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California is the third highest cost of living state: https://worldpopulationreview.com/state-rankings/most-expensive-states-to-live-in https://worldpopulation

California is the third highest cost of living state: https://worldpopulationreview.com/state-rankings/most-expensive-states-to-live-in https://worldpopulationreview.com/state-rankings/most-expens... Everyone knows that California is not just LA and SF. But also Florida isn't just Tampa/Miami and Arizona isn't just Phoenix. The big cities in CA are more expensive than the big cities in other states. The rural areas in CA are more expensive than the rural areas in other states. Pointing out that the rural areas in CA are cheaper than the cities in other states is not compelling. And for the record, Hawaii is seeing net out-migration too. At least its excuse for low cost of living is the fact that its an island that has to ship everything in.

strikhedonia 5y ago
Your link doesn’t support your argument. California’s COL index will be dominated by the fact that it’s one of the nations most urban states, with two of the largest and wealthiest metro areas. Indeed, my experience is that there are parts of CA that aren’t significantly more expensive than my Midwestern home state.
- handmodel 5y ago
  I'm not trying to be that annoying - but are you sure the cheap parts of CA are comparable to the cheap parts of your state? The cheapest parts of CA are probably going to be as expensive as right outside a Cleveland or Pittsburgh.
  - unishark 5y ago
    Certainly if one's goal is to live somewhere cheap while remotely-working at a high-paying tech company, you'd pay the highest state income taxes in California at the top bracket. If we're just talking about random middle class (and below) people ability to retire in the same house they've lived in for decades, a few other states may be worse at the moment, e.g. NJ and CT and perhaps others raising property taxes fast. But the days of prop 13 protecting Californians from this same fate may not last forever.

strikhedonia 5y ago

Your link doesn’t support your argument. California’s COL index will be dominated by the fact that it’s one of the nations most urban states, with two of the largest and wealthiest metro areas. Indeed, my experience is that there are parts of CA that aren’t significantly more expensive than my Midwestern home state.

handmodel 5y ago
I'm not trying to be that annoying - but are you sure the cheap parts of CA are comparable to the cheap parts of your state? The cheapest parts of CA are probably going to be as expensive as right outside a Cleveland or Pittsburgh.
- unishark 5y ago
  Certainly if one's goal is to live somewhere cheap while remotely-working at a high-paying tech company, you'd pay the highest state income taxes in California at the top bracket. If we're just talking about random middle class (and below) people ability to retire in the same house they've lived in for decades, a few other states may be worse at the moment, e.g. NJ and CT and perhaps others raising property taxes fast. But the days of prop 13 protecting Californians from this same fate may not last forever.