What’s it like to live in places California and New York if you are a normal middle class American?

[Smc08]

It’s just soooo damn expensive to live in the big city. Traffic is a nightmare. People aren’t very friendly. Homeless people everywhere. Just to name a few things. And If I bought my house out there with the land on it too it would probably be at least 3 times more.

Why is it so great? Is it really worth the money you pay to live there?

[abc3643]

I am a native New Yorker who lived in Los Angeles but now lives in rural Missouri.

You wrote:

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"It’s just soooo damn expensive to live in the big city."

Yes it is because of basic economics. However, some costs are considerably less. For instance, in New York City, many people do not own cars because they don't need them. That saves them oceans of money.

Also, in some states, cars are property so you have to pay taxes EACH YEAR to own them. Not in New York; you pay sales tax once and that's it.

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"Traffic is a nightmare."

That depends on the time of day and where you are driving. When I lived in Los Angeles, my commute from home to work was mostly 20 minutes on one back road with about a half-dozen stop lights. When I commuted in New York, they PAID ME EXTRA to work off hours, so I didn't have traffic problems. And, in New York, many people commute by train, so the only traffic is driving the few miles from home to the train station.
Meanwhile, here in Missouri, I have to drive a zillion miles to get any supplies and we actually do have traffic here.

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"People aren’t very friendly."

That is outright false. You need to visit places to erase your bigotries.

Learn these quotes by Mark Twain:

“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime.”

“It liberates the vandal to travel — you never saw a bigoted, opinionated, stubborn, narrow-minded, self-conceited, almighty mean man in your life but he had stuck in one place since he was born and thought God made the world and dyspepsia and bile for his especial comfort and satisfaction.”

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"Homeless people everywhere."

No, they aren't. While, yes, there are homeless people, they aren't "everywhere". You know what IS everywhere where I live in Missouri? Poverty, racists, and meth heads.
Just to name a few things. And If I bought my house out there with the land on it too it would probably be at least 3 times more.

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"Why is it so great? Is it really worth the money you pay to live there?"

Well, greatness depends on what you want out of life. As for it being "worth it", if you earn enough money, the answer is "yes".

[Smc08]

I guess. I know the south can suck too. But I think the city is worse. I lived in Arkansas most of my life but before that I lived right outside of Seattle. I’ve also traveled to other cities across the us because my family was part of the military. I’ve never been to nyc. But I’ve been to pa, dc, Maryland and all threw there. (Got family) I also been on the other side to places like Denver, Seattle, sacramento.

My motto is now: if I can’t piss off my back porch, my neighbors are too close. I like my privacy.

[abc3643]

"My motto is now: if I can’t piss off my back porch, my neighbors are too close. I like my privacy."

I totally agree. Which is one reason I loved my house in upstate New York.

[Smc08]

Yeah I messed up on my question. I didn’t mean suburbs at all just the city.

[Smc08]

Also can middle class live there comfortably. Or is it more like upper middle class.

[Anonymous]

I’ve always found city people friendly. It’s the smaller towns that are cliquish and not always friendly to outsiders. Traffic is always an issue in urban areas. It’s just part of city life. Not only is the population more concentrated but you have tourism as well. Yes, everything is more expensive but wages are higher as well so it’s all relative. It’s just a matter of whether you value the dining, shopping, entertainment and culture that cities bring to the table. Many people do. Others prefer a quieter simpler life

[Smc08]

Mmm. They alright. I feel like it depends on what city. Like I went to Seattle last summer and to me they seemed uptight. Maybe it’s because of covid, I don't know. But the previous fall I went to Las Vegas and it wasn’t as uptight. It was more normal like I would think. All walks of life coming together and don’t care… dc is kind of the hood that no one knows is the hood until they go beyond the capital. It’s just different to me.

[Smc08]

Actually come to think of it Vegas is like that too. Once your off the strip the further you go the more hood or dessert or both. Lol.

[Dinklex3]

I'm from upstate Ny, but I'm guessing you're only talking about NYC.

A couple of my family members live there. When i visit people ARE friendly. Traffic is definitely shitty, but when riding with my relatives we somehow just fly by everyone else.

Rent is high, but they make more there than they would in upstate anyways and they own homes.

It's not for everyone, but people love and prefer it.

[Smc08]

Yeah. I don’t know enough about upstate New York to even be curious about it. I know it’s expensive. The only question about New York suburbs I guess would be can you afford to live there on an average wage. Or do you have to have some sort of side hustle too. Or roommates.

[Smc08]

Is it more expensive to live outside of New York than in it. I would think so.

[Anonymous]

I've always loved Chicago for it's perfect blend of both worlds. Big city living, but Midwest values.

[Kelly6]

It’s great only because of career,

more opportunities and to get everything

[Amur8711]

Its supply and demand.

[Bklynbadboy12]

I love it and I'm middle class