Surf's up!
That is the only way to describe Huntington Beach. The town, trademarked by the U.S. Patent and Trade Office, is titled Surf City USA, proving the province has the most popular West Coast waves.
The coastal community, located in Orange County, is located 35 miles northwest of Los Angeles and 95 miles southeast of San Diego. The prime position between two of California's most famous cities prove Huntington Beach is a happening hub.
With more than 11 million visitors a year in the vicinity, the town touts top-of-the-line tourism while providing a hometown feel. Positioned on the Pacific Ocean, and filled with many inlets and bays, locals love the water.
And when they get out and shake themselves off, more good times are to be had. Whether working, schooling or playing, residents who reside in the region smile profusely.
If you would like to wear a grin all week, while you wish they all could be California girls, considering moving to the community. Read through this guide and find out more about the area economy, education and entertainment to see if you would like to call Huntington Beach your home.
Huntington Beach Climate
The Mediterranean climate, warm dry summers and mild wet winters, is quite comfortable all year. With gorgeous spring and fall seasons and sensational summers and winters, rarely reaching over 85 degrees and almost never dropping down below 45 degrees, there is virtually no complaining about the climate in the community.
Average ocean temperatures between 55 and 65 degrees make being in the water as agreeable as being on land. Speaking of water, locals see an average of 14 inches of rain mid-winter and essentially no rainfall the rest of the year. When the cool Pacific Ocean air meets the warm air over the land, it creates cloudy conditions for locals, with the marine layer fog experienced mostly in May and June
Huntington Beach Neighborhoods
With 42 neighborhoods spread throughout 26 square-miles, Huntington Beach homes are not only among the most expensive edifices in the state, they are among the most costly in the nation. Some of the most exclusive areas to reside in are Huntington Harbor, Brookhurst Street, Hamilton Avenue, Beach Boulevard, Ellis Avenue and Surfside.
City Center, concentrated with more than 250 booming businesses, offers the sweetest shopping spot in the city. When all that walking and credit card sliding have you famished, the fine and informal downtown dining are the perfect places to get a load of your feet. Living among the many restaurants and lodges in the area, residents revel in having an 8-mile-long boardwalk and 12 miles of sand as their own backyard.
Though most of the city is posh and expensive, Huntington Beach promotes affordable housing in the area through the Department of Economic Development. With the assistance of the municipal government, it is more than possible to purchase property or find a place to rent for the right price if you are considering relocation to the region. And no matter what section of the city you reside in, many Neighborhood Preservation Programs in place keep all of Huntington Beach safe and sound.
Registering Your Car
You have 10 days to retain a new license in Huntington Beach, according to the California Division of Motor Vehicles. You are considered a resident if you register to vote, pay school tuition or file property taxes in the state. New residents must provide proof-of-name, address, birth date, social security number and fill out the necessary application to get a license.
After passing a vision test and paying a $39 fee, new residents become officially licensed. It is also easy to register your car and receive California license plates. With the necessary paperwork and proof of insurance, you can register your car for $46 dollars. After your car is registered, you will receive new California tags.
Huntington Beach Schools
It is a fact that Huntington Beach has some of the most educated residents in the nation. With either a bachelors or advanced degree, 40.5% of the locals are erudite. Compared to the 21.84% average of other American city residents who have a higher education, Huntington proves to be a wise place to live figuratively speaking.
And it all starts at kindergarten. With two elementary school districts in the community, young children are schooled at two city sites. Huntington Beach City School District and the Ocean View School District educate students from kindergarten through 8th grade. After receiving excellent schooling in the elementary sites, students move on to Huntington Beach Union High School District.
With an Academy for the Performing Arts at Huntington Beach High School and International Baccalaureate Program at Ocean View High School, students can grow both creatively and intellectually in the district. With 8 high schools total, students in grades 9-12 receive a full-spectrum of specialized programs and alternative studies.
Nationally recognized as a blue-ribbon institute, the Pegasus School is among the
many Huntington Beach private schools that offer both specialized and religious-based schooling. After graduation, Golden West College offers two-year associate's degrees and transfer programs to four-year universities.
And when young adults are ready to further their education from two to four years, College State University Long Beach is a convenient 10-minute commute from Huntington Beach. As the second largest campus in the California University school system, the local college educates more than 36,000 students, who major in either 137 bachelor's degrees, 92 master's degrees or 5 doctoral degrees.
Huntington Beach Employment
It is no secret that the city is educated and expensive, hence, white-collar careers are chief in Huntington Beach. Coupled with a 5.5% unemployment rate, down 2.4 points from the 7.9% national average, finding an excellent job is easy if you are skilled. Add several top employers to the mix and the task becomes even easier.
Boeing, multinational aerospace and defense corporation, employs more than 4,500 locals in the area, making it Huntington's top employer. The second largest company is Quiksilver, Australian surf wear and board sport manufacturer, with more than 1,200 workers. Other apex companies in the area that keep the local economy thriving, are Cambro Manufacturing, Hyatt Regency, C&D Aerospace and Huntington Beach Hospital.
Huntington Beach classifieds and several area staffing agencies are two of the best ways to find work if you are looking for a job. Hiring a head hunter in Huntington is also a helpful way to find employment. And if you area business owner looking to relocate, contact the Huntington Beach Chamber of Commerce to find out how the commerce in the community and your company will mesh.
Living Costs in the City
A median family income of $95,845 and median home price at $532,500, according to CNN Money, makes Huntington both a lush and lucrative place to live. However, the cost-of-living could be steep if you are not somewhat successful. With a 31.7% greater average than the state of California and 72.7% larger average than the nation, local living costs are inevitably high, making Huntington Beach a bit pricey.
These numbers are proven in the prices of rental properties, with a one-bedroom unit averaging a minimum of $1,300 to $1,400. While in other nationwide communities you pay more rent for luxurious locations, residences in Huntington Beach are all lavish, leaving little room for low-rent.
Huntington Beach Moving Resources
Moving and storage companies are ready and willing to help you with your move to Huntington, whether you're moving from out of state or from another county in California. Make sure you get estimates from multiple moving services before you 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:
Huntington Beach Transportation
Pacific Coast Highway, US 1, connects locals from community to community, the San Diego Freeway, I-405, hooks up drivers to many major Southern California freeways and Beach Boulevard, SR 39, runs directly through the heart of Huntington Beach, making it easy for motorists to get around town.
The Orange County Transportation Authority is also available for those who prefer a chauffeur to transport them take them about town. The mass transit agency has 78 bus lines that run throughout the county, with Huntington Beach as one of the most popular stops.
Two Amtrak stations, located in Santa Ana and Anaheim, are approximately 20 minutes away from Huntington Beach, offering locals the opportunity to catch a ride on the tracks rather than take the bus. But one of the most popular ways to get from place to place is by riding the local bike paths.
Going green and getting exercise is how so many locals keep the environment safe while simultaneously sporting a six pack. And if you need to fly, consider the celebrated, western movie star. The John Wayne Airport is where locals take off and land, and the Los Angeles International Airport and the Long Beach Airport are other area strips available for take-off.
Culture & Contemporary Life
Needless to say surfing is the California community culture. Growing up in wet suits and sitting on long boards waiting for the waves is how locals love finding their chi. And when they are not soul surfing, they are making a splash on land living it up at annual events. The weekly Surf City Nights farmer's market, monthly Huntington Beach Art Walk and annual Chili at the Beach, Fourth of July Parade, Halloween Fest and Miracle on Main Street make for some of the best times in the city.
When not outside enjoying themselves as they are so often found doing, families in the area find amusement directly outside the city limits by frequenting the Segerstrom Center for the Arts and the Long Beach Aquarium of the Pacific. However, Disney Resorts, right up the road, is the most popular place families frequent all year through. And if residents don't feel like leaving the area at all, grabbing a great meal or a drink at any one of the area eateries or clubs is always on the top of locals to do list.
Huntington Beach Relocation Tips
- Visit Huntington Beach and see if this brochure is true to life. The best way to decide if you want to relocate is to experience the local environment first-hand.
- Reading the Huntington Beach Independent newspaper is a great way to get to know the area, with the latest news giving you an idea of what goes down in town.
- Research, research, research. Browse the Internet, reading about area business, education and entertainment. Knowledge is power, and the more you know, the better off you and your family will be.