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Finally, most of the top tech companies are still HQ there. Anytime I read about coolest employers to work for, or up and coming tech dream jobs, etc. like half of them are in California somewhere.
California's reputation certainly preceeds it, which is well deserved. Yet the landscape is shifting. Look at the Forbes list of best startups to work for in the US. For sure, CA remains well represented (not surprising since CA is the most populous state), but a lot are on the East Coast (NYC, Boston), Atlanta also makes numerous appearances (can we all agree that Atlanta is cool?), along with other places across the US.
As for Big Tech (where I worked for a long time), indeed, they are mostly headquartered in the Bay Area. However, I'm not sure how many people realize how disperse they are. For example, the majority of Google employees work in other states and countries. For more than a decade now Big Tech has gone to where talent is located, and there are pockets of talent throughout the US, usually located around Universities with solid STEM programs (and there are a lot of them). Places like Seattle, Denver, Salt Lake City, Atlanta, Boston, Pittsburgh, Ann Arbor, Austin, Phoenix, NYC, Chicago, Miami, and many others.
I'm not saying CA isn't cool (though I think paying 50% of one's income on housing is very uncool). It's just that there's a lot of competition that's equally if not more cool for many -- including those in CA looking to relocate.
Location: Miami (prev. NY, Atlanta, SF, OC and San Diego)
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I actually lived there for 33 years (including 3 different metros) and could have easily afforded to stay. Maybe I became immune to the coolness you see, from visiting? I do not necessarily equate tech (a field I also worked in for 33 years) with cool; finance types whom I hang with are a different matter (as are pro athletes, celebrities, music and artsy)—at least to me.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kmanshouse
People who live in CA still think it's pretty cool. Like 39M people. Most that leave do so due to cost - if they could still afford it, they'd stay (mostly).
Also, I think anyplace where celebrities live and work and make movies is always going to have that cool factor.
Finally, most of the top tech companies are still HQ there. Anytime I read about coolest employers to work for, or up and coming tech dream jobs, etc. like half of them are in California somewhere.
I personally don't want to live in CA, but the only people saying it's not cool anymore are people who don't live there.
Last edited by elchevere; 11-10-2022 at 09:37 AM..
Many young professionals from Iowa move to California, specifically to the Bay Area, including doctors who finish their residency in the Midwest and also for the older healthcare providers such as chief of staff of a large university hospital transfer to the Bay Area for their retirement years.
My mother’s home in coastal California sold to a family of a young law enforcement professional and the house is looking amazing as he has completely re-gutted it. Her neighborhood is being taken over by other young professionals.
Where else can you be in the desert or mountains or beach or vineyards in a short amount of time.
California is still the cool state as long as you have the money to afford it.
Where else can you be in the desert or mountains or beach or vineyards in a short amount of time.
Boise. Mountains aplenty. The city itself and all around (aka the Treasure Valley) is desert with lots of sun and low precipitation, but with an abundance of water from huge watersheds in the mountains. Lots of beaches at lakes and rivers. Lots of wineries in and around the Treasure Valley. Plus easy access to the largest wilderness areas in the lower 48 states, and some of the best whitewater and fly fishing rivers in the US. During winter I can go from my door to on-the-snow skiing in ~30 minutes, then go wine tasting at multiple great vineyards within minutes of my house. During spring and summer I'm in close proximity to 200 miles of mountain biking trails (can mostly ride my bike to trailheads), and am very close to some of the best backpacking/hiking areas I've ever experienced.
Similar things can be said for Oregon. Great wineries in the Willamette Valley, which are about 1 hr from the coast, lots of mountains around, and about 1 hr from desert in the central/eastern part of the state.
And the same can be said for multiple areas of Washington.
Again, there's a lot to like about California and it has its own special vibe, so I'm not dissing it. But this idea that California is uniquely exceptional is overblown.
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
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Back in 1970 I did a cross country 18,000 mile trip with a friend, seeing 44 states in 2-1/2 months. We lived in Lafayette, CA (SF Bay Area) but when other people our age met us and asked where we were from we told them San Francisco. Lot's of them would approach us when they saw the California plates on my '64 Skylark wagon. They all asked about hippies, music and drugs and though California was really cool.
Today the "cool" states are those where people want to go visit on vacation, with a lot of variety in things to see and do. Most travel sites list the most popular states for vacationing as:
1. California
2. Florida
3. Nevada
4. Texas
5. New York
Many young professionals from Iowa move to California, specifically to the Bay Area, including doctors who finish their residency in the Midwest and also for the older healthcare providers such as chief of staff of a large university hospital transfer to the Bay Area for their retirement years.
My mother’s home in coastal California sold to a family of a young law enforcement professional and the house is looking amazing as he has completely re-gutted it. Her neighborhood is being taken over by other young professionals.
Where else can you be in the desert or mountains or beach or vineyards in a short amount of time.
California is still the cool state as long as you have the money to afford it.
Florida is less and less desirable, the more time progresses.
Politically, it is headed to the wrong side of history. Geographically, it's mostly flat terrain with low land swamp areas, islands and beaches--humid and sticky for the entire year.
The state tends to attract a lot of the under-educated, it seems, as well.
California is pretty much the opposite, with the majority of everything when compared to Florida.
The only exception being most of the Miami/Ft Lauderdale metro area--which I absolutely love. But personally, I don't care for the rest of Florida at all-except to occasionally visit.
So why are so many people moving to florida and it ain’t just south florida. Central florida is crowded. The rent is ridiculous m, nothing near low rent status. I hope your statement about politics get growth to slow a little bit stats say different. We added the most people making over 200k. New Yorkers can’t stop moving here.
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