As others said, take a long weekend and fly to places you're curious about. You'll see a lot of the cities are the same as ones here in CA. Some as lively, some

As others said, take a long weekend and fly to places you're curious about. You'll see a lot of the cities are the same as ones here in CA. Some as lively, some as sleepy. It depends on what's right for you. Also, by moving to a state that leans more conservatively or is a mixed back, you as a concerned liberal actually have a better chance of standing as a bulwark against more conservative policies since your votes actually matter more. A lot of those states get people because of what you mentioned - the high cost of living here. When you're a parent, your needs change, so a lot of young couples I know who can't compete in the housing market or daycare costs here (LA) have been looking elsewhere. In terms of job prospects, you're unlikely to find yourself in the reddest of red areas, which are mainly rural. You might be a slightly more limited depending on what you do but as long as you have a skill in need, you can probably find a job. There are some major, major US companies in 'unlikely' places. Here's a geographic showing of the Fortune 500: https://www.geolounge.com/fortune-500-list-by-state-for-2015/ https://www.geolounge.com/fortune-500-list-by-state-for-2015... Maybe that's a good place to start in terms of looking at states with something to offer.