The reason California is relatively expensive is that it is a very desirable place to live, therefore competition is high and people are willing to pay more of their income to live there. For running and outdoor activities, it is really hard to beat. The weather is great year round, lots of runners and running clubs, oodles of trails both paved and off road. The beaches are open to all, lots of parks (regional, state, national), national forests, mountains, desert, beaches within a reasonable driving distance from anywhere. There are affordable places in CA, even in coastal cities. They guy who claims you can't live comfortably on $200k must have very high expectations or does not know how to budget because the median income in CA is ~$62k and Silicon Valley region is ~$95k (this is a very expensive area to live). http://www.bizjournals.com/sanjose/news/2014/09/24/silicon-valley-median-income-now-94-572-43-higher.htmlYou might get more house for your money elsewhere, but that usually comes with worse weather, further distance to trails/natural beauty, and often a culture of less open minded people.
observer of things wrote:
Roagna wrote:For a comfortable lifestyle, you need to avoid California.
I have tried it with three kids and a wife, and you just can't have the American dream (4b/3b house, cars, vacation) in California. As a guy that makes $200K, that got me nothing in Alameda and Carlsbad areas. Unless you inherit a property or want to spend a life renting and/or in over your head, you need to think about the midwest, south, or east coast (non-NYC or DC).
anyone find it ironic that the most liberal (modern day definition) state in the US is the hardest to live a middle class lifestyle?