AZ to CA move...is it wise? (Sacramento, San Bernardino: 2015, crime)

[PinkSnowflake]

Hey,

My husband and I are currently living in the Phoenix Metro Area. I am originally from SoCal and he is from Germany. We lived up in the San Bernardino mountains for about 5 years and have been in AZ for one year now. One...miserable...hot...year. Why oh why did we think we could handle this heat. Anyway, we have been thinking about transferring jobs and moving back to Cali, among other options. Ive never been up north and really cant just take a trip up there to get a feel for the way things really are. So I'm counting on you guys to give me the honest assessment here. BTW, I have looked at stats and other sites for analytical data like cost of living, crime and weather but I feel like its the quality of life that matters and you can't find that data anywhere but here. Plus, maybe it's just me, but those numbers seem not exactly accurate.

We are studying computer programming online. No kids (so school districts dont matter to us), dont do the bar/club scene, and mainly just want to be in a nice, safe, quiet area that we can afford while finishing our educations and enjoy nature before out careers take us elsewhere.

So here are the questions. Is it worth the move? Can we find entry level jobs relatively easily until we can get jobs in programming? Is it safe? Is it affordable?

[NoMoreSnowForMe]

I understand needing to move from an area that is too hot. I moved to Redding, CA for a year and had to get out of there. Temps of 100+ for up to 6 months, and no cool down at night. Sacramento can be hot, too, but it normally does cool down at night.

I'm happy to live at the coast now. I live near the OR border and it's mild year-round. I love it. It's nothing like Southern CA, though.

I don't know about jobs. But, affordable places where you can get out of the heat in CA where there are also lots of good tech jobs - are hard to find. Supply and demand.

If you just want to start by looking at areas that are cooler and less expensive than the SF Bay Area, then Sacramento would be a good place to look. You should know, that nearly everywhere in the Central Valley in CA is really hot and does not cool down much at night. The Sacramento area is an exception due to the Delta breeze that comes up from the SF Bay.

I love where I live, but there aren't many jobs up here on the coast. You could check out Eureka, but there's probably a lot of competition there, too.

You haven't shared what type of work you do now, so nobody can advise you on whether or not you'd find work in your current professions. That would be helpful. Perhaps you could find work doing what you do now in a smaller, more affordable town on the coast, finish your educations, and then look at moving for your programmer jobs later.

[OutdoorsyGal]

Originally Posted by PinkSnowflake

Hey,

My husband and I are currently living in the Phoenix Metro Area. I am originally from SoCal and he is from Germany. We lived up in the San Bernardino mountains for about 5 years and have been in AZ for one year now. One...miserable...hot...year. Why oh why did we think we could handle this heat. Anyway, we have been thinking about transferring jobs and moving back to Cali, among other options. Ive never been up north and really cant just take a trip up there to get a feel for the way things really are. So I'm counting on you guys to give me the honest assessment here. BTW, I have looked at stats and other sites for analytical data like cost of living, crime and weather but I feel like its the quality of life that matters and you can't find that data anywhere but here. Plus, maybe it's just me, but those numbers seem not exactly accurate.

We are studying computer programming online. No kids (so school districts dont matter to us), dont do the bar/club scene, and mainly just want to be in a nice, safe, quiet area that we can afford while finishing our educations and enjoy nature before out careers take us elsewhere.

So here are the questions. Is it worth the move? Can we find entry level jobs relatively easily until we can get jobs in programming? Is it safe? Is it affordable?

Overall in the Northern California area, much of it has very bad air.I would ensure the air quality is REALLY GOOD by comparing numbers to various cities. Ours is brown much of the time, even on days they say it is safe. Which obviously, they are lying.

[cornsnicker3]

Originally Posted by PinkSnowflake

Hey,

My husband and I are currently living in the Phoenix Metro Area. I am originally from SoCal and he is from Germany. We lived up in the San Bernardino mountains for about 5 years and have been in AZ for one year now. One...miserable...hot...year. Why oh why did we think we could handle this heat. Anyway, we have been thinking about transferring jobs and moving back to Cali, among other options. Ive never been up north and really cant just take a trip up there to get a feel for the way things really are. So I'm counting on you guys to give me the honest assessment here. BTW, I have looked at stats and other sites for analytical data like cost of living, crime and weather but I feel like its the quality of life that matters and you can't find that data anywhere but here. Plus, maybe it's just me, but those numbers seem not exactly accurate.

We are studying computer programming online. No kids (so school districts dont matter to us), dont do the bar/club scene, and mainly just want to be in a nice, safe, quiet area that we can afford while finishing our educations and enjoy nature before out careers take us elsewhere.

So here are the questions. Is it worth the move? Can we find entry level jobs relatively easily until we can get jobs in programming? Is it safe? Is it affordable?

Is there a specific reason it needs to be California? You didn't specify any opposition to any particular weather besides extreme heat. Outside of the great weather areas of the state, most of the rest of the state can be replicated other places of the US without the tax burden or red tape of California's monstrous government.

[SageCats]

Move someplace that you both like. If you lived in San Bernardino before and you liked it, move back if you get a chance. There's nothing worse than being stuck in a place you don't like. 1 year is enough time to gauge whether you like a place or not.
As for safe and affordable? That is all relative. What are your budgets? What do you call safe vs unsafe?

[Chimérique]

I love living in Sacramento. Easily the best balanced quality of life in California. Much less crowded than SD, LA, Bay Area. Income adjusted for housing puts Sac clearly above anywhere in SoCal. Air quality is much better than LA/San Berdo.

May 2015 - Start of the warm season.

High Temps: Sacramento

70's - 22 days
80's - 7 days
90's - 1 day (actual temp 92F) - feels like temp was below 89F

Low Temps (mornings and nights) : Sacramento

All 31 days in the LOW to mid 50's. - Sacramento Mornings are very comfortable in the warm season, unlike Phoenix.

All Good air days in Sacramento.

[Chimérique]

August 2015:
Number of Days of 100F +

Sacramento: 5 days

Las Vegas: 26 days

Phoenix: 30 days

[seain dublin]

Originally Posted by cornsnicker3

Is there a specific reason it needs to be California? You didn't specify any opposition to any particular weather besides extreme heat. Outside of the great weather areas of the state, most of the rest of the state can be replicated other places of the US without the tax burden or red tape of California's monstrous government.

That's reason enough. Living someplace where you have to go from the A/C house to the A/C car to the A/C store and avoiding being outsider for many, many months is no way to live.

[cornsnicker3]

Originally Posted by seain dublin

That's reason enough. Living someplace where you have to go from the A/C house to the A/C car to the A/C store and avoiding being outsider for many, many months is no way to live.

I don't disagree. Until the OP specifically states a particular weather choice, we remain unknowing. For all we know, they may love the snow. We know they hate the extreme heat is all.There are plenty of areas around the US that are excellent and safe places to live that aren't in California. The OP has stated that they are interested in nature. Colorado, Utah, Washington, etc all come to mind before Sacramento.

[TwinbrookNine]

First off, look at the difference in taxes. Income + property. Property tax in Cali is OK, but income tax is killer. I'd never be a CA resident for that reason alone. Northern CA is very nice!