California or Florida????? (Los Angeles, San Diego, Redding: crime rates, college, wages)

[Winston Smith]

Originally Posted by marymarymary

Thank you all for your responses. NOw how about traffic? Anyone have any thoughts on traffic around major metropolitan cities in Florida as opposed to that in California? I know the traffic around Sacramento is very mild and I love that, but I can't stand traffic around LA and San Fran and I've heard it's just as bad all the way down the coast. In NY, I lived right near the ocean and I miss that. If I stayed in CA I'd want to live on the coast. Hows the traffic their compare to traffic around major FL cities? Thanks!

Better get used to traffic in CA -- population 34 Million. Imagine squeezing Canada's total population into an area the size of Sweden. There will be traffic.

That said, you don't have to rely solely on your car if you plan your living/working arrangements correctly. You don't need a car in San Francisco at all, and you can certainly find ways to get around Southern CA with out a car, at least part of the time.

[Jax]

I've lived in both recently. Some good comments above about the pros and cons to both places. Yes, traffic in CA can be horrible. If you live near your work there, shouldn't be a problem, though. Some big differences are, as previously mentioned...the humidity in FL, more bugs here, more progressive in CA if that's your thing, PLUS...more variety with climate (mountains, desert, ocean). All that to say, I had a dream of moving to CA and finally made it happen in 2000...we would probably still be there if it weren't for the cost of living, distance from family, and so on. Florida has wildlife and the ocean, too, though. Snorkeling, scuba diving, fishing, biking, surfing, etc. I've been warned about the horrid humidity I'll be encountering this summer. Sounds like you're used to that with NY, though. I know it's hard to make a big decision, like where to move. Maybe you could spend some time in FL for a vacation and see what you think? I will say that the people here in Jacksonville are pretty friendly overall...not sure about Tampa, etc.

[Jay Rock]

Originally Posted by Sassberto

Aside from the sunshine and vacation attraction CA vs FL is just apples and oranges.

California is a powerhouse economy with massive industrial, agricultural and service bases. California is also the most populous state in the country. California is home to at least 2 world-class cities (SF and LA), the technology hub of the world (Silicon Valley), the entertainment hub of the world, huge military presence in San Diego and the SF bay, a huge international port (Long Beach). California is a world-class, international center for business, commerce, and culture on par with the Eastern Seaboard.

Can you really say the same about Florida?

SO California has all that bull. What's it going to do for you. Does all the didley squatt you metions get you a great reasonably priced home where you and your family can be happy. NAAAAA!
Does it make you any more special. NAAAA!
So Madonna stays next door. Is she going to give you a cup of sugar. NAAA!
So why do you have to work twice as hard to have less than you would have in Florida working half as much as you do in California just to say. Well! Califonia has it all. One thing it doesn't have is any concern for those who are not somebody or trying to be somebody - Only I have come accross too many people here trying to be somebody for the past twenty years and they are still trying but my friends in Florida have in the mean time build good secure lives and now own great homes and businesses but those in California are still trying and most will try till the day they die. Shame - Pack your bags and head for Florida - The heat is nothing your body adjusts - the beaches are the best - homes are cheap - people are fantastic and life in Florida is something to be desired. BUT BUT BUT - BUT what do it and prove me wrong.

[Jay Rock]

Originally Posted by marymarymary

Anyone out there lived in both CA and FL recently or have any thoughts on the differences between the two? I am desperate for answers and this forum and it's participants seems pretty interesting. I've been agonizing for days on whether to stay in Sacramento (CA in general) or move to St. Petersburg / Tampa (FL in general) area. I moved to Sacramento from NYC last year for a lobbying job that now went away. The timing now is actually perfect for me to take the July bar exam and become a lawyer (hopefully) since lobbying wasn't as interesting or stable as I had hoped. Now I just need to decide if I will settle in Florida or California for most of the future. I DO NOT want to have to take the hellish bar exam more then once but you really need to take the exam in the state where you will be working. I need to make my decision NOW and here's what I've come up with:

CALIFORNIA:
No humidity and relatively nice winters depending on where you are (I don't dig cold)
More sunshine then FL
Way to high housing costs (I'd really rather own then rent)
Only 2 friends in San Fran and 1 in Sac and I'm finding it hard to connect to people and have no family in the area (I think I'm a bit NY abbrasive for these nice folks over here)

FLORIDA:
Big cities like Tampa have higher rents then Sac and on par with LA
Much lower housing costs to buy and property taxes seem similar to CA
Oppresive humidity in summer but beautiful winters (I'm kinda used to bad summers from NYC)
Less sun then in CA
A little bit of family in area and a cousin who's already offered to set me up with a guy (lol ) and I haven't met anyone in Sac since I've been here
Bigger Jewish population (Which I am, although I'm not AT ALL religious but really relate culturally )

FINALY, My last concern is with the job market. I would like to do Wills, Trusts, Estates law but I figure that both states are full of older folks and rich folks in general so I think the job market should be pretty much the same.

SO, ANY THOUGHTS ANYONE???????????

California is a powerhouse economy with massive industrial, agricultural and service bases. California is also the most populous state in the country. California is home to at least 2 world-class cities (SF and LA), the technology hub of the world (Silicon Valley), the entertainment hub of the world, huge military presence in San Diego and the SF bay, a huge international port (Long Beach). California is a world-class, international center for business, commerce, and culture on par with the Eastern Seaboard.

Can you really say the same about Florida?

SO California has all that bull. What's it going to do for you. Does all the didley squatt you metions get you a great reasonably priced home where you and your family can be happy. NAAAAA!
Does it make you any more special. NAAAA!
So Madonna stays next door. Is she going to give you a cup of sugar. NAAA!
So why do you have to work twice as hard to have less than you would have in Florida working half as much as you do in California just to say. Well! Califonia has it all. One thing it doesn't have is any concern for those who are not somebody or trying to be somebody - Only I have come accross too many people here trying to be somebody for the past twenty years and they are still trying but my friends in Florida have in the mean time build good secure lives and now own great homes and businesses but those in California are still trying and most will try till the day they die. Shame - Pack your bags and head for Florida - The heat is nothing your body adjusts - the beaches are the best - homes are cheap - people are fantastic and life in Florida is something to be desired. BUT BUT BUT - BUT what do it and prove me wrong.

[INeedAChange]

I agree personally--Fla is superior to California.

Originally Posted by Jay Rock

SO California has all that bull. What's it going to do for you. Does all the didley squatt you metions get you a great reasonably priced home where you and your family can be happy. NAAAAA!
Does it make you any more special. NAAAA!
So Madonna stays next door. Is she going to give you a cup of sugar. NAAA!
So why do you have to work twice as hard to have less than you would have in Florida working half as much as you do in California just to say. Well! Califonia has it all. One thing it doesn't have is any concern for those who are not somebody or trying to be somebody - Only I have come accross too many people here trying to be somebody for the past twenty years and they are still trying but my friends in Florida have in the mean time build good secure lives and now own great homes and businesses but those in California are still trying and most will try till the day they die. Shame - Pack your bags and head for Florida - The heat is nothing your body adjusts - the beaches are the best - homes are cheap - people are fantastic and life in Florida is something to be desired. BUT BUT BUT - BUT what do it and prove me wrong.

[c00kies]

California is wayyyyyyy better than Florida. The only good thing about Florida is that you don't have to be super rich to be living next to the ocean or a marina. I can't stand the Florida's weather.

[thepinksquid]

I've lived in Florida most my life (Fort Myers area and, currently, Orlando) and I'm planning on moving to California (San Diego area) when I can. Florida's just....different.

[Jpeterman22]

Not sure where you heard this. St Petersburg, FL is known as the sunshine city averaging over 361 days of sunshine per year. Believe me, after the incredibly beautiful winter season here you'll be really looking forward to a nice cloudy/rainy Summer day. Do a Google search on "St Petersburg sunshine city. "

End of July, August and part of September have miserable, sub Saharan Africa like heat and humidity, so plan on taking a nice long vacation out of state at this time.

Now, with regards to the comparison of these two states. West Florida is sort of backwater and lacks much culture or sophistication unless you like senior 55+ activities and or wings and beer, Harleys, Nascar, Scientology, and or Bucs football. The good news is this is slowly changing but not fast enough IMO. Miami and the east coast is a lot better as far as cultur/food/dining/shopping goes.

Jobs..Florida is a low salary state.."because the cost of living is so low" which is the common refrain you hear when you complain to your non Florida friends and family about your salary. Keep in mind that cost of living in Florida is as much or more (sometimes a lot more i.e. insurance) than the rest of the country but probably much less than Cali. You might decide to trade in your upright, dignified law practice and become a ambulance chasing attorney as they have a ton of them here and that seems to be the way to make $$ here as an attorney. That was a joke btw.. Good luck.

[prim2007]

I'm originally from Florida and have lived and worked in most of the major cities there. When it comes to traffic, there is no doubt that L.A is worse than any major city in Florida although you should watch out for all of those tourist drivers in Orlando, bad drivers still supercede congested traffic in my book. I'd say cities with the worse traffic in Florida would be Miami, Orlando and Jacksonville. Tampa is a very easy commute city. As far as the other items, I believe it's a personal choice that will be influenced by all the things mentioned in the other posts plus some.

[mossomo]

Florida, I got this to say:

Miami has industry and infrastrature. No doubht, there's some jobs there. On par, a medium size US city. Great beaches. The water is so warm. Sharks teeth all over the beaches. They dont have an open container law. The clubs have swimming pools while people walk around bare foot and other stumbling drunks walk around with glass bottles. Its the home of plastic beautiful, a mecca of sorts of the augmented and born 10's. Very gorgeous scenery. Outside of LA, one of the most habla espanol locations. And because of this, I admit a bias against the city as it was the first time in America where I was lost for two hours and encountered a huge language/assimilation problem. I was in the spanish part of town/maybe spanish suburbs and no one could help me; no one spoke english, at least no one spoke english to me. Seriously, after two hours literally I finally see a cop, I pull a U-Turn on a two way and chase him down, on his rear bumber flashing my lights. Cop was spooked but so was I, thought I was in Mexico except the roads were better than Mexico. He gave me directions. I liked Miami up until that; had to write Miami out. Interesting fact, I saw many-many Japanesse tourists taking pictures of the steps Versace was murdered on.

Tampa. An interesting place. A suburban type city that revolves around the hospitality, tourist, and service industries. Basically, all other industries have work because of those industries. Definitely a city but I'm not used to urban dwellings with yards. The palms trees and the fauna is beautiful. Balmy for sure, like most of FL. I particulary loved kicking it at Hyde Park Cafe; a really awesome bar with drop-dead gorgeous women. It is an outdoor affair as the weather is simply fabulous. And, they have one of the best US remixers/producers/djs/electro bands on residency, DJ Bunny and his Rabbit in the Moon crew.

Fort Lauderdale. Lots of intercontinentals here. A mariner, sea culture exists here. This is the spot to travel to the Bahamas on the cheap. But really, the city is a a millionaires playground. The money you see spent is sick. Gots to have loot to enjoy this spot. There are yatchs, canals and rich people every where. One of the hugest houses along the canals belonged to a plastic surgeon. Use your power of deduction for that one. You will feel poor here unless you've got money bags. Trust fund kids, the famous, and the wealthy - enjoy & god bless.

Key West. The keys are everything ocean. Scuba, coral wreaths, pods of dolphins, sea cows, sailing, parasailing, fishing... no surfing tho. But it is still one of a kind. You can catch the sunrise and a sun set. A true paradise with one of a kind fauna. It's kinda crazy, you would think the portuguese had a colony there as Key West for some strange reason have free-range roosters roaming the island. You'll be driving down Duval Street and a rooster jumps in front of your car and stands there clucking at you while standing still in the middle of the road while you stare from your car. But the city has little infrastructure. It's all based around tourist, hospitality, service, and the sea activities. Little else. Square footage is expensive. Oh, a gay mecca; homophobes do not disturb.

Jacksonville. I drove through the town... some like Fred Durst may call it a city but I hit the Atlantic Coast before realizing I missed the city proper.

Daytona: Bike week and NASCAR. If thats your thing... and I like Harleys, motorcycles and fast cars; however, I won't say more.

Florida is rural south, expect tons of country music radio stations. There are tons of retirees down there, especially ex-NYC jews. I love jewish women btw. But the state revolves around tourists, hospitality and the service industries. Citrus farming is huge. Square footage is basically cheap. There are huge college towns, college football is king and with that it brings huge populations of loud, college kids. The Ohio Valley, Tennesse Valley and Kentucky Valley peoples all make their pilgrimages to FL. And not to mention most kids along the Eastern Seaboard make the trip down south to enjoy the perfect Florida Beaches. And plus, it's cheap to hop over to Grand Bahama or any of the other Bahama Islands. So expect 95 during the spring and summer to be a congested like a loose women's fallopian tubes. I have to say tho, the winters are nice and warm down there... In Florida, not the fallopian tubes.

California, I have this to say:

California built up and developed their coast. For defensive purposes, colonial America, aka the East Coast/Eastern Seaboard built and developed their cities inland at defensive points along river sheds and inland bays. California has basically the same demographics that you'd see and expect between NYC and DC; the clincher is CA built up along the coast.

Florida is a vacation/retirement/college spot. NYC to DC there are plenty of jobs in all industries. San Fran to San Diego there are plenty of jobs in all industriess. Florida is a whole different flavor.

Hope this helps.