The Midwest is the best if... (Glendale, Burbank: low income, sales, rent)

[909er]

You don't have a household income of at the very least $125k in SoCal, but preferably $150k or higher. I say this because if you can afford to own a home close to your job in SoCal, and the schools are good, you got it made.

But if you don't make a whole lot, you can buy a home for $125k or less in the Midwest. Commutes are short, schools are generally above average for all income levels, unemployment rates are low, people are friendly, etc.

You're just not going to get that premium weather that we pay the weather tax for. And for some, that tax is awfully high. Quality of life in other states is much higher for lower incomes.

[theraven24]

I don't quite understand the point of this thread.

[jm1982]

True . These days the L.A metro area isn't practical if you want to own a home in a decent area.

The vast majority of people would be better off moving if they are looking for that .

I don't think they necessarily need to move just to the Midwest though . There are other areas that are still reasonable .

Most would rather live with a bunch of roommates or family or rent rather than own their own place somewhere else it seems .

I think a lot of it too is people don't really know what other places are like .
The concept of everything besides CA and the east coast being " flyover country "

Most people also aren't comfortable with change , especially if it means changing where they live.

I think that most people are optimistic too that their financial situation will change sometime in the future .

[genjy]

More opportunity in LA--now and the future. If you aren't making money in LA now, there's a good chance you won't be doing any better out in the Midwest.

LA-area housing prices and taxes are higher here because it's a desirable place to live (for many reasons). Even if you could buy a house for less than $125k in the Midwest, everything else in life is about the same price.

A decently equipped Toyota Camry would still be about $27k, $1.50 for a bottle of Pepsi, $350 for a XBOX One, etc. This is especially true with online shopping. You aren't getting a discount on Amazon.com just because you live in Indiana. Fortunately, we tend to make more money here in SoCal, so buying a $400 iPad doesn't hit us as hard.

[V8 Vega]

Taxes are not higher here because it's a desirable place to live, there higher because of stupid Democrats.

[909er]

If you aren't making money in LA now, there's a good chance you won't be doing any better out in the Midwest.*

LA- housing prices and taxes are higher here because it's a desirable place to live (for many reasons). Even if you could buy a house for less than $125k in the Midwest, everything else in life is about the same price.*

That is actually a very false statement. I have friends and family that own a home, nice car, and boat making $20/hr. Thats a household income around $80k. You cant do that in CA. Its also easier to find a job over there, and if you lose your job, you can go to a temp agency and get by on $10/hr temporarily. In CA, you can't do that. Lose your job, you can be in serious trouble quickly. Go to a temp service to get by, nobody speaks English at the temp jobs out here, and wouldn't make enough to get by anyway.

And the lower taxes, registration, gas, and no smogging makes that Camry cheaper to run in the Midwest.

[nightbird47]

Not just money, and income, which is certainly a very important part of the decision, but culture too.

I was raised in the valley in the 50's and 60's. People didn't rush. Generally they stayed home at night. Cooked at home. Took one vacation and generally were not in a rush to win the rat race. There are still a lot of us around, who are not interested in stuffing in every activity possible. We just don't get noticed.

When we got together my ex and I moved inland where there were fewer people, it was cheaper, and people were more relaxed. I moved from there in very large part because now everyone seems to be in a hurry somewhere.

When I came to visit friends in OK, I felt at home. Its the closest to the way it felt back when I was a kid in the valley that I've found. Yes, there are things I could do without, but its comfortable here. I'd have to go somewhere in the toolies of norcal to find it there, if its still like it was when we visited there. And housing is inexpensive so those who couldn't afford one can here.

We're not 'midwest' or 'south' but different and the same as both. But there's not that sense of trying to hurry to the next moment, and you can enjoy the scenery that way. It's still not my childhood home, but close enough.

When I was last in socal, and I'm a native for three generations, I did feel like a stranger in a strange land.

So its not just economics which make a place good for you, and sometimes those things are actually MORE important.

[znlwovuhrjw]

In the hypothetical field where you can do business from anywhere in the US and still make the same amount of money around $120,000 per year, and you typically do not care about weather. This is also based upon the idea that fuel is typically around $2.50 at the mid range:

After all is said and done from the taxes in California, you are paying about 30% of all money spent to state taxes prior to federal taxes. 9.25-10.25% sales tax + 9.3% state income tax + (~5% total tax from fuel (do the math!) + ~5% property tax (LA/Bay Area home assessments) ((~10% changes above $120,000 per year)). This number also increases significantly for people who receive dividend payments or rely heavily upon dividend income (The combined state+federal value is 33% in California, the highest in the United States). Water taxes are also coming soon, the new number will probably be more around 35% for all state tax.

In the "midwest" Arkansas for example: Most homes seem to have a 0% property tax? + gas prices give a relative -3% on the standard $2.50 mid-range price + 7% income tax + 6.5% sales tax = ~10.5-13.5% taxes per year.

Do note that if a significant increase in come occurred, you will never lose more than 7% in Arkansas.

In the northeast Maine for example: 2% property taxes + 7.95% income tax + 1% fuel + 5.5% sales tax (I'm not going to count heating oil/kerosene because air conditioning is not required to live in Maine, which equals out the cost) = 16.45%

Do note that if a significant increase in come occurred, you will never lose more than 7.95% in Maine.

Ultimately you will always save more money if you can just put up with humidity and winter in other states.

[jm1982]

Good point nightbird, I think it's good to keep an open mind. LA definitely isn't the place for someone if they are looking for a nonrushed laid back type of lifestyle . Although some parts can be slower than others . Burbank or Glendale for example are a much different scene than West Hollywood or Santa Monica for example.

I've never been to OK though so I'm sure things are entirely different there .

If I haven't been somewhere I try not to have preconceived notions of what it might be like .

I was born in LA , but I can't say I will always stay here . I think a lot of people have the attitude of "I'll never leave LA" but do they really know much about other places ?

With more people getting pushed into poverty because of housing costs you would think more people would be looking at alternatives .

I saw an article where a lady was protesting for a $15 minimum wage because she couldnt support her 6 kids on $9 An hour . She said if she made $15 she wouldn't need welfare and could support her family .. Seems like strange logic .

I think LA politically has turned off a lot of the middle class too by catering more and more to the poor or low income .

Having too many poor people and the rest mostly wealthy and rich doesn't make for a strong economy .

It's good to have some social programs for the poor to help them advance , but the poor that can't support themselves have overwhelmed the system , and city services are really lacking which translates into a lower quality of life for anyone considered " middle class" .

Of course you won't hear any discussion of this because it's not politically correct.

[seain dublin]

Originally Posted by 909er

You don't have a household income of at the very least $125k in SoCal, but preferably $150k or higher. I say this because if you can afford to own a home close to your job in SoCal, and the schools are good, you got it made.

But if you don't make a whole lot, you can buy a home for $125k or less in the Midwest. Commutes are short, schools are generally above average for all income levels, unemployment rates are low, people are friendly, etc.

You're just not going to get that premium weather that we pay the weather tax for. And for some, that tax is awfully high. Quality of life in other states is much higher for lower incomes.

It really depends on what you mean by quality of life. The Midwest is flat, has humid summers, and brutal winters. The poster on here who keeps bashing Southern CA (Nightbird) lives in Cushing, OK which was devastated by a tornado a few years back. It also stinks of crude oil. Have you been through that part of the country? It's flat, dusty, butt ugly, and has the smell of oil in the air. I have driven through the TX/OK oil country and all I could think was "this is the ugliest part of the nation I have ever seen"(and I have been through most of the country).

Ever hear the expression "when you go cheap, you get cheap"?

I guess if you consider quality of life a big house in an area that has no scenery, not much culture, hot humid summers, harsh winters so that you can have that bigger house vs. living in an area where you love the weather(most of time), have gorgeous scenery, lots to do in regards to entertainment and culture.

That's not to say there aren't great places to live in this country besides Southern CA, of course there are, but when you start basing everything on how much cheaper some places are you have to look at what they offer.

You go live someplace where you can get your McMansion for $150K, you better like that house, because you're going to be spending most of your time in it due to the weather, lack of things to do, lack of good paying jobs, etc.