Is Everybody Moving to California?

U.S.A. California

Published

Just an observation but, it seems like there's a flood of posts lately from people inquiring about moving here.

Not too long ago the local news seemed to be filled with stories about people supposedly moving away because of the high cost of living, traffic etc. I guess that in reality, it doesn't always seem to be the case ... at least with RN's.

So what's up posters? What made you decide to check out and/or move to Cali?

:typing

Specializes in Public Health, DEI.
I never dream of moving to California, that state is too much like Sodom and Gomoah for me. Also with earthquake possibilities, not me.

So, tell us, do you ever dream of moving to California?

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Specializes in NICU, High-Risk L&D, IBCLC.

Yeah, I totally didn't mean to turn this into a California bashing either. Just pointing out the differences.....trust me when I say that there are PLENTY of people who say they'd never live anywhere in the midwest. I can respect that. There are good/bad points about everywhere. I lived in California for about five years before leaving to attend nursing school in St. Louis (wait lists were too long, got into my current BSN program right away) and I really enjoyed it there. I look forward to coming back there to start my career after graduation! But I'll miss St. Louis too!

I'm sorry if I offended anyone. I'm not a California hater by any means.

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seriously cali is beautiful and great weather with lots to do, my problem is that most of the places i would want to live are to expensive for me. (At least to expensive for me to live in the manner to which I have become accustomed...) We have family down in the Sac/folsom area, I like it there but again not enough to pay what they are paying to live in a decent area. I do love to visit though. Love finding new fun spots to vacation I saw a little town called Paradise, Ca on findmyspot.com and it looked so pretty and tranquil that we miht have to go check it out next summer. Those of you who are doing well and living well in California, more power to you. You found the dream. Try not to take offense to those who are a bit skeptical. If all you hear is how expensive and crowded the popular areas of California are, and you visit and most of what you see with your own eyes or read in real estate magazines are >500,000 dollar homes....well it easy to get the impression that most people in California don't have a 1200 dollar/month mortgage. Doesn't sound like the norm...

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So, tell us, do you ever dream of moving to California?

:lol2:

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Im 23 - just married - taking my first travel assignment and moving from upstate NY to San Diego,(This sunday :) ) for your exact reasons!! Need to experience a different life style!!

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People keep saying how expensive and crowded California is, but every place has both bad AND good qualities and California is no exception. If things were really so bad there then why aren't more people leaving? I am one of those who will soon be moving to the Bay Area for a travel assignment.

True, south Florida isn't anywhere near as crowded as, say, LA but its getting there fast. Every year, more and more people are moving here from other parts of the country in search of beach, sun, and fun. Well, we do have plenty of beach, sun, and fun here but we also have cheap pay, high COL, terrible patient ratios, the fact that nurses here are treated with very little respect, overcrowded schools, nightmare traffic, hurricanes, outrageous cost of housing, etc. Still, none of these things stop people from moving here, and some people even like it.

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
We are researching certain areas of Dallas/Ft. worth and suburbs like Plano,Texas, and the Raleigh/Chapel hill area of NC.
After 24 years of living in California I moved to Dallas/Fort Worth last year. I love living in Texas, but the property taxes are astronomical. I live in a 1,900 square foot home that was built in 2004 and paid $104,000 for it in late 2005. However, my property taxes are $3,700 yearly. Thank goodness my house is completely paid for and I don't have a mortgage to worry about. My friend lives in an older house, built in 1983, and she pays $3,100 yearly in property taxes.

There are no state income taxes in Texas.

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Specializes in PACU.

So. California is nice if you are established here....it's just hard to start a life here. People find ways to do it every day though... The ratios are a plus.

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Specializes in NICU.

Cali wasn't even on our list of states where we would like to live. We moved here 19 years ago with my hb's job, and it's been good for us. We lived in Ventura County for several years (50 miles from downtown LA), then moved up to the Central Valley. We have enjoyed reasonable pay, houses to rent or buy are cheaper than down south in the LA area. I think the average cost of a house is around $250,000, and you can rent a three bedroom for less than $1,000. Driving is much easier when you don't have to get stuck in 6 lanes of traffic. My pay is pretty good, and usually I can get overtime if I'm interested. New grads here are paid more than at some LA hospitals.

I appreciate California Disability, that gives you a paycheck from the state if you have extended illness or surgery. Right now I'm off on FMLA, with paid family leave for 6 weeks a year. That's used to care for a sick family menber or to bond with a new child. My hb just had surgery, so I'm home with him.

Thinking that you know all about California when you have only seen LA or SF is like going to London and thinking you have seen England! This is a beautiful state with fantastic scenery, and wonderful people with an amazing mix of ethnic backgrounds. Yes, we do have earthquakes and fires. If El Nino comes back this year, we may have heavy rain and flooding. Snow is only a problem in the mountains, and we have excellent skiing. We don't usually get tremendous tornadoes, and we don't have hurricanes. I don't like the hot weather we have every summer, but the rest of the year is good. I'm looking forward to the rain, we last saw that in May.

If you are thinking about moving to CA, look at the rest of the state. Redding is in the north is up near Lake Shasta, overlooked by Mt. Shasta and Mt. Lassen. You can waterski in summer, and then do some downhill or cross country skiing in the winter. Sacramento is only a couple of hours from Lake Tahoe, and even South Lake Tahoe has a hospital. So does Mammoth Lakes, it used to have 15 beds, I'm sure it's grown since then. California Ratios does make a difference to staffing. I can't imagine what patient loads some of you have. Yes I can, I know what we used to do when I first worked in a hospital.

So look around, just don't imagine all of California is the same as the stories you see on TV or in the movies.

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
We lived in Ventura County for several years (50 miles from downtown LA), then moved up to the Central Valley. We have enjoyed reasonable pay, houses to rent or buy are cheaper than down south in the LA area. I think the average cost of a house is around $250,000, and you can rent a three bedroom for less than $1,000.
I lived in Ventura County for 22 years, more specifically the city of Oxnard. I then moved from Oxnard to the southern tip of the Central Valley (Bakersfield) three years ago and bought my first home there for $145,000. A decent house in a safer Bakersfield neighborhood now costs $300,000 due to the rapid home price appreciation that has occurred over the past three years.
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I have to agree with Mimi- the great thing about california is the diversity- not only culturally but geographically. We have the ocean, the desert, valleys, mountains- ocean ranges and the sierra nevada- and other smaller inland mountain ranges , too. It is like another country. I live in the LA area- and although I'm not wild about it here- I love northern California and am looking forward to making that transition one day.

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Specializes in O.R., ED, M/S.

I lived in SoCal for over 35 years until about 10 years ago I decided to get out of the over crowded Inland Empire and moved to NorCal. I live in the Sierras east of Sac-Stockton in a small town of 760 people! My house sits up on a mtn top overlooking a view of the valley. I got lucky and bought when prices were down and have benefited in the housing appreciation. The difference between SoCal and NorCal is like night and day. Once you get past Bakersfield you feel the tension leave your neck. I still work, though, in SoCal at the same hospital I have been at for 30 years. I haven't found anything up here that peaks my interest. I come home every other weekend for 5 days and it works out just fine. I love to drive so the distnce doesn't really bother me, once in a while though!It is hard for people to come here and start over especially with the high real estate but it can be done. California has many, many things to offer. I did once think about moving to Texas because housing was so cheap, but then found out about the hidden secret, HIGH TAXES! I guess I won't complain about my $1600 a year in taxes.

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