Things You Should Know Before Moving to Anaheim, CA - Movers.com
Home > Moving Guides > Moving to City Guides and Tips > California > Things You Should Know Before Moving to Anaheim, CA

Things You Should Know Before Moving to Anaheim, CA

  4.0/5 based on 25 visitor(s)
views  8,118 Views

Home to Walt Disney's first big venture, Disneyland, Anaheim offers a tourism industry like no other. But beyond Ferris wheels and Mickey Mouse, Anaheim is a city flourishing with high profile businesses, charming neighborhoods and vital city centers - the best Southern California has to offer.

If you're mulling over the pros and cons of moving to Anaheim, let this guide help you through your decision making process with plenty of information on the city, and tips to help make your move a smooth one.

Anaheim Climate

Anaheim sits on the South Coast of California, and enjoys a Mediterranean climate due to its proximity to the Pacific Ocean. December through March temperatures are typically in the 60's, April through June temperatures are in the low 70's, July and August in the 80's, and September through November in the mid 70's. Anaheim averages a high of approximately 74 degrees for the entire year, and a low of approximately 54, with very little rainfall.

Anaheim Neighborhoods

Anaheim contains many planned communities and residential neighborhoods, like Anaheim Hills or the Santa Ana foothills. These areas are relatively quiet and secluded in comparison to the Downtown Anaheim area, with panoramic views of both cities and California hills.

Government entities in Anaheim are located in Downtown Anaheim, which is in the heart of what's referred to as the Colonial District. Here, you will find City Hall, Police Headquarters, the city's main library and the Chamber of Commerce. Other points of interest like Anaheim Ice and the Downtown Anaheim Farmer's Market are located in Downtown.

Registering Your Car

In order to avoid any penalties, you must register your vehicle within 20 days or entry or residency, according to the state of California's DMV website. You will need an application for Title or Registration signed by the owner as they appear on the out-of-state title, the last issued out-of-state title, smog and weight certification (if applicable), any fees or taxes, and the vehicle must be inspected by the DMV.

Upon moving to California, you have 10 days to acquire a California driver's license. You will need to complete application form DL 44, give a thumbprint, have your picture taken, and provide your full name and social security number. You must also pay the application fee, pass a vision exam and pass a traffic laws and signs test.

Anaheim Schools

Eight public school districts, with a total of 74 public schools - 47 Elementary Schools, 9 Junior High Schools and 14 High Schools, currently serve Anaheim. Anaheim also has 6 schools for alternative education, and is home to private institutions like Acaciawood Preparatory Academy, Cornelia Connelly High School, Fairmont Preparatory Academy and Servite High School.

In addition, Anaheim has two private universities: Anaheim University and Southern California Institute of Technology. California State University, Fullerton, Chapman University and University of California, Irvine are all located within 20 miles of the city.

Anaheim Employment

The unemployment rate as of December 2012 was 6.8 percent, slightly lower than the national average. The city owes much of its employment success to tourism and Disneyland Resort and its associated businesses, as it employs over 22,000 people annually. Close behind are companies like Kaiser Foundation Hospitals, Anaheim Memorial Medical Center, Extron Electronics, Hilton Anaheim and Honda Center.

Many large companies are headquartered in Anaheim, like AT&T, Anaheim Memorial Medical Center, Hewlett Packard, Isuzu, Sunny Delight, Panasonic and Yogurtland. Manufacturing makes up 18 percent of Anaheim's workforce, while wholesale and retail trade are tied at 16 percent with educational, health care and social services.

Living Costs in the City

The median home price as of 2011 in Anaheim was $333,000, with an average income of $55,000 for a three-person family. The average monthly rent for a two-bedroom apartment was approximately $1,450. In comparison with the rest of the US, the cost of living in Anaheim is almost 40 percent higher than the national average.

Anaheim supplies its own electric and water, the only city to do so in Orange County, so your utility bill will be less than the average in other California cities, but will still cost you more during the summer and will vary depending on your usage.

Anaheim Moving Resources

Moving and storage companies are waiting to help you with your move to Anaheim, whether you're moving from out of state or from another county in California. Be sure to get estimates from multiple moving services before commit to hiring any (at least three estimates). Check back to our guides for tips on how to choose your moving service wisely with important questions to ask, differentiating between types of estimates, and mistakes to avoid. Visit the following pages at Movers.com to get quotes for the following services:

Anaheim Transportation

The major interstate that passes through the city of Anaheim is the Santa Ana Freeway (Interstate 5). The Orange Freeway (SR 57) and the Riverside Freeway (SR 91) also run through Anaheim, as well as SR 22 and 55.

Bus services in the area are controlled by Orange County Transportation Authority with local and countywide routes, and some connecting routes to Los Angeles. Amtrak offers service between Anaheim, Fullerton and Santa Ana, and Metrolink serves the Stadium Area and Anaheim Hills area. The Anaheim Resort Transit offers a shuttle service throughout the Disneyland Resort area.

There are also over 1,000 miles of bikeways in Orange County, and 700 miles of bikeways in the works for the future.

Culture & Contemporary Life

For the avid shopper, the Anaheim GardenWalk is 440,000 square feet of retail stores, restaurants and entertainment as part of the Anaheim Resort, and caters to both tourists and locals. Anaheim Ice public skating rink takes in over 6,000 skaters each week.

Residents can also partake in the abundance of outdoor activities with consistently pleasant weather, such as biking, golfing or enjoying Oak Canyon Nature Center in Anaheim Hills. There's also plenty of entertainment to be had at Anaheim's claim to fame, Disneyland Resort, which includes Disneyland, Disney California Adventure Park, and the Downtown Disney shopping area.

Anaheim is home to two major sports teams: the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim MLB team, who won the World Series in 2002, and the Anaheim Ducks NHL team, who won the Stanley Cup in 2007. You can catch a baseball game at Angel Stadium of Anaheim, and a hockey game at the Honda Center, which also houses other live entertainment events throughout the year.

Anaheim Relocation Tips

  • Bring a bike and a car, because you'll probably want to go outside the city limits to experience surrounding areas like Los Angeles, and a majority of residents do so by car. When traveling shorter distances, many residents spend their time outdoors biking.

     

  • Anaheim is an entertainment Mecca, so be prepared for traffic on local highways and interstates. Be patient with out-of-state drivers looking for hotels and other tourist spots, and allot more time for yourself if you're commuting to work

     

  • It may be useful to learn Spanish, as many residents are native Spanish speakers - City Council now offers Spanish language translation services at all Council meetings.

Jenna Farmer  Posted by Jenna Farmer on April 3, 2013

Rate this guide Things You Should Know Before Moving to Anaheim, CA