Sunny, Liberal, Cheap(ish) Place to Live (San Francisco, Sacramento: hair salon, university)

[Fueler]

Originally Posted by CAVA1990

Liberals are normally better educated and thus command higher incomes, driving up the COL.

LOL!!! What??!! That might be one of the most ridiculous posts Ive read in while.

[pistola916]

Why not Sacramento? somewhat liberal, sunny, and cheaper compared with the other larger cities of California (LA,SF, SD). Only problem is the economy in Sacto is really bad.

[WesternPilgrim]

I'll tell you the truth about Chico. It's a sharply divided town culturally and politically. Both liberals and conservatives feel embattled; neither dominates. Lots of liberals there due to the university, but it's not liberal utopia by any stretch. Davis is more uniformly liberal, but also more expensive.

[Woof]

It's hard to get good climate, low rents, and liberal attitudes all in one place. You might have to settle for two out of three, Susan. If you were to take rents and "laid-back" as the most important, you could choose between hardcore desert or cold and wet in the winter (though not as gloomy as Seattle). Remember that even a bad climate in California gives you a more sun than further north, other than Eureka.

I'd agree with Chico .... Mt Shasta is good even though winters can be bad ...... I went through Willits once and that looked hippyish. I know there are some small towns in the area around Palm Springs that are cheap, but I think they might have crime problems. Etna is a nice little gem up on the Scott River, with a division between right and left. Again, hot in summer and snowy in winter. There's Fort Bragg out on the coast which has decent weather and is liberal, but I think rents might be high there. Sebastopol is nice but is also expensive.

I'd agree that the Sierra foothills, the old Gold Rush towns, would be suitable but there seems to be a shortage of apartments, at least the last time I looked.

[WesternPilgrim]

Originally Posted by Woof

I know there are some small towns in the area around Palm Springs that are cheap, but I think they might have crime problems.

Desert Hot Springs - despite the retiree influx - has always been lower-class hippyish and a drug and crime infested rat hole.

[sacramento916]

Originally Posted by Susan1214

I was born and raised in San Francisco and have been living in the fog for most of my life. I need to go live somewhere cheap while I finish a novel. San Francisco is one of the most expensive cities in the world and I am sooooooo sick of the fog. I want to move somewhere where I can wear sundresses and sandals for most of the year and not have to drive a fancy car to fit in. I am a CA resident and know how prices here can be, but I feel there must be some generally affordable place that's warm, and where liberal people live, where I don't have to drive a Mercedes and wear make-up whenever I go out.

Everyone tells me my "people" are up in Portland, and I'd meet the man of my dreams and make a millions friends if I moved there, but I just cannot stand all that rain and darkness. I lived in Seattle for a year and it was hell for me. I'm not about to try Portland. Isn't there somewhere in So Cal where chill people live in flip-flops, close to nature, and the rents aren't that high? (Like $700 or under for a 400 sq ft place? I don't need anything large or fancy, I don't want to live close to any "happening" place in a big city and I don't need to live near the beach.) Something in the San Diego area? I realize that anywhere close to the beach is probably going to be expensive. Desert is fine, instead. Also, I'd rather not live in a big city (i.e. not Long Beach)

Anybody know of a warm, sunny little hippy town that isn't too expensive? I would move to Arcata but it's foggy and cold there all the time. Also, I can't move to Santa Cruz. It's expensive and foggy.

Are there warm littl hippy towns that are cheap? Something on the outskirts of San Diego? Something in San Bernardino or San Luis Obispo?

Right now I'm thinking about somewhere near Santa Rosa, or maybe Russian River if I can find a place that isn't in a dark gulch.

I would also consider Arizona or New Mexico I tend to think those states are conservative, and the hippy places are expensive. Am I wrong?

Thanks!

Why look so far? Come up to Sacramento. The Midtown area is very Bohemian. Also, the COL is way cheaper than SF. Sactown is very underrated, the city core has got a ton of Victorian architecture, is very vibrant, and has a great liberal cultural scene. Plus the city is warm and sunny.

[CAVA1990]

Originally Posted by Susan1214

Right now I'm leaning towards Chico/Dixon or New Mexico. Thank you again!

And then there's Dixon, New Mexico which has quite a few artists.

[wehotex]

Originally Posted by Susan1214

You guys are awesome! In a few hours after posting my question, I got all these great answers! Thank you all very much for your responses. I think you're right on all counts. And it's true that liberals tend to be more educated, therefore have higher income and live in expensive places. I'll take a look and see what I can find. Right now I'm leaning towards Chico/Dixon or New Mexico. Thank you again!

Sta Fe is pretty hip and has a great vibe. It does have so cal prices though.
Marfa, Tex is also very hip and progressive, but in the middle of west texas.

[sjnative]

Of all places, you can consider Salt Lake City.

SLC is Mormon-dominated and oppressed but there is a large liberal, non-religious, non-repressed demography there partly as a counter culture to the Mormons and partly because some people there just aren't Mormons.

Consider Sugarhouse as well as anywhere around the University of Utah.

[BeauCharles]

Originally Posted by WesternPilgrim

I'll tell you the truth about Chico. It's a sharply divided town culturally and politically. Both liberals and conservatives feel embattled; neither dominates. Lots of liberals there due to the university, but it's not liberal utopia by any stretch. Davis is more uniformly liberal, but also more expensive.

That's a bit hyperbolic. Chico's too laid back for there to be much battling. I look at it more as a healthy mix with attitudes, diversions and places for anyone regardless of their political bent. There are too many coastal people who've moved there for the university and never left for it to be your typical "red state" type Sacto Valley ag town.