SF Bay versus SoCal (Unemployment, Economy, Job Outlook) (San Diego, Orange: rentals, neighborhoods) - City-Data Forum

Swollen New Yorker · 08-12-2010, 08:43 AM

Hi SF Forum,
I have relatives that have lived in SF Bay area & San Diego 40+ years. What I have heard over the years is northern CA has a substantially stronger economy than southern CA. In these times of high unemployment and weakened economies, I was wondering if these general impressions are correct. Can the forum members please give me opinions on the job opportunities available in norther CA versus southern CA. I know it may be generalities, but I keep hearing overall the north has better jobs and more of them. I have been living in NYC for 25yrs and am looking to escape the nonstop humidity and sweltering summers. Yes, I am seriously tired of 4months of extremely high air conditioning costs as well as heating costs in the winter. The SF Bay Area seems to have a very easy going climate that does not entail these costs. I know, I know, housing and rentals are so expensive. I am a New Yorker, I get all of that and I don't want questions about my budget or dwelling on good white neighborhoods in which to live. If I am poor here, I will be poor in SF, but at least I won't be sweating constantly everytime I move. Back to topic: Where are the jobs? Is a move to northern CA always better than a move to southern CA because the job options are more plentiful? Thanks for the input.

BacktoBlue · 08-12-2010, 12:06 PM

Jobs are competetive all over CA and more so in the Bay Area also, the Bay area is much more expensive than Southern California. SF is the 2nd most expensive city in America just behind NYC. Maybe this should be posted in the CA forum because people on this forum are going to be biased. If you put it on the CA forum then everybody can chime in and it won't be so one sided

nor cali boy · 08-12-2010, 12:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SoCalBrad

Jobs are competetive all over CA and more so in the Bay Area also, the Bay area is much more expensive than Southern California. SF is the 2nd most expensive city in America just behind NYC. Maybe this should be posted in the CA forum because people on this forum are going to be biased. If you put it on the CA forum then everybody can chime in and it won't be so one sided

i couldn't agree more with what SoCalBrad said... having lived in SD and SF i like the bay area more but it is so expensive$$$... the jobs in SF are higher paying but because of the high cost of living it all balances out with SD... its basically where you would rather live

mayorhaggar · 08-12-2010, 01:32 PM

The Bay Area is really not good at all for jobs right now. I have no idea about Socal, you might indeed want to check on the California general board.

destroycreate · 08-12-2010, 01:43 PM

I would say the Bay Area is better than SoCal, as people I know still are getting jobs (professional) and me a student, I found loads of stores downtown hiring and within 4 days of searching I got a job at a store in the big fashion mall next to Union Square, with them giving me nearly 30hrs a week. I know a lot of people in retail here, and many places are hiring oddly. In San Diego, where I lived last year, it was WAY worse.

BacktoBlue · 08-12-2010, 01:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by destroycreate

I would say the Bay Area is better than SoCal, as people I know still are getting jobs (professional) and me a student, I found loads of stores downtown hiring and within 4 days of searching I got a job at a store in the big fashion mall next to Union Square, with them giving me nearly 30hrs a week. I know a lot of people in retail here, and many places are hiring oddly. In San Diego, where I lived last year, it was WAY worse.

wrong.

Gentoo · 08-12-2010, 02:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by destroycreate

I would say the Bay Area is better than SoCal, as people I know still are getting jobs (professional) and me a student, I found loads of stores downtown hiring and within 4 days of searching I got a job at a store in the big fashion mall next to Union Square, with them giving me nearly 30hrs a week. I know a lot of people in retail here, and many places are hiring oddly. In San Diego, where I lived last year, it was WAY worse.

Well, being a person who's currently in the job market in San Diego and have looked in the Bay Area, I'd have to agree with you on this. If I had a place to actually go, I'd go back to the Bay in a heart beat. For now, I must continue to look here in SD and the market is worse, not sure if it's much worse but certainly not nearly as good.

BacktoBlue · 08-12-2010, 02:32 PM

This thread is biased and should move to the CA forum.

All areas are bad in CA and all over the country right now. Saying one area isn't as good as the other sounds really close minded because no area is good right now. I know some people who have degrees in Criminal Justice/Science and couldn't find any jobs up in the Bay Area but came down down to SoCal and found some really great paying jobs. So it works both ways.

Swollen New Yorker · 08-12-2010, 03:12 PM

Thanks for the input everyone. SoCalBrad you make alot of sense. I wanted to feel out the whole situation before doing anything rash and running off to Cali.

sav858 · 08-12-2010, 04:28 PM

The unemployment rate for the Bay Area and San Diego are about the same right now, so the job markets are equally bad imo. LA is worse than both and Orange County is better than both, slightly. BUT overall in both good and bad times, Bay Area tends to have more options because it's much bigger and the pay tends to be better. Of course that extra pay can be eaten up by a higher cost of living and it depends on what type of industry you are in and what you're looking for. I'd try to check out job sites and maybe recruiters to see what they are offering in both areas.