Laguna Beach is one of California’s best places to live in. Located in Orange County, this city brings with it a suburban vibe. It has a great community. What’s more, there would always be a place to go to and something to do for everyone.
Moving to Laguna Beach is always a great option. As you can see, living here is like having a vacation every day.
In fact, when one lives in Laguna Beach, it would be hard to leave.
Every year, there are thousands of visitors that flock to Laguna Beach. And a lot fell in love with the vibe and everything else Laguna Beach has to offer.
If you are one of them, you may have even considered moving to town.
Before you decide, here are a few things you need to know about Laguna Beach.
The Pros
First off, we start with the things you will get excited about Laguna Beach.
There are a lot, actually.
You would be excited about the beach. But aside from the beach, there are loads more to look forward to when moving into Laguna Beach.
Here are a few of them:
The Community
One of the factors that make Laguna Beach attractive is its strong sense of community. Laguna Beach has a lot of organizations. It feels like there is always something for everyone.
No matter what your interests are, there would always be something for you. For starters, there is the Laguna Canyon Foundation. This organization aims for the protectors of Mother Nature. Their main goal is to preserve thousands of acres of the South Coast Wilderness.
There is also the Pacific Marine Mammal Center. Then, there are the voluntary tasks with Meals on Wheels. There are animal shelters, art museums, and a lot more. Plus, the historical society is also an active organization in Laguna Beach.
Laguna Beach has all these organizations. These all bind neighbors and families alike. This makes Laguna Beach a city with a strong sense of community.
The Beach
Imagine living a few minutes of walk away from the beach.
Now, that’s Laguna Beach.
The city is always filled to the brim with houses that sit about 5 to 10 minutes away from the beach. If not the beach, your house would be a few minutes away from manicured parks overlooking the ocean.
And if you live somewhere in the North or Central parts of Laguna Beach, there are restaurants. In fact, there are a lot of them in this area. And they’re within walking distance, too!
The Arts
Laguna Beach is popular for its arts. It has art shows and galleries all year round. One of the most popular is the Sawdust Art Festival. Then, there is the Laguna Art A Fair. Aside from that, there is the Festival of the Arts.
The world-famous Pageant of the Masters is also something that Laguna Beach is famous for.
If you would like to immerse yourself in the arts, you can always take a walk to the town. For sure, there would always be some art gallery open for you to browse through.
The History
In the whole of Orange County, Laguna Beach is the only one that was homesteaded.
This was the only part of Orange County that was left untouched by the Spanish ranchos at the time. Most of the streets in California have Spanish-sounding names. Laguna Beach only has a few.
In fact, up to this day, the names of some streets remain the same. There are a lot of streets and landmarks with the original names. And these are of the people who originally founded Laguna Beach centuries ago.
The Cons
As always, there will be disadvantages when moving into Laguna Beach.
Actually, everything has its downsides. Here are a few things that may pose a challenge when living in Laguna Beach.
Parking, Traffic, and a Whole Lot of Noise
If you look at Laguna Beach, you will find a fairly small amount of space.
As such, there is not enough for vehicles. Parking is always a problem in Laguna Beach. It has become a problem that this can also cause some congestion of traffic in some areas.
There are parking lots, alright. But these are mostly private paid lots. And for you to park in these spaces, you have to pay a flat fee for the whole day. For shorter visits, you can go with metered parking.
And aside from the lack of parking space, traffic seems to be another problem in Laguna Beach.
As you can see, there are a couple of ways to enter and exit the town. One is the canyon, and the other is the Pacific Coast Highway.
These two can be a bit congested in some parts of the year. This is especially true during the summer season.
And for the rest of the year, rush hours and weekends bring heavier traffic.
There are a few types of parking permits you can get. Some are in metered spots, while some are in certain lots.
Aside from parking and traffic, you would also be hearing a lot of noise. And when we say noise, we mean vehicle noise.
If you don’t like the noise, avoid the Pacific Coast Highway.
The Matter of the Homeless
Just like any other location in the US, there is a small population of homeless individuals.
Because the weather mostly allows them to do so, you can find most of them at the beaches where they sleep.
Besides, the town has a generous vibe that suits well with the homeless population.
They’re harmless. Don’t worry about them. But it also doesn’t mean you let them be. Again, they’re harmless. But always keep your guard up, just to be sure.
Is Laguna Beach a cheap place to live in?
Current details show that the overall cost of living in Laguna Beach is higher. When one looks at the numbers, Laguna Beach has a cost of living that is 118% higher than the rest of California. This would include basic living expenses and other costs.
Let’s take a look.
Housing Costs
When moving to Laguna Beach, are you renting or are you buying a house?
When buying a house in Laguna Beach, you would need about $1.3 million in total.
Mortgage payment here averages around $3,300. This is about 180% higher than the national average, which only sits at around $1,200.
The costs here are higher compared to most parts of California. But there is one good thing about housing in Laguna Beach. The properties in this part of the state have great resale values.
One such example is during the recession. Laguna Beach properties retained their value compared. This is when compared to properties from other parts of the country.
Aside from that, Laguna Beach properties also come with very low property taxes. This sits low at 1.1% of property tax.
The rental market in Laguna Beach is also stable. It has low vacancy rates. The city has a steady rental rate as well.
On average, the monthly rental cost of apartments is around $2,000. This is about 113% higher than the national average.
The Cost of Basic Services
Another consideration to look into is the cost of basic services. These commodities may not be at a daily cost. But these come in regular intervals that they sure deserve a spot in your budget list.
A haircut in Laguna Beach is around $20. When you compare this cost to the national average, this is much higher. The national average cost for haircuts is $16.09.
Laguna Beach is about 43% more expensive than the national average when it comes to haircuts.
A beauty salon, on the other hand, is at around $60. This is 63% higher than the national average. The national average cost of a salon treatment is only $37.
Utility Costs
Electricity in Laguna Beach sits at around $190 per month. This is very costly.
When you compare this cost with the national average, this is much higher. Even the rest of California is much more affordable, with an average utility cost of $165.
This means that Laguna Beach is about 15% more expensive than the rest of California in this aspect.
Food and Grocery Prices
This type of cost is still more expensive in Laguna Beach.
Grocery prices in this city are higher by about 8% to 18% than in the rest of the country.
Well, there are more affordable items if you know where to look.
The farmer’s market found in downtown Laguna village every weekend is a great place to start. And when we say weekend, we only mean Saturdays.
The Cost of Transportation
Gasoline is more expensive in Laguna Beach.
Comparing it with the national average, the cost of gasoline is 34% more expensive in Laguna Beach.
And when it comes to other services, the costs are still higher. Tire balancing, for example, averages at about $59. This is 27% more expensive than the national average.
Taxes
While the rest of the numbers are higher than the national average, here is something to break the trend.
Property taxes in Laguna Beach are low. In this city, property taxes sit at 1.1% only.
And when it comes to sales taxes, it sits at 7.25%. Income tax rates can range anywhere from 1% to as much as 13%.
Not bad!
Is Laguna Beach safe?
According to data, there are far more cities that are safer than Laguna Beach. This may not be the safest community in the country. But this is not the most dangerous as well.
Comparing the numbers with the national average, crime rates here are higher.
The numbers sit at 16 crimes for every one thousand citizens of Laguna Beach. And as previously mentioned, this is not the highest in the country. But this also sits above the national average.
When living in Laguna Beach, your chances of becoming a victim of either property or violent crime is 1 in 62. This is not one of the safest communities in the country. But this is not the most dangerous either.
When comparing Laguna Beach with the rest of California, the crime rate is higher. The rate is higher by 35% than other cities and towns of the same size in the state.
Compare Laguna Beach with cities and towns of the same size in other parts of the country. When you do, the city isn’t all that bad. The crime rate is near the average.
In fact, it is actually in the middle of the group.
Must we reiterate, it is not the safest. Yet, it is also not the most dangerous.
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Overall, Laguna Beach is not that bad.
The city may be more expensive than most cities. But it brings with it a lifestyle that is much coveted. It brings with it benefits.
If you are a beach lover, this should be your turf. Imagine miles and miles of golden beaches. Think of the surf spots that dot the coast of the city.
Plus, there would be a lot of sunshine for your enjoyment. Imagine having this type of climate almost the whole year-round. Especially if you are from colder states, this is a tempting invitation.
Aside from that, most residents find the vast acres of green spaces to be mentally relaxing. There are a lot of hiking trails. There are also dozens of public parks all over the city.
To tell you the truth, the National Park Service provided a citation to the city. It cited Laguna Beach as a historical American landscape.
Aside from that, Laguna Beach brings with it an amazing café culture.
Well, it has crime rates that are a bit higher than the national or the state average. But these crimes are mostly petty ones.
The real sense of community within the city is something that is tempting. Plus, its arts and art festivals are enough reason to appreciate and finally live in Laguna Beach.
So, have you already decided?
See you there!