What do I need to know about Relocating to California??? (elementary school, minimum wage)

[Amanning007]

I am a single mother of one. I currently live in CT, and despise the snow. I am looking for an area that has decent industry, warm weather yearly with dry to nil humidity.

Also, any information that anyone can provide on the sitting for the CPA exam in CA or Accounting firms, preferable small ones would be great. I am trying to make this as painful as possible and know next to nothing about life in California.

I am looking for information about elementary school systems, private and public. I am also looking for data about Housing markets, inflation, and the relative Cost of Living. CT is expensive, but we have a fairly decent Housing Market.

Anywhere anyone can point me, I appreciate it thanks.

[1200RT]

Lots of stuff going on here .....

1) we REALLY need to know what your budget looks like. The cost of living differs greatly depending on the area of CA. The less deseriable areas will likely still seem expensive to you.

2) CA is also a huge state, many many many times bigger than CT. We need to narrow down the geographic area you're interested in. Consider someone asking you where the best place to live is, anywhere between Boston and DC.

3) CA *does* have good industry - depending on the industry - aviation and tech is still pretty good here - everything else is heading outside the state or even country, due to obnoxious regulations in CA.

[Snort]

If you want little humidity, that takes away the option of living near the coast.
How about Silicon Valley? A bit less fog rolling in there and the weather is nice year round.
Check:schoolperformancemaps.com/ca/ for schools in CA.
No idea about CPA stuff. Why do you want things as painful as possible?

[Bulldogdad]

Do you have a job lined up already? If not stay in CT.

You really need to provide more specifics on your budget.

[RCCCB]

Originally Posted by Amanning007

I am a single mother of one. I currently live in CT, and despise the snow. I am looking for an area that has decent industry, warm weather yearly with dry to nil humidity.

Also, any information that anyone can provide on the sitting for the CPA exam in CA or Accounting firms, preferable small ones would be great. I am trying to make this as painful as possible and know next to nothing about life in California.

I am looking for information about elementary school systems, private and public. I am also looking for data about Housing markets, inflation, and the relative Cost of Living. CT is expensive, but we have a fairly decent Housing Market.

Anywhere anyone can point me, I appreciate it thanks.

If you make money where you are, think through this move.

Right now we have CPA graduates from USC who are being told to come back looking for a job in 2 years. If that is the case for a favored USC graduated student, what is the situation here for single you and your child?

Granted if all goes to hell for you after you get here we have a great welfare state for a year or so longer.
If you have family to live with and don't mind a minimum wage job till you get a crack at what you want, maybe you can make it here.