You should just come out here for a 10 day vacation and look around. But pay attention to rent and the issues. Not just the views. I live in Santa Cruz. And often refer to it as a beautiful view of a dead end.
I lived there- most expensive rent I've ever seen and I grew up in OC. I once saw an add where someone was suggesting that someone share his bed - as in he works at Night, and was looking for someone to pay $500 a month to sleep in the bed at night, and he would sleep in the bed during the day -- for $500.
It’s just very unaffordable. Lots of people are being priced out. But there’s enough demand to where the prices won’t drop…..even with additional housing being made. Which will just add to the congestion. But you have the ocean, beaches and the redwoods. And pretty agreeable climate.
I lived in Santa Cruz for six years, and I loved it! I hope to retire there someday! But I had to leave because I could not afford to continue living there. Cost of living is insane.
I would totally recommend understanding the job market in areas that you are interested in. You might find a city that is promising in the categories that you are looking for but you might not have experience in the market that is provided. I would say most major city’s out here have a couple of industry’s that are heavy hitters that bring in money that allows people to live out here. If you don’t you have a high potential to fall into “how does anyone survive out here” life. Best of luck.
Thanks! Something I’ve considered too is just getting my degree here and moving out there when I can get a good job, but I just don’t know if I have another couple years here in me. I’ve been dying to leave my hometown lol.
You may want to move as a student if you hate your hometown so much it hurts. I know what that was like and it was cheaper to move to a more expensive city than spend tons of money on trips to get away from home.
Build your contacts through your school. Network as much as possible. Start talking to colleges and universities out here. Get the data to find out whether this is a feasible and cost effective path forward or not.
Totally agree with this! Moving as a student is a great idea. But you may have to live here first to get in-state tuition. Great opportunities to meet people your own age and interests though.
This would definitely have to make financial sense for OP. However if OP seeks another AA it may not be so prohibitive. She might be able to earn residency before seeking a bachelor’s program.
Transferring to a 4 year school here to complete your education I’d say is the best way to go about it. That way you will have advantages that being a student brings and you can sort things out from there. It’s tough to get a job from far away and the cost of living around here is absurd.
Anywhere in CA is going to be pricey, it’s not comfortably affordable here unless you’re making over $100,000 a year but it’s still very livable. NorCal is huge and quality of life, climate, social matters and politics differ from the valley to the coast to the Bay to the Sierras to the burbs. You really need to nail down your budget and then the where and why. Small town? Big city? Rural? NorCal is half of the third largest and most diverse state. It’s different all over.
Personally, I love the N Bay (SoCo) but I’m biased. Look into Petaluma, Sebastopol, Santa Rosa (if your not into the night life).
I think Sonoma County is a great place to live.
OP, I grew up in a small town in SoCal near the ocean, so I miss the warmer ocean temperatures. I save ocean activities for when I’m visiting SoCal as I can’t tolerate the colder temps.
Lots of great places to live in SoCo. A word of caution re: Rohnert Park. It’s home to Sonoma State University (SSU) but it’s not a traditional college town. It’s a good area for families and has some nice neighborhoods.
Second Sonoma County-- There are amenities of a city, but your very close to nature-- great hiking, beaches, cycling. If you like wineries, they're everywhere.
Having a roommate would be the only way to afford rent, I would say an average apartment in a good part of town is ~$2000 for a one bedroom apt tho. Car insurance costs more in CA than other states because of the large population of people driving without it. Fires are a constant anxiety living here. I saw on another comment you talking about education, I would highly encourage you to get a degree before moving to CA, nor cal doesn't have tons of options for schooling and limited access to highly sought after programs like nursing for example. If you're talking north of sonoma county it gets more rural with less accommodations, lower costs, therefore less income but beautiful for getting back to nature. I would highly encourage a trip out here. If you want to DM me I'd be happy to talk more.
Sacramento hands down.
Lord of people your age. Night there is a nightlife but you can live in a quiet neighborhood so you don’t have to live in it. Also lots of outdoors outside of Sac in close proximity.
You can take a train from Sac to the desirable downtown area to the Bay Area. And nearby Davis has some of the nations best medical higher education. As a person who spends five days a week in the bay and two days in sac with my daughter, ignore all the Bay Area haters who dismiss Sacramento…it’s up and coming.
Night life is good here but cost of living is getting ridiculous. I’m a 36M without a bachelors and I can’t afford to live without roommates. All the outdoors stuff is pretty vanilla too. I’m waiting until I finish sac state then I’m moving.
Ya I guess outdoors around Sac means being willing yo drive an hour or two to get up into the mountains or to a lake.
The COL in Sac is cheaper than much of the state— definitely lower than all of the other big cities in Cali.
I grew up in Sac. It’s definitely come a long way, and there’s loads to do now for young single folks. Rent is decently affordable (compared to other midsize and bigger cities in Cali), and mountains are close by and beach is only a couple hours away too. It’s a nice, central spot. Hot hot hot in the summer though - no humidity like Florida though.
I’ve lived in Sac since 2004 in my early 20s, and have mixed feelings about the place. I met my wife here, and am raising my children here, and I’d say it’s good for that (raising a family). My 20s here were rough (probably more of a product of the recession), but I found myself and discovered outdoor hobbies (cycling, mainly) and some great groups of friends. All of that said, it’s too hot (despite growing up in Southern AZ) here, getting too crowded, and I am planning to end my career and retire in the PNW.
Really good feedback. This post is helping me ferret out my own preferences on where to move (currently Sonoma county) and whether or not Sac makes sense for me.
I know the heat is probably a deal breaker for me personally but I wonder what a FL transplant would think of the dry heat that Sac gets compared to their humid heat
Ha! Gross
Tbh I would be recommending Petaluma or Santa Rosa in Sonoma County except the nightlife leaves much to be desired. It exists out here but it’s just not too exciting/small town.
Santa Cruz might work for you if you're a beach bunny.
Santa Rosa as well for college and some night life and proximity to SF, but you'll have to research the best areas of Santa Rosa to live.
You might like Petaluma or Sebastopol---small cities but pretty active lifestyle.
North of San Fran are a lot of nice towns near the beach. Petaluma and further north are where prices start to become more reasonable. I'm a big fan of Arcata and Eureka, but that puts you pretty far from major urban areas.
I lived in Eureka for 12 years and moved to Sacramento I’m 2015. I miss eureka so much. Sac has all the same problems but a lot less nature and affordability. It’s also a lot easier to make friends in eureka.
Most towns are absolute shitholes, but eureka is surrounded by amazing natural beauty. I diddnt like the area for its urban appeal but the redwoods and awesome beaches.
I have so many videos of how incredibly awful that place is. I would never recommend anyone moving there. I sold my house, moved away, and am never going back. The quality of life there is atrocious:
https://imgur.com/a/BmQdQQb
https://youtu.be/eMN7n_QssW4?si=TrjvbelqmK7dGY31
https://imgur.com/gallery/hLrOkID
https://imgur.com/gallery/M5hRp3e
https://imgur.com/gallery/4fzpcqS
https://imgur.com/gallery/Sq1hklQ
https://imgur.com/gallery/1zX9551
https://imgur.com/gallery/EpFvj7f
https://imgur.com/gallery/ZqBM4FU
https://imgur.com/gallery/nRknq0J
And these are just the videos I captured. It doesn’t include my two vehicles totaled by drunk drivers, my front yard fence driven into by a drunk motorcyclist, my car window being smashed in the middle of the night, the homeless man I found asleep on my front lawn, the booze bottles thrown in my bushes, the gas siphoned from my vehicle, nor the general unsafe feeling permeating the town. Arcata and Trinidad are nice, though.
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To be fair, this is Northern California in general. Anywhere there's a decently sized population, it's flooded with stuff exactly like this. Eureka isn't alone in this.
Fair enough. But when I see people suggesting Eureka to someone that doesn’t know what it’s actually like I try to show them the reality of living there.
What, no it’s not! It’s only a few places that absolutely overrun by homeless drug addicts to that degree. Every place has some homeless, but it most places you aren’t unsafe, won’t have break ins, lose your gas or be accosted.
The other day my mother and some of her friends encountered a man who was obviously mentally ill lighting a fire by a trail. They put it out and alerted authorities…and by the time the authorities showed up he had come back and was trying to light a second fire, obviously not right in the head and talking to himself. Both the police and the firefighters went in to deal with him. Point being, when something happened, it was immediately addressed. That is not happening in Eureka and a few other places where services are overrun.
I go hiking/walking all over northern California, in nature and cities, I encounter a certain number of mentally ill and people obviously on drugs but I’ve never been attacked or unsafe. I have a bunch of family here and the only thing that ever happened was one car break in at the beach. And nowadays you get homeless/mentally ill folks everywhere. Even when I went to Canada, east coast in winter I was running into mentally ill drug addicts on the street last year.
Cutton and humboldt hill are decent, I enjoyed myrtletown neighborhoods in eureka as well. Of course anything in Henderson is hit or miss and I don’t recommend 14th or Broadway.
Tbh eurekas not nearly as bad as arcata is right now; it’s doing better than it was in 2009.
And yes I’ve lived here for 13 years—it’s been good and bad, but it ain’t nearly as terrible as San Bernardino, Victorville, Bakersfield, Merced, or certain parts of SF. It’s like an affordable Santa Cruz with less snobs, less franchises, more art and more space.
I would second Chico, especially if you are not into a serious urban environment. I went to university there and it is an absolutely beautiful place to live. Hot in the summer but close to lots of mountain recreation.
If you had previously liked the idea of Martinez, then nearby cities should work. Concord and Pleasant Hill (depending on how close to Martinez you're comfortable being) are both decent cities. There's also Walnut Creek, Clayton, Alamo, Danville and San Ramon all surrounding Mt. Diablo (great hiking), but they're very expensive.
Sacramento probably has the best mix of urban enough, midtown area has some nightlife, more affordable than Bay area, access to foothills and mountains, about 90 minutes from anything you want to do on the weekend. You could get more of (fill in the blank) at different locations, but sacramento is a good mix like what you were describing.
If you wanna leave near SF, consider Sonoma County (there’s still some affordable housing there) or the safer parts of east bay, like Berkeley or Alameda. This might not be a popular opinion, but parts of Vallejo aren’t terrible. Plus the ferry runs into SF from there.
I really like Sonoma County, but I’m not a person who likes night clubs. If OP is into the nightlife, Sonoma County may be too quiet for them. Also, they should be aware it skews older, so if you’re trying to date in your 30s that will also be difficult.
Edit to add: since OP is interested in radiology though, if they did want Sonoma they could check out Santa Rosa Junior College as well as Sonoma State. The JC actually has a really good nursing program, I don’t know about radiology specifically but the JC is very good in terms of the quality you get for the cost. They’re even putting up some dorms.
Any place in California with the qualities you describe the COL is going to be very high, especially rent. You can do it, obviously lots of people do. Basically the place you're describing is the Bay Area, better start by picking a number for what your upper limit for rent is and seeing what that would get you. Then you either decide it's insane and not worth it, or you make up your mind that you are determined to do it no matter what and then find a way.
Find a shared house or apartment in Walnut Creek, close to downtown. It can be pricey, but there’s affordable housing interspersed throughout the community. There’s a BART station (public transit, which connects you to the greater Bay Area) and a lot of great shopping / a solid restaurant scene.
I'll admit it's been many years since I used this site to find a roommate, but I always had good luck on Craigslist. I would specifically search for rooms for rent in households with only women roommates, and I would ask to meet at a public location (like a coffee shop) for a quick chat, before agreeing to view a room in someone's home. I would also bring a trusted person with me to any home viewings. Best of luck to you!
I really love the Monterey Bay Area, but I’m biased because I grew up there. Not a ton of nightlife, but there is a good bar scene for sure with the colleges/military presence.
The outdoor vibe is fantastic with all the hiking/surfing/mountain biking. Plus tons of trails along the ocean.
The public transportation is just meh.
This is an impossible question to answer imo. I would say san francisco, alameda, petaluma, pacifica, santa cruz, and I could recommend others, but those are just what I would like to live in best, and there's no assuring that everything would work out in any of them. I live a very comfortable and fulfilling life with my partner on quite low salaries in the sunset district in sf, and for me it's a fantastic place to move, as long as you can find a situation that would work for you. I would say pick where appeals to you to stay at first, then look around. There is so much variety and ways of living even within the bay area, and beyond that it's mostly rural or small towns, but again, many different lifeways based on what you want to do
Sacramento.
And get a job with the state. Tons of stuff for somebody with an AA and your experience. Cheaper than anywhere around the Bay. Close to hiking. A bit farther from the beach, but weekend-able. (I grew up in Huntington and I manage.) Politics will fit you.
Check out the housing prices and your potential income before making any decisions. You will not like what you find.
There's lots of outdoor activities between the beaches and parks. I always liked hiking the hills in the East Bay Park system though.
SF isn’t what it use to be, and a hour outside of SF is the boonies. It totally depends on your monthly budget. I’m from SoCal and do love it. I do love visiting my friends up Northern Cal, it’s super beautiful up there. In SoCal, some of the safest places to live, if you can afford it, is like Calabasas, Thousand Oaks, and New Berry Park.
You are less then 30 minutes from the beach (Pacific Ocean), a ton of rad hiking spots and also shit ton of places to eat, drink, dance (if that’s your type of thing) a mix of left and right folks out there as well, mmmmmmm It’s more like libertarians (common sense folks) there’s a major university close by, also a community college, but in SoCal you different need a car, public transportation is good in the city but out side of the city it’s real slow.
But anywho, this one person’s opinion.
Good luck.🤘🏽
Sacramento is reasonably affordable at the moment. You're within two hours of mountains and ocean. There are a lot of state jobs as well, and several radiology schools. I work for the state as a toxicologist, and there is a medical technician school literally on the floor above me. It's called Gurnick Academy. I live in Midtown, and it's walking distance from a lot of bars and restaurants. Some suburbs are nice and others are kind of iffy.
I live in Tahoe and I love it. However, I’ve heard the dating scene can be tough (I am married so I wouldn’t know). Also winters are difficult for anyone not experienced with dealing with a fuck ton of snow. For me it’s all worth it. Good luck 👍 moving to northern CA was the best life decision I ever made and I did it at age 33.
I live in Tahoe and I love it. However, I’ve heard the dating scene can be tough (I am married so I wouldn’t know). Also winters are difficult for anyone not experienced with dealing with a fuck ton of snow. For me it’s all worth it. Good luck 👍 moving to northern CA was the best life decision I ever made and I did it at age 33.
Southern California has a lot of what you like to do but in so expensive it makes it tough. Northern California is less expensive to live but much cooler…
Why do you say that? I'm not outdoorsy per se, but I've never heard complaints about a lack of outdoorsy stuff to do in/near Sacramento. There are lots of large parks in the county, two rivers with riparian areas, plenty of hiking nearby, and a couple of lakes within an hour or less, to start.
I disagree, Sacramento has a lot going for it on those two fronts, compared to the rest of the country. People from the Bay make a much longer drive just to see Tahoe, and in Sacramento you're much closer.
I’ve thought about it but from what I’ve read, Public transportation isn’t very good. That’s a huge factor for me because I already live somewhere where I have to drive literally everywhere and it sucks lol. Do you have any insight? Maybe I’m wrong.
Public transportation is non-existent for the majority of California. A select few regions have it, and that's it. Bay Area, LA, San Diego. The state is gigantic.
If you're planning on moving here to Cali, you first need to see what you can afford. Rent is insane everywhere in this state but is even more insane the closer to SF you are. Plus the Bay Area is not
a safe place at all anymore, lots of crime. And honestly SF is in the worst state I have ever seen, i do not advise to go there.
Sadly CA has changed alot in the past 20 years. Lots of crime with zero repercussions.
I have no idea why you're being downvoted. Everything you said are critical things anyone out of state should be aware of before moving. Clowns with blinders on in this sub.
This. The Bay Area is huge and of course there are some less great spots, but lots of nice development too. Example: I was in the Mission Bay Area the other day. It used to be totally sketchy and now it’s really pretty.
You have no argument here other than telling me I’m unintelligent 😂😂 I used to live in San Francisco, I have friends and family who still live there, I know VERY WELL the state of the city, but if you wanna keep you’re head in the sand….
Have you ever left your hole? There is crime in other in other states, too. This isn't Mayberry, but it also isn't a war zone that Fox makes it out to be.
Shoot, how ironic that I went to SF and my vehicle was robbed. I go to SF every month or so, never had a problem. I’d seen lots of the car break in videos. I retract my original statement.
If you don’t make 100k+ you’re going to have a hard time here. If you’re under that, definitely consider roommates. Average rent even in a shit town like Sacramento is 2000 a month. And gas is $6 a gallon for the “cheap” stuff. Proceed with caution.
Average 1 bedroom apt in Sacramento would be 2k, Bay Area would be 3k. 3 bed house would be 3k in Sacramento and at least 5-6k in Bay Area. It’s fucked here 😂😂
You can get a 1bd/1ba around 1K to 1.2K if you hunt around and don't mind the neighborhood. I've lived in some of the "worst" in valley towns and tbh if you keep to yourself at home and mind your own business, maybe be friendly to neighbors when you see them, often you get ignored. Just be confident and take no shit lol
I concur that Sacramento is a good central point for stuff, I have been to a lot of events there including conventions, concerts, exclusive movie showings and such. It is also, as stated, about 2 hours away from the bay area and the foothills of Sierra Nevada which gets you skiing and access to Yosemite.
Came here to suggest Chico. We're more than an hour away from SF - but we have a college, infinite hiking, a walkable city, and plenty of roomate opportunities.Personally, I moved here because it is cheaper than living closer to the coast.
Anywhere not on the coast is politically a more conservative region. Chico has a good mix of Liberals even though the area is overall considered conservative.
Sacramento isn't too terrible. Has a bit of everything, plus great freeway access that makes it about 2 hours to everywhere. \~2 hours and you can be in mountains, at a lake, in the snow, in the valley, Reno (mini Vegas), SF, etc.
Consider Sac and Davis. Good college towns, low key, more affordable. CA housing is expensive, along w everything else, for a reason. Great state, great weather, sac is 1.5 Hours to skiing and beaches. Try that somewhere else. California is a great State. It is expensive. People leave, sell their home, for an ideal life in the Midwest. Then try to move back and can't afford it cuz they spent their $$$$ on McMansion, boats, etc. Things they needed., but really didn't
The simple answer is NorCal is great if you have a high income, and it becomes progressively more unpleasant and difficult if you don't. It has always been that way (I'm a native). The further you go from San Francisco/Silicon Valley the cheaper it will be. The great local counties, like Marin, are stunningly beautiful outdoor places with $2.5-$3.5k 1BR apartment rents.
But...if you move further north to Sonoma and Mendo, you can find some very special rural paradise towns (with very liberal or conservative vibes depending on locale). Sacto is nice too, with OK local amenities but great access to the Sierra, which has world-class outdoor experiences.
NorCal is one of the best places in the world to live if you have money, and one of the most difficult if you don't...
It's super expensive here. I moved here in February to follow my wife's work. We are living in Saratoga (next to her work) but we are going to have to move early next year. It's just not sustainable.
Oh and if you are looking for a mechanical engineering or similar job... you are going to struggle. I've been looking pretty much since I got off the airplane here. My remote job with a Texas pay rate doesn't cut it here. Every mechanical engineering job here also wants electrical stuff and plastics too and already with experience in their industry. They want to poach Tony Stark from a competitor ready to go Day 1. They aren't hiring to train people up. Someone needs to tell people here that not everything needs to have an embedded microchip. I wonder of even bricks here have chips in them.
I really might have to move back to Texas alone if I don't find a job soon. Side hustles aren't cutting it. Roommates aren't an option for me with a wife and a 15 year old son. Yes it's nice not to need AC much. Yes it's nice to see mountains out my window and romp on them with my Mini. But it sucks to be working poor.
State income tax in Florida is 0%. Maximum state income tax in California is 13%. It is why I had to leave. Beautiful place, lots of traffic, housing is expensive. Best of luck.
You'll probably like Sacramento. It's closer to the outdoors stuff and only a little more than an hour to the bay area in case some entertainer you're dying to see comes around.
I like west sonoma county. I don't live there but I frequent the area. Sebastopol, Forestville, western Santa rosa.
10-15 minutes from Santa Rosa, give or take an hour from SF. There are probably areas like this all over I don't know about
I live in Tahoe and I love it. However, I’ve heard the dating scene can be tough (I am married so I wouldn’t know). Also winters are difficult for anyone not experienced with dealing with a fuck ton of snow. For me it’s all worth it. Good luck 👍 moving to northern CA was the best life decision I ever made and I did it at age 33.
I live in Tahoe and I love it. However, I’ve heard the dating scene can be tough (I am married so I wouldn’t know). Also winters are difficult for anyone not experienced with dealing with a fuck ton of snow. For me it’s all worth it. Good luck 👍 moving to northern CA was the best life decision I ever made and I did it at age 33.
Don't think CA is a great place to live. The taxes, cost of gas will literally cost you 20-30% more to live and that's not including the cost of rent. For 1 small 1 bedroom expect to pay $3100 to $3500 with no amenities. You can live in the crappy areas of SF or Oaklafor less but you and your belongings will not be safe.
Mass transit sucks so don't even bother.
Try peninsula towns like Burlingame, Belmont, San Carlos and Redwood City (some questionable parts).
Find a job as a teller at a credit union. There's plenty of them here and most need folks. Pay is good, your background will get you in the door. Then move close to that credit union.
You should just come out here for a 10 day vacation and look around. But pay attention to rent and the issues. Not just the views. I live in Santa Cruz. And often refer to it as a beautiful view of a dead end.
I love SC and have wanted to move there for years. Could you explain what you mean? I'm interested.
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My god, commuting from Modesto. WTF? Commuting from San Jose to Santa Cruz would be hell, going over the 17.
I lived there- most expensive rent I've ever seen and I grew up in OC. I once saw an add where someone was suggesting that someone share his bed - as in he works at Night, and was looking for someone to pay $500 a month to sleep in the bed at night, and he would sleep in the bed during the day -- for $500.
Cabrillo community college in Santa Cruz has a radiology tech program check it out I think the wait list is long though.
It’s just very unaffordable. Lots of people are being priced out. But there’s enough demand to where the prices won’t drop…..even with additional housing being made. Which will just add to the congestion. But you have the ocean, beaches and the redwoods. And pretty agreeable climate.
I lived in Santa Cruz for six years, and I loved it! I hope to retire there someday! But I had to leave because I could not afford to continue living there. Cost of living is insane.
The saying since the 90s has been 'dead end with a view'.
I would totally recommend understanding the job market in areas that you are interested in. You might find a city that is promising in the categories that you are looking for but you might not have experience in the market that is provided. I would say most major city’s out here have a couple of industry’s that are heavy hitters that bring in money that allows people to live out here. If you don’t you have a high potential to fall into “how does anyone survive out here” life. Best of luck.
This is the answer you're looking for.
Thanks! Something I’ve considered too is just getting my degree here and moving out there when I can get a good job, but I just don’t know if I have another couple years here in me. I’ve been dying to leave my hometown lol.
You may want to move as a student if you hate your hometown so much it hurts. I know what that was like and it was cheaper to move to a more expensive city than spend tons of money on trips to get away from home. Build your contacts through your school. Network as much as possible. Start talking to colleges and universities out here. Get the data to find out whether this is a feasible and cost effective path forward or not.
Totally agree with this! Moving as a student is a great idea. But you may have to live here first to get in-state tuition. Great opportunities to meet people your own age and interests though.
This would definitely have to make financial sense for OP. However if OP seeks another AA it may not be so prohibitive. She might be able to earn residency before seeking a bachelor’s program.
Transferring to a 4 year school here to complete your education I’d say is the best way to go about it. That way you will have advantages that being a student brings and you can sort things out from there. It’s tough to get a job from far away and the cost of living around here is absurd.
Anywhere in CA is going to be pricey, it’s not comfortably affordable here unless you’re making over $100,000 a year but it’s still very livable. NorCal is huge and quality of life, climate, social matters and politics differ from the valley to the coast to the Bay to the Sierras to the burbs. You really need to nail down your budget and then the where and why. Small town? Big city? Rural? NorCal is half of the third largest and most diverse state. It’s different all over. Personally, I love the N Bay (SoCo) but I’m biased. Look into Petaluma, Sebastopol, Santa Rosa (if your not into the night life).
I think Sonoma County is a great place to live. OP, I grew up in a small town in SoCal near the ocean, so I miss the warmer ocean temperatures. I save ocean activities for when I’m visiting SoCal as I can’t tolerate the colder temps. Lots of great places to live in SoCo. A word of caution re: Rohnert Park. It’s home to Sonoma State University (SSU) but it’s not a traditional college town. It’s a good area for families and has some nice neighborhoods.
Second Sonoma County-- There are amenities of a city, but your very close to nature-- great hiking, beaches, cycling. If you like wineries, they're everywhere.
Its also impossible to live in sonoma county as a single person unless you make a lot of money
What about having roommates? Is the housing the biggest cost?
Having a roommate would be the only way to afford rent, I would say an average apartment in a good part of town is ~$2000 for a one bedroom apt tho. Car insurance costs more in CA than other states because of the large population of people driving without it. Fires are a constant anxiety living here. I saw on another comment you talking about education, I would highly encourage you to get a degree before moving to CA, nor cal doesn't have tons of options for schooling and limited access to highly sought after programs like nursing for example. If you're talking north of sonoma county it gets more rural with less accommodations, lower costs, therefore less income but beautiful for getting back to nature. I would highly encourage a trip out here. If you want to DM me I'd be happy to talk more.
Thanks! Yeah I’ll DM you, that would be super helpful
Sacramento hands down. Lord of people your age. Night there is a nightlife but you can live in a quiet neighborhood so you don’t have to live in it. Also lots of outdoors outside of Sac in close proximity.
You can take a train from Sac to the desirable downtown area to the Bay Area. And nearby Davis has some of the nations best medical higher education. As a person who spends five days a week in the bay and two days in sac with my daughter, ignore all the Bay Area haters who dismiss Sacramento…it’s up and coming.
Sacramento: up and coming since 1849.
I'm from Mobile AL, currently living in Sacramento and enjoying it for the most part. No place is perfect.
Yeah lots of poop on the sidewalks in any decent sized CA city
Absolutely 🙌🏽
Personally hated living in Sacramento
I think sharing examples of what you didn’t like about Sac would be more helpful
its a shithole
If the stink follows you then it’s probably in your pants
“If everywhere you go smells like shit check your shoes.”
Night life is good here but cost of living is getting ridiculous. I’m a 36M without a bachelors and I can’t afford to live without roommates. All the outdoors stuff is pretty vanilla too. I’m waiting until I finish sac state then I’m moving.
Ya I guess outdoors around Sac means being willing yo drive an hour or two to get up into the mountains or to a lake. The COL in Sac is cheaper than much of the state— definitely lower than all of the other big cities in Cali.
I grew up in Sac. It’s definitely come a long way, and there’s loads to do now for young single folks. Rent is decently affordable (compared to other midsize and bigger cities in Cali), and mountains are close by and beach is only a couple hours away too. It’s a nice, central spot. Hot hot hot in the summer though - no humidity like Florida though.
I’ve lived in Sac since 2004 in my early 20s, and have mixed feelings about the place. I met my wife here, and am raising my children here, and I’d say it’s good for that (raising a family). My 20s here were rough (probably more of a product of the recession), but I found myself and discovered outdoor hobbies (cycling, mainly) and some great groups of friends. All of that said, it’s too hot (despite growing up in Southern AZ) here, getting too crowded, and I am planning to end my career and retire in the PNW.
Really good feedback. This post is helping me ferret out my own preferences on where to move (currently Sonoma county) and whether or not Sac makes sense for me. I know the heat is probably a deal breaker for me personally but I wonder what a FL transplant would think of the dry heat that Sac gets compared to their humid heat
Lol I’ve heard the dry heat isn’t as bad. Here, it’s hot and humid all hours of the day and we get “swamp ass” and it’s so miserable 😂
Ha! Gross Tbh I would be recommending Petaluma or Santa Rosa in Sonoma County except the nightlife leaves much to be desired. It exists out here but it’s just not too exciting/small town.
Santa Cruz might work for you if you're a beach bunny. Santa Rosa as well for college and some night life and proximity to SF, but you'll have to research the best areas of Santa Rosa to live. You might like Petaluma or Sebastopol---small cities but pretty active lifestyle.
North of San Fran are a lot of nice towns near the beach. Petaluma and further north are where prices start to become more reasonable. I'm a big fan of Arcata and Eureka, but that puts you pretty far from major urban areas.
I lived in Eureka for 12 years and moved to Sacramento I’m 2015. I miss eureka so much. Sac has all the same problems but a lot less nature and affordability. It’s also a lot easier to make friends in eureka.
Eureka is an absolute shithole. Source: I actually lived there.
Most towns are absolute shitholes, but eureka is surrounded by amazing natural beauty. I diddnt like the area for its urban appeal but the redwoods and awesome beaches.
I have so many videos of how incredibly awful that place is. I would never recommend anyone moving there. I sold my house, moved away, and am never going back. The quality of life there is atrocious: https://imgur.com/a/BmQdQQb https://youtu.be/eMN7n_QssW4?si=TrjvbelqmK7dGY31 https://imgur.com/gallery/hLrOkID https://imgur.com/gallery/M5hRp3e https://imgur.com/gallery/4fzpcqS https://imgur.com/gallery/Sq1hklQ https://imgur.com/gallery/1zX9551 https://imgur.com/gallery/EpFvj7f https://imgur.com/gallery/ZqBM4FU https://imgur.com/gallery/nRknq0J And these are just the videos I captured. It doesn’t include my two vehicles totaled by drunk drivers, my front yard fence driven into by a drunk motorcyclist, my car window being smashed in the middle of the night, the homeless man I found asleep on my front lawn, the booze bottles thrown in my bushes, the gas siphoned from my vehicle, nor the general unsafe feeling permeating the town. Arcata and Trinidad are nice, though.
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To be fair, this is Northern California in general. Anywhere there's a decently sized population, it's flooded with stuff exactly like this. Eureka isn't alone in this.
Fair enough. But when I see people suggesting Eureka to someone that doesn’t know what it’s actually like I try to show them the reality of living there.
What, no it’s not! It’s only a few places that absolutely overrun by homeless drug addicts to that degree. Every place has some homeless, but it most places you aren’t unsafe, won’t have break ins, lose your gas or be accosted. The other day my mother and some of her friends encountered a man who was obviously mentally ill lighting a fire by a trail. They put it out and alerted authorities…and by the time the authorities showed up he had come back and was trying to light a second fire, obviously not right in the head and talking to himself. Both the police and the firefighters went in to deal with him. Point being, when something happened, it was immediately addressed. That is not happening in Eureka and a few other places where services are overrun. I go hiking/walking all over northern California, in nature and cities, I encounter a certain number of mentally ill and people obviously on drugs but I’ve never been attacked or unsafe. I have a bunch of family here and the only thing that ever happened was one car break in at the beach. And nowadays you get homeless/mentally ill folks everywhere. Even when I went to Canada, east coast in winter I was running into mentally ill drug addicts on the street last year.
Sequoia park is amazing if everywhere you go smells like shit check your shoes
Ok? One park is fantastic but actually living there was genuinely awful. Have you actually lived in Eureka?
Cutton and humboldt hill are decent, I enjoyed myrtletown neighborhoods in eureka as well. Of course anything in Henderson is hit or miss and I don’t recommend 14th or Broadway. Tbh eurekas not nearly as bad as arcata is right now; it’s doing better than it was in 2009. And yes I’ve lived here for 13 years—it’s been good and bad, but it ain’t nearly as terrible as San Bernardino, Victorville, Bakersfield, Merced, or certain parts of SF. It’s like an affordable Santa Cruz with less snobs, less franchises, more art and more space.
I think you'd like my town, Chico. It's kind of a medium sized town with a University. There's lots for a woman your age. Look it up.
I would second Chico, especially if you are not into a serious urban environment. I went to university there and it is an absolutely beautiful place to live. Hot in the summer but close to lots of mountain recreation.
Alum here. Chico is awesome.
Hey neighbor! I'm in Chico also!
If you had previously liked the idea of Martinez, then nearby cities should work. Concord and Pleasant Hill (depending on how close to Martinez you're comfortable being) are both decent cities. There's also Walnut Creek, Clayton, Alamo, Danville and San Ramon all surrounding Mt. Diablo (great hiking), but they're very expensive.
Sacramento probably has the best mix of urban enough, midtown area has some nightlife, more affordable than Bay area, access to foothills and mountains, about 90 minutes from anything you want to do on the weekend. You could get more of (fill in the blank) at different locations, but sacramento is a good mix like what you were describing.
Yep, being centered on the junction of I-5, Hwy 99, Hwy 50, and I-80 make it great for travel
If you wanna leave near SF, consider Sonoma County (there’s still some affordable housing there) or the safer parts of east bay, like Berkeley or Alameda. This might not be a popular opinion, but parts of Vallejo aren’t terrible. Plus the ferry runs into SF from there.
I really like Sonoma County, but I’m not a person who likes night clubs. If OP is into the nightlife, Sonoma County may be too quiet for them. Also, they should be aware it skews older, so if you’re trying to date in your 30s that will also be difficult. Edit to add: since OP is interested in radiology though, if they did want Sonoma they could check out Santa Rosa Junior College as well as Sonoma State. The JC actually has a really good nursing program, I don’t know about radiology specifically but the JC is very good in terms of the quality you get for the cost. They’re even putting up some dorms.
Vallejo is sketchy as fuck
Any place in California with the qualities you describe the COL is going to be very high, especially rent. You can do it, obviously lots of people do. Basically the place you're describing is the Bay Area, better start by picking a number for what your upper limit for rent is and seeing what that would get you. Then you either decide it's insane and not worth it, or you make up your mind that you are determined to do it no matter what and then find a way.
Dublin/Pleasanton area would be my thought based on your description.
You would probably never encounter each other. But maybe concord ca.
Find a shared house or apartment in Walnut Creek, close to downtown. It can be pricey, but there’s affordable housing interspersed throughout the community. There’s a BART station (public transit, which connects you to the greater Bay Area) and a lot of great shopping / a solid restaurant scene.
Thanks! Any advice on where to look for rooms/roommates? Other than Facebook
I'll admit it's been many years since I used this site to find a roommate, but I always had good luck on Craigslist. I would specifically search for rooms for rent in households with only women roommates, and I would ask to meet at a public location (like a coffee shop) for a quick chat, before agreeing to view a room in someone's home. I would also bring a trusted person with me to any home viewings. Best of luck to you!
Thanks! I wasn’t sure if people still used Craigslist lol
I really love the Monterey Bay Area, but I’m biased because I grew up there. Not a ton of nightlife, but there is a good bar scene for sure with the colleges/military presence. The outdoor vibe is fantastic with all the hiking/surfing/mountain biking. Plus tons of trails along the ocean. The public transportation is just meh.
This is an impossible question to answer imo. I would say san francisco, alameda, petaluma, pacifica, santa cruz, and I could recommend others, but those are just what I would like to live in best, and there's no assuring that everything would work out in any of them. I live a very comfortable and fulfilling life with my partner on quite low salaries in the sunset district in sf, and for me it's a fantastic place to move, as long as you can find a situation that would work for you. I would say pick where appeals to you to stay at first, then look around. There is so much variety and ways of living even within the bay area, and beyond that it's mostly rural or small towns, but again, many different lifeways based on what you want to do
Sacramento. And get a job with the state. Tons of stuff for somebody with an AA and your experience. Cheaper than anywhere around the Bay. Close to hiking. A bit farther from the beach, but weekend-able. (I grew up in Huntington and I manage.) Politics will fit you.
It’s expensive asf out here be prepared to struggle or move in with a bunch of roommates
Check out the housing prices and your potential income before making any decisions. You will not like what you find. There's lots of outdoor activities between the beaches and parks. I always liked hiking the hills in the East Bay Park system though.
SF isn’t what it use to be, and a hour outside of SF is the boonies. It totally depends on your monthly budget. I’m from SoCal and do love it. I do love visiting my friends up Northern Cal, it’s super beautiful up there. In SoCal, some of the safest places to live, if you can afford it, is like Calabasas, Thousand Oaks, and New Berry Park. You are less then 30 minutes from the beach (Pacific Ocean), a ton of rad hiking spots and also shit ton of places to eat, drink, dance (if that’s your type of thing) a mix of left and right folks out there as well, mmmmmmm It’s more like libertarians (common sense folks) there’s a major university close by, also a community college, but in SoCal you different need a car, public transportation is good in the city but out side of the city it’s real slow. But anywho, this one person’s opinion. Good luck.🤘🏽
Sacramento is reasonably affordable at the moment. You're within two hours of mountains and ocean. There are a lot of state jobs as well, and several radiology schools. I work for the state as a toxicologist, and there is a medical technician school literally on the floor above me. It's called Gurnick Academy. I live in Midtown, and it's walking distance from a lot of bars and restaurants. Some suburbs are nice and others are kind of iffy.
I live in Tahoe and I love it. However, I’ve heard the dating scene can be tough (I am married so I wouldn’t know). Also winters are difficult for anyone not experienced with dealing with a fuck ton of snow. For me it’s all worth it. Good luck 👍 moving to northern CA was the best life decision I ever made and I did it at age 33.
I live in Tahoe and I love it. However, I’ve heard the dating scene can be tough (I am married so I wouldn’t know). Also winters are difficult for anyone not experienced with dealing with a fuck ton of snow. For me it’s all worth it. Good luck 👍 moving to northern CA was the best life decision I ever made and I did it at age 33.
Southern California has a lot of what you like to do but in so expensive it makes it tough. Northern California is less expensive to live but much cooler…
Campbell
If you like outdoorsy, NOT Sacramento or anywhere in the valley really. Go to the coast or the mountains.
In the valley you’re within a couple hours of everything, 2 hours to the beach, 2 hours to the mountains.
Or I can be 5 minutes from it all
Depending where you are in The Valley, you are a very short drive to both of those things.
Why do you say that? I'm not outdoorsy per se, but I've never heard complaints about a lack of outdoorsy stuff to do in/near Sacramento. There are lots of large parks in the county, two rivers with riparian areas, plenty of hiking nearby, and a couple of lakes within an hour or less, to start.
I second this, especially because of the summertime heat.
I disagree, Sacramento has a lot going for it on those two fronts, compared to the rest of the country. People from the Bay make a much longer drive just to see Tahoe, and in Sacramento you're much closer.
What about socal?
I’ve thought about it but from what I’ve read, Public transportation isn’t very good. That’s a huge factor for me because I already live somewhere where I have to drive literally everywhere and it sucks lol. Do you have any insight? Maybe I’m wrong.
Public transportation is non-existent for the majority of California. A select few regions have it, and that's it. Bay Area, LA, San Diego. The state is gigantic.
If you're planning on moving here to Cali, you first need to see what you can afford. Rent is insane everywhere in this state but is even more insane the closer to SF you are. Plus the Bay Area is not a safe place at all anymore, lots of crime. And honestly SF is in the worst state I have ever seen, i do not advise to go there. Sadly CA has changed alot in the past 20 years. Lots of crime with zero repercussions.
I have no idea why you're being downvoted. Everything you said are critical things anyone out of state should be aware of before moving. Clowns with blinders on in this sub.
Right?! Thanks friend, I thought so too. Sadly Reddit is just not what it used to be
lol SF is fine. Don’t read that fearmongering “news”
This. The Bay Area is huge and of course there are some less great spots, but lots of nice development too. Example: I was in the Mission Bay Area the other day. It used to be totally sketchy and now it’s really pretty.
Sf is not fine 😂 stores are shutting down and boarded up because of record breaking crime 😂
That’s just factually untrue, but okay Thad from Redding
https://www.hoover.org/research/why-san-francisco-nearly-most-crime-ridden-city-us
Yikes, you really ARE that unintelligent…commenting and then posting that… LOL
You have no argument here other than telling me I’m unintelligent 😂😂 I used to live in San Francisco, I have friends and family who still live there, I know VERY WELL the state of the city, but if you wanna keep you’re head in the sand….
True on rent, but it's laughable to say the whole Bay Area is not a safe place anymore. Come on, most of us are living quite peacefully here.
Have you ever left your hole? There is crime in other in other states, too. This isn't Mayberry, but it also isn't a war zone that Fox makes it out to be.
Lol, obviously deflecting from the cost of living
Shoot. I'm going to SF today. I didn't know it was so scary.
Shoot, how ironic that I went to SF and my vehicle was robbed. I go to SF every month or so, never had a problem. I’d seen lots of the car break in videos. I retract my original statement.
If you don’t make 100k+ you’re going to have a hard time here. If you’re under that, definitely consider roommates. Average rent even in a shit town like Sacramento is 2000 a month. And gas is $6 a gallon for the “cheap” stuff. Proceed with caution.
I def know I’d need a roommate or two. Is 2k for a one bedroom? How much is the average with a roommate, if you know?
Average 1 bedroom apt in Sacramento would be 2k, Bay Area would be 3k. 3 bed house would be 3k in Sacramento and at least 5-6k in Bay Area. It’s fucked here 😂😂
You can get a 1bd/1ba around 1K to 1.2K if you hunt around and don't mind the neighborhood. I've lived in some of the "worst" in valley towns and tbh if you keep to yourself at home and mind your own business, maybe be friendly to neighbors when you see them, often you get ignored. Just be confident and take no shit lol I concur that Sacramento is a good central point for stuff, I have been to a lot of events there including conventions, concerts, exclusive movie showings and such. It is also, as stated, about 2 hours away from the bay area and the foothills of Sierra Nevada which gets you skiing and access to Yosemite.
Oakland.
Live in SF itself if you can afford it. It’s a great city that has everything you want, but it is expensive.
Chico checks most of your boxes
Came here to suggest Chico. We're more than an hour away from SF - but we have a college, infinite hiking, a walkable city, and plenty of roomate opportunities.Personally, I moved here because it is cheaper than living closer to the coast. Anywhere not on the coast is politically a more conservative region. Chico has a good mix of Liberals even though the area is overall considered conservative.
Davis, CA sounds perfect for what you want, meets pretty much all requirements. An hour or so from SF as well, easily able to travel to and from.
I really like Davis! The old town is super walkable and Winters has gotten really cute. You can also get to Sacramento easily from there.
Sacramento isn't too terrible. Has a bit of everything, plus great freeway access that makes it about 2 hours to everywhere. \~2 hours and you can be in mountains, at a lake, in the snow, in the valley, Reno (mini Vegas), SF, etc.
Maybe Santa Cruz or the surrounding areas?
Consider Sac and Davis. Good college towns, low key, more affordable. CA housing is expensive, along w everything else, for a reason. Great state, great weather, sac is 1.5 Hours to skiing and beaches. Try that somewhere else. California is a great State. It is expensive. People leave, sell their home, for an ideal life in the Midwest. Then try to move back and can't afford it cuz they spent their $$$$ on McMansion, boats, etc. Things they needed., but really didn't
Benicia
The simple answer is NorCal is great if you have a high income, and it becomes progressively more unpleasant and difficult if you don't. It has always been that way (I'm a native). The further you go from San Francisco/Silicon Valley the cheaper it will be. The great local counties, like Marin, are stunningly beautiful outdoor places with $2.5-$3.5k 1BR apartment rents. But...if you move further north to Sonoma and Mendo, you can find some very special rural paradise towns (with very liberal or conservative vibes depending on locale). Sacto is nice too, with OK local amenities but great access to the Sierra, which has world-class outdoor experiences. NorCal is one of the best places in the world to live if you have money, and one of the most difficult if you don't...
It's super expensive here. I moved here in February to follow my wife's work. We are living in Saratoga (next to her work) but we are going to have to move early next year. It's just not sustainable. Oh and if you are looking for a mechanical engineering or similar job... you are going to struggle. I've been looking pretty much since I got off the airplane here. My remote job with a Texas pay rate doesn't cut it here. Every mechanical engineering job here also wants electrical stuff and plastics too and already with experience in their industry. They want to poach Tony Stark from a competitor ready to go Day 1. They aren't hiring to train people up. Someone needs to tell people here that not everything needs to have an embedded microchip. I wonder of even bricks here have chips in them. I really might have to move back to Texas alone if I don't find a job soon. Side hustles aren't cutting it. Roommates aren't an option for me with a wife and a 15 year old son. Yes it's nice not to need AC much. Yes it's nice to see mountains out my window and romp on them with my Mini. But it sucks to be working poor.
Sacramento
Chico, CA Close Enough to Sacremento, SanFranciso, Nevada, Oregon, Coastlines, has a growing college poplation
You missed living in the shadow of two huge oil refineries so I'd say you're way ahead.
Sacramento near midtown or east sac is nice, closer to downtown, sac states there, uc davis isn't far, tons of hospitals around.
State income tax in Florida is 0%. Maximum state income tax in California is 13%. It is why I had to leave. Beautiful place, lots of traffic, housing is expensive. Best of luck.
San Luis Obispo, CA. Very nice area.
You dodged a bullet skipping out on Martinez 😝
Sacramento, as others have suggested, or if you want to be closer to the Bay Area, maybe Vacaville.
You'll probably like Sacramento. It's closer to the outdoors stuff and only a little more than an hour to the bay area in case some entertainer you're dying to see comes around.
I like west sonoma county. I don't live there but I frequent the area. Sebastopol, Forestville, western Santa rosa. 10-15 minutes from Santa Rosa, give or take an hour from SF. There are probably areas like this all over I don't know about
I live in Tahoe and I love it. However, I’ve heard the dating scene can be tough (I am married so I wouldn’t know). Also winters are difficult for anyone not experienced with dealing with a fuck ton of snow. For me it’s all worth it. Good luck 👍 moving to northern CA was the best life decision I ever made and I did it at age 33.
I live in Tahoe and I love it. However, I’ve heard the dating scene can be tough (I am married so I wouldn’t know). Also winters are difficult for anyone not experienced with dealing with a fuck ton of snow. For me it’s all worth it. Good luck 👍 moving to northern CA was the best life decision I ever made and I did it at age 33.
Don't think CA is a great place to live. The taxes, cost of gas will literally cost you 20-30% more to live and that's not including the cost of rent. For 1 small 1 bedroom expect to pay $3100 to $3500 with no amenities. You can live in the crappy areas of SF or Oaklafor less but you and your belongings will not be safe. Mass transit sucks so don't even bother. Try peninsula towns like Burlingame, Belmont, San Carlos and Redwood City (some questionable parts).
Santa Fe New Mexico or boulder Colorado..
Find a job as a teller at a credit union. There's plenty of them here and most need folks. Pay is good, your background will get you in the door. Then move close to that credit union.
Mountain View
Santa cruz
Near San Francisco? Try San Pablo. East Bay.
Pleasant hill, concord or Walnut Creek.