What is it like to live in california?

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irishroisin

I live in Orange County where the average home costs $500,000+, for 3 cars you can pay 3200 per year for insurance, grocery bills for a 3 person household total 200+ per week, electric for a summer month over 200 for a small condo...etc

Rental -basic apartment 1500-2000 per month.

Let me stop with my list and tell you about quality of life here: air quality is 1 (average for U.S. is 44), no change of seasons, crime is EVERYWHERE, very commercial, and people are unfriendly.

If you are a surfer with an inheritance, you'll love it here!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Great place to be homeless too.

I'm writing this to sincerely warn the future population from moving here.

Isabella

No shortage of things to do. Great access to beaches, mountains, desert. Expensive, lots of traffic.

friend4u726

Almost always warm. You never need a winter coat, mostly a wind breaker. If you live in Southern California, you are a few hours from the ocean, the mountains, and Vegas and can go to any of the above as a spontaneous trip for the night. You can either live extremely glamorously or have an affordable beautiful home but still be able to commute to a better job.

Now the pitfalls....we will probably never catch up on building enough highways to suit the enormous population. There are alot of superfical people who spend way too much time and money on plastic surgery. We basically have 2 seasons per year instead of four. Hardly any green around here because it is a huge desert.

No matter what the pitfalls, I have lived in California my whole life and can not imagine living anywhere else. I have never suffered the misery of digging my car out of the snow, or having a tornado wipe out my property. Earthquakes are rare, or too small to notice very often and probably 300 days of the year the weather is suitable to go out for a walk. I hope this answered your question.

Just Ducky

It's a really big state, and I have lived in southern CA and now in northern CA, and they are two totally different things. I originally moved from Minnesota to Orange County and it was culture shock. In southern CA, everything is big money, big jobs, fancy cars, etc. In northern CA, it is more laid back, quiet, open vistas, ocean, mountains, redwoods. Then by San Francisco, it is quite a unique lifestyle, which is totally different north of SF, in the vineyards area. And Sacramento and Bakersfield areas are another realm of lifestyle, so really, it depends on where in CA you're talking about.

ontheroadagainwithoutyou

Asking this question is like the way the blind men described what an elephant is-it was totally different depending on whether the blind man was standing at the trunk, the tail, the ear, etc. Since you put your question in the category of Los Angeles, I will assume that is what you are referring to, however, LA is also many different places-it isn't really a big city at all, but rather a huge clump of many neighborhoods and each has its own personality. Yes, LA can be a pain in the ***, with its traffic, over-population, superficial aspects, etc. but it all depends on how one lives there. If you are in a beach community and you go everywhere on foot or bicycle then you have the gloriousness of the exquisite weather, the ocean, the simplicity of life, and decreased costs. There's alot of bullshit, but again, there is such a wide variety of choices of free things to do, places to go, etc. because there is so much competition. Since it is the movie capital, there are free movie screening previews. I could go on and on, but again, LA is so large and so diversified and ethnically
expansive that anything is possible. How you live there is your choice. It's very eclectic.

gregthedesigner

The sky is bluer and the clouds can be whiter and fluffier than anywhere else in the nation, the air is also light and calm the closer you get to the coast. It's expensive (of course) but every thing else is beautiful, you just have to know where to go and where to live.

Silentfall

i live there, its cool it has a little bit of every culture. a great tourist place. you can find almost everything there.

doublek

Depends on where you are in CA. It has a bit of everything: mountains, beaches, redwood forests, deserts, cities, farming towns....each has a different look and feel.

I lived and around San Francisco for 20 years. I loved it. Beautiful, eclectic, unpredictable, bountiful, artistic, and... expensive ;) Go visit. Northern California is very different than Southern. Experience as much of it as you can, then decide.

maxpowers_84

great! very close to everythig!

anglo_audiophile

So overrated!!! CA has spolied me & I fear it rubs off on others...

Stan S

Expensive in certain places, cheap in others. Everyone here is responding 'expensive'... not true.

nieder

expensive really says it all

latraveler

Northern and Southern California are almost like two differant states. But both are insanely expensive. Rent is sky high and don't expect much for your money when buying a home, dirt is more expensive then gold out here.
The ground shakes, the hills burn, and the mud slides. Smog is xtra thick in Los Angeles where i'm from and valley areas. Traffic is to the point it's almost maddening freeways can back up at any time of day. The pro's are it is beautiful out here and a lot of things to do if you're willing to put up with the cons.

Danie

If you could pick any place to live and have to pay for it. This is it!
It has the best beaches, the best weather, great places to go and explore.
I agree is expensive but do I want to trade my 77 degree winter weather for a big house in the middle of America where I would have to dig my car out of snow every morning and sweat all summer long? NO!

Honestly people how much time do we really spend in our house? And if you are one of those complaining about traffic/weather/prices and everything else you are not taking in the advantages of what this state has to offer! Shame on you!

If you don't like it MOVE!

Get out and do all the things that are free!

California is so big that there is a place for everyone. If you don't like traffic don't go to LA go to San Diego or if you don't like to drive go to San Francisco. If you just want to live in a chill place like SD that has it all like 70-75 degree weather (all year long) and some traffic during rush hours only. (like anywhere else).

Unless you live somewhere with your own private beach and you don't have to deal with everyday life then stay there. If not the Cali is the place to be!

PS for those complainingabout the weather STOP! How would you like to be in 110 degrees all summer long?

perplexed

very very expensive.

polkadots

its so fun there is a whole bunch of amusement parks and malls you can go to hollywood and walk on the star walk take pictures there go to beverly hills try to spot some stars !yeah its so cool !!!

mx3baby

Awesome. They have the best foods and the best attractions.

I cannot stand living in Texas. They're starving me here. STARVING!

Traffic sucks in Cali. GOOD LUCK!