Montana Boy. (Sacramento, Vista, Crescent City: appointed, apartment, renting)

[Siriusnuss]

Hello everyone!

I'm a soon-to-be 21 year old male from Missoula, MT, and for the past month or so the thought of saving up some of my money and moving has been the top priority for some reason. Montana is beautiful, and is possibly one of the best places to raise a family considering it's security and non-taxes, but I'm personally tired of snow nine months out of the year (maybe more!) I've always enjoyed the sun, and especially the vast vegetation and serenity of the western coast.

I've never been to California, any part, but from the pictures and friends from beyond, I heard some great things. I still like the more nature aspect of life and living, so I was thinking the Northern Coast- possibly Humboldt, Crescent City areas? Except from little research, I know nothing!

I'm looking for somewhere awe inspiring, somewhere where I can take a hike, follow a little creek and camp, or just get lost in the environment. I'm broke too, with some college experience, so possibly somewhere with a smaller unemployment rate? I could easily work at a Park, or something along those lines as well. Not too far from the ocean, possibly two hours max, and population 50K-115K? I'm a young guy, moving by myself, so somewhere with some youngins' would be superb.

I hope I wasn't too vague and/or repetitive. Any help will do!

Thank you all!

[Charles]

Originally Posted by Siriusnuss

Hello everyone!

I'm a soon-to-be 21 year old male from Missoula, MT, and for the past month or so the thought of saving up some of my money and moving has been the top priority for some reason. Montana is beautiful, and is possibly one of the best places to raise a family considering it's security and non-taxes, but I'm personally tired of snow nine months out of the year (maybe more!) I've always enjoyed the sun, and especially the vast vegetation and serenity of the western coast.

I've never been to California, any part, but from the pictures and friends from beyond, I heard some great things. I still like the more nature aspect of life and living, so I was thinking the Northern Coast- possibly Humboldt, Crescent City areas? Except from little research, I know nothing!

I'm looking for somewhere awe inspiring, somewhere where I can take a hike, follow a little creek and camp, or just get lost in the environment. I'm broke too, with some college experience, so possibly somewhere with a smaller unemployment rate? I could easily work at a Park, or something along those lines as well. Not too far from the ocean, possibly two hours max, and population 50K-115K? I'm a young guy, moving by myself, so somewhere with some youngins' would be superb.

I hope I wasn't too vague and/or repetitive. Any help will do!

Thank you all!

California needs more producers and less consumers of government revenue and services.

Looking for a job? Step to the end of the line:

[eureka1]

What is the unemployment rate in Montana? Is it better or worse than our 12% in California? No one in their right mind would move to Crescent City to find a job. It really doesn't sound like you've done much research at all. If I had to move to California from out of state I'd consider Sacramento but you need enough money to get by until you find something, which could take months.

[Arrowhead Dave]

If I was you I'd look into the sierra foothills above sacramento, unemployment is bad just about anywhere, but to be 21 and have nothing to lose is well a once in a lifetime period, you have well nothing to lose. So I say go for it your only young once Plenty of time to have to do things later in life, just have some money with you, young people with the proper attitude find ways to make things happen, nothing ventured nothing gained, whats the worst that can happen you end up back home having learned something about yourself. When I was in my 20's I moved to the woods of western washington, loved the woods just not the rain rain rain, moved back to California, now getting older am looking to move to the Sierra foothills, my final move.

[mysticaltyger]

Originally Posted by Siriusnuss

Hello everyone!

I'm a soon-to-be 21 year old male from Missoula, MT, and for the past month or so the thought of saving up some of my money and moving has been the top priority for some reason. Montana is beautiful, and is possibly one of the best places to raise a family considering it's security and non-taxes, but I'm personally tired of snow nine months out of the year (maybe more!) I've always enjoyed the sun, and especially the vast vegetation and serenity of the western coast.

I've never been to California, any part, but from the pictures and friends from beyond, I heard some great things. I still like the more nature aspect of life and living, so I was thinking the Northern Coast- possibly Humboldt, Crescent City areas? Except from little research, I know nothing!

I'm looking for somewhere awe inspiring, somewhere where I can take a hike, follow a little creek and camp, or just get lost in the environment. I'm broke too, with some college experience, so possibly somewhere with a smaller unemployment rate? I could easily work at a Park, or something along those lines as well. Not too far from the ocean, possibly two hours max, and population 50K-115K? I'm a young guy, moving by myself, so somewhere with some youngins' would be superb.

I hope I wasn't too vague and/or repetitive. Any help will do!

Thank you all!

I think you have very unrealistic expectations. The kind of places you want to live in cost real money. Renting a room in someone's house here can cost as much as a 1BR apartment in cheaper states. Even the cheaper parts of CA are probably more expensive than MT. The slightly higher wages don't make up for the difference in the cost of living. Awe inspiring scenery is great, but you can't eat scenery. Day to day life for people with minimal job qualifications in CA is not so great.

[HSP1161]

Originally Posted by Siriusnuss

Hello everyone!

I'm a soon-to-be 21 year old male from Missoula, MT, and for the past month or so the thought of saving up some of my money and moving has been the top priority for some reason. Montana is beautiful, and is possibly one of the best places to raise a family considering it's security and non-taxes, but I'm personally tired of snow nine months out of the year (maybe more!) I've always enjoyed the sun, and especially the vast vegetation and serenity of the western coast.

I've never been to California, any part, but from the pictures and friends from beyond, I heard some great things. I still like the more nature aspect of life and living, so I was thinking the Northern Coast- possibly Humboldt, Crescent City areas? Except from little research, I know nothing!

I'm looking for somewhere awe inspiring, somewhere where I can take a hike, follow a little creek and camp, or just get lost in the environment. I'm broke too, with some college experience, so possibly somewhere with a smaller unemployment rate? I could easily work at a Park, or something along those lines as well. Not too far from the ocean, possibly two hours max, and population 50K-115K? I'm a young guy, moving by myself, so somewhere with some youngins' would be superb.

I hope I wasn't too vague and/or repetitive. Any help will do!

Thank you all!

Therein lies the rub: the areas on the west coast with low unemployment have a relatively high cost of living. When you add in areas that are temperate with a healthy dose of natural beauty - phew! - it gets really expensive.

You sound enthusiastic and willing to lower your relative standard of living to get what you want. Have you considered possibly joining the Peace Corps?

[pacific2]

Originally Posted by OpenSky

Therein lies the rub: the areas on the west coast with low unemployment have a relatively high cost of living. When you add in areas that are temperate with a healthy dose of natural beauty - phew! - it gets really expensive.

You sound enthusiastic and willing to lower your relative standard of living to get what you want. Have you considered possibly joining the Peace Corps?

AmeriCorps is another possibility, and the OP could request California:

This year AmeriCorps will provide more than 8,500 individuals the opportunity to provide intensive, results-driven service to meet education, environmental, health, economic and other pressing needs in communities across California. Most AmeriCorps grant funding goes to the Governor-appointed CaliforniaVolunteers, which in turn awards grants to nonprofit groups to respond to local needs. Most of the remainder of the grant funding is distributed by the Corporation directly to multi-state and national organizations through a competitive grants process. Other individuals serve through AmeriCorps VISTA, whose members help bring individuals and communities out of poverty by serving full-time to fight illiteracy, improve health services, create businesses and increase housing opportunities, and AmeriCorps NCCC (National Civilian Community Corps), a 10-month, full time residential program for men and women between the ages of 18 and 24. In exchange for their service, AmeriCorps members earn an education award that can be used to pay for college or to pay back qualified student loans. Since 1994, more than 96,000 California residents have served more than 100 million hours and have qualified for Segal AmeriCorps Education Awards totaling more than $240,200,000.
AmeriCorps.gov > AmeriCorps In Your State