What can YOU tell me about these Northern California counties? (Any info IS welcomed!) (San Jose: 2014, homes)

[Brandon Graves]

Originally Posted by BeauCharles

Oh, hello everyone. Yeah, Oroville does have a bit more property crime than Paradise. I've lived here nine years and had one incident - someone kicked in the side door to my garage at 11AM trying to burglarize the place while I was home. Saw my two cars parked inside and took off though. If I'd had them in the driveway like everyone else does he wouldn't have tried it. I spoke with my immediate neighbors and none of them had every had anything like that happen and they've all been here longer than me. The town does have quite a few homeless people (mostly men) roaming around. There's a big Salvation Army church and a rescue mission that feeds them so I think that's why so many gravitate here. From what I understand most aren't from here - its just a hassle free place for them so they hang around.

The biggest drug issue here now is pretty much what you'll see all over NorCal - pot, pot and more pot. While there's still some meth its really no worse than many other towns up and down the state. It was really bad for it back in the late 80s and 90s, but those people either got cleaned up, went to jail or died. I rarely see obvious active "tweakers" anymore.

All that said the people around here are quite friendly. People in businesses are always happy to chat and you'll strike up conversations with people everywhere when you're out and about. Its nothing like the Bay Area or SoCal in that regard - much friendlier. And yes, home prices are some of the lowest in North State. A $350,000 house in Chico would go for about $250,000 here.

We definitely have four seasons, but the Sacramento Valley towns are still pretty mild relatively speaking. Maybe a few weeks of frosty mornings, but it almost always gets close to 60 during the day if its not raining.

Great post.

BTW, is there a reason regarding as to why the pot culture is now so popular and common up in NorCal (past SF)?

[Brandon Graves]

I read that the towns in the Sierra Nevadas also receive four distinct seasons. Is it true?

Also, what does one usually refer to the area that's anything north of SF, Santa Cruz, Sacramento, etc. as?

[BeauCharles]

Originally Posted by Brandon Graves

I read that the towns in the Sierra Nevadas also receive four distinct seasons. Is it true?

Also, what does one usually refer to the area that's anything north of SF, Santa Cruz, Sacramento, etc. as?

The higher the elevation the more pronounced the winter is. I lived in Mariposa County (near Yosemite) at about 2,400 feet elevation and it would frost almost every night if it wasn't raining. As far as the pot culture - its just grown a lot north of Sac and the Bay Area. Have no idea why in particularly. Its not like the soil is rich in the hills. As far as what north of Sacramento is referred to most people call it North State. "NorCal" kind of encompasses a lot more area (Bay Area - northern San Joaquin Valley, etc...).

[Brandon Graves]

Originally Posted by BeauCharles

The higher the elevation the more pronounced the winter is. I lived in Mariposa County (near Yosemite) at about 2,400 feet elevation and it would frost almost every night if it wasn't raining. As far as the pot culture - its just grown a lot north of Sac and the Bay Area. Have no idea why in particularly. Its not like the soil is rich in the hills. As far as what north of Sacramento is referred to most people call it North State. "NorCal" kind of encompasses a lot more area (Bay Area - northern San Joaquin Valley, etc...).

I hear some people calling the area north of SF that we're discussing "extreme NorCal," but I'm not so sure.

[Count David]

The ones on I-5 get more beautiful as you drive north. I've overnighted in Yolo, Colusa (including in my car), Glenn, Tehama, Shasta, Siskiyou, and Humboldt. I haven't been to Trinity, Lake, or Plumas.

I love it up there. It's a different lifestyle from the rest of the state. Along I-5 (and probably CA-99), it is like the Midwest with mountains in view, and perhaps surprisingly, a larger Latino population than some people would expect. The US-101 corridor starts slowly to feel Northwestern (Brandon, IMO Oregon and Washington would make your head explode ) as you head north, and the eastern third would give parts of the Rocky Mountain states a decent run for their money.

[Brandon Graves]

Does someone here know about Siskiyou County (be it lived there or visited)? Yreka, Tulelake, McCloud, Dunsmuir, Weed, Montague, Etna, Fort Jones, Mount Shasta (city)? Can someone inform me about them?

I heard that it's one of THE cheapest California counties to live in.

[Count David]

Originally Posted by Brandon Graves

Does someone here know about Siskiyou County (be it lived there or visited)? Yreka, Tulelake, McCloud, Dunsmuir, Weed, Montague, Etna, Fort Jones, Mount Shasta (city)? Can someone inform me about them?

I heard that it's one of THE cheapest California counties to live in.

Because jobs are scarce, most likely.

Mount Shasta, Weed, and Dunsmuir are particularly scenic IMO. Yreka too I suppose.

[Brandon Graves]

Now, if Yuba CITY is in Sutter County, then what exactly is in Yuba COUNTY?

[Brandon Graves]

Originally Posted by David Aguilar

Because jobs are scarce, most likely.

Mount Shasta, Weed, and Dunsmuir are particularly scenic IMO. Yreka too I suppose.

I heard the meth problem is quite bad up in Siskiyou County (just like anywhere else).

[Count David]

Originally Posted by Brandon Graves

Now, if Yuba CITY is in Sutter County, then what exactly is in Yuba COUNTY?

Marysville.