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- Pleasanton Ranks 63rd in Best Places to Live in the US!Posted on: 2010-07-23Money Magazine, in its annual survey of the best places to live in the U.S., ranks Pleasanton 63rd nationally and third in California, citing the city's good climate, low crime, excellent schools and superb recreational programs and facilities.
Only Irvine, with a population of 208,000, and Yorba Linda with 66,000 residents, ranked higher among California cities, scoring 22nd and 38th, respectively. The only other California city among the country's top 100 is Rocklin, with 53,000 residents, which ranked 65th. Pleasanton, based on preliminary estimates of the 2010 census, has about 68,000 residents.
Pleasanton has often scored among top U.S. cities in various surveys. Recently, it was graded first in personal income among cities its size with an average income level of more than $125,000, although the Money Magazine survey lists the median income here today as $115,944. A survey conducted by J.D. Franz Research showed residents here give the city high marks—well into the high 90s in almost every category—in their views as to how the city's government and schools perform.
Money Magazine calls Pleasanton 'a family-oriented town an hour from both San Francisco and Monterey (with) one of the strongest school districts in California.
'It also boasts 40 parks peppered with sports fields, picnic areas, 22 miles of scenic trails and public art displays,' the magazine reports.
It adds: 'Art lovers will soon have even more to enjoy: The Firehouse Arts Center, scheduled to open before the end of 2010, will house a new theatre, several art galleries, and classrooms.'
Pleasanton stacks up pretty well when comparing to other top cities.
'It's touted as a family centered town with parks, golf courses and the article comments on the higher than average reading and math scores for the local schools,' a realtor from Livermore, said.
Statistics listed by Money Magazine that give Pleasanton an edge over most other American cities include:
Median income: $115,944 compared to an average of $76,893 for other 'best places to live in America cities.'
Median home price: $785,000 vs. $259,566.
Reading test scores in public schools: 74.2% vs. 13.3%
Math test scores in public schools: 37.7% vs. 16.9%.
Annual air quality index average: 91.8% vs. 71.9%.
Personal crime risk (100 is national average): 26 vs. 45.
Annual precipitation (inches): 14.82 vs. 36.
Annual number of clear days: 160 vs. 107.
Median age: 37.4 vs. 34.5.
Completed at least some college: 71.4% vs. 63.9%.
On the downside, Money Magazine reports that a family's average purchasing power in Pleasanton is $55,185, compared to $68,109 in other 'Best Cities' in the survey.
Also, we tend to spend a bit more time on the road:
Median commute time (in minutes) 25.8 vs. 20.8.
Percent population with commute of 45 minutes or longer: 31% vs. 13.4%.
By the way, Money Magazine's choice for the very best all-around city in America is Eden Prairie, Minn. While its population is about the same as Pleasanton's, its housing prices average $235,000 with almost no commute time required.
Even Eden Prairie has its drawbacks, though. Low temperatures in January tumble down to 3 degrees above zero.
I used to live in Eden Prairie, I love Pleasanton better; no more snow plows and shovels!!! - Planning Commission turns down condo conversionPosted on: 2009-03-04Click Here for Full Story
- Senior center to be site of monthly consumer affairs clinicsPosted on: 2009-01-13Residents can get help resolving complaints by meeting with a counselor
The Pleasanton Senior Center will begin offering a consumer affairs clinic the first Tuesday of the month, beginning on Feb. 3, the city of Pleasanton announced.
The clinic, offered by the California Department of Consumer Affairs, will be held from 10 a.m. to noon.
While aimed at mature adults, who are often vulnerable to scams, the clinics are open to all age groups. Residents can call 931-5365 to make an appointment with a consumer affair counselor that will help resolve consumer-specific issues. The type of disputes typically handled through the program relate to refunds, repair/rework, service, product exchange, electronic and appliance service contracts and warranty issues.
The free Complaint Resolution Program is part of the Consumer and Community Empowerment Division of the California Department of Consumer Affairs. The program is responsible for resolving consumer complaints that pertain to the following industries: automotive repair, home furnishings, electronic and appliance repair, private investigator, private security, burglar alarm, repossession, locksmith, security guard, baton and firearm training, hearing aid dispenser and cemetery and funeral.
The state consumer affairs department approached the center about holding the monthly clinics. They will set up an information booth from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Jan. 20 at the senior center where those interested can learn more about what services the consumer affairs department offers.
--Janet Pelletier
- The latest edition of the E-Connection is now available.Posted on: 2008-01-24It includes information about upcoming events, finals schedules, and more. To view the E-Connection, visit:
www.pleasanton.k12.ca.us/econnection
The open enrollment period for students other than those entering kindergarten is this month. Please see the E-Connection for details. - A new year, a new computerPosted on: 2008-01-09If you're celebrating the new year with a new computer, make sure to retire your old one safely by completely removing personal data from the hard disk. Then use our new year checklist to help protect your new PC and your home office from spam, viruses, spyware, hackers, and other Internet threats.
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What is Safe Rides?Posted on: 2008-06-17Safe Rides is a crew of teens (ages 15 to 21) and adults (over 25) that are providing service to the teens of our community by giving them a free, safe, confidential ride home on Friday or Saturday night from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. Although our crew, sponsors and supporters do not condone underage drinking or the use of drugs, we recognize that our friends and families are being killed or injured under these circumstances and are taking action. Our crew is trained to handle driving passengers that are under the influence as well as other situations they may arise. Adults are always available as a resource to our crew.
Please let your teens know, if they need a ride, to call Safe Rides at 416-6810. This is a Boy Scouts of America program that is being sponsored by Valley Care Hospital. We are in need of adult and teen volunteers, so if you or your teens are interested in being a part of the Safe Rides Crew, send an email to trivalleysaferides@live.com Safe Rides Saves Lives!
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Pleasanton FreecyclePosted on: 2007-03-06The Pleasanton Freecycle™ group is open to all who want to 'recycle' that special something rather than throw it away. Whether it's a chair, a fax machine, piano or an old door, feel free to post it. Or maybe you're looking to acquire something yourself! Nonprofit groups are also welcome to participate too!
One main rule: everything posted must be free. This group is part of The Freecycle Network, a nonprofit organization and a movement of people interested in keeping good stuff out of landfills. Check out freecycle.org for other cities and info on the movement! E-mail: pleasanton_freecycle-owner@yahoogroups.com for questions or improvement ideas!
And have fun and jump right in!
