Ask HN: Working at Google - is better to live nearby or in SF?

7 points by vette982 13 years ago | 9 comments

I'll be starting at Google in a few months and I'm debating between living in SF or nearby in Mountain View/Palo Alto/Sunnyvale.

I do like living in the city, but worry that commuting back and forth may get tiring on a daily basis. If I live in the cities around Google, I'll have to get a car, whereas living in SF I probably won't need one. What are everyone's thoughts?

Where does everyone in the Bay Area live/work?

lnanek2 13 years ago |

They do have high quality company buses between SF and Mountain View. I've been on them before. So even if you commute, at least you won't have to drive and can do something useful like reading or programming.

Personally I'd prefer to live and work in Mountain View. I've lived happily in East Palo Alto before without a car. Just had to take a bus to the Caltrain a couple times a week or so for an event, but ate and grocery shopped within walking distance most of the time. Very cost efficient.

racter 13 years ago |

My TL takes the Gbus from SF, it's a two hour commute. I drive 1.5 hours from the east bay. If you have a family and can afford it, mountain view is quite nice. But if you're single, it's probably boring compared to SF. Depends on how you want to spend your time I guess.

vette982 13 years ago |

Live in South Bay and work in SF

vette982 13 years ago |

Live in SF and work in South Bay

pizza 13 years ago |

Heads up: this is how you do a poll -- https://news.ycombinator.com/newpoll

pmtarantino 13 years ago | |

"Sorry, you need 200 karma to create a poll." :)

argonaut 13 years ago |

Google has an SF office. Try working there.

nostrademons 13 years ago | |

Project selection is much more limited at the SF office, since it's smaller.

vette982 13 years ago |

Live and work in South Bay