Stockton has some of the positives of surrounding California cities, while dodging a lot of the negatives. Getting its start as a farming town, Stockton has easy access to organic produce and gorgeous wineries, like Northern California. It’s also one of the most diverse cities in the US and often receives awards for its diverse population. There’s also a ton to do, including the Stockton Symphony, the third-oldest professional orchestra in California, multiple sports teams, museums and historical societies, and outdoor activities. Unlike other areas in CA, Stockton has a relatively low cost of living compared to other cities. With a mix of renters and buyers, it’s easy to have the Bay feel without the price tag!

**Pros/Cons from a long-time local:**
*We have some really yummy ethnic restaurants (Tandoori Nights, Nena’s Mexican Rest., and Tsing Tao are 3 of our favorites).
We have the waters of the San Joaquin delta to waterski and boat on, and to cool us down at night. Yay for the Delta Breezes!
Most of our mature neighborhoods have lovely tall and shady trees.
We have a GREAT junior college, San Joaquin Delta College.
We have a very nice regional museum, called the Haggin after its founder.
In the summer, we have a lot of outdoor live music (sans Covid).
You can get any farm fresh fruit when it’s in season, because almost EVERYTHING grows here!*

*It seems weird to say, but there is an apathy here that is almost welcoming—no one here really gives a shit who your romantic partners are (LGBTQI+, multiracial, etc) what your personal life is like, and our gangs are multi-racial unlike elsewhere in the state.*

For more reviews of what living in Stockton is like from locals check out: [**The Buzz**](https://lookyloomove.com/locations/stockton?page=buzz)


Cali without the price tag.

The Best Thing About Stockton

It’s impossible to read reviews about Stockton without seeing the complaints about crime. The crime rate in Stockton is about 71% higher than the California average. Most attribute this to the 2008 recession and Stockton just now starting to pick itself back up again after those devastating few years. 

**Note from a local about safety in Stockton:**
*The south side of town is pretty sketchy indeed. The north side is quiet and suburban. I lived on the north side and my major complaint was that it was really boring. I did have two car break-ins in two years, but I never felt physically unsafe. But I didn't go downtown very often, and almost never south of Highway 4.* 

Crime

The Worst Thing About Stockton?

In 2020, US News named Stockton America’s most diverse city! In spite of the cime, Stockton is boasted by locals as a community of people who work hard and care about one another. Unlike other cities, Stockton has a pretty even distribution of ages. The only population that seems to be slightly lower is the 18-24 age range, most likely because recently graduated teens move for school or job opportunities. The wide range of social and community activities mean that Stockton has a high population of families with kids under 18 (about 50%). 


Lifestyle of Stockton

Stockton is a city that has been working really hard to climb out to the financial crisis of 2008. Because of that, there has been a low amount of industry in the town itself, but the city is working to change that. Top industries in the city as healthcare, the Stockton School district, and city workers. The new Amazon warehouse in Stockton has provided the community with jobs and the hope of getting back on its feet. 


Worklife of Stockton, CA

Stockton is on the rise again. The effort of the town to claw its way out of the 2008 recession has really started to show in the past year. If you want to move to a diverse, neighborly community where people support their local and small businesses and encourages it’s community to strive for more, Stockton is for you!


On The Rise

Why Move Here Now?

Brookside is a beautiful neighborhood with great lawns, nice ranch-style homes, and a golf course. It also has several parks for the kiddos and doggos to run around in and has tons of restaurants for the whole family to eat.  
- Brookside
- Lincoln Village
- Spanos West



Young Families

Brookside

Lincoln Village is a beautiful waterfront neighborhood north of downtown with nice big homes and direct access to the water via the Village West Marina. This Marina area also has fun restaurants and bars for enjoying a night out and if you head into Lincoln Center you find fabulous shopping and more restaurant choices. 
- Lincoln Village
- Valley Oak
- Miracle Mile/Pacific



Established Families

Lincoln Village

Stockton

**What is it like to live in Stockton, CA?**

I am a 3rd generation Stocktonian, and I live in a lovely, safe part of town between Lincoln High and Lincoln Elementary, both of which I attended. As with many places, there are some nice things here, and some not-so-nice things here.

Nice:

We have some really yummy ethnic restaurants (Tandoori Nights, Nena’s Mexican Rest., and Tsing Tao are 3 of our favorites).
We have the waters of the San Joaquin delta to waterski and boat on, and to cool us down at night. Yay for the Delta Breezes!
Most of our mature neighborhoods have lovely tall and shady trees.
We have a GREAT junior college, San Joaquin Delta College.
We have a very nice regional museum, called the Haggin after its founder.
In the summer, we have a lot of outdoor live music (sans Covid).
You can get any farm fresh fruit when it’s in season, because almost EVERYTHING grows here!
From anywhere in town, it only takes less than 20 minutes to drive out into the farms and fields of the San Joaquin Valley that earn California more than $120 billion/year.
Not-so-nice:

The average income of a Stockton resident is low at $19,927/year vs. the US average is $28,555/year. We have a large percentage of folks living in poverty. When we talk about folks in the midrange, we are a still a bit low, but it is not quite as disparate—the median household income of a Stockton resident is $45,347/year vs. the US average is $53,482 a year.
Like much of California, especially after Covid, we do have a large number of folks who have been pushed into homelessness by the high price of living in this state.
Cars parked outside are constantly getting opened and stolen from if you forget to lock them, or getting window smashed if you leave something interesting in view.
We have a high per-capita murder rate, but mostly violence is limited to the gang neighborhoods. I went to school in a gang-infested neighborhood for 6th grade and I never witnessed, nor heard of, any violence near the school. The kids were much nicer there than in my usual suburban neighborhood schools.
Neither nice, nor not-so-nice:

It seems weird to say, but there is an apathy here that is almost welcoming—no one here really gives a shit who your romantic partners are (LGBTQI+, multiracial, etc) what your personal life is like, and our gangs are multi-racial unlike elsewhere in the state.

**Living in Stockton**

I lived on Alpine between Dwight and Kensington for a number of years. It's a nice neighborhood. Mix of old folks and families with some students living in rentals here and there. It gets a lot of foot traffic, so it's a fairly safe area if you keep your doors locked (high foot traffic areas tend to attract burglars, though it wasn't a huge problem in that area when I lived there.) That was the one house that I've had that was broken in to, but that was mostly my stupidity. East of UOP is pretty much the same. West varies street by street. Some streets are nice, others not so much. You have to play it by ear.

Areas to avoid are tricky and often it plays out block by block, but I can give you the basics. I think most Stocktonians would have these areas on their "avoid" list, though I'd love to get some feedback:

South Stockton (anything South of Hwy 4)

East Stockton (South of March Lane, east of West Lane/Airport Way)

Weston Ranch

Kelley Drive area (area around Kelley Drive, from Waudman down to south of Hammer Lane)

Hammer and West Lane area

I'm sure others will have other recommendations. Lots of people don't like Downtown, for example, but given the recent work a local developer is doing down there that area is improving greatly. The thing is though, generalized areas like these are horribly inaccurate. I have a friends who live in a few of these areas in various pockets that are just your average neighborhood. So take these large areas for what they are worth, and understand that you really have to scope things out because it changes from block to block.




**What is it like to live in Stockton, CA?**

That's a good question. Living in Stockton seem to be pretty simple ordinary. It's not too quiet or busy. There are great scenery out here you just got to know where to look. I live here my whole life and never thought about moving. Some say there's not much to do here. For me, there's lots to explore. So many delicious food to try out. We may not provide as much entertainment/night life but we do provide lots of events and program. Many places to chill, relax, and have fun. From experience throughout my life, everyone as a community or some sort of group try to make this city a good environment. Even when at school, there's someone there to help make it safe as possible. There may be negative side, but there's more positive side to this city than you think or know. I guess it depends on ones that around you. Stockton got many talented people among us. I had explore out of city and state before but I like to call Stockton home. This is what makes it so exciting. Mainly, it also have to do with the people you come to contact with or around. I mean you can do things on your own to have some “me time” even if it is just at home.

**Advice Needed- Relocating to Stockton**

Don't move to Stockton. It's got all the problems of a big city (homelessness, crime, drugs), but none of the perks (jobs, entertainment, culture). I've lived here for over a year and plan on moving at my first opportunity.

If you're job's in Lodi, then I'd recommend moving to somewhere north of that, like Galt. That way you'll be further from all the terribleness of Stockton, and closer to Sacramento/Sacramento County, which is actually a nice place.




Stockton, California

Full Of Flavor

Looklyloo Score: 75

Brookside

Young Families

Lincoln Village

Established Families