US News: SF-Oakland Metro Area ranks 7th Best Place to Live (real estate, salary)

[CorporateCowboy]

Originally Posted by duke944

Bottom line is unless you are independently weathy or make 6 figures, living in San Fran would be the pits - this is why it doesn't belong on the list. Not that it's not a fabulous place to live, it is for sure - if you can afford it.

SF ‘earned’ its place on the list as every other city - and COL was part of the equation (which caused it to fall in rank). That you consider it the ‘pits’ (or consider a six figure income ‘out of reach’) is not a valid reason to state ‘it doesn’t belong on the list’. I don’t ever see myself living in Des Moines, but that doesn’t mean I don’t accept it made the list the same way SF did (scoring well in different categories).

[18Montclair]

Originally Posted by duke944

Bottom line is unless you are independently weathy or make 6 figures, living in San Fran would be the pits -

Well thank goodness that most working families here make well above $100,000

2017 Median Income, 2-Earner Families:
Marin County, CA $184,022
San Mateo County, CA $174,054
San Francisco County, CA $171,619
Alameda County, CA $145,283
Contra Costa County, CA $140,210

[CorporateCowboy]

Originally Posted by veritased

Also interesting to note - SF got beat by Des Moines. LOL.

It makes sense - due to the COL/value; that said, I’ll take 7th.

[18Montclair]

Originally Posted by CorporateCowboy

SF ‘earned’ its place on the list as every other city - and COL was part of the equation (which caused it to fall in rank). That you consider it the ‘pits’ (or consider a six figure income ‘out of reach’) is not a valid reason to state ‘it doesn’t belong on the list’. I don’t ever see myself living in Des Moines, but that doesn’t mean I don’t accept it made the list the same way SF did (scoring well in different categories).

Yeah weather for me is a deal breaker. Snow and humidity is what I consider 'the pits'. Boring, lackluster industry is what I consider 'the pits', lacking a real downtown with real amenities is totally 'the pits' imo.

[duke944]

Originally Posted by 18Montclair

Well thank goodness that most working families here make well above $100,000

2017 Median Income, 2-Earner Families:
Marin County, CA $184,022
San Mateo County, CA $174,054
San Francisco County, CA $171,619
Alameda County, CA $145,283
Contra Costa County, CA $140,210

Thanks for making my point - you need to make well over 6 figures to make a decent life in these areas. Not everyone has the background to do that, in fact the vast majority in the US doesn't. Another thing to consider is there are only so many high paying jobs to go around, and if/when the booming tech field demand drops it will be a hard fall for a lot of these high paid employees.

[TashaPosh]

Originally Posted by duke944

Thanks for making my point - you need to make well over 6 figures to make a decent life in these areas. Not everyone has the background to do that, in fact the vast majority in the US doesn't. Another thing to consider is there are only so many high paying jobs to go around, and if/when the booming tech field demand drops it will be a hard fall for a lot of these high paid employees.

It's not just high paying tech jobs tho....nurses can make anywhere from $120,000 to $140,000.....more if they do contract work. I was surprised by this too....& if I can do it, a lot of other people can too.

[duke944]

Originally Posted by TashaPosh

It's not just high paying tech jobs tho....nurses can make anywhere from $120,000 to $140,000.....more if they do contract work.

I really haven't done much research on it, but if wages in California are WAY higher for every type of job across the board, then home values are equally skewed compared to every most other areas - in other words, houses aren't really worth any more than most places factoring in the higher wages. Also, if true I think we can thank California for leading the charge of inflating the dollar value into nothing.
Interesting, I need to do some reading on it.

[TashaPosh]

Originally Posted by duke944

I really haven't done much research on it, but if wages in California are WAY higher for every type of job across the board, then home values are equally skewed compared to every most other areas - in other words, houses aren't really worth any more than most places factoring in the higher wages. Also, if true I think we can thank California for leading the charge of inflating the dollar value into nothing.
Interesting, I need to do some reading on it.

I don't know if salaries are all higher in the BA or not....but I can say they are a lot higher than what I made here as an RN...my last day was yesterday! It's not all about high tech. If you hate Sf so much, stay away from it....but there are people who are excited about moving there & I think the results of the Best Places to Live are fun to read.

[18Montclair]

Originally Posted by duke944

Thanks for making my point - you need to make well over 6 figures to make a decent life in these areas.

I actually dont understand your response to my post at all. You say people have to make 6 figures to live well as if that figure is unattainable for most, but as the demographic data shows, 2-earner families in all 5 counties in the SF Metro have a median income well past $100,000.

Are you saying they shouldnt have to earn that much to live well? Perhaps but keep in mind that about 50% of all adults here have a bachelor degree or higher(only DC and SJ are higher) so they will likely be in good paying jobs anyway.

[TashaPosh]

Originally Posted by duke944

In a way, the homeless have commited suicide in that they have given up trying to have a real life and are just wandering around waiting to die.

Not having a place to live or having schizophrenia, bipolar or other mental illnesses... or a drug addiction or even "giving up" is not the same as committing suicide. California is 45th on the list for suicides...."in a way" doesn't count.