportunity to experience living in California through various large cities and Ive definitely learned a lot about what life in California is like. Low crime. Thanks again I really appreciate it. It's also fairly diverse (each person has their own definition of diverse, but as one point of evidence there are 35 different languages spoken at my child's public elementary school in Davis). The employment boom thanks to Silicon Valley and the other high-tech industries in the area makes it one of the most robust economies in the country right now. 5. Solano County overall is less liberal than the rest of the Bay Area. ben suarez bread / joseph wiley kim burrell / pragmatic theory of truth pros and cons. You will find people in the city throughout the entire year where trying to figure out if that is what they usually wear or they are dressed up for a specific occasion. You wont earn as much and may need to commute because of it, but you can typically come out ahead with the jobs here compared to what you can find in California or the rest of the country. Strong and Growing Arts and Culture There is plenty of culture, art, and science to explore in San Diego, especially at Balboa Park. Since most everyone moving to California arrives with a car, you can expect nightmarish traffic to become part of your daily life in California. Right now not for something specific like work or study, I just really need the change. I grew up in Sacramento actaully Elk Grove before all those houses were built. 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. Waisting paycheck to move to Cali. Cost of Living in Benicia, California - Best Places He called the area Yerba Buena, and it became a popular destination for Americans in the 1840s. I was born and raised in the East Bay. As another poster mentioned, with either Benicia or Martinez you would have to drive to Pleasant Hill Bart. Although the high school has a strong arts program, overall the district spends a lot of time and emphasison test prep and there is significant homework starting in Kindergarten. it seems that everyone who lives here knows how special this place is and wants to take care of it. I have worked for both cities but not lived in either. Assuming that Redding meets all of your requirements, the next most important item to examine is the affordability of real estate in Redding. Hear what they say to your face then listen closely what they say behind your back. Benicia is looking like where we might land. Niche requires Javascript to work correctly. There are tons of community events, it is very safe, has that small-town feeling and is still affordable. Have you ever consider Benicia? 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! There is a neighborhood for everyone here, and most people can integrate into almost any living situation. Benicia, CA - Niche In San Francisco alone, tech accounts for 20.5% of all jobs, with the largest employers being Facebook, Netflix, Google, Yahoo, Apple and Tesla. When I worked there, the people I knew who commuted to SF typically drove to Pleasant Hill BART, parked there, and took BART from there. If youre considering moving to California and settling further from the coast, understand that the average summer temperature exceed 95F and 100F+ days are not uncommon. 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. Neighborhood define you in San Francisco. Although not Napa or Sonoma, this is a historic town surrounded by the bay with a small-town feel and very family oriented. It doesn't feel very diverse and it doesn't really feel like it's part of the Bay Area proper. While the state offers many benefits, such as natural beauty, a strong sense of community, and a low cost of living, there are also potential downsides, such as harsh winters and high property taxes. Property values in both places took a major dive during the recession.