WHY would someone want to MOVE to CALIFORNIA?

Question

Why would anyone want to move to California? Well, the weather is nice, but things are really expensive.

Studies show that living in California imposes a $28,037.28 "Cost of Living Penalty" per year on a typical middle-class family.

Here are some of the things that are so much more expensive in California, compared to the overage costs in the rest of the states:

So why would anyone want to move to California?

Maybe this explains why more people are leaving California than any other state.

Anonymous · Accepted Answer

The disabled community. Look up the Curb-Cut effect. It is one of the few places that is accessible to the disabled community. A lot of other places they end alone unable to travel to places due a lack of Curb-Cuts and wheel chair accesiblity. That is just one of the few reason why people would want to move there. In Cities like that they also pay higher salaries and the employer can't pay $25k like in Arizona they have to pay at least 65k to a job that you be getting paid 45k in Arizona otherwise you won't be able to afford it. The LA I am not very fimilar with.

But if you look at New York City for example it is very convenient you don't need to drive on the highway to get the nearest CVS you can just walk outside and the store is right there. You don't to pay for a car they public transit. They have free college and it is more opportunistic unlike states that are out in the middle of bum fuck no where, where there are no jobs low education, a lack of opportunities and it is harder to get any high paying Tech jobs or finance jobs in those places.

Now a lot of people don't really live in New York City or LA they live in a suburb outside of the cities or in a different state. Like in New York City there are people that don't like NYC and they live in Connecticut in a nice. Or a lot of people from New Jersey take a train to NYC to go to work there.

I know it's the same shit with LA. I don't live in the America no more though.

Lliam · Accepted Answer

All that stuff is true. But there are some really cool small towns and rural areas in California.

My wife and I have a house on 30 acres in a peaceful, safe rural area. We have a low, fixed mortgage rate, our own well and water storage system, septic system, a solar voltaic system that offsets a good portion of our electrical costs. We grow quite a bit of fruit, herbs and veggies.
Two fire departments, a good mechanic, a gas station, minimart and post office are within 5 minutes of our house. 4 towns with all the necessities and a beautiful county fairground are 20 to 30 minutes away. Two of those towns are full of top notch cultural events. And large cities are an hour away.
There are wineries, lots of organic farms and humanely/organically grown meat.

The only thing I miss is being closer to the ocean in So Cal where I spent the first 46 years of my life. But that's too expensive.

But we do have rivers and a bunch of lakes nearby.

Daniela1982 · Accepted Answer

Parts of California are beautiful, but not Orange County. It has an unhealthful smog layer that you can clearly see when you are coming from the desert, like from Palm Springs. Orange County has turned into a blight. There are lots of homeless and illegals hanging out everywhere and crime is rampant. There are lots of wildfires every year. The cost of your water has also risen. No one can afford a simple 3 BR 2 BA house when they can cost $1 million. You are right, more businesses and people leave than move to California. Plus the Governor is a complete dick who is not helping but is probably putting money in his own pocket.

sage2021 · Accepted Answer

I have already explained this to you once Tom!! I told you that people are moving back INTO California and NOT MOVING OUT!!!
I even told you to Google it and also to fact check what I am saying.
Ya know, there are a lot of really rich people in the world. If you are rich, then those people can and afford the things on your list.
Silicone Valley is in California and that's where the brain people work. It's really high tech there. Those people make a lot of money!💰

I heard that they are moving back to California on the news. I am not making it up Tom🙄

jennifer_bloom · Answer

California has become the new Miami for those who want beaches and sun but do not want hurricanes and tornadoes. Of course, it might not have the same entertainment demographic as Miami. And yes, living costs might be higher there.

One thought I had was that if I marry and have kids, I would avoid living in a super rich area, cause even if I can afford houses in a rich area, there is no guarantee our future kids could survive in the same region on a starting career's salary.

Wealth and ability is not always passed on the way that genes are. I know unintelligent people with smart kids and I know smart people with unintelligent kids.

lightbulb27 · Answer

lots of people move or moved to california... to work on the various farms. primarily migrants... it's better than what they have one assumes. gotta thank the farmers and workers for producing so much... without that, forget about a lot of food in your grocery.

high paying tech job in venture capital area. granted, there's better places now as some VC moved out of california.

hollywood movie jobs.

moderate weather all year means can play all year... that's worth a few bucks.

been there... it's way way too crowded for me in the cities. up north is really good...

msc545 · Answer

We have beautiful beachs and mountains and great places to live, and a wonderful ocean. You can surf, ski, and hike here all in the same day. We have world-class restaurants, Universities, and museums, and some of the best music venues in the world. We have terrific national parks. Out agricultural areas feed half the country, and we have the world's center of technology research and manufacturing.

What we do NOT have is a glut of racist, ignorant, uneducated, prejudiced white trash.

Yes, it's expensive here. If you cannot afford to live here, please STAY in your landlocked flyover shithole and don't bother us. We don't need you.

Staximus · Answer

My dad came out here to California with the Air Force in 1966 during the Vietnam war. He grew up in Connecticut and New York. When he spent his first winter out here, he said the hell with New England Winters and decided he was never going to live there again. My friend's dad moved from California to Alaska to buy a cheap house out in the middle of nowhere, but he realized fighting to stay alive against the winter was not his idea of a great retirement. My brother and I keep talking about moving out of Southern California, we are not going to be able to afford a house out here anytime soon.

bolverk · Answer

I have know idea why anyone would want to move TO California today, I lived/worked there in the late 80's early 90's, then it was a great place to live even in the cities. taxes/prices were reasonable, and the local/state government did not intrude into your life to any great degree, public services were readily available if you needed them.

Unlike today late 2024, were you could not pay me enough to have to deal with, the place the cities now look likes sets from Dystopian Movies with the only really safe places being in Red Counties, taxes/prices through the roof, and the local/state government constantly intruding into your life "for your benefit", public services next to impossible to access if you needed them.

Like I said I have know idea why anyone would want to move TO California today it is only a matter of time til it collapses under the weight of the debt the Californian government have accrued by living on the Never-Never.

purplepoppy · Answer

Could it be they're making it expensive to drive the wrong sort of people away? In the same way some restaurants crank up prices to keep the rift raft out so decent people can enjoy a meal without it being ruined by their uncouth antics?

Anonymous · Answer

I grew up in southern California but I left 10 years ago and never looked back. All of the things listed in that image are problems with California, but the underlying problem is the liberal politics and resulting overregulation.

I manage a team of remote workers in tech jobs and I am able to hire people from any state EXCEPT California because my employer won't allow it. Why? Because as an employer, dealing with the massive bullshit California imposes on employers is oppressive. Running a successful business in California is becoming virtually impossible.

I miss the weather and the ocean, and the few family members I still have there, but it's not enough to make me ever move back. Every time I go back to visit I'm reminded why I left and why I'm grateful that I did.

MaybeTony · Answer

It’s beautiful. That’s my hometown. I’ve been across the country and nothing compares to it. I grew up in Orange County and love visiting. I can literally go to the mountains and beach in the same day. The infrastructure if flawless, along with the vegetation. The weather is perfect and you can be outside everyday of the year. The schools are great.

Syntosi · Answer

People move to California because that is where much of the economy is AKA that is where the money is. It costs a lot, which is reflected by people earning a lot of money by working there. Also there is the case of the culture which a lot of people appreciate.

Red_Arrow · Answer

Well Tom, I am guessing those figures on costs are accurate, and they are a lot. But the pay in California is much higher and covers those costs just fine. And they are not having to rebuild their homes every year like many on the east coast. And being a couple of thousand miles away from Mar-a-Lago and DeSantis are perks enough without the other things to move to California.

Bricealan · Answer

@aviatortom When I moved here, it was the best possible move I could have ever made. I went to work for the largest corporations in the world: Ford Aerospace, Fluor Engineering, Boeing Company, McGaw Laboratories. It was under the best possible circumstances possible, and had I not moved, it would have been the WORST decision I could have ever made.

Jersey2 · Answer

Many illegals are moving there as it has free stuff and they allow them to come there.

I refused jobs to go there as I felt it would be miserable for my family there. If I were young and early in my career I would make the move to get some tech experience at major firms, bump up my salary and overall compensation and then move to another company in a better state.

dragoblack · Answer

Honestly, i don't know. The cost of everything is outrageous, the southern part is extremely dangerous. $12 for a regular $3 item, experimental laws, $2000-$4000 for a small 1 bedroom apartment about the size of a mini-home, not even including the utilities. It's unaffordable.

Kayla45 · Answer

I’m from Canada, but I’ve visited California twice, it’s huge with lots of people. I think their beaches are quite nice, unfortunately they also have a large homeless problem which is quite sad.

ArrowheadSW · Answer

Well it is way more expensive, as you point out. A lot of people in the tech industry move to California for work, but they tend to make more money than average of course.

KrakenAttackin · Answer

Unfortunately, these people move from California to escape the craziness, but they still vote the same way. They have learned nothing.

phraseology · Answer

You think California weather is nice? Where the hell are you from?

NathanDavis · Answer

expensive, is a subjective concept... also, different people value different things... in different ways too, lol

exitseven · Answer

They have great welfare benefits and you can commit all sorts of crimes and there is no punishment.

Pudsmucker · Answer

At one time California was a savior to a lot of farmers back from the Great depression.

Now that most of us can't get out of California enough. It's worse than the Great depression, and they rob you blind. Taxes

Anonymous · Answer

outside of LA Hollywood elites and SF big tech, the rest of California is a shithole full of crime, homelessness, baby deletions, drugs and sex trafficking

DrPepper12 · Answer

Great salaries, opportunity, climate, recreation, cosmopolitan, etc. That chart doesn't scare me. $250K is solidly middle class here.

Flower7 · Answer

The pay is also a lot higher in California than in other areas.

DryGermanGuy · Answer

„Pussy, man! I’m here for the pussy!“  - Matt Stifler, American Pie 2

Surely · Answer

Because they saw what a hurricane does in Florida!! Don’t really know the answer. Only ever stepped on California soil at the airport while changing planes.

NYCQuestions1976 · Answer

California is a beautiful state and a raging dumpster fire all at the same time. Great place to visit, but a horrible place to live.

Dargil · Answer

The rural areas beyond reach of Democrats are still OK.

KostasKouvalis · Answer

Or weather. Our coast. Our natural wonders. Our multi-culturalism. Our historic sites.

Anonymous · Answer

People do not leave. Homes do not stay empty. Families move on and others fill their spots. lmao

CuriousMufuxka · Answer

Hell if I know outside of a huge paycheck! Arizona on the other hand well certain parts is as beautiful and has a much lower cost of living.

beefcakebradybatson · Answer

Why would someone want to live in Mississippi?

Kingofkings1992 · Answer

It’s a beautiful state with lovely weather. It has its upside and downside just like any other state

juliammm · Answer

Why would anyone want to move to US?

BCRanger10 · Answer

Because they hate themselves.

Ladsin2 · Answer

Beautiful state I hear.

jimmy2 · Answer

It's a no brainier stay out

Date_a_Snob · Answer

No idea

Anonymous · Answer

No thanks.

WHY would someone want to MOVE to CALIFORNIA?

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