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So I'm in essentially this situation and I concur that my salary does not completely adjust to an SV/Bay Area salary. But there are also 3 things that do not se

So I'm in essentially this situation and I concur that my salary does not completely adjust to an SV/Bay Area salary. But there are also 3 things that do not seem possible at once despite the extra money which keep me from pursuing opportunities in tech hubs: I'm ~5 minutes from biking/hiking/outdoors, ~10 minutes from work, and have a house with a shop/garage. So far as I can tell if I were to move to a tech hub I might be just shy of doubling my salary, but it wouldn't be possible to have the 3 things mentioned regardless unless I spent so much on housing that I'd have an effectively lower income, though I'd definitely make substantially more if I sacrificed them.

cookiecaper 10y ago
Yes. The thing to remember about these SV people is that they're mostly single people or working couples who are living in ridiculously tight spaces like these "microapartments". [0] They're forced out after having a kid or two. Almost anywhere else in the country, that $2200/mo will get you quite the spread; you can trade off between square footage, neighborhood, and commute time, but you're going to have very nice accommodations if you're willing to put that much money up. In SF, you're lucky if you can get a 1-bd for that, and LA is only slightly better. While the price of goods doesn't fluctuate as much, housing is a HUGE factor. If you want something functional for a family of 4 (or if you just like a lot of space), you are going to be paying at least $4000/mo in these tech hubs, or living 60 min+ away. Florida also has no income tax, v. California's rate between 7.5% and 13.3%. That is a big dent too. One other note. If you have the skills, look for remote work in companies that pay rates that are higher than you get paid in your local market. It's a great way to make the COL differential work even more in your favor. [0] http://sf.curbed.com/2016/3/30/11332920/rent-small-soma-micro-apartment http://sf.curbed.com/2016/3/30/11332920/rent-small-soma-micr...
- mahyarm 10y ago
  If they want a family they don't live right beside work in the middle of a busy and dirty city. They move out to the suburban south bay (which has more tech jobs) or east bay, have 30m-1hr commutes and are dual income families. TBH the harder part of the bay area and kids is actually finding an affordable place to live that have good schools.
  - wcummings 10y ago
    >TBH the harder part of the bay area and kids is actually finding an affordable place to live that have good schools. Translation: it's expensive to live where rich people live. "Good schools" is a flimsy proxy for wealthy, exclusive suburbs. Where I'm from, "good schools" is a nice way of saying "it's a white neighborhood". I would not feel good about letting "good schools" influence where I live, or buy a home.
    - jimmywanger 10y ago
      > Where I'm from, "good schools" is a nice way of saying "it's a white neighborhood" There is no need to inject race. Plus, in the bay area, many good schools are comprised of mostly minorities. Good schools in the bay area just mean good schools, as based on standardized testing methodology, class sizes, dollars per student, extracurricular activities available, and acceptance rates to selective colleges. You can definitely pay a lot of money to send your child to good private schools.
      - kasey_junk 10y ago
        "Good schools" has been code for non-integrated schools for a very long time in this country. It might be true it doesn't mean that in the Bay Area, it doesn't mean that in my specific neighborhood either, but pretending like the comment is "injecting" race into the discussion ignores American history.
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        cgag 10y ago
        Sounds more like good schools happen to be white schools in a lot of places. Doesn't seem like code to me.
        10y ago
- reality_czech 10y ago
  I have a lot of friends who live in Sillicon Valley and have kids. They don't live in "microapartments" (those aren't even legal to build, there are space minimums.) They mostly live in houses which they either bought or rent. If you have a job, you can pay for housing and everything else. I truly don't understand why anyone would live in Florida unless they were growing sugarcane. The climate is extremely hot and damp, and there is Zika according to the CDC. So what is good about Florida?
  - cookiecaper 10y ago
    For 5 months of the year, November-Mar, the weather in Florida is sublime. Highs in the 70s, lows in the upper 50s, and humidity in the 50-70% range. True, in the summer it becomes a hellscape, but 5 months of paradisiacal weather is better than most people get. ;) Florida has reasonably priced housing (for the most part), plenty of land, and with almost 20 million residents, there is tons of variety across the state; from most population centers, it's a relatively easy drive to more than enough to interest anyone, no matter what you're into (except maybe skiing). It's very scenic with palms swaying, beautiful sunsets and beaches, many lakes and an abundance of interesting wildlife. Florida also has no state income tax, strong homestead protections, pretty-OK gun laws, and otherwise mostly-sane state policies. Zika is a non-issue at this point and there are only a tiny handful of cases of local transmission. Florida is a large state and only the very tip of the peninsula was impacted by local transmission. However, it's always wise to avoid mosquito bites. There are lots of reasons to like Florida. :)
  - hkmurakami 10y ago
    For older folks, the weather is great compared to the northern states or countries (ex: Canada) that they originally come from. Lots of retirement communities that provide the social circle and activities they can engage in. No state income taxes is a bonus.
nostrademons 10y ago
You can get the ~5 minutes from biking/hiking/outdoors and ~10 minutes to work in Silicon Valley. I used to live in Mountain View and bike into my job at Google; it took 12 minutes. 5 minute walk and I was on the trail; 15 minute bike ride and I could be at the bayshore; 20 minute drive and I'd be in the mountains; hour drive and I'd be at the beach. I work from home now, but those numbers would be the same from my current place to any one of several hundred tech employers here. Forget about having a house with a shop/garage unless you're willing to spend a million and a half, though.
- llukas 10y ago
  C'mon. Which exactly "trail" you mean? Trails around bay are not exactly same as other outdoor trails. Closest "real" hiking trails start along Skyline Boulevard - there's plenty of them but it is not close.
  - nostrademons 10y ago
    Stevens Creek Trail for the one that's 5 minutes away. You're right, it's basically a green belt, but it's awfully handy for biking to work or just getting out. You can walk all the way down to the Bay, and then on to Palo Alto Baylands, for a close to 10-mile round trip. 20 minute driving time includes Rancho San Antonio, Stevens Creek County Park, Villa Montalvo, and Lexington Reservoir, all of which are perfectly adequate half-day hikes. Make it 30-40 and you also get the Los Trancos/Montebello/Russian Ridge area, Castle Rock, Almaden, Calero, Garin/Dry Creek, and Don Edwards.
    - hkmurakami 10y ago
      Don't forget Windy Hill, which has a trailhead that starts at flatground rather than up an additional 20 minute drive up Page Mill Road. :)
- deleted 10y ago
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- fapjacks 10y ago

cookiecaper 10y ago

Yes. The thing to remember about these SV people is that they're mostly single people or working couples who are living in ridiculously tight spaces like these "microapartments". [0] They're forced out after having a kid or two. Almost anywhere else in the country, that $2200/mo will get you quite the spread; you can trade off between square footage, neighborhood, and commute time, but you're going to have very nice accommodations if you're willing to put that much money up. In SF, you're lucky if you can get a 1-bd for that, and LA is only slightly better. While the price of goods doesn't fluctuate as much, housing is a HUGE factor. If you want something functional for a family of 4 (or if you just like a lot of space), you are going to be paying at least $4000/mo in these tech hubs, or living 60 min+ away. Florida also has no income tax, v. California's rate between 7.5% and 13.3%. That is a big dent too. One other note. If you have the skills, look for remote work in companies that pay rates that are higher than you get paid in your local market. It's a great way to make the COL differential work even more in your favor. [0] http://sf.curbed.com/2016/3/30/11332920/rent-small-soma-micro-apartment http://sf.curbed.com/2016/3/30/11332920/rent-small-soma-micr...

mahyarm 10y ago
If they want a family they don't live right beside work in the middle of a busy and dirty city. They move out to the suburban south bay (which has more tech jobs) or east bay, have 30m-1hr commutes and are dual income families. TBH the harder part of the bay area and kids is actually finding an affordable place to live that have good schools.
- wcummings 10y ago
  >TBH the harder part of the bay area and kids is actually finding an affordable place to live that have good schools. Translation: it's expensive to live where rich people live. "Good schools" is a flimsy proxy for wealthy, exclusive suburbs. Where I'm from, "good schools" is a nice way of saying "it's a white neighborhood". I would not feel good about letting "good schools" influence where I live, or buy a home.
  - jimmywanger 10y ago
    > Where I'm from, "good schools" is a nice way of saying "it's a white neighborhood" There is no need to inject race. Plus, in the bay area, many good schools are comprised of mostly minorities. Good schools in the bay area just mean good schools, as based on standardized testing methodology, class sizes, dollars per student, extracurricular activities available, and acceptance rates to selective colleges. You can definitely pay a lot of money to send your child to good private schools.
    - kasey_junk 10y ago
      "Good schools" has been code for non-integrated schools for a very long time in this country. It might be true it doesn't mean that in the Bay Area, it doesn't mean that in my specific neighborhood either, but pretending like the comment is "injecting" race into the discussion ignores American history.
      - deleted 10y ago
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      - deleted 10y ago
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      - cgag 10y ago
        Sounds more like good schools happen to be white schools in a lot of places. Doesn't seem like code to me.
      - 10y ago
reality_czech 10y ago
I have a lot of friends who live in Sillicon Valley and have kids. They don't live in "microapartments" (those aren't even legal to build, there are space minimums.) They mostly live in houses which they either bought or rent. If you have a job, you can pay for housing and everything else. I truly don't understand why anyone would live in Florida unless they were growing sugarcane. The climate is extremely hot and damp, and there is Zika according to the CDC. So what is good about Florida?
- cookiecaper 10y ago
  For 5 months of the year, November-Mar, the weather in Florida is sublime. Highs in the 70s, lows in the upper 50s, and humidity in the 50-70% range. True, in the summer it becomes a hellscape, but 5 months of paradisiacal weather is better than most people get. ;) Florida has reasonably priced housing (for the most part), plenty of land, and with almost 20 million residents, there is tons of variety across the state; from most population centers, it's a relatively easy drive to more than enough to interest anyone, no matter what you're into (except maybe skiing). It's very scenic with palms swaying, beautiful sunsets and beaches, many lakes and an abundance of interesting wildlife. Florida also has no state income tax, strong homestead protections, pretty-OK gun laws, and otherwise mostly-sane state policies. Zika is a non-issue at this point and there are only a tiny handful of cases of local transmission. Florida is a large state and only the very tip of the peninsula was impacted by local transmission. However, it's always wise to avoid mosquito bites. There are lots of reasons to like Florida. :)
- hkmurakami 10y ago
  For older folks, the weather is great compared to the northern states or countries (ex: Canada) that they originally come from. Lots of retirement communities that provide the social circle and activities they can engage in. No state income taxes is a bonus.

nostrademons 10y ago

You can get the ~5 minutes from biking/hiking/outdoors and ~10 minutes to work in Silicon Valley. I used to live in Mountain View and bike into my job at Google; it took 12 minutes. 5 minute walk and I was on the trail; 15 minute bike ride and I could be at the bayshore; 20 minute drive and I'd be in the mountains; hour drive and I'd be at the beach. I work from home now, but those numbers would be the same from my current place to any one of several hundred tech employers here. Forget about having a house with a shop/garage unless you're willing to spend a million and a half, though.

llukas 10y ago
C'mon. Which exactly "trail" you mean? Trails around bay are not exactly same as other outdoor trails. Closest "real" hiking trails start along Skyline Boulevard - there's plenty of them but it is not close.
- nostrademons 10y ago
  Stevens Creek Trail for the one that's 5 minutes away. You're right, it's basically a green belt, but it's awfully handy for biking to work or just getting out. You can walk all the way down to the Bay, and then on to Palo Alto Baylands, for a close to 10-mile round trip. 20 minute driving time includes Rancho San Antonio, Stevens Creek County Park, Villa Montalvo, and Lexington Reservoir, all of which are perfectly adequate half-day hikes. Make it 30-40 and you also get the Los Trancos/Montebello/Russian Ridge area, Castle Rock, Almaden, Calero, Garin/Dry Creek, and Don Edwards.
  - hkmurakami 10y ago
    Don't forget Windy Hill, which has a trailhead that starts at flatground rather than up an additional 20 minute drive up Page Mill Road. :)
deleted 10y ago
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fapjacks 10y ago