Houston vs San Luis Obispo (Austin, Orange: fit in, sales, car registration)

[hello7777]

Any texans familiar with the california central coast?

We are a couple in our mid 30's, second generation Indians, raised in Houston, with job offers in Houston and San Luis Obispo. The job in SLO pays less but much more vacation time. Houston is a known entity for us, and what we enjoy about it are: family, friends, ethnic diversity, restaurants, and a variety of things to do. SLO is unknown to us. We've been a couple of times, read about it, and saw the Oprah segment (Happiest City in America) - it looks like a beautiful place to raise a family but we worry about the following:

1. Cost of living - we don't really care about having a big house but one day we'd like our own house, and be able to afford vacations in California and the world. How affordable is SLO? Would we spend most of our income on just the house, limiting the benefit o living in California?
2. Cultural, Ethnic, and Religious Diversity - We're not religious. We are indian but see ourselves as more worldly. We want our children to feel like they fit in and be exposed to people from all over the world. Are there many people from different religious and ethnic backgrounds in SLO?
3. Variety of activities- being from Houston, we tried not to get out in the hot sun, so we don't know how important outdoor activities are to us. But we do enjoy relaxing near the sound of the ocean. We enjoy culture, movies, etc. Houston tends to have a lot of cultural things to do and we are wondering if we would miss out on that by moving to SLO.
4. Young families- we understand there a lot of student and retirees in the area, we are wondering if there are many people in our age group raising young families.
5. Large city vs Smaller Town - have any of you moved from a larger city to SLO, and was it difficult to adjust?

Your input is much appreciated.

[theSUBlime]

1. I don't know what you're making, but just from question #1...
SLO median household income in 2009 was $38,031, lower than the median household income of California ($58,931). Not good already, but it gets worse.
In 2009, the median house value was $507,510...higher than the state median of $384,200. There are obviously a lot of college students driving down the median income because of California Polytechnic, but that is not lookin' too hot. YIKES!

Californians agree:
//www.city-data.com/forum/calif...good-true.html

Short answer: Heck yes, you'd be spending all of your money on a house.

2. As a large city, Houston is going to offer more diversity in all of those categories.

3. I would give the edge to Houston overall, but obviously if you're an outdoor person, SLO would lead. Lots of wineries around there though--that's cool.

4. No...not really, it appears its mostly just college students, some professors and retirees.

5. This is different for different people. Some people crave having many things to do and so the big city works for them, and some people enjoy a more quiet lifestyle. All up to you...

[TVC15]

Originally Posted by hello7777

Any texans familiar with the california central coast?

We are a couple in our mid 30's, second generation Indians, raised in Houston, with job offers in Houston and San Luis Obispo. The job in SLO pays less but much more vacation time. Houston is a known entity for us, and what we enjoy about it are: family, friends, ethnic diversity, restaurants, and a variety of things to do. SLO is unknown to us. We've been a couple of times, read about it, and saw the Oprah segment (Happiest City in America) - it looks like a beautiful place to raise a family but we worry about the following:

1. Cost of living - we don't really care about having a big house but one day we'd like our own house, and be able to afford vacations in California and the world. How affordable is SLO? Would we spend most of our income on just the house, limiting the benefit o living in California?
2. Cultural, Ethnic, and Religious Diversity - We're not religious. We are indian but see ourselves as more worldly. We want our children to feel like they fit in and be exposed to people from all over the world. Are there many people from different religious and ethnic backgrounds in SLO?
3. Variety of activities- being from Houston, we tried not to get out in the hot sun, so we don't know how important outdoor activities are to us. But we do enjoy relaxing near the sound of the ocean. We enjoy culture, movies, etc. Houston tends to have a lot of cultural things to do and we are wondering if we would miss out on that by moving to SLO.
4. Young families- we understand there a lot of student and retirees in the area, we are wondering if there are many people in our age group raising young families.
5. Large city vs Smaller Town - have any of you moved from a larger city to SLO, and was it difficult to adjust?

Your input is much appreciated.

Hi I am a Texan/Houstonian who is familiar with mainly Northern Coastal California. I personally would not want to move to a small costal town in California. But this is from someone who grew up and lived most of my life until recently in the 4th largest city in the US. I have lived in a small city (Austin) only once and it was very difficult adjusting to not having the big city amenities that I was accustomed to in Houston. It also severely lacked in cultural diversity and many other things.

I could only say that if you like a slow pace and natural beauty then go for it! You can always go back to Houston or move along the California coast to a larger city. I have not made my way down to San Luis Obispo as of yet. But all I can say about small costal California cities is that as beautiful as they are I would never want to live in one. Reasons: Far away from many big city amenities, not many high paying job opportunities, very very high cost of living. Not many outstanding restaurants and once you have seen all there is to see... then for entertainment you need to travel long distances to see something new or get to the big cities...if that is what you like.

I could see living in a small costal city once I turn 80 but not anytime soon! And maybe even at 80 I would not want to live in a small costal city.

California is expensive no matter where you live. If you bring your out of state car or motorcycle here...you have 10 days to register it. You will pay an enormous amount of money to register it. My 2009 Honda cost 895$ to register it. The job offer I took included all moving costs including my car and motorcycle registration. Hopefully your employer will offer that to you as well. Last year my registration was 274$. The newer it is the more you will pay. Every year you will pay over 200$ for car or motorcyle registration renewal...the newer it is the more you will pay. Here you will pay a higher sales tax, you will pay a tiered state income tax, you will pay a statewide disability tax and you will pay more for everything that you buy. I would not take a job out here for less then 95K for a single person...if you want to live comfortably and be able to save for retirement. You can make it on less say 75K but with a family forget it. 75K for a single person would not be a great existence. Texans are used to not paying state income taxes, or a disability tax nor high car registration fees. If you make good money here then those fees really don't hurt too much especially if your not high in debt.

I love living here but I really despise the politics as far as the governments waste of money and the enabler politics that has created a welfare mentality throughout this state.

I am not sure but I really don't think you will find the cultural diversity in San Luis Obispo that you are accustomed to in Houston. You won't even find that in San Diego!

I suggest you post this question on the LA forum as well. I am certain that you could get more specific responses for that area on the LA forum.

I just have not made it down to that area. I have only visited Long Beach, Pomona, LA, San Diego, Encinitas and La Jolla as for the southern coast of California goes. Out of all of those places I would like to try La Jolla!

Good Luck and research it well! I personally would go for it just to experience something new. But that is easier said for me since I don't have kids. When I get sick of watching California sink I'm thinking on heading to Sydney!

One thing I will caution you about. Californians think of Texas as pure hell so when you post on the California forum you will get very California biased responses...keep in mind most Californians despise anything to do with Texas and most have no clue what Houston has to offer. They don't get why anyone would ever want to live there!

[hello7777]

Thank you so much for your thoughtful and detailed replies!!! Very helpful!

[Sampaguita]

Originally Posted by hello7777

Any texans familiar with the california central coast?

We are a couple in our mid 30's, second generation Indians, raised in Houston, with job offers in Houston and San Luis Obispo. The job in SLO pays less but much more vacation time. Houston is a known entity for us, and what we enjoy about it are: family, friends, ethnic diversity, restaurants, and a variety of things to do. SLO is unknown to us. We've been a couple of times, read about it, and saw the Oprah segment (Happiest City in America) - it looks like a beautiful place to raise a family but we worry about the following:

1. Cost of living - we don't really care about having a big house but one day we'd like our own house, and be able to afford vacations in California and the world. How affordable is SLO? Would we spend most of our income on just the house, limiting the benefit o living in California?
2. Cultural, Ethnic, and Religious Diversity - We're not religious. We are indian but see ourselves as more worldly. We want our children to feel like they fit in and be exposed to people from all over the world. Are there many people from different religious and ethnic backgrounds in SLO?
3. Variety of activities- being from Houston, we tried not to get out in the hot sun, so we don't know how important outdoor activities are to us. But we do enjoy relaxing near the sound of the ocean. We enjoy culture, movies, etc. Houston tends to have a lot of cultural things to do and we are wondering if we would miss out on that by moving to SLO.
4. Young families- we understand there a lot of student and retirees in the area, we are wondering if there are many people in our age group raising young families.
5. Large city vs Smaller Town - have any of you moved from a larger city to SLO, and was it difficult to adjust?

Your input is much appreciated.

I would also post on the CA boards but I really wouldn't post it as SLO vs Houston. There's just no comparison between the 2 on really any level because they are so different. That's kind of like comparing NYC to Santa Barbara - really different but major American city vs small expensive coastal town in SoCal.

SLO - is beautiful as are most of the central CA coastal cities. But it's expensive to live in any of those towns. SLO is basically a college town - smaller than Austin. Most of the people I know who went to Poly in SLO left and moved to other areas so I don't really know how large the population for your age group raising kids would be.

What buys a decent house in a decent neighborhood in the burbs of Houston won't get you much more than a mobile home in SLO. We have friends who are in their 40s with children, dual-incomes who make their mortgage payments on 400k-900k (1200sf-3000sf) but their parents are all helping them out. These are folks who have college degrees and make a good living by anyone's standards except when you pit it against the cost of living in So & Nor Cal - they actually can't make it on their own. I just found out that our 1200sf house in San Diego sold last October for 486k! Prices aren't that much different between where we lived in SD vs SLO.

Question #1 comes down to how much you'll be making, your priorities and your expectations. I think it's a fine place to go to if you're young but don't expect to raise a family there comfortably (child care, schools, school activities, sports, vacations) unless you're making bank.

JMO, of course.

[worldlyman]

I am familiar with that region of SoCal. As a minority, I never found it as open and inviting as the actual environs of San Diego and LA.

There is to me, a plastic strangeness in that netherverse of Coastal Cali containing North San Diego County and extreme South Orange County.

One time not far from Laguna, my wife, her friend and I went to a Starbucks on the way from LA back to San Diego. As we entered, this table of two manicured white girls looked at us strangely. I got bad vibes. My wife's friend sat outside while my wife and I ordered. Later, our friend told us that those two white girls were overheard saying, "Filipinos are a--holes."

I have never had that happen in Houston. In fact, at Memorial City Hospital where I once worked back in the day, when Filipino nurses were flooding in, I recall this pretty white unit clerk making a list of Tagalog phrases. A blond stripper at Centerfolds along Richmond Ave simply told me "mahal kita." That's the spirit of H-town that I know!

That part of SoCal is definitely a bubble of sorts. It is beautiful, but if you do not fit that local demographic, be mindful of where you are. It's just reality.

My wife and I used to drive up and down the coastal areas of SoCal, eat at nice cafes. Yeah, we kind of got the feel of fake friendliness...and something else to it...

Applying for a job at the City of Oceanside, there is actually a "loyalty oath" that has to be signed. I never had to sign a "loyalty oath" when I worked at the City of Houston.

But I can't make that judgement for you. I only speak from my own perception and experiences. From what I take from your major concerns, if you really value a diverse environment for your children...definitely the open vibe of Houston would be my choice.