Is Hesperia, CA A Good Place To Live?

It’s no secret that many people often dream about making it on the West Coast. More specifically, living in California is considered to be #goals by many of us on the East Coast. We all have heard about cities like Oakland, but what about smaller names like Hesperia?

Hesperia offers a calm, quiet lifestyle with low crime rates, good schools, and beautiful views. Good retail selection and great weather make it attractive. However, mediocre entertainment options and a somewhat active crime problem may make some people think twice before they move to this city.

California has tons of small cities and towns worth looking at. Hesperia is definitely a good place to live for the right person, but the question remains…Are you that person?

We all know that having the right school system is a must if you want to secure a good future for your kids. That’s why Hesperia makes a point of ensuring that the schools are well funded and have teachers who are highly competent in the fields they teach.

With that said, the schools here are above average when compared to both California and the national average. Test scores have been steadily increasing throughout the area, too. However, there are not many schools that have gotten awards.

While Hesperia is not the largest town that you’ll find on the map, it definitely has a pretty good selection of stores. There are several grocery stores and discount stores for quick and easy shopping. If you need stuff from a varied source, you can hit up the town’s Wal-Mart.

The area has mostly “nuts and bolts” retail stores like grooming, furniture, and occasionally, cannabis. Even so, most people get their needs met without ever having to leave town. If you need to get more unusual or niche items, you may need to go out of town.

Hesperia is an area where the climate usually matches the people: mellow. It’s never too hot, and never too cold. Days are sunny, and the chances of snow are very low. Needless to say, there’s a lot to do here when it comes to outdoor activities.

Since the area around Hesperia boasts several breathtaking parks, hiking and biking trails is a normal activity here. Timberlane Park and Live Oak Park are two of the more popular family-friendly venues here. There’s also a zoo in Hesperia’s limits, too!

When it comes to looking for a bargain home, it’s normal for people to seek out areas that have quiet lifestyles. Unfortunately, Hesperia is not really that much of a bargain compared to similar towns in other states.

The median home price is $235,000 here to $276,000 depending on the source you’re reading. That’s right around the average home price nationwide. Unfortunately, the average household income doesn’t have the same height as the national average.

The median family income in Hesperia rests at around $44,000. This is approximately $10,000 less than the lowest median income estimate nationwide. This means the prices of the homes here don’t match the incomes. Yikes.

Most people who move to Hesperia are looking for some peace and quiet. They want to paint things, walk on trials, and maybe see the zoo once in a while. This area might have some entertainment, but there’s honestly not that much to do in town.

Sure, there are bars in town. Yes, there are also restaurants. However, you’re not going to find many award-winning options nor are you going to find major concert venues here. So, this tends to mean that your options are pretty limited.

Another issue that many people moving to Hesperia might find is the lack of upscale dining. The most well-known restaurants in the area include a Cracker Barrel, a country cafe, and a Texan Roadhouse. While you can find Tex-Mex, Italian, and Chinese, this is about it as far as food options go.

For people who are into the bare basics of food, this isn’t a problem. In fact, it might help convince people to stay away from restaurants that could potentially eat into their budget. For foodies, on the other hand, this is really bad news.

One remark that we’ve regularly heard from locals is the complaint of poor municipal maintenance. More specifically, it’s a matter of bad roads and garbage collection. Locals have mentioned that their cars have gotten damaged as a result of driving on the many potholes.

Despite frequent complaints to the local government, nothing seems to be done about either issue. The good news is that the parks remain well maintained. So, it doesn’t seem to be an entirely an evenly-distributed problem.

There’s no way to mince words. Hesperia, CA has a crime problem. On Niche, the violent crime rates were noted as above-average for murder, assault, and robbery. Property crimes that were reported to the police have below average rates, with an exception for car theft.

The overall acknowledged chance of being a victim of a crime in Hesperia is 1 in 46 according to Area Vibes. This is not the only issue that we’ve noticed. According to multiple remarks on forums, much of the crimes go unreported—including alleged discoveries of dead bodies in the town’s aqueduct.

At least two users on Niche reported that their time in Hesperia was impacted by gang activity and hard drug use. According to another Niche user, it’s not uncommon to hear gunshots at night.

If you do not work in Hesperia, you will find traffic to be a lot to handle. Some local residents noted that rough roads and frequent traffic jams can make it hard to get to work on time. In many cases, people will move to Hesperia due to the home prices, only to travel two to three hours for a commute.

The commuting time to major cities could be prohibitive, even if you’re a true “road warrior” of a person. It’s often better to get a place at a higher price with a faster commute, if it’s ever really available.

Related Questions

Why are people leaving California?

There are several reasons why many groups of people are starting to leave the West Coast, not just California. Many major companies are now choosing to move to different states in a bid to decrease their tax burden and enjoy looser employment regulations. Some individuals also find that California’s cost of living is prohibitively high. This is particularly true in cities like San Francisco or Los Angeles. In most cases, people who move are just following their jobs to their new headquarters or trying to find an easier way to make ends meet.

How much do you need in order to move to California?

California is a good place to live if you have a high income. The current calculated minimum living wage is around $31,000 for a single full-time worker and $87,000 for a family of four. This calculation does not include savings for things like retirement. Most major cities in California will count people who earn six figures as a low-income family due to the exceptionally high cost of real estate. Before you move to any city in California, it’s best to research the average income in the town you choose to live in. This gives you a better idea of what to expect.

How safe is Hesperia?

Crime in Hesperia is fairly above-average, no matter how you look at it. However, it’s not the worst city to live in by far. Area Vibes notes that the statistics place Hesperia as safer than 26 percent of all cities in California. Nationally, 23 percent of all cities in America have more crime in them than Hesperia. This is reason enough to assume that you will probably have a difficult time finding safety here. Getting a burglar alarm is a good idea, if you’re concerned about safety.