Best cities for a young professional in the inland empire (San Diego: transplants, sales)

[the city]

I am currently an assistant manager at a Radio Shack store along the coast, but my store might close this year. It's too soon to say. Within six months to a year I am looking at trying to get a sales job or get a management trainee position with a reputable store like a whole foods, trader joe's, or something else.

I have a bachelor's degree from Cal Poly San Luis.

My co worker is from the inland empire and suggested Redlands or Murrieta to me. She suggested I avoid Temecula because the people there are snobby and there is alot of old money.

I have visited Temecula for a whole weekend last year. Besides the heat, I really liked the old western feel and suburban feel and the desert. I like the affordability of the area.

Ideally I want to move to Ventura County, but there seems to be more jobs in the Inland Empire. I don't want to live in San Diego, OC, or LA county. Too crowded for my blood.

I grew up in a more rural middle class town that got warm in the Summers, so I think the inland empire will be closest to what I know.

[mrsltd]

Originally Posted by the city

I am currently an assistant manager at a Radio Shack store along the coast, but my store might close this year. It's too soon to say. Within six months to a year I am looking at trying to get a sales job or get a management trainee position with a reputable store like a whole foods, trader joe's, or something else.

I have a bachelor's degree from Cal Poly San Luis.

My co worker is from the inland empire and suggested Redlands or Murrieta to me. She suggested I avoid Temecula because the people there are snobby and there is alot of old money.

I have visited Temecula for a whole weekend last year. Besides the heat, I really liked the old western feel and suburban feel and the desert. I like the affordability of the area.

Ideally I want to move to Ventura County, but there seems to be more jobs in the Inland Empire. I don't want to live in San Diego, OC, or LA county. Too crowded for my blood.

I grew up in a more rural middle class town that got warm in the Summers, so I think the inland empire will be closest to what I know.

The advise from your co-worker is weird -- not that Redlands or Murrieta are bad, but that Temecula is to be avoided because of snobbery and "old money". I would call "bull" on that. Temecula is not "old money"; too new for that; I don't think it is that vastly different from Murrieta as far as age, and people come to both cities to be able to have houses that they can't afford in places like Orange County.

Maybe your co-worker is very young.

Really, IE is more places such as Riverside, Corona, Chino, Ontario, Rancho Cucamonga, Redlands, etc. Murrieta and Temecula, though in Riverside County, are far enough away from all these other communities to warrant their being in another classification. I have friends who live in Temecula, and whose oldest child will be attending community college, not in the IE, but in San Diego County.

Somewhat minor point, but would still look into Temecula.

[the city]

Originally Posted by mrsltd

The advise from your co-worker is weird -- not that Redlands or Murrieta are bad, but that Temecula is to be avoided because of snobbery and "old money". I would call "bull" on that. Temecula is not "old money"; too new for that; I don't think it is that vastly different from Murrieta as far as age, and people come to both cities to be able to have houses that they can't afford in places like Orange County.

Maybe your co-worker is very young.

Really, IE is more places such as Riverside, Corona, Chino, Ontario, Rancho Cucamonga, Redlands, etc. Murrieta and Temecula, though in Riverside County, are far enough away from all these other communities to warrant their being in another classification. I have friends who live in Temecula, and whose oldest child will be attending community college, not in the IE, but in San Diego County.

Somewhat minor point, but would still look into Temecula.

We are both young. She said that people there are snobby and that's what stuck. Is that true or not?


I would fall in the category of some one wanted to live in OC, but can't afford it. So sounds like inland empire could be a good fit.

[teeej]

if you want to live in OC but can't afford it, then live in Corona/Riverside. If you want to have a IE social life, I'd go for Chino Hills/Ontario/Rancho. Nothing wrong with Temecula or Murrieta, but I think you'd be more likely to hang out in Vista/Oceanside than OC or IE if you lived down there.

Note: This is not a place where a lot of young professionals are. Many people who live in the area socialize in OC or LA and do the nasty commute. It's very much a bedroom community.

I doubt there are more jobs in IE than Ventura County. Also, a lot of the cities in the IE are huge compared to some of the cities in OC or San Diego County. You say that OC is too crowded, but what cities are you referring to? I'd say Riverside is bigger than of the OC cities except for Irvine. Don't have stats on it though.



You are not going to meet a lot of people your age in the IE. The people you will meet have lived here their whole lives and want to stay. In OC, San Diego and LA you'll meet a lot more transplants from all over the country, which I think is more interesting.

I live in Corona because I work here and it's cheap. If I lost the job, I would not stay.

If I had the choice between here and SLO, I'd absolutely pick SLO.

[the city]

Originally Posted by teeej

if you want to live in OC but can't afford it, then live in Corona/Riverside. If you want to have a IE social life, I'd go for Chino Hills/Ontario/Rancho. Nothing wrong with Temecula or Murrieta, but I think you'd be more likely to hang out in Vista/Oceanside than OC or IE if you lived down there.

Note: This is not a place where a lot of young professionals are. Many people who live in the area socialize in OC or LA and do the nasty commute. It's very much a bedroom community.

I doubt there are more jobs in IE than Ventura County. Also, a lot of the cities in the IE are huge compared to some of the cities in OC or San Diego County. You say that OC is too crowded, but what cities are you referring to? I'd say Riverside is bigger than of the OC cities except for Irvine. Don't have stats on it though.



You are not going to meet a lot of people your age in the IE. The people you will meet have lived here their whole lives and want to stay. In OC, San Diego and LA you'll meet a lot more transplants from all over the country, which I think is more interesting.

I live in Corona because I work here and it's cheap. If I lost the job, I would not stay.

If I had the choice between here and SLO, I'd absolutely pick SLO.

Yeah I hate when people bring up the last line. I'm not mad at you, but just saying. Even if I got a job here I would still leave.

Riverside is at like 321,000 population. OC has Santa Ana which is like 324,000 population, Anaheim 336,000 population, Irvine 210,000 population, and I know not technically apart of OC but Long Beach is at 400,000 population. Not only that but you have LA and San Diego surrounding OC.

Sounds like Corona, Rancho, or Riverside would be my best bet. Sounds like Riverside more so.

[teeej]

It depends. Riverside is going to be a bit cheaper than Corona because it's further east and generally older.

Both cities have areas that are quite nice and areas that you wouldn't want to be around. I live off Green River Road which is literally the closet you can be to Orange County without living in Orange County. i pay $850 to split a 2BR/2BA.

I guess it depends on what you do for fun. In Orange County, I could find social sport leagues almost every night of the week - here we have kickball on Wednesdays in Rancho Cucamonga and that's basically it.

Long Beach is huge, but OC has plenty of smaller beach communities. I really liked San Clemente(west of the freeway - east and you have the expensive yuppy houses) and Dana Point.

When I lived in Dana Point, I really enjoyed Carlsbad, Encinitas etc. There's a big difference between San Diego and the beach towns in North San Diego County, just like there's a difference between Newport, Huntington an the smaller beach towns in OC.

[the city]

Originally Posted by teeej

It depends. Riverside is going to be a bit cheaper than Corona because it's further east and generally older.

Both cities have areas that are quite nice and areas that you wouldn't want to be around. I live off Green River Road which is literally the closet you can be to Orange County without living in Orange County. i pay $850 to split a 2BR/2BA.

I guess it depends on what you do for fun. In Orange County, I could find social sport leagues almost every night of the week - here we have kickball on Wednesdays in Rancho Cucamonga and that's basically it.

Long Beach is huge, but OC has plenty of smaller beach communities. I really liked San Clemente(west of the freeway - east and you have the expensive yuppy houses) and Dana Point.

When I lived in Dana Point, I really enjoyed Carlsbad, Encinitas etc. There's a big difference between San Diego and the beach towns in North San Diego County, just like there's a difference between Newport, Huntington an the smaller beach towns in OC.

I still don't like the pace of those areas and the extra traffic. Plus the smaller parts of the coastal county I i guess have Less jobs.

[teeej]

Oh, there's definitely not a lot of jobs in the smaller beach towns in OC, but Riverside County is hardly free of traffic. There's a ton of cars here - especially on weekends.

[the city]

Originally Posted by teeej

Oh, there's definitely not a lot of jobs in the smaller beach towns in OC, but Riverside County is hardly free of traffic. There's a ton of cars here - especially on weekends.

Not nearly as much as OC bc of tourists, disneyland, knotts, and angel stadium.

[Sandshoes]

I know some people will disagree, but the Inland Empire is not a great place for young professionals--unless you're married, settling down and trying to save money. Redlands, Murrieta, and Temecula are okay, but if you're young, why not live somewhere exciting? May as well try San Diego in my opinion.