topic Re: Is anyone familiar with Colton, California area? in Community Chat

Is anyone familiar with Colton, California area?

StarryNight — Sat, 12 Dec 2015 01:22:03 GMT

Hi! Has anyone lived in or near Colton, California area? A job offer has come up but we are from Western NY/PA area and have never been west of Las Vegas and know NOTHING about this area, except that it is near Los Angeles. Any information would be greatly appreciated!

Re: Is anyone familiar with Colton, California area?

Desertdi — Sat, 12 Dec 2015 01:34:10 GMT

Google it! You will find lots of information. It will cost you a LOT more to live in CA than PA..................

Re: Is anyone familiar with Colton, California area?

Q4u — Sat, 12 Dec 2015 01:38:58 GMT

Colton is in the Riverside area, a county of Riverside. It's inland, east of Los Angeles and gets hot in the summer. I was born and raised in So. Cal and have been through & visited Riverside often and Colton as I had friends there. There is a Colton official website, easy to google, and some more info on Wikipedia. I believe it's pretty small (comparatively) at roughly 50k. I believe it is referred to as part of the Inland Empire. I also believe Colton is located in part of the Mojave desert. I know that the entire inland area is especially suffering from the drought (so is all of Ca).

Re: Is anyone familiar with Colton, California area?

Barbara-QVC — Sat, 12 Dec 2015 01:39:18 GMT

This post has been removed by QVC because it is unkind.

Re: Is anyone familiar with Colton, California area?

Moonchilde — Sat, 12 Dec 2015 01:39:53 GMT

Colton is not far from San Bernardino, and everyone knows where San Bernardino is these days :-(

It's a flat area next to/approaching So Cal's ski resort areas. About a 60-90 minute drive from LA and environs. About 45-60 minutes from Palm Springs.

It's an affordable area that has a lot of industry. Pretty nondescript. Not beautiful, not ugly. Just "there."

Re: Is anyone familiar with Colton, California area?

Moonchilde — Sat, 12 Dec 2015 01:41:36 GMT

Re: Is anyone familiar with Colton, California area?

Q4u — Sat, 12 Dec 2015 01:43:50 GMT

Totally forgot to talk about the expense of living in Calif. We left the state because DH was laid off and we couldn't afford to stay, but we lived in San Diego. Riverside and the counties are less expensive than the big cities like San Diego and Los Angeles, It IS desert, gets very hot in the summer and has very low humidity. I'd go on Realtor.com and poke around looking at the price of housing and such. I believe it's far less expensive than other areas and might be worth looking into. I can't take desert heat so inland for me would be out of the question, I fare far better in the very cold.... good luck, sounds exciting~!

Re: Is anyone familiar with Colton, California area?

Another new name Sue — Sat, 12 Dec 2015 02:26:56 GMT

I'm sure there are good things about Colton, but I would not want to live there. We have driven past it on the 10 freeway countless times, and it never looked like anyplace attractive. I think it's known for a big swap meet. It's far from LA (at least an hour at freeway speeds) and would be much more affordable than places closer to LA. I'm sorry if I've offended Colton people, or if I'm mistaken, because certainly every city has things to be proud of.

Even if you had a job in Colton, you could live in surrounding cities which you might like better. Also, if you have kids or plan to have kids, be sure to check out school districts. Honestly, you absolutely must invest in a visit to the area before making any major changes.

Re: Is anyone familiar with Colton, California area?

millieshops — Sat, 12 Dec 2015 01:46:50 GMT

I don't know that area, but I do know a family that left CA a few years back because the taxes were so incredibly high.

Re: Is anyone familiar with Colton, California area?

Desertdi — Sat, 12 Dec 2015 01:47:18 GMT

@Another new name Sue wrote:
I'm sure there are good things about Colton, but I would not want to live there. We have driven past it on the 10 freeway countless times, and it never looked like anyplace attractive. I think it's known for a big swap meet. It's far from LA and would be more affordable than places closer to LA. I'm sorry if I've offended Colton people, or if I'm mistaken, because certainly every city has things to be proud of.

Before you take a job there, you absolutely must visit. Don't take any chances.

Me either......(spent 25 years in Santa Monica.....and am unfortunately retired in Phoenix)

Re: Is anyone familiar with Colton, California area?

Q4u — Sat, 12 Dec 2015 01:47:53 GMT

Ok.... I was being kind about the area.... I couldn't stand San Bernardino, Riverside, Colton included area. I found the area rough and the weather awful. There is also one nasty gang in Colton in particular, the Crips.....

Just saying, you wanted to know.....

Re: Is anyone familiar with Colton, California area?

StarryNight — Sat, 12 Dec 2015 01:50:32 GMT

YES, thank you !!!!! These are the things I need to know, please be honest!!!! I truly appreciate it!!

Re: Is anyone familiar with Colton, California area?

onewhiteSparrow — Sat, 12 Dec 2015 01:53:00 GMT

Reading these messages I would say to @StarryNight to not move there.... find another town and a different job.

Re: Is anyone familiar with Colton, California area?

StarryNight — Sat, 12 Dec 2015 01:54:12 GMT

We are so used to having the four seasons, DH is avid snowmobiler etc. I don't think he would be happy there. I'm worried about that heat, don't know if I could deal with it. I lived in Florida for a while and did not like the suffocating heat of the summer, I have been to Las Vegas in the summer 108 degrees but it wasn't so bad because it was dry heat.

Yes we would definitely go see the area before actually moving there, I think we would probably be fish out of water though .

Thank you again for your help!!!

Re: Is anyone familiar with Colton, California area?

italia8140 — Sat, 12 Dec 2015 01:54:20 GMT

@Another new name Sue wrote:
I'm sure there are good things about Colton, but I would not want to live there. We have driven past it on the 10 freeway countless times, and it never looked like anyplace attractive. I think it's known for a big swap meet. It's far from LA and would be more affordable than places closer to LA. I'm sorry if I've offended Colton people, or if I'm mistaken, because certainly every city has things to be proud of.

Before you take a job there, you absolutely must visit. Don't take any chances.

Neither would I.

Re: Is anyone familiar with Colton, California area?

Q4u — Sat, 12 Dec 2015 01:56:00 GMT

Well.... a person needs to weigh the advantages/disadvantages of a job move. Will it be a stepping stone to another, more lucrative job in five years? If that's the case, it might be worth the move.

Re: Is anyone familiar with Colton, California area?

Q4u — Sat, 12 Dec 2015 02:00:29 GMT

@StarryNight wrote:
We are so used to having the four seasons, DH is avid snowmobiler etc. I don't think he would be happy there. I'm worried about that heat, don't know if I could deal with it. I lived in Florida for a while and did not like the suffocating heat of the summer, I have been to Las Vegas in the summer 108 degrees but it wasn't so bad because it was dry heat.

Yes we would definitely go see the area before actually moving there, I think we would probably be fish out of water though .

Thank you again for your help!!!

The Calif desert is hot hot.... but it is not Florida suffocating. The humidity is extremely low and you have to drink water all day long to stay hydrated. It oesn't feel like someone threw a wet wool blanket over your head. It really is a dry heat, you do have to be careful to drink a lot because you don't sweat in it much.... it's not my thing at all. Also, the San Diego mountains (a bit of a drive) often have snow in the winter.....

Re: Is anyone familiar with Colton, California area?

StarryNight — Sat, 12 Dec 2015 02:07:53 GMT

Q4U that would be the plan if we decide to do it, take the job and get the experience for a few years, then hopefully move somewhere else that is more our comfort zone.

Re: Is anyone familiar with Colton, California area?

patbz — Sat, 12 Dec 2015 02:15:51 GMT

I lived in the High Desert (Ridgecrest) for 19 years. Although Colton wouldn't be my first choice, San Diego, LA, and the mountain resorts of Big Bear and Mammoth are all 1-4 hrs away and Vegas and Santa Barbara are within auto weekend range. I moved to Ridgecrest for the job (a very good Federal one) and kept the mantra " the car knows the way to Vegas and LA". However, I retired in the Arizona mountains because the cost of living in CA is high.

Re: Is anyone familiar with Colton, California area?

Serendipity — Sat, 12 Dec 2015 03:06:06 GMT

The beauty of living in So. Cal. is that you don't have to live where you work. And you can drive to the mountains, the beaches, the desert. Lake Arrowhead is less than 30 miles from Colton; Riverside about 10 miles or so. When you visit, be sure to check out surrounding communities. I love So. Cal. and wouldn't live anywhere else. Good luck!