Relocation advice, northwest coast area?? (Redding, Eureka: insurance, home, job market)

[olddaddy]

My small family is considering relocating to northwest California, around Eureka/Arcata or anyplace north of Ft Bragg and west of Redding. We would like to correspond with others who have lived there or live there now. We have two to three years to form our plan and make our move. We would like to use that time to educate ourselves and visit at least once to the area we would most likely end up settling in.

We currently live in central Florida, near Orlando. We find ourselves less and less happy with our area. The growth is uncontolled and ugly, and brings little benefit, but much loss. The weather is beyond miserable with heat being the only season for 9-10 months a year. Hurricanes and the cost of insurance against them is making us poorer year by year. Schools in our area are mostly failing. Living costs probably rival California, with none of the benefits.

We are a middle aged couple with a 4 yr old daughter. Our goal is a nice small town, possibly a rural area to raise her up through the years. I have lived in SF bay area of California in the past. My wife and I have visited twice together in the past few years, mosly the wine country and northern part of the state.

We want to hear about where you live, why you chose to live there, and why you would stay there or leave. Pros and cons really, the good and not so good. What is the quality of life like? What drives you crazy, if anything? Job market, home prices, land prices, schools, community, etc.

There are many challenges for us to relocate so far and you could help us meet them with your insight and info. Thanks in advance.

Charlie, Kirsten, and Kinsey.