Pros and Cons of Living in Humboldt County

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Alexia Neal, Corcoran Icon Properties Arcata
DRE #02198367
#00818214

[YWxleA]

Thanks for the video! We just moved to Arkata from Ventura, CA and we found the city absolutely amazing! We love forests, parks, smell of the air, fresh ocean breeze, fogs, food, the community and even Finnish sauna! I personally missed the sauna so much since my life in Switzerland. Also there is no sirens from police and ambulance here. Just silence at night! This place is the most wonderful place we saw so far in the entire US (we drove through many states and cities). We're thinking to buy a home here some day.

[dr]

I've lived in Humboldt since 98. Medical specialists are 5 to 6 hours away. Emergency dental work is either months out or you drive to Ukiah. Crime is way up, a lot more homeless people than ever before. Cost of living extremely high. PG&E can increase their rates to pay off fire lawsuits. We plan on moving. You can't live off scenery.

[adeen]

I'm glad Healthcare is mentioned, it's a real issue where we need more of those professionals to be living here. Worse than the regular doctors though are the access to dentists, I've had to make appointments in Ukiah or Redding just for simple things like a cleaning.

[timberlanefilms]

I see nothing but pros, unless you don't like the rain, wind. This part of California is like no other in the entire USA. It's a place frozen in time with a vibe from the 1960's & 70's, it's awesome. Fresh air, redwoods, ferns, the ocean, low population so what can be better?

[Krayon]

Went to college up there and loved it.

[maclainrobertson]

My fiancé and I lived in Mckinleyville! She went to HSU when we were in our early and mid twenties! Little responsibility, beautiful weather, and definitely spiritual. Even though I am a big conservative I absolutely made tons of hippy friends up here! Lots of great people. Weirdos too. But lots of great people.

[flyingalbert]

I'm retired. I moved to Eureka from Bay Area last year. All my Doctors still in Bay Area. It is just not a lot of option in Eureka in term of Health care for older folks. I've to drive back to Bay Area all the times for Doctor appointments.

[laurahumboldt]

Love our Home in Humboldt County California and the Ranch families who are my heart . We have cowboys and cowgirls if you don't know that community your missing out . Love our Cannabis communities art and music communities and Psychic Communities. Course moved here married a family doc who was um let's say didn't being here yet I knew I did and he left and I stayed . Yes we have homeless and crime yet there are to many WONDERFUL EXPERIENCES IN NATURE AND PEOPLE GOD AND GODDESS BLESS HUMBOLDT COUNTY CALIFORNIA AND AMERICA!!!❤

[melodysanders]

The healthcare thing sucks here. I do enjoy the weather most of the time. It's so beautiful here. The beaches are heavenly.

[PaulMetzler-cb]

Lived there '72-93 (Arcata, McKinleyville, Eureka). Things changed in the 80's. In the 70's & earlier a person could get a really funky job ( cutting fish at Lazio's!) and still make a live in one of the run down Victorians, or a cabin in the woods. No more.

[stevet]

Eureka resident since 1950. You pretty well highlighted Humboldt Bay area. It's cool year around but that's why we have coats. It sure beats the heat. Good help is hard to find so don't worry about finding a job if you're willing to work.

[James-boox]

I would love to buy some land along the California coast but me being a blue collar worker can't afford the high cost of buying a house or land. Love the redwoods I hope people do more to protect the forest.

[thegoastofmccain]

Cons: healthcare: as of today a two year wait list for a family doctor.
Dentists: they are behind the curve in modern techniques
Tweekers: enough said
Hillbillies: backwards thinking
Expensive food and gas: so far out of the way
High paying jobs: they don’t really exist and the labor market is very unskilled.
Utilities: natural gas is expensive, many places don’t even have that (ferndale and kneeland require propane) water rates going up 100%. (Fortuna)
Expensive real estate: (Arcata)
Lead paint in everything built before 1970ish
Homeless (Arcata and eureka)
Bad drivers
Some big earthquakes and a large tsunami zone, don’t live at sea level.
Pollution and crime from unregulated cannabis ops


Pros: the weather if you don’t mind rain for 3 months straight in winter but amazing summers
Culture: it feels like stepping back into the 50s or 60s if you like that, ferndale particularly reminds me of Mayberry from the Andy Griffith Show and Arcata has a town square strait from Universal studios.
The outdoors and nature: beach, marshes, forests, lagoons, rivers, hills, birds, animals, pollinators
No traffic other than eureka
Well maintained highway 101
A lot of families and a ton of churches
Farmer’s markets and locally grown produce.
Relatively friendly population
Not what I’d consider fire county because of the rain forest and marine layer
Affordable homes relative to the rest of coastal California

[themingler]

My wife and I got married in Su Meg ;]

We've been looking at moving up to the Humboldt area for years now, but we just haven't yet. I'm a teacher and the wages are quite a bit lower there in comparison, but the housing is the same or more expensive than where I am. We currently own our home and we locked in a really low rate, but aren't sure we would get the same deal if we move any time soon.

Other than financial considerations we absolutely love the area's nature and vibe. We've probably been up there 6 times since we moved to the Sacramento area.

[TheMistyCoast]

This is a great video. While there are more positives (and a few more negatives) to share, that could be a follow-up video. As a former graduate of Humboldt State (HSU) (now CalPoly-Humboldt), I do remember coming down with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) (basically not getting enough sun exposure) and did not first understand at the beginning what was happening to me. This treatable condition is something that people who want to move there for a considerable time should be aware of.

[Over-for-now]

I grew up in eureka from 1948 to 1962. I wish I had enjoyed it and stayed there. I was lonely and found school very worthless

[LeTrashPanda]

We have several of the same issues (and benefits) many miles south in Los Padres Forest having a "healthcare desert" locally but we do have better access in our county for Medicare / Medicaid patients. I would love to know about Alternative Medicine providers (who will be off the mainstream medicine radar) that I depend upon so much for autoimmune disease. Earthquakes are another problem in Humboldt, I have plenty of experience with them being a CA native, they don't scare me. But it's best to retrofit your property (can you get hazard insurance, is it expensive?) if you invest in Real Estate. Better find out if that old Victorian you're considering renting is safe enough to handle quakes. We have San Andreas but you guys have your share of faults up north that you wouldn't want to be close to (Ferndale comes to mind) or living on top of. Taxes can also vary widely per county in CA, do your research for long term expenses before moving.

[NormanSilver]

I absolutely love Trinidad, Fortuna, Ferndale and Weott

[joebrenner]

Such a dramatic difference between Crescent City and Brookings and fuck it I'm going to Brookings.

[abigailthomas]

Is there a need for dentists? Or is it over saturated?