Reviews & Comments
Redondo Beach, CA
living in Redondo Beach CA -
1/27/2015I am a 30 year resident of Redondo Beach and thus have spent a considerable amount of time of my life here. When I first came to live in Redondo Beach in 1985 the population was about 20% less than what it is now. It was a somewhat laid back community with a distinct character of its own. Initially there was a fair amount of manufacturing in Redondo Beach, primarily in the aerospace sector. Since the 1990's much of it has disappeared or relocated elsewhere, whereas the sites once occupied by these business have been converted to urban sprawl and shopping. A typical home in Redondo Beach in the mid 1980's cost around $ 110 to $ 150 - by the early 1990's this has doubled and since that quadrupled and in some cases even quintupled. Although I am the longest continuous living resident (25 years in the same house) on the block I live, I am surrounded by strangers. Lots of people have moved in, a lot of foreigners - Pakistanis, Indians, Chinese, Turks, Russians etc. whereas the once indigenous blue collar and middle class Caucasian population has largely moved away to more affordable areas. The climate is fantastic year-round, temperatures ranging in the seventies and mid eighties in the warmer season and during the cooler half of the year rarely dipping below the low sixties. I have no air conditioning in my house and rarely have need to turn on the heater. In terms of crime, in my particular neighborhood I have been lucky - virtually nil. I am fortunate that my commute to work is only 5 miles, contrary to the average Californian that has to drive vast distances to commute to and from work. Redondo Beach features some of the finest beaches in California, a big draw for tourists. There is lots of fine dining from the classic family diner (such as Joe's) to the $$$$ upscale cuisine. The Redondo Beach public schools are in my opinion way above the national average. Housing costs today are comparatively high for newcomers. Jobs are plentiful and fairly well paying as long as one is skilled and has the educational diplomas and degrees to prove it. A word about the people - the general population is rather reserved and not particularly friendly. One does not easily strike up a conversation with a stranger. If you do, people may think you have something sinister in mind or you are just plain weird. In economic terms, to be able to afford to live in Redondo Beach you would need approx. $ 150K or more in household income and would need to be virtually debt free other than a home mortgage. Most Redondo Beach households depend on dual income.