If you can afford it, the SF Bay Area is the greatest place in the world (San Jose: low income, subsidized)

[NYMTman]

People in the SF Bay Area are just a little more enlightened than the rest of us.

[04kL4nD]

Originally Posted by Matadora

It's a far cry from the greatest place in the world.

Sure, but it's wayyyyyy better than anywhere in Texas

[smarino]

The weather is sublime? Crime is low? The brain trust of the US? Waiter, I'll have what he's having!

[mtnbkr5]

Originally Posted by Abeson

I agree the bay area is best place on earth. One gripe tho is the traffic and over population. Just a few months back I could get a costco pizza without waiting, now its atleast 15 minutes at san leandro costco! Also last night me and my girl were driving west on 580 and couldnt believe the traffic. Wheres everybody going at 9pm on a sunday night!!??

Home?

[Spodi90]

Very diverse Jason. The nuances of the 1 percent I might add. *condescendingly chuckles*

[njbiodude]

Originally Posted by likealady

5.) Dating in SF is easy. SAID NO ONE EVER (and there are threads here to prove it).

Much, much worse down here in Man Jose I can assure you that.

[Bisaro TMF]

Originally Posted by njbiodude

Much, much worse down here in Man Jose I can assure you that.

San Jose has the best looking women in the Bay Area if you like Latinas and Asians. Plenty of really hot Asians especially if you like that.

[Eastbaynative]

I agree! The bay area is way up there as far as best places to live. I too have traveled all over the country, and lived in another state. The reason the prices to live here are so high is that everyone wants to live here for one reason or another. The best jobs are here, some of the best weather is here, also some of the best schools are here, not to mention its 3 hours or so from Tahoe, Yosemite, Monterey, i can go on and on. Not everyone has to live in a million dollar + home. You can still find homes under $500,000 in decent neighborhoods in the bay area.

[helena101]

Originally Posted by JasonTaverner

Seriously. I was born and raised in San Jose, spent time out of the country, state and whatnot. I have traveled to 45 of the 50 states, and have been to some great places, some ok places and some horrible places.

Believe me when I say that if you can afford it, the Bay Area is the greatest place in the world. Constantinople to NYC's Rome. The brain trust of the US.

Neighborhoods are diverse, crime is low, most people are educated and open minded, the food is great, dating is easy (you just can't be a jerk and expect people to treat you like a king because you have a degree,) and the weather is sublime.

The only complaint, other than the outrageous home prices, is the bubble. You get used to the bay area and when visiting some place with a bit more bigotry you are shocked people still think that way. You end up forgetting that so much of fly over America is stuck further in the past than the bay.

This is not to say there are no racists or homophobes in the bay area. It's just that we chased most of them to other places (e.g. Florida, Texas) during the 90s.

Another complaint about SF should be that people there dismiss everyone from "flyover country". If SF is so open and welcoming to different races and people elsewhere are backwards bigots, why is it that SF is less diverse than pretty much every other major city in the US in terms of black and hispanic population? Here are just a few cities for comparison:

San Francisco, CA:
African-American: 6%
Hispanic/Latino: 15%
TOTAL: 21%

Compared to "flyover bigot" cities:

Dallas, TX:
African-American: 25%
Hispanic/Latino: 42%
TOTAL: 67%

Houston, TX:
African-American: 25%
Hispanic/Latino: 37%
TOTAL: 62%

Oklahoma City, OK:
African-American: 15%
Hispanic/Latino: 17%
TOTAL: 32%

Large cities around the country have drawn many people from these minority groups. Why hasn't San Francisco? Yes, I know the Bay Area has a lot of Asians- we can probably agree that Asians are accepted much more by white Americans than the two groups above. And I know Oakland is diverse- however the African American population of Oakland has dropped dramatically, with many people leaving the bay area entirely (instead of being pushed into another area). For a city that crows about being inclusive, color-blind and welcoming to all races, it's pretty astonishing how systematically the city has pushed out (or discouraged from entering) these two minority groups. Your title should be adjusted to "If you're wealthy and white or asian..."

Sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Fr...o#Demographics
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_Dallas
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_Houston
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oklaho...y#Demographics
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oaklan...a#Demographics

[clongirl]

Originally Posted by helena101

Another complaint about SF should be that people there dismiss everyone from "flyover country". If SF is so open and welcoming to different races and people elsewhere are backwards bigots, why is it that SF is less diverse than pretty much every other major city in the US in terms of black and hispanic population? Here are just a few cities for comparison:

San Francisco, CA:
African-American: 6%
Hispanic/Latino: 15%
TOTAL: 21%

Compared to "flyover bigot" cities:

Dallas, TX:
African-American: 25%
Hispanic/Latino: 42%
TOTAL: 67%

Houston, TX:
African-American: 25%
Hispanic/Latino: 37%
TOTAL: 62%

Oklahoma City, OK:
African-American: 15%
Hispanic/Latino: 17%
TOTAL: 32%

Large cities around the country have drawn many people from these minority groups. Why hasn't San Francisco? Yes, I know the Bay Area has a lot of Asians- we can probably agree that Asians are accepted much more by white Americans than the two groups above. And I know Oakland is diverse- however the African American population of Oakland has dropped dramatically, with many people leaving the bay area entirely (instead of being pushed into another area). For a city that crows about being inclusive, color-blind and welcoming to all races, it's pretty astonishing how systematically the city has pushed out (or discouraged from entering) these two minority groups. Your title should be adjusted to "If you're wealthy and white or asian..."

Sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Fr...o#Demographics
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_Dallas
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_Houston
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oklaho...y#Demographics
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oaklan...a#Demographics

It's the high COL. That's all. We're very welcome to diversity, but people in a lower socioeconomic status can't afford to remain...which is sad. That being said..I know a lot of people that move here from other countries...how many South Africans, Indian, Germans, Canadians, Irish, Australians, Swedes, Spaniards do you see moving to those "flyover" states? I know A LOT of families from other countries here, yet they don't get counted in the diversity category?