Probably one of the worst small towns you could li
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6/21/2010
I saw a lot o other reviews for Lompoc. But few of them really explained why it is so hard to live here. Here's the things you REALLY need to know. Rent is generally cheap in comparison to most areas on the central coast, but it is not significantly cheaper than neighboring Santa Maria which has far more jobs, but you will be competing with a VERY large primarily hispanic population. There are only three good options for employment in the area. As another review said, one is the base, another the federal penitentiary, and the casino/resort in the nearby Santa Ynez Valley. With 14% unemployment, the competition is fierce for the relatively few jobs. Apart from that, the majority of businesses in the town are food service liquor stores and a few retail stores. Most of the retail businesses that have tried to establish roots in the community have left within 5 years. The majority of businesses are local small business owners who employ usually less than 20 people. Those few jobs tend to be carefully parceled out to known members of the community and their children who have lived in the town for several generations. In other words, if you're an outsider hoping of working your way up at some small little shop, think again. The opportunity has probably been guaranteed to a local, fresh out of high school kid. Because their are no really good employers or large businesses in the town, most businesses are quick to offer the minimum wage of $8.00 for entry level positions. As others have said, there is really nothing to do in the town. The nightlife consists of a few bars and their regulars. Most businesses close by 9pm. The city leaders have literally fought and scared away big businesses in a attempt to preserve what is referred to as "small town charm" or "local flavor". In the current economy, the result is a town crippled by outrageous unemployment, homes that are worth less than what is owed on them, and a glut of commercial real estate that has sits unused for years, some even decades. This is not the place you want to start or build your life. It might be an okay place to end it.
Ned | Santa Barbara, CA