A reasonable cost of living, good schools, family-friendly activities, and decent weather are the major draws to the city. The Capitol Corridor trains run several times each day, although the latest one to Oakland leaves Martinez at about 10:30 p.m. Posted on February 27, 2023 by laguardia airport food terminal c One feature that Martinez has that Benicia does not have is a direct connection on Amtrak from Jack London Square (or West Berkeley). Heres the stats on traffic for the three most populous cities in California: Los Angeles horrendous traffic is known the world over and the proof is in the pudding. California would have the fifth-largest economy in the world if the state were an independent nation. Yet, if people are looking for a vacation spot that is relaxing and welcoming, Benicia is it. Any information would be greatly appreciated! I think it is considered a ''safe'' town, and it is convenient to the Vallejo Ferry or casual carpool for commuting into the city. Hi there,We are very excited and sad to be moving from our home in the Colorado Mountains to the Bay Area. Explore the dramatic desert in the Mojave, the granite cliffs of Yosemite National Park, the towering trees in Redwood National Park or the rolling hills of Napa Valley and youll see what all the fuss is about. When you can make ends meet, you will find that this city is one of the most magical places to be on the planet. The 1906 earthquake that devastated San Francisco was estimated to be 7.9 8.25 with extreme shaking. Given that and the increased time and cost, I'm wondering if I should consider Martinez instead although I really wanted to be in Benicia. She developedasthma after moving there. Pros And Cons Of Living In Colombia - How To Expat If we take a closer look at the affordability of homes in Benicia, well see that the home price to income ratio is 5.5, which is 14.1% lower than the California average. If youre planning on relocating and making this area your permanent home, its nice to know that there is an ample amount of amenities and things to do within walking distance or a short drive. Carrie. When you move to California, one thing will become clear very quickly California is proof that climate change is real. Youll have a plethora of Micheline-Star restaurants and phenomenal cheap eats to choose from. No longer do you need to be stuck in long-term lease agreements. Ive never done anything like this before. 9. If you do get the urge to take a day trip, then you can head over to Yosemite, enjoy the sunshine on the peninsula, or take the four-hour drive (with good traffic) to Lake Tahoe for world-class skiing. California is a pay to play state, theres no way around it. Benicia is a very sleepy town with a little bid of Santa Cruz feel to it. Benicia is a small town on the carquinez strait bordering Vallejo. I find, though, that it is a great place for us empty nesters, too. I never felt the need to join a mom's club, or something, 'cause I met so many people just by walking downtown, going to the parks or doing my groceries. Permanent residents can receive medical for free or at extremely low costs. Have you considered Benicia? My 'husband' and I want to move to either Benicia or Pinole. Traffic inside of the city it difficult to manage at almost any time of day including the overnight hours. Antioch reminds me of Elk Grove now. There is a very active moms club with about 130 members. Pros and Cons of living in Barcelona - 10 best and worst things The town puts on wonderful holiday celebrations and the entire town comes out to celebrate. If you want to rent in San Francisco, then you can expect to pay a lot for that option too. Benicia is no more than 10 minutes from Vallejo. We moved to Benicia 2 1/2 years ago from Los Angeles. Come to our farmers market and check out the town- every Thursday from 4-8. I recall a particularly bad stretch where residents were asked to save shower water to water plants. San Diego: On average, vehicle trips take 60% longer during rush hour in San Diego. Have you ever consider Benicia??? Cons of living in Nevada 1. One of the reasons why the housing market and rental costs are so high in San Francisco is because the economy is strong, diverse, and consistent. San Francisco is one of the best dog-friendly cities in the United States. This makes me sad as a returning native of 6 years. Winnford M. Dela Torre, BSN, RN - Registered Nurse - U.S. Department of This will be a big change for us. 25 Pros And Cons Of Living In San Diego (Updated 2023) - Home Mindset Please keep in mind that this is a personal list, not everyone will feel the same way. Living in Redding can be a good experience for anyone relocating to the town. Low crime. Here are 5 benefits of living in California. pragmatic theory of truth pros and cons 80 bus from VTC to Del Norte BART. Though it is a suburb of Vallejo, it is significantly different. Whenever I visit other cities, Im constantly met with enjoy your visit, but dont move here which stopped being funny in 2010. Davis makes the most sense. I need to move out of here. I originally thought I could work primarily from home, but now it appears I will have to go into the office in downtown Oakland several times a week. 20 Pros And Cons Of Living In Vancouver, BC Canada - Nina Out and About Thanks again, really appreciate it . People will generally move to the US for better education or well-paying jobs. The country supports a universal system, and expats can expect to receive high-quality care while living here. Thanks. We considered buying in Benicia around this time last year. Our oldest grandson (who is 20 years old) graduated from Benicia High School and is doing extremely well in college. The landscape is as diverse as it gets and changes drastically from north to south. Although I have never lived there, I have visited Davis a lot, and suspect that on a daily basis, it's more like Berkeley/Oakland/Albany than either Benicia or Vallejo. San Francisco Campus for Jewish Living . Can you tell us about the schools? People from Benicia drive to Pleasant Hill BART if they're going to take BART. Living in Australia: What You Need to Know Before You Move - InterNations Pros and cons of living in Oceanside, California Hello and welcome to the Bay! You have people working in Silicon Valley making six figures, but living out of their vehicle because they cant find a place they can afford. Never noticed till gone for awhile, but a lot of the kindness and friendliness is a phoney act. Some places in Florida have been ranked 8% lower to 18% higher in cost compared to the average American city. Happy in Benicia, We are considering a move to Benicia with our two small children. Benicia offers an abundance of leisure and recreational activities. And these are just prices for flights! Pros and Cons of living in Benicia, California Benicia, California Benicia, CA is #21 on the list Top 100 Best Places to Raise a Family in the West in 2023 Pros and Cons of living in Benicia, California according to Data Pros and Cons of living in Benicia, California in reviews from users in their own words: Do you live in Benicia, California? 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.) Quality schools. Everything else becomes a lot less important if it turns out that home prices in Redding are simply unattainable. Sales tax is the highest in the nation. 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. That means it has more influence than the United Kingdom, which has 26 million more people contributing to the GDP. Niche ranks thousands of places to live based on key statistics from the U.S. Census and expert insights. 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. The BART is a little bit of a hike, but doable. Thanks for your candor. Benicia, CA - Niche 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. 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. Benicia has a livability score of 76 out of 100 and is ranked #160 in California and #4,047 in the USA. 4. Rental rates. People there either take the 80 express bus to SF, or drive to Del Norte BART, park there, and BART into SF from there. And seeing as Canadians are enjoying increased income, they'll have more to spend at your new business - easily making this one of the best pros and cons of living in Canada. I had that experience originally being from wine country area. I'd suggest spending a full day in each. Pinole is OK. When you do need to travel somewhere, using an Uber or Lyft is still affordable. Tax ID:46-4347971, About BPN Contact BPN Credits Terms of Use, Connecting Bay Area families online since 1993, Daycares & Preschools with Current Openings, Parent Classes, Workshops & Groups with Openings, Advice about Classes, Camps, Groups, & Tutors. The Pros and Cons of Revocable Living Trusts - The Balance Theres only one word of caution: not every landlord permits pets, so youll want to ask in advance before bringing your pup along for this adventure. I like it a lot and it is definitely walkable and has a lot of charming small businesses on 1st street. The average cost of a two-bedroom apartment is the city is $3,108 per month. Solano County overall is less liberal than the rest of the Bay Area. Non-Latino Caucasians represent 37.2% of the population. If you are trying to get somewhere during rush hour, then you need to avoid all of the highways at all costs. You will also find some amazing mountains and wonderful outdoor activities. You can also find affordable rentals around the state in popular cities like Henderson, where a two-bedroom apartment averages around $1,700. I can't really think of anything negative. Rent too high. It's a fantastic place to raise your kids! The refineries are all ''down wind'' and don't really have any impact on your quality of life. 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. That being said, Benicia has O.K. Fuel is also expensive, averaging $4.20 per gallon in May 2019, making it the most expensive place to fill up in the country. California is home to nine national parks, which means it has more national parks than any other state in America, including Alaska! Have you looked at Benicia? Unless you live in a high-elevation area, youll seldom see snow and can count on sunshine even in the dead of winter. Im guessing youve never live on your own. Average temperatures vary by city, but by and large, you can expect highs around 69F in the winter and 80-85F in the summer. I have 2 young sons and we absolutely love it here! I dont know who can afford homes anymore. I highly recommend Benicia. The housing market in San Francisco is pricing everyone out. Pros and Cons of Living in Each State - Dividends Diversify Unlike wills, trusts require that you give up direct ownership of that property. You are a short drive from some of the best places in California. Benicia ca - The Pros and Cons of Benicia California, Moving to Benicia ca. And even in mid-winter, the temperature during the day averages 16C / 61F. In Benicia there are a lot of parks. The community is warm and friendly, the schools are very good, there are many (!) Its hard to enjoy everything the state has to offer if you arent bringing in a considerable annual income. Others involve nothing more than the persons birthday suit. Are you thinking about moving to California? Can you give me some advice? A waterfront City of 28,000, Benicia is known for its small-town charm, history, and high quality of life. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. Youve really saved me Was planning on moving to California to work and study without help from no one But from tonehe look of things I think I wont be able to. I think the town has more of what you're looking for. If you have any question, you can email me as well. 7. We have a cute little downtown with a great library and community pool, awesome parks and playgrounds, good schools, a great Farmers market every Thursday on the main drag, a neat artist community, and wonderful people in general. My hubby will be working in vallejo. Im a California native and have lived in San Diego, Los Angeles and San Francisco over the past ten years. Too many people; California being one of the most populated cities makes people scramble for the limited space in the area. Many young professionals live in Benicia and residents tend to have moderate political views. 25 Pros And Cons Of Living In Georgia (Updated 2023) - Home Mindset Several apartment complexes and condos offer these areas as well. You will always find people out with their pets during the day, enjoying the sunny weather in the city when it arrives. When you look at the city, San Francisco and the Bay Area has the 19th-largest domestic economy in the world. California is a car-centric state and you will absolutely need to have a car while living in California because things are spread far apart. Between the lovely Mediterranean climate, the colorful architecture and the breathtaking nature, it seems that Californians take work-life balance seriously and we are all better for it. Based on the proximity of local amenities like grocery stores, restaurants, coffee shops, parks, librairies, etc., Benicia has received a higher than average score for its local amenities. A couple of them are atypical learners/creative types. But if you choose to live in a city further inland, you can expect blazing hot summers. The average cost of a two-bedroom apartment is the city is $3,108 per month. Ive lived in Sacramento twice- fun times, but you never have much money to spare. You cant beat the weather and people who live here love it. Checking rates won't affect your credit score. Benicia is in Solano County. Pros and Cons of living in Benicia, California is it still impossible to buy a house ? Also, yoga culture is huge in San Diego. The median price for a single-family home in the city was $1.65 million in May 2019. Benicia is right on the water, so there are many small beaches to stroll along, and there is a long pier that is a popular place to walk down. The economy in San Francisco keeps humming along. 35 Pros and Cons of Living in the UK: Should You - Nina Out and About Thank you so much for your replies, we will explore Davis and also Napa . Sign up for a yoga class on the beach and see what all the hype is about. The year over year appreciation rates in Redding were 4.4%, and the 5 year appreciation rates came in at 6.4%. 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. But because of it's smaller size and little room for growth, it doesn't have some of the more popular stores like Trader Joe's or Whole Foods, nor does it have much recreation, like bowling or a theater, so it's a bit inconvenient to have to go to Vallejo or across the bridge for some of those things. Yet another perk of living in California is seldom feeling rushed. There is a wonderful library and community pool and lots more. The best ride of all is the ferry from Mare Island Channel but it only goes to Alameda and by way of SF. MUNI is the public transportation system in San Francisco where you can hop onto a bus to get around the city. This goes hand-in-hand with the constant sunshine, but California has some of the mildest winters in the country. 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. It really is a beautiful hidden gem in the Bay Area and I feel lucky to live here! Benicia CA Real Estate - Benicia CA Homes For Sale | Zillow Los Angeles: With median home prices averaging $756,000 and one-bedroom apartments going for $2,370 per month, Los Angeles is one of the most expensive cities in America for home buyers. I believe you have given an honest look at what to expect when moving to California. As you can imagine, theres definitely pockets of homogeneous areas and neighborhoods, but if you dont live in the ritzy part of town, youll find it easy to make friends with people from different backgrounds and walks of life. Its becoming a state for the independently wealthy, LARGE salary earners, and just people who were lucky enough to have already lived there for generations. Property values. The median home price for Benicia homes is $475,500, which is 16.2% higher than the California average. If I need Berkeley or SF fix, we just drive down and can be on the Bay Bridge in 20mins with no traffic. Even if you cook every meal at home, youll need to budget at least $420 per person, which is over $100 more than the national average. Benicia is known to be family friendly as more than 76% of the population has already tied the knot. The culture is also backwards in the South, things you thought were fashionable as a given- be it clothing, music, even lingo- often dont even exist there. what if i am moving to cali for a decent paying tech job ? The traffic in San Francisco is legendarily terrible. Pros of Living in California: The Amazing Weather That Always Brings a Smile to Your Face: There is no one I can find who complains about California's weather. Pros and cons of living in Wisconsin: Bottom line. 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. Living in PR means, you will be living in lines for everything as well. I totally agree with you I have lived in many places (states) myself I currently reside in California for the past 17 years and everything you say is totally true Plus there ever increasing earthquakes in the sea level is rising It is sad to see the homeless living here and there but Ive also heard of some of them breaking in some of these empty houses (people are being kicked out they could not pay the extreme increase for the rent) I live in Acampo but I have to drive to Stockton for a client and his neighbor finally got his home back from the homeless it was taken from him for years His neighbor was wanting to move and get out of California and his house was left vacant so they took over and he cant do nothing about it, Thanks for the honest information. We are very excited. JOJ, We live in Benicia and really like it. Strong and Growing Arts and Culture There is plenty of culture, art, and science to explore in San Diego, especially at Balboa Park. The community often has little events that are great for meeting new people. If helpful, below is a chart that show the effective California state income tax depending on your income bracket. It is very much a small town. We have three grandsons (ages 12, 14, and 16) who are currently attending the Benicia schools and they are all doing well and the quality of their education is excellent. If you make more than $1 million per year, then theres a 1% surtax to pay as well. We are also less than 20mins away from Napa. There is an 'island mentality' I noticed; 'crossing the bridge' to the rest of the Bay Area just feels like a big deal to a Benician. Vallejo or Benecia for commuting to Sacramento? There are about 23.6 students per teacher in Benicia. Expensive energy costs; the cost of gasoline and electricity is very high in California compared to other states. There is a lot of activities that you can do in the city. In the past year, appreciation rates for homes in the Benicia area were 5.8% and 5 year appreciation rates were 10.7%. It was a film for San Francisco City Sights where I discussed the pros and cons of that Organization. Find a loan that's right for you. When James Marshall discovered gold in the area, a surge of people came to make their fortune. There is a high level of self-expression that you can find in San Francisco, and it can be a lot of fun to embrace that culture. 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. The Pros and Cons of Pros-and-Cons Lists - Harvard Business Review Good Stuff. I am sure things have changes since I left permanently in 1996 but Sacramento has so many suburbs so there maybe a neighborhood that is similar to Berkeley? 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. - CON: Expensive non-essentials Based on the housing stock, population density, and the proximity of amenities of the area. The taxes should be taken into strong consideration while researching if moving to California is right for you because they will greatly reduce your overall take home pay. 14 Pros of Living in Vancouver, BC PRO: YVR is a fantastic airport Pro: Amazing schooling Pro: Shopping haven Pro: It's home to Stanley Park Pro: You'll always find food trucks Pro: Plenty of fun sporting events Pro: You don't need to know French Pro: The nightlife Pro: Relatively moderate weather Pro: Easy access to nature A commute of around 45 min from Valejo is ok. Also can you reccomend any good rental agents? Fitness is a priority in San Francisco. 6. Yeah Im somewhere in a similar predicament. If people are looking for a place to go that has a lot to do, Benicia is not the place to go. If we take a closer look at each of the categories individually, we see that Benicia ranks well for amenities (A+), crime (A), weather (B+), education (B-) and employment (B). I worked a few years in downtown Benicia commuting from Berkeley this combo. Although you'll want to leave early in the day to avoid traffic issues, the central location means a day trip can help you to avoid lodging expenses. Im glad Im not the only one feeling this. 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. Benicia City Hall, 250 East L Street Benicia, CA 94510 Phone: (707) 746-4200 A Benicia public option is bus to Vallejo Transit Center from Benicia. Did Californias policies drastically change in the last 10 years? This city and its surrounding suburbs are a great place to live, and with the help of Landing, your move can be stress-free and on your terms. Assuming that Benicia meets all of your requirements, the next most important item to examine is the affordability of real estate in Benicia. It might be a city of transplants, but no one really cares about that here. But moving here is a bad idea. Apparently, there hasn't been a day below freezing since 1985. Good luck with your search! Sure, come visit for awhile. 21 Pros and Cons of Living in Sacramento, California - Vittana It has excellent schools - all but one are California Distinguished Schools and are actually in the top nationwide. Benicia cost of living is 158.3 100=National Average AVERAGE RENT BY BEDROOM SIZE Those with a degree in Bachelor of Engineering earn $103,528 on average and Ph.D. holders make an average of $115,087. Not as familiar with the central county high schools.

72 Most Dangerous Places To Live Ranking, Articles P