Forbes Ranked California One of the Worst States to Make a Living in - 2015 (home, income)

[payutenyodagimas]

Originally Posted by BayAreaHillbilly

It's a tough place for middle income people. Career wise, it is tough for people in manufacturing, certain services and for small business people.

For people in STEM, certain areas of finance, big business etc it's doable.

Any objective assessment is going to reflect these facts.

for middle income people, both spouses should be working.

[beb0p]

Originally Posted by HumpDay

I thought this was interesting. I don't usually visit the California page often but I'm sharing this to wonder why it's ranked so low? Is it the COL factor or quality of life is some areas?

Yes, it's the COL. It cost $3,200 to rent a one bedroom in San Francisco and $2,300 for the same in Oakland. For many people, that's more than half their pay check.

.

[LoriBee62]

Yes, cities like San Francisco, Oakland and Los Angeles are very expensive. Though, contrary to popular belief, there are over 30 million people living in California who do NOT reside in those cities. So lets keep these threads in perspective.

Total population in the state: 38,000,000
Total population in San Francisco: 815,000

So when people talk about how California is unlivable because rent in San Francisco is so high, they are actually talking about slightly over 2% of the state.

[aramax666]

hold on a minute.... there are 8.7 million people in the greater 12 counties in the San Jose-SF-bay area...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Jo...atistical_Area

Rents are high in a lot of places outside of SF. 60 miles south in South San jose . Rent for 1 BR is still 2000-2400 .

And there are 13 million people living in the greater LA area.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greater_Los_Angeles_Area

Thats 22 Million people living IN or close to some expensive housing... Slightly more than your projected 2%.

[1973PINTO]

california is paradise ruined by too many people wanting a piece of it ..

[Mr5150]

Originally Posted by LoriBee62

Yes, cities like San Francisco, Oakland and Los Angeles are very expensive. Though, contrary to popular belief, there are over 30 million people living in California who do NOT reside in those cities. So lets keep these threads in perspective.

Total population in the state: 38,000,000
Total population in San Francisco: 815,000

So when people talk about how California is unlivable because rent in San Francisco is so high, they are actually talking about slightly over 2% of the state.

Originally Posted by aramax666

hold on a minute.... there are 8.7 million people in the greater 12 counties in the San Jose-SF-bay area...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Jo...atistical_Area

Rents are high in a lot of places outside of SF. 60 miles south in South San jose . Rent for 1 BR is still 2000-2400 .

And there are 13 million people living in the greater LA area.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greater_Los_Angeles_Area

Thats 22 Million people living IN or close to some expensive housing... Slightly more than your projected 2%.

Yes, but these expensive areas only cover less than 2% of the state's land area. I live in a very nice part of CA and the going rate for a 3bdr HOUSE is around $1200.

[aramax666]

I understand there are many parts of CA that are cheaper, My point is there are a lot of people living in urban - densely populated centers. A staggering majority. Any methodology that will try to account for the wages of people and their ability to make a living will tend to aggregate around the experience of urban-dwellers, specifically middle-earning urban dwellers. So i don't see the result of the list as surprising .

Anyways, one should not take these list too seriously. People should make up their own minds about how happy they are in CA.

[goolsbyjazz]

[quote=Mr5150;40911971]Yes, but these expensive areas only cover less than 2% of the state's land area. I live in a very nice part of CA and the going rate for a 3bdr HOUSE is around $1200.[/quote]

Ok, you need to DM me the name of your city!!

[expatCA]

Originally Posted by HOSS429

california is paradise ruined by too many people wanting a piece of it ..

Slight correction: California was paradise and was ruined by too many people wanting a piece of it.

I still love the State and my memories, but it isn't paradise unless you make a LOT and even then you still have to put up with traffic, crowing and ... well not what was there 40 to 50 years ago when it was "paradise".

[No_Recess]

Originally Posted by expatCA

Slight correction: California was paradise and was ruined by too many people wanting a piece of it.

I still love the State and my memories, but it isn't paradise unless you make a LOT and even then you still have to put up with traffic, crowing and ... well not what was there 40 to 50 years ago when it was "paradise".

I don't make much. I also don't have to drive for my job.

When dinosaurs like you couldn't adapt I took advantage.

Still paradise for me...