Why woud someone choose SF over LA? (Los Angeles, San Francisco: movers, job market)

[radiolibre99]

I am curious as to why a lot of my old college mates chose SF over LA, even though they found job offers in both cities. I chose Los Angeles and am loving it, but at the same I am wondering what I missed by not going north.

What is the appeal of San Francisco? What's it like is what I am really asking? For young professionals in their late 20s and 30s? Is it the tech scene? Is it like living in Manhattan or something? The nightlife and the cultural amenities.

I've only visited once and loved the city, but I was a tourist and stayed for the weekend. It's probably the most beautiful city I've ever seen. But besides the aesthetic appeal, what is San Fran like on the ground? I guess I picture tech giants and wannabes making deals, creative innovative people getting their ideas in to the marketplace and venture capitalists galore.

[04kL4nD]

Sounds like LA is the right choice for you. [/thread]

[radiolibre99]

Originally Posted by 04kL4nD

Sounds like LA is the right choice for you. [/thread]

Ouch. I compliment the city and have an attraction to it but I get a snarky comment? I just wanted to know what the city is like for young professionals.

[04kL4nD]

No, you just listed a bunch of stereotypes about SF and said you love living in LA. If that's your perception of SF, then yeah, you totally made the right choice. Perhaps it was the way you worded the thread title. I would have instead asked something like "What does SF offer that LA doesn't" or " What am I missing in SF?"

Let me flip the script for you:

What is the appeal of LA? What's it like is what I am really asking? For young professionals in their late 20s and 30s? Is it Hollywood? Is it like living in a movie or something? The nightlife and the cultural amenities.

I've only visited once and loved the city, but I was a tourist and stayed for the weekend. It's probably the most beautiful city I've ever seen. But besides the aesthetic appeal, what is LA on like on the ground? I guess I picture actors and models and wannabes making deals, creative innovative people getting their ideas in to the marketplace and venture capitalists galore.

[radiolibre99]

Well yes it is like that in the industry. And if you were specifically asking about the young professional lifestyle of people in the industry, then yeah there are wannabes and models and movers and shakers. I would also go into a little more depth if you were actually interested and dispel sone of the myths.

But then again I'm not the type to try and think of the smarmiest quip to deliver to someone genuinely curious.

[04kL4nD]

Listen lady, I am not sure what you are looking for. You already told us you've been to SF and thought it was the most beautiful city you've ever seen, but then you chose to live in LA, and yet you still wonder why people would choose to live here over LA. So obviously the aesthetics of the city have little to do with your decision. And as far as day to day life? No, it's not just tech workers. It's artists, teachers, bankers, homeless people, the wealthy elite, college students, entrepreneurs, couch surfers from Europe, and people just testing out big city life for the first time, along with generations of native San Franciscans. It's a lot more complicated than you're envisioning, despite your shallow outlook on the city. Why did YOU choose LA over SF? Maybe once you answer that question for us, we can try and figure out how to have a productive conversation.

[radiolibre99]

I ask specifically for what the life is like there for young urban professionals in the main industries and I get a self righteous verbal assault about the many more people that inhabit the city.

Many of my college mates chose tech in SF over LA. I chose LA over SF because I knew nothing of SF and what it's like. Its as though I was living in Chicago working finance and asked about what life on Wall St is like in NYC. It's the simple.

I'm not ridiculous enough to think that all SF is about is the tech finance scene. I was just asking what it was like and what was is the appeal.

Look I get it, you think I'm a stuffed shallow yuppie asking about what life for other yuppies is like in SF. That's not the case though.

[ccm123]

In terms of career opportunities, the two places are quite different. I am a Bay Area native, but attended UCLA and ended up staying in Southern California for 20+ years after graduation. I moved back home, as the job market for technology workers is significantly better here.

In terms of culture, LA has more to do than the Bay Area, but the Bay Area has a educated culture that you would be hard pressed to find in most places in LA (with limited exceptions).

In terms of general personality, folks from the Bay Area care a lot about education and career. Folks from LA care about physical appearance and the type of car you drive (superficial). Exceptions exist in both places, of course.

LA has a significant Hispanic culture (and some of the best Mexican food I have ever tasted), while the Bay Area feels more European and Asian. LA is definitely more diverse overall than the Bay Area.

It seems that LA has never really recovered from the great recession (the unemployment rates are still high), and many people struggle there daily. The cost of living in LA is high, but the Bay Area is even higher.

The appeal of San Francisco and the Bay Area is the natural beauty, diversity, economy, and educated culture/population.

[dalparadise]

I think it's the whole "tech giants making deals" and "movers and shakers" thing that is drawing the snark. It does make you sound like someone suited to LA. San Francisco has some of that, sure, but it's more of a creative environment, less consumed with outward displays of wealth (for the most part, people get that you have to be pretty well off to afford to live most places in the Bay Area) and a more laid-back environment than LA.

People love living here for the city life, walkable neighborhoods, distinct personalities of neighborhoods that exist right across the street from one another, the proximity to great outdoor options, the cultural vibe and history, the unmatched entrepreneurial atmosphere, roaring economy, beautiful scenery and unique sense of place that encompasses all of these things.

LA is an amazing place, but it's not "somewhere else" to me like SF is. I am from Houston, and LA would certainly be a nice step up from Houston, but would not be totally worth the expense for the upgrade, in my opinion. SF, while even more expensive, is.

[radiolibre99]

Thank you! Yes SF seemed more like Boston, DC and Manhattan to me. When I visited the first thing that reminded me of Boston was the apparel. Lots of darker colors, less expressive and North Face fleeces. It was refreshing to not see some of the more flamboyant styles that you see in LA which are more attention grabbing than expressions of style in my opinion.

I figured it to be way more education oriented as in people ask you about where you went to school and such. The few people I met there in finance were way less douchey than in NYC but it still reminded of a more professional culture that LA lacks.

Overall SF seems like genuinely creative and super professional town. It's where creativity meets business, the total opposite of LA where people are more aloof. I can see why SF is more important city than LA.