OP, what is your housing budget? Both the UC Davis hospital complex and Shriners hospital are great options in Sacramento. You may be able to afford Elk Grove (be careful that you are in the Elk Grove school district, not south sacramento.) There is also Folsom, Rocklin, Granite Bay... those are all going east and are in the foothills. Elk Grove is south.
What you are looking for is not possible for UCSF, sorry. I know people who commute from Rocklin and Folsom to SF or San Jose area. It is a big commute and hard to do on a daily basis. The housing costs are that high.
Good luck.

Maybe downtown Reno schools are not good, but a quick google search shows that schools in nearby Minden, (45 Minute commute, right?) Are highly rated on Great Schools. People on here are so lazy it's ridiculous.

"I would really like to move out west"....there are a lot of things I would like, too, but my fairy godmother hasn't come around to deliver them yet.

Anonymous wrote:Reno is also an option. Nevada taxes are a bonus and wth the Tesla giga-factory landing there it is a region on the rise...

But schools are not good

Reno is also an option. Nevada taxes are a bonus and wth the Tesla giga-factory landing there it is a region on the rise...

Anonymous wrote:

+1 to Davis (and live in Davis, where the schools are very good). You could maybe also make UCSD work, but you'll get a lot more for your money in Davis. Assuming you want a city the speed of Charlottesville, the Central Valley (Patterson) would be a culture shock, and as you noted, schools there really struggle.

UC Davis Med Center is actually in Sacramento and housing in Davis has gotten expensive in recent years.

Right, but the commute from Davis is less than 45 minutes, and far less if the OP isn't working standard hours. Davis is more expensive than it used to be, but there are still lots of options under $2500. There are probably parts of Sac where the schools are strong too (I don't know those neighborhoods so maybe others can suggest some) but I think Davis is hard to beat for K-12 schools plus community if you want a small city feel.

+1 to Davis (and live in Davis, where the schools are very good). You could maybe also make UCSD work, but you'll get a lot more for your money in Davis. Assuming you want a city the speed of Charlottesville, the Central Valley (Patterson) would be a culture shock, and as you noted, schools there really struggle.

UC Davis Med Center is actually in Sacramento and housing in Davis has gotten expensive in recent years.

+1 to Davis (and live in Davis, where the schools are very good). You could maybe also make UCSD work, but you'll get a lot more for your money in Davis. Assuming you want a city the speed of Charlottesville, the Central Valley (Patterson) would be a culture shock, and as you noted, schools there really struggle.

Thanks, all!

What about the Sacramento area near UC Davis hospital?

This is your best bet.

I don't think you will find anything that hits all of those.

Most RN's I know of commute. For example, RNs that work out of UCLA commute to places like Simi Valley and Santa Clarita, which have good schools and homes that are $600k-$900k, depending. You will need to be a two-income households or rent an apartment, which are about $2,500/month in areas that will not be close to your hospital.

Eisenhower Hospital in Rancho Mirage (Palm Springs area) is a very good hospital and it's is a VERY affordable area. Obviously, brutally hot 5-6 months out of the year. I don't know much about schools.

All of the teaching hospitals will have communities an hour away that will have more affordable housing. So be prepared for a commute and possibly to rent.

Does it have to be UCSF? What about the Sacramento area near UC Davis hospital?

This area is not affordable on a single salary.

#4 will be tough to satisfy

Just got my California RN license. I currently live in Charlottesville, Va. Is there a city my family can move that is similar to my situation now:

1. Close to a university teaching hospital.
2. Less than 45 min commute
3. 4-5 Star public schools
4. Affordable housing. I am an RN and spouse is a SAHM.

Someone suggested Paterson but the school system is not that great. I would really love to move out west.