Did you leave L.A. for a better life? Is it? Did you come back? (Riverside: employment, income)

[69Charger]

This seems to be the hottest topic in this city. Admittedly, I've considered it, but you have to weigh a lot of options.

Myself, it all boils down to income. I think income flat-out defines and dictates the lifestyle you will have living here. It's the difference between enjoying yourself and being a slave. It is perhaps the difference between a long commute and a short commute.

That may not be the end-all-be-all, but I just can't see why it would be worth living here to drive from Torrance to Riverside daily. Yes there are a ton of great amenities here, but if you can't enjoy them for one reason or another, why be here?

I've personally had Phoenix on my list, but I've been blessed with good employment so far. If that were to change, then I dunno.

For those of you that left, was it worth it? Where did you go? Are you still there? Has anyone left and came back?

[Nerdlord]

I went to the Midwest for 8 years. It sucks.

I came back as soon as I could.

[Mr_Geek]

Commuting from Torrance to Riverside would make this area much less desirable. If you can fix the commute you'd be happier.

[ryanms3030]

I moved to DC for a year and came back. I'm not a socal native but I work in tv/film so I just have more earning potential here. If I could make equivalent in CO or northwest I'd probably leave tomorrow

[LAmom98]

Originally Posted by Nerdlord

I went to the Midwest for 8 years. It sucks.

I came back as soon as I could.

Where in the Midwest and why specifically did you leave?

[West of Encino]

Not yet.

[nightlysparrow]

Not me, but in my inner circle of family/friends: Texas, Boise, Michigan, Las Vegas, Chicago, Seattle, Wisconsin, and Missouri, and they each moved back. Main complaints: bad weather, economies and politics.

[Nerdlord]

Originally Posted by LAmom98

Where in the Midwest and why specifically did you leave?

I lived in Missouri and Wisconsin for 4 years each. Why did I leave LA or why did I leave the midwest?

[69Charger]

Commuting from Torrance to Riverside would make this area much less desirable. If you can fix the commute you'd be happier.

I don't do that, it was just an example of something I see a lot of

[Mike121]

I grew up in SoCal, and I left and came back a couple of times. I think I'm staying this time.

What I missed when I left LA:
- weather, food, friends, stores open late
- I missed our level of semi-friendliness: not creepy nice, not angry at all strangers
- While not everyone is a model or whatever, people here aren't generally that obese.
- And I missed that, out here, there is a general attitude that people do their job. If you have a job to do, you generally get it done. Not that every employee or store is stellar or amazing of whatever, but, few people are complete slackers.


What sucks about LA that I didn't realize until I left:
- traffic
- the cost of housing
- a lack of decent parks and city squares
- a sort of lack of skill or an inability to just sit down and chat over coffee or a beer
- a real ignorance over what life is like in the rest of the country
- a city economy and a city government that doesn't help the little guy and the small businessman