Sacramento has been listed in Time Magazine as one of most diverse cities in America. The city is also known for its trees and for being an hour away from everything including mountains, the ocean, and other major cities. The Sacramento Press took to the streets to ask: Is Sacramento a good place to live or leave?

Dan Kaiser, a retired diesel mechanic who currently lives in Manteca, said Sacramento doesn’t have a bad rap like other major cities.

Dan Kaiser (Image by: Amy Wong) “It’s a hub of activity. There are problems but (Mayor) Kevin Johnson is doing a good job. Old town Sacramento is an important part of Sacramento too because there’s a lot of fun things to do. It’s a very family oriented-town.” 

Kao Xiong is originally from Modesto but lives in Sacramento and said she believes Sactown is a place to leave.

Kao Xiong (Image by: Amy Wong) “I say it has its negatives and positives. There aren’t a lot of (economic) opportunities here. For me as a single person living here on my own, it’s a place to leave, it’s not exciting. 

“The social scene is good but it’s not like in Berkeley where there’s always something to do at night. You don’t have to worry about being mugged (there). You don’t have to worry about paying for parking,” Xiong said.

“Sacramento is good for families to come to because it’s not as expensive as other places (in California) to live in,” she said.

Brian McGhee, who works in maintenance engineering, noted the different varieties of people that live in Sacramento.

Brian McGhee (Image by: Amy Wong) “I don’t mind staying,” he said. “There’s such wide diversity of cultures here. There’s always something going on down here. The Pacific Rim Festival was just last month - there’s Cinco de Mayo. It’s one big melting pot.” 

Britt Ellertson is a San Francisco State student, originally from Sacramento.

Britt Ellertson (Image by: Amy Wong) “I wanted to get away for a while but I’ll probably come back to the area so I can be close to my family,” Ellertson said. "I think it’s a good place to live. I like the Midtown vibe a lot. Sacramento is pretty with a lot of good trees.”

Lakisha Collins works for the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation in prison health care services.

Lakisha Collins (Image by: Amy Wong) “I wouldn’t leave because we don’t have a lot of dramatic life changes as far as tornadoes, tsunamis and things like that. I believe if we had anything bad happen to us, it would be a flood.

“It’s more comfortable here I believe than anywhere else in the world. We are the safest but it is kind of boring. There’s nothing to do but it’s home,” Collins said.

What do you think? Is Sacramento a place to live or a place to leave? Share your thoughts and responses in the comment section below.