It would just make somewhere like Santa Monica or a beach city out of the question unless you want to drive forever. But does give you options, although most could be anywhere from 30-45 min drive. Gives you options for the valley (Burbank, Studio city, Sherman oaks, etc) west (Culver city) or east (Pasadena). There are apts right downtown but no sure I would want to live down there. Silver lake and Los Felix are closer, but would be more expensive. Basicallly there are a lot of options.
can everyone stop moving here pls there are already enough people here
Flagpole wrote:
RI red wrote:
You're moving to CA??? What happened to all the posts over the years about how nice it is to live in Ohio? To the OP-I did this West Coast move way back when. I rented and was back to the East Coast after a year but I truly enjoyed the experience (single then). Can both of you give it a year? Are you interested in company advancement? Is there a possibility to return to your current job (or other Ohio opportunities, if you like that lifestyle)? Family, friends? Will the LA company move you? It's exciting but other factors come into play. Good luck!
I have long said that I will not retire in Ohio. It's a good place to raise a family...great public schools...decent cost of living, but the weather here sucks. So, now with the kids out of the house, it is time to move on, and Southern CA is the target.
So, you're going to spend the rest of your live in SoCal? You're not aging well, man.
20y of living in LA.
If you’re working downtown check out Glendale/Pasadena/Burbank area. Straight shot down the 110 to downtown and if you put in the work you will be about to get a place where you can run to Griffith park.
More people are moving out than in. Ask Texas. I would love to live in SoCal if the state wasn't soooo liberal. So beautiful and great weather.
Good running spots are few and far between. Live close to where you going to run cause you’re not going to want to drive to a running spot during the week.
My spouse and I reluctantly moved here from NY/CT 12 yrs ago , when our kids were in middle/high school. We are now in our late 50's/early 60's , kids are grown and gone, and I can't imagine moving back east, even though we visit family there often and miss being near them. Every time we discuss other places to retire, we realize we can't give up what we have here. The opportunities for running, hiking, beach-going and enjoying outdoor activities all year long are truly amazing and pretty much life-altering. The environment encourages healthy living in so many ways - climate, terrain, like-minded people, fresh produce, etc. Sure, there are tradeoffs, but on balance, if you're a runner/cyclist and enjoy the outdoors, LA area is very hard to beat.
Also, I think it's fine to live on 150k for just the two of you. I have not actually compared our living costs between east and west coasts, but I think we spent more when we lived on the east coast - certainly on things like heating, wardrobes for various seasons, etc. Out here, the livin' is easy. Of course, the big cost difference is in the price of real estate! But if you rent, I don't think the gap is that massive. We just moved my husband's mom out here to a retirement facility, and it was actually a little less than similar places back east.
You may want to look for housing in Pasadena area, which would provide a nice transition from the east, as parts of it definitely have more history/character than many other parts of LA. There are GREAT running and cycling options in and close to Pasadena, and you can easily head to the beach on weekends.
You may be interested in this op-ed piece in LA Times, which provides perspective on migration in/out of CA (both positive and negative) -
. Good luck & all the best to you and your wife!
Interesting article...I didn't realize the state income taxes were that high (13.3%!). I knew they were higher, but yikes. I think state + local (Columbus) I pay something like 7.5% total. I suspect CA has local taxes too.
RI red wrote:
Flagpole wrote:
I have long said that I will not retire in Ohio. It's a good place to raise a family...great public schools...decent cost of living, but the weather here sucks. So, now with the kids out of the house, it is time to move on, and Southern CA is the target.
Taxes, taxes, taxes. I'm very surprised you didn't move to the 7 friendliest states for retirement income.
I've gotten to the point that it's not really an issue, so my view has evolved as my investments have risen from where could we retire comfortably to where do we want to retire comfortably.
LA man wrote:
Flagpole wrote:
I have long said that I will not retire in Ohio. It's a good place to raise a family...great public schools...decent cost of living, but the weather here sucks. So, now with the kids out of the house, it is time to move on, and Southern CA is the target.
So, you're going to spend the rest of your live in SoCal? You're not aging well, man.
20y of living in LA.
Sure. We lived in Northern California for ~5 years, and we love California and now want to live in the LA area. Not sure what that has to do with not aging well.
Flagpole wrote:
LA man wrote:
So, you're going to spend the rest of your live in SoCal? You're not aging well, man.
20y of living in LA.
Sure. We lived in Northern California for ~5 years, and we love California and now want to live in the LA area. Not sure what that has to do with not aging well.
It was just an opinion. If you like it, go for it.
I don't think LA in general is a great place to live if you're a runner, it's very hot for over half of the year. You'd want to live next to the ocean but if your job is downtown commute is going to be hell. It's not THAT scorching, of course, you can run at 4 am and such. But that may actually be worse than couple of runs missed due to snow.
You'll be making less net income. 116k goes a lot further in Ohio than 150k does in LA (or Bay Area or San Diego). However, you'll do fine. It's enough to live reasonably well one. More so if your wife works.
Traffic sucks in LA. There's no way around that. Try to live close to work.
Other than that, SoCal is great. The weather is fantastic for recreation. There's plenty to do. Earthquakes, flood, fire are overrated by those who don't live here. Sure they happen, but are rare and unlikely to happen to you.
I've lived in California my whole like (almost 59 years now). I can recall being in about 4 semi-large earthquakes. They seem scary, but the amount of people who actually suffer damage from one is pretty small.
I've lived through 3 fires close to my home and one which required us to evacuate, but I live on the edge of vast open space. I know very few people (other than neighbors), who've had to evacuate because of a fire (and I'm in San Diego which, for the most part, has more fires and LA proper).
You'll miss the small town feeling of Ohio. The people are more closed in here, but a lot of that depends on you. It is possible to build a large social network, but you have to work at it.
My college roommate left Cleveland, OH for SoCal and never looked back. He lives in Pasadena and works downtown. For LA, it is a very reasonable commute. If you are not planning on having a family any time soon, get an apartment downtown. Downtown LA has come a long way and is now a really great place to live if you like the hustle and bustle of a big city. Tons of restaurants, bars and good access to grocery stores, etc. $2,500 a month will get you a very nice one bedroom apartment in downtown LA. You will be able to walk to work and walk home to make lunch or take a shower if you go for a run in the middle of the day.
Taxes in California are insane. People in California are insane. But for all that insanity, there are indisputable benefits. World class arts and culture. Short drive to skiing in the winter. Short drive to surfing in the summer. In state tuition to world class institutions like UC Berkeley is @$14k. The community college system is excellent and tuition is under $2k a year.
Job Advice wrote:
Currently I live in Columbus, Ohio and I make 116k a year. I'm a software engineer. I have an offer for 150k for doing basically the same thing in Los Angeles, however I've never been there. The weather definitely appeals to me, as does all the opportunity for outdoor sports, be it running or cycling or just on the beach.
So what do the LRC faithful think? Is LA worth it and is it affordable at 150k?
Its software. Work from home
blort wrote:
You'll be making less net income. 116k goes a lot further in Ohio than 150k does in LA (or Bay Area or San Diego). However, you'll do fine. It's enough to live reasonably well one. More so if your wife works.
Traffic sucks in LA. There's no way around that. Try to live close to work.
Other than that, SoCal is great. The weather is fantastic for recreation. There's plenty to do. Earthquakes, flood, fire are overrated by those who don't live here. Sure they happen, but are rare and unlikely to happen to you.
I've lived in California my whole like (almost 59 years now). I can recall being in about 4 semi-large earthquakes. They seem scary, but the amount of people who actually suffer damage from one is pretty small.
I've lived through 3 fires close to my home and one which required us to evacuate, but I live on the edge of vast open space. I know very few people (other than neighbors), who've had to evacuate because of a fire (and I'm in San Diego which, for the most part, has more fires and LA proper).
You'll miss the small town feeling of Ohio. The people are more closed in here, but a lot of that depends on you. It is possible to build a large social network, but you have to work at it.
Basically this. Weather is the number one plus, as it allows for a lot of outdoor activities. It does get hot in the summer, but I’d take that over snow and negative temps. Traffic is by far the worst part about LA, but there are a lot of people here so that’s just how it is.
I agree that it will be a change of pace from a smaller Midwest town feeling. Everything is busier here and often requires waiting more (ex: lines, parking spaces, etc). People can be a bit more superficial here but that’s not everyone and you may need to put in a bit more effort to find a social group/friends. But overall it’s a great place to live and I do think the pros outweigh the cons.
I won't say LA is the greatest city in the country (or world) because that is highly debatable. But, there's really nothing like it. So much happens in Los Angeles and there is so much to do, to see, to experience etc. No matter what you find interesting, LA will seem like the epicenter of it. It can get overwhelming and yes, the traffic can be a real downer at times.. but working in downtown Los Angeles and living within a reasonable commute will seem like you are at the center of the world. It's pretty cool.
With that said, check commute times, but, as mentioned above.. Pasadena area is stunning, Studio City/Sherman Oaks is very nice. My friend rents a pretty decently sized house in Studio City (2500sqft I believe) and it's 4K per month. Crapload of money, but you adjust. And there are cheaper areas for sure and smaller homes. Santa Monica is pretty awesome.. you'll feel like you are on vacation year round. Get off work, go home and walk to the beach to have dinner.. it's like something out of a movie. Everyday. That's why people move to Los Angeles.
I lived in Orange County (Brea), and that area is a great place to live.. but it's a hike to downtown. Not sure if that's worth it.
Working in downtown sounds neat too. It's not a massive downtown like NYC or Chicago, but it's big enough and has a cool downtown feel to it. Go see the Lakers play after work or leave early and drive to Dodger Stadium nearby. LA is cool. Not for everyone, no doubt about it, but if you have the opportunity, I would definitely say it's worth a try.
UA Runner wrote:
I won't say LA is the greatest city in the country (or world) because that is highly debatable. But, there's really nothing like it. So much happens in Los Angeles and there is so much to do, to see, to experience etc. No matter what you find interesting, LA will seem like the epicenter of it. It can get overwhelming and yes, the traffic can be a real downer at times.. but working in downtown Los Angeles and living within a reasonable commute will seem like you are at the center of the world. It's pretty cool.
With that said, check commute times, but, as mentioned above.. Pasadena area is stunning, Studio City/Sherman Oaks is very nice. My friend rents a pretty decently sized house in Studio City (2500sqft I believe) and it's 4K per month. Crapload of money, but you adjust. And there are cheaper areas for sure and smaller homes. Santa Monica is pretty awesome.. you'll feel like you are on vacation year round. Get off work, go home and walk to the beach to have dinner.. it's like something out of a movie. Everyday. That's why people move to Los Angeles.
I lived in Orange County (Brea), and that area is a great place to live.. but it's a hike to downtown. Not sure if that's worth it.
Working in downtown sounds neat too. It's not a massive downtown like NYC or Chicago, but it's big enough and has a cool downtown feel to it. Go see the Lakers play after work or leave early and drive to Dodger Stadium nearby. LA is cool. Not for everyone, no doubt about it, but if you have the opportunity, I would definitely say it's worth a try.
Wouldn't the Ohio guys want to research public transport? If OP works downtown wouldn't there be express buses from the outlying areas to downtown? I would think one of the top research priorities would be public transport, particularly in LA.
Am I off base on this?
PS. Flagpole, welcome back brother. SOME of us missed you.
How about you move away then? Entitled idiot.
LA running scene is actually amazing if you are willing to drive a bit. Tons of trails in the San Gabriels to the north. The most gorgeous trails Ive ever run hands down are in the Santa Monica mountains. Arroyo Seco trail is great if you live near it (Pasadena, Highland Park, etc). Chino Hills has a really nice state park. If you live a little south you can go to Palos Verdes and run on cliffs. Plus you can always run on the beach.
Beach cities never get hot. Even in the summer they will not really exceed low 80s. And this is a dry heat too, so it doesn't feel like the humid 80s you get elsewhere. If you are inland, it will get to 100 decently often, but again - dry heat. Winters are gorgeous. If you like skiing, we also have good skiing pretty close by (Big bear about 2 hours, Mammoth about 5 hours).
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