Move from Bay Area (Peninsula) to Irvine area (Santa Ana, Huntington Beach: homes, school)

[DabOnEm]

Originally Posted by TimTheEnchanter

I didn'trecommend Fullerton or any North/Central OC city. I am just correcting bad information that those places don't have downtowns that people visit.

I never said that though. The OP was looking at moving to South OC so I was only mentioning areas around there and the job site in Irvine. I never said people don't visit Fullerton or Orange...actually quite the opposite.

Old Town Tustin stretches from 1st Street to Sixth Street, C Street to Prospect Ave. It has buildings dating to the 1880s, it is how downtowns are supposed to feel in my mind.

Yes a cute little small area but...

My family has been in CdM since the 1920s. I can guarantee you there is zero feel of a downtown or a downtown experience. There is only busy, crowded Coast Highway.

Since your family was there since the 1920s, you'd know that Corona del Mar was its own city with its own post office, so the old PCH became it's "downtown main strip" until it was eventually annexed into Newport Beach.

PCH in CDM consistently looks like this which is a larger stretch than Tustin for sure, and more stuff to see and do. Added bonus is Irvine is pretty close.

CDM: https://goo.gl/maps/WCHFySMJFhCVun8S6

Irvine is not South OC despite what you might consider it, it is Central OC. The link below opens a PDF.

https://tinyurl.com/jy79rrfn

You can definitely consider Irvine as the start of South OC. You posted one source's opinion, but culturally and economically Irvine feels more tied to South OC than it does Santa Ana. Irvine is really the transition zone between the older, lower incomes north/west OC and into the higher income/newer South OC.

[Socalpal]

Originally Posted by TimTheEnchanter

Anaheim too has a real downtown that is very nice, but I'd never send my kids to school in Anaheim.



.

Isn't the best HS in OC in Anaheim Union? Oxford is consistently rated higher than any school in Orange County and probably California. It is one of the top schools in the country. I haven't looked up the specific boundaries but I know it includes a significant portion of Anaheim.

https://www.usnews.com/education/bes...d-academy-1748

#1 in California

Overview of Oxford Academy

Oxford Academy is ranked first within California. Students have the opportunity to take Advanced Placement® coursework and exams. The AP® participation rate at Oxford Academy is 100%. The total minority enrollment is 92%, and 36% of students are economically disadvantaged. Oxford Academy is 1 of 12 high schools in the Anaheim Union High.
Oxford Academy 2021 Rankings

Oxford Academy is ranked #11 in the National Rankings. Schools are ranked on their performance on state-required tests, graduation and how well they prepare students for college. Read more about how we rank the Best High Schools.
All Rankings

#11
in National Rankings
#1
in California High Schools
#1
in Los Angeles, CA Metro Area High Schools
#1
in Anaheim Union High High Schools

[TimTheEnchanter]

Originally Posted by Socalpal

Isn't the best HS in OC in Anaheim Union? Oxford is consistently rated higher than any school in Orange County and probably California. It is one of the top schools in the country. I haven't looked up the specific boundaries but I know it includes a significant portion of Anaheim.

Oxford Academy isn't in Anaheim, it is in Cypress and isn't an Anaheim neighborhood public school, like Anaheim High, Magnolia, Savannah, etc. It is a specialized secondary school where you have to test and interview your way in. You don't just show up because you live down the street.

The same is true of Troy High School in Fullerton, which is a tech magnet school. Again, you don't just show up and enroll you have to test in.

To go to University High School or Corona del Mar you can just live within the boundaries and they admit you regardless.

[bad debt]

Originally Posted by DabOnEm

You can definitely consider Irvine as the start of South OC. You posted one source's opinion, but culturally and economically Irvine feels more tied to South OC than it does Santa Ana.

I would put the border at the El Toro Y.

Here's an interesting article about it, all the way back from the 80's there was debate.
https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-...004-story.html

Originally Posted by DabOnEm

Irvine is really the transition zone between the older, lower incomes north/west OC and into the higher income/newer South OC.

The difference between north/west OC and South OC is NOT in income levels. It's in development style.


Just look at the home value and household income difference between North Tustin, Yorba Linda, Villa Park (North/Central OC) and Mission Viejo, RSM, and Lake Forest (south OC).

[DabOnEm]

Originally Posted by bad debt

I would put the border at the El Toro Y.

Here's an interesting article about it, all the way back from the 80's there was debate.
https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-...004-story.html

The difference between north/west OC and South OC is NOT in income levels. It's in development style.

Yeah I thought about this too but still think the southern areas of Irvine (Turtle Creek, University Park, etc.) have more in common with south OC than the other parts of the county, which is why imo it can be considered the transition zone.

Just look at the home value and household income difference between North Tustin, Yorba Linda, Villa Park (North/Central OC) and Mission Viejo, RSM, and Lake Forest (south OC).

It's not just development styles but incomes too. Not sure where your source is from but there is no where in OC from Irvine south that has income levels as low as most other OC cities like Stanton (57,598) Buena Park (66,145), Westminster (62,625), Garden Grove (69,278), etc. Meanwhile there isn't a city (outside of retirement city Laguna Woods) with less than $100k median income once you get to Irvine and head south.

OC overall has pretty high incomes but the cities with the most money (and less diverse population) from Irvine south bring about a different culture and vibe.

http://www.ochealthiertogether.org/i...ocaleId=133779

[amokk]

Originally Posted by DabOnEm

Yeah I thought about this too but still think the southern areas of Irvine (Turtle Creek, University Park, etc.) have more in common with south OC than the other parts of the county, which is why imo it can be considered the transition zone.

It's not just development styles but incomes too. Not sure where your source is from but there is no where in OC from Irvine south that has income levels as low as most other OC cities like Stanton (57,598) Buena Park (66,145), Westminster (62,625), Garden Grove (69,278), etc. Meanwhile there isn't a city (outside of retirement city Laguna Woods) with less than $100k median income once you get to Irvine and head south.

OC overall has pretty high incomes but the cities with the most money (and less diverse population) from Irvine south bring about a different culture and vibe.

Orange County's Healthier Together :: Indicators :: Median Household Income :: City : Aliso Viejo

His income numbers are the same as your link. It's the American Community Survey (i.e. US Census) data.

Of the top 10 areas on your website (I'm not counting Las Flores since it's not even a real community as it has less than 3,000 people and is probably just going to get annexed) 5 are in south OC and 5 are not. So the fact you think that the cities with the most money are in Irvine south is just not accurate. Sorry.

Have you actually been to places like Villa Park, North Tustin, or Newport Beach? They are nothing like Garden Grove or Stanton. You are correct that south OC is significantly more homogenous and has less of a variance, but the to say that the the cities with the MOST money are south of Irvine is wrong. Instead what you should say is the cities with the least money are north of Irvine.

[DabOnEm]

Originally Posted by amokk

His income numbers are the same as your link. It's the American Community Survey (i.e. US Census) data.

Of the top 10 areas on your website (I'm not counting Las Flores since it's not even a real community as it has less than 3,000 people and is probably just going to get annexed) 5 are in south OC and 5 are not. So the fact you think that the cities with the most money are in Irvine south is just not accurate. Sorry.

You're missing the point and are also wrong about the income part. Which city in South OC (outside of retirement Laguna Woods) has less than $100k median income? And can Newport Beach not be considered south of Irvine too? North/west of Irvine is more mixed, south/east of Irvine is not when looking at incomes and demographics. Coto de Caza (another one south/east of Irvine) has the highest average income in the county at $197k.

Have you actually been to places like Villa Park, North Tustin, or Newport Beach? They are nothing like Garden Grove or Stanton. You are correct that south OC is significantly more homogenous and has less of a variance, but the to say that the the cities with the MOST money are south of Irvine is wrong. Instead what you should say is the cities with the least money are north of Irvine.

Huh? When did I say Garden Grove and Stanton were like Newport Beach or North Tustin? My whole post was about how you don't see cities with average incomes in the $60k range once you hit Irvine like you do in other cities of OC where it is more mixed. Thanks for reiterating my point there.

[saibot]

Originally Posted by DabOnEm

You're missing the point and are also wrong about the income part. Which city in South OC (outside of retirement Laguna Woods) has less than $100k median income? And can Newport Beach not be considered south of Irvine too? North/west of Irvine is more mixed, south/east of Irvine is not when looking at incomes and demographics. Coto de Caza (another one south/east of Irvine) has the highest average income in the county at $197k.

Newport Beach is NOT considered south of Irvine, and neither city is considered south OC. At least not by most people; I suppose there could be a little wiggle room for opinion, but if we are going to draw the line between cities and not in the middle of cities, this map shows where it would be (in my opinion as a 50+ year OC resident). It should follow the city boundaries but I am not that skilled.

"South OC has high incomes" is correct, but "North OC has low incomes" is not correct. North OC is mixed. And by the way, Coto de Caza is not a city. It's in the large yellow unincorporated area on the right.

[DabOnEm]

Originally Posted by saibot

Newport Beach is NOT considered south of Irvine, and neither city is considered south OC. At least not by most people; I suppose there could be a little wiggle room for opinion, but if we are going to draw the line between cities and not in the middle of cities, this map shows where it would be (in my opinion as a 50+ year OC resident). It should follow the city boundaries but I am not that skilled.

"South OC has high incomes" is correct, but "North OC has low incomes" is not correct. North OC is mixed. And by the way, Coto de Caza is not a city. It's in the large yellow unincorporated area on the right.

See I'd move that line up to Jamboree or maybe Culver. The only reason why more of the further reaches of South OC doesn't look like Irvine there is because Irvine is mostly flat so packing in development was easier while those other areas of South OC have more hills/mountainous terrain.

I passed elementary school (I think) so I'm aware of Never Eat Soggy Watermelons, and to me Newport Beach looks to be, geographically, south/sw of Irvine using your map.

[saibot]

Originally Posted by DabOnEm

I passed elementary school (I think) so I'm aware of Never Eat Soggy Watermelons, and to me Newport Beach looks to be, geographically, south/sw of Irvine using your map.

Right, but OC is not oriented on a north-south axis that way. If you are pedantic about geography and cardinal directions, you end up with a map like this one. (Rancho Santa Margarita is unquestionably in south OC, but if you draw a line which divides the county into north and south at its northern border, you end up including part of Huntington Beach in the south, and part of Lake Forest in the north, and that's ridiculous.)