Advantages & Disadvantages of Moving to California

You think about moving to California?

While California is a great place to live, many cities are also pretty expensive and there are several other drawbacks you should know.

Thus, make sure to have a look at all the pros and cons of living in California in this article so that you get a more realistic picture of reality and are better able to decide whether you still want to move to California or rather want to move to a different state instead.

You will also find a comparison of all major cities in California at the end of this article so that you can also make a profound decision regarding what city you want to live in.

Living in California – Overview

Advantages of Living in California

1. You can make really good money in California
2. Many big corporations to choose from
3. Unemployment rate for highly-qualified people is pretty low
4. California has many national parks
5. You can enjoy beautiful beaches
6. You can go surfing and skiing the same day
7. Many recreational spaces to relax in California
8. California is a great place to live for families
9. Student life in California is great as well
10. People in California are friendly
11. People will often help you out
12. Easy to find new friends in California
13. California is a pretty tolerant state
14. You can meet people from all over the world
15. You can meet many tourists
16. You can try delicious foods in California
17. Easy to socialize in California
18. California is an important economic region
19. California has a great reputation all over the world
20. Many cities in California are bike-friendly
21. Many big cities to choose from
22. California is a great place for farmers
23. California has many art scenes
24. Many people in California live a pretty healthy lifestyle
25. California is a pretty relaxed place to live
26. Californian lifestyle is unique
27. People from all over the world are welcome in California
28. Great level of cultural diversity
29. Summers in California are great
30. Mild winters attract people who don’t like the cold
31. You don’t have to deal with rain that much
32. You can spend lots of time outdoors
33. Air quality is pretty good outside major cities
34. California attracts highly-qualified people from all over the world
35. California will stay an important region for many decades to come
36. You can see many celebrities
37. Great bars and clubs to choose from in major cities
38. Numerous leisure activities to choose from
39. Good schools and colleges
40. California offers good public infrastructure
41. Medical infrastructure is great as well
42. You will never get bored in California
43. California is a pet-friendly state
44. California offers many international airports
45. You can live where other people spend their vacation
46. California provides everything you need to live a happy life

You can make really good money in California

One advantage of moving to California is that you can make really good money.

The average income level is much higher in California compared to the rest of the US and if you work in Silicon Valley or in other major cities in California, chances are that you can make a six-figure income and can live a fancy lifestyle.

Many big corporations to choose from

Not only can you make really good money in California, but you will also have more than enough companies to choose from.

For instance, you can work in the tech industry, financial sector, medical sector and many other popular industries where you can make decent money and have good job prospects in the long run.

Unemployment rate for highly-qualified people is pretty low

California is a great place to live and work, especially for highly-qualified people since there will be more than enough jobs if you have skills urgently needed in the job market right now.

For instance, if you are an IT specialist, chances are that you will find more than enough good job opportunities in Silicon Valley or in the surrounding area.

California has many national parks

California is not only known for its high income levels, but it is also popular for its beautiful nature.

You will find numerous national parks close to major cities and this gives you the opportunity to make really good money from your job while you will still be able to relax and spend beautiful days in nature during weekends and holidays.

You can enjoy beautiful beaches

Another reason to move to California is that you can enjoy beautiful beaches.

In fact, many big cities like San Francisco or San Diego are directly located at the beach and you can therefore start your day with a swim or even go to the beach during lunch break to reload your batteries and to relax from your stressful job.

In turn, you will have more energy for the rest of your workday and will also feel like a completely different person and full of energy.

You can go surfing and skiing the same day

California is also great since you can go surfing and skiing on the same day since mountains as well as beaches are relatively close to each other and you can reach both of them from major cities in California within a few-hour drive.

Thus, you will have more than enough opportunities to spend your leisure in nature and to really enjoy the beautiful scenery to its fullest.

Many recreational spaces to relax in California

California does not only have great national parks and nature in general, but you will also find many recreational spaces to relax within major cities and you can therefore enjoy your lunch break in beautiful parks and reload your batteries.

California is a great place to live for families

Another upside to moving to California is that the state is a great place to live for families.

You will just find everything you need to provide a great childhood for your kids while you will also find all you need to have an exciting and interesting life as an adult.

Student life in California is great as well

California is also great for students since you will find many bars and clubs to party in major cities of California while you will also find many like-minded students and can spend lots of time with them to practice together.

People in California are friendly

Another benefit of moving to California is that people are pretty friendly and outdoing and you will always find people to have interesting conversations with.

For instance, if you sit at the bus station and wait for the bus, you will often have conversation partners to talk about all kinds of things that are going on in the world right now and chances are that you will never get bored in this regard.

People will often help you out

Not only are people pretty friendly in California, but they are also pretty helpful and willing to help you out in case you need support and don’t know how to solve certain problems.

For instance, if you get lost, people will help you find your way back home and this helpful attitude is true for many other things of daily life.

Easy to find new friends in California

California is also a great place to make new friends.

Since people are open and outgoing, it will not take you long to make new social contacts and some of those contacts will turn into real friendships that may last for many years or even until the end of your life.

California is a pretty tolerant state

Another reason to live in California is that people in California are pretty tolerant and open to new things and you therefore don’t have to fear that your attitude towards life will cause any problems as long as you are tolerant yourself and accept people as who they are.

You can meet people from all over the world

California is also a great place to stay since you can meet people from all over the world.

In fact, California is pretty popular and people from many different countries want to study, work and live in this beautiful region.

In turn, you can meet many interesting people from different cultures and can really expand your horizon.

You can meet many tourists

Since California is pretty popular all over the world, you can also meet many tourists and can make many new friendships with people from foreign countries.

In turn, once you want to travel to those countries, you will already have contact with locals and can experience much nicer vacations since your friends can show you all the beautiful places in their home country.

You can try delicious foods in California

Another advantage to living in California is that you can try many different foods.

Due to many different cultural influences, you can try foods from all parts of the world and this can also give you inspiration since you will have more ideas regarding what you want to cook at home.

In turn, you may become pretty good at cooking in the long run and can really impress your social circle.

Easy to socialize in California

California is also a great place to socialize since people are outgoing and friendly and you will also have many places to socialize, including book stores, cinemas, sports clubs and much more.

California is an important economic region

California is also one of the most important regions in the US in terms of economics.

Not only will you find great jobs in California from which you can make really good money, but the importance of the region also assures that there will be good jobs in this state for many years to come and you therefore don’t have to worry about adverse long-term developments in this regard that much.

California has a great reputation all over the world

California is also one of the most popular places by people from all over the world.

It has pretty great reputation and is also considered one of the most beautiful states of the US.

In turn, people from all over the world will envy you if you tell them that you live in this beautiful place and you can therefore feel pretty special and lucky in this regard.

Many cities in California are bike-friendly

Another upside to living in California is that it has many bike-friendly cities to offer.

For instance, if you retire in San Francisco, you don’t necessarily need a car to get around and can just use your bike to get from A to B in most cases.

In turn, you can not only protect our environment, but you can also save lots of money on fuel in the long run.

Many big cities to choose from

California also has many big cities and you can just choose the city you feel most comfortable in and that fits best to your personal preferences as well as to your budget.

If you are not sure what city to move to yet, you should have a look at the California city comparison at the end of this article to get further information in this regard.

California is a great place for farmers

Many people just know California for its big and popular cities.

However, California is also an important place when it comes to agriculture and can therefore be a great state to move to if you want to become a farmer and want to find excellent infrastructure in this regard.

California has many art scenes

California is also a great place for artists. In many big cities, you will find decent art scenes and you can hang out with many like-minded people and talk with them about things that are important to you and about recent developments in art in general.

Many people in California live a pretty healthy lifestyle

Another benefit of living in California is that you will be surrounded by people who live a pretty healthy lifestyle.

In fact, fitness and looks are considered pretty important in California and since you will be surrounded by people living a healthy lifestyle, you may live healthier yourself and may be able to reduce your risk of suffering from serious health problems in the long run.

California is a pretty relaxed place to live

People in California are also pretty laid-back and you can have many conversations with relaxed people who will show you different ways how you can spend your life and you may learn quite a lot in this regard in the long run.

Californian lifestyle is unique

There is also a certain unique vibe about living in California that is hard to explain.

Not only are people relaxed and open to new things, but they will also live differently than in most other states and seem to be happier from an overall perspective.

People from all over the world are welcome in California

California is also a great state to live in since people from all over the world are welcome and this means that you can meet many interesting people and can listen to their exciting stories.

Great level of cultural diversity

Since people are welcome from all over the world, California also attracts people from many different countries and if you are from a foreign country yourself, you don’t have to worry in this regard and will be welcomed with open arms as long as you are tolerant yourself and also willing to integrate yourself into society.

Summers in California are great

California also offers great climatic conditions.

You will just be able to enjoy many awesome summers with lots of sun and can relax on the beach quite a lot.

Mild winters attract people who don’t like the cold

Not only summers are great in California, but you can also enjoy pretty mild winters and moving to California can therefore make sense if you don’t like the cold but rather want to live in a region with decent air temperatures.

You don’t have to deal with rain that much

Since California is a pretty sunny place, you also don’t have to deal with rain that much.

Instead, you can spend many nice days at the beach or at nature reserves and can really enjoy your leisure.

You can spend lots of time outdoors

Thanks to the good weather and the many recreational spaces to hang out, you will also be able to spend lots of time outdoors and this can really positively influence your mood in the long run.

Air quality is pretty good outside major cities

While air quality in Bakersfield and in other major cities is often pretty poor, air quality outside of those cities is pretty decent and you can therefore spend lots of time outdoors without having to worry about adverse health issues in this regard.

California attracts highly-qualified people from all over the world

Since California has great jobs to offer if you have the skills needed in the job market right now, it attracts highly-qualified people from all over the country and even the world and you can therefore meet many interesting personalities and have interesting conversations in this beautiful region.

California will stay an important region for many decades to come

Since California is an important economic region and many big corporations have settled down in this region, it will stay an important region for many decades to come and will stay a great place to live in the foreseeable future.

You can see many celebrities

Major cities like L.A. also attract many celebrities from all over the world and if you are lucky and also hang out in the right locations, chances are that you will meet many of those famous people sooner or later.

Great bars and clubs to choose from in major cities

You will also have many great bars and clubs to choose from in major cities in California and nightlife in those cities is just excellent and you will find everything you need to party as long as you want.

Numerous leisure activities to choose from

Since California has many national parks and other nature reserves, there are many great things to do in your leisure.

For instance, you can go hiking, fishing, hunting or do many other things in nature and this can really help you relax from your stressful life and to reload your batteries for the stressful things yet to come.

Good schools and colleges

You will also find many good schools and colleges in California and can therefore make sure that your kids get the best education possible to give them a head start for a great life.

California offers good public infrastructure

You will also find many things you need in most cities in California and don’t have to drive long hours since overall infrastructure is pretty decent in this state.

Medical infrastructure is great as well

You will also find many good doctors and hospitals in California and can therefore be sure to get the best medical treatment in case of emergency.

You will never get bored in California

Since there are so many things to do, you will likely never get bored living in California and can just spend your life with the things you like most and can enjoy every moment in this beautiful state.

California is a pet-friendly state

California is also a great place to live if you love pets since you can just walk down the streets with your dog and will meet many other pet owners and can start conversations with them and also find many new friends in this way in the long run.

California offers many international airports

It is also easy to travel from California to foreign countries since there are many international airports in California and you will find an international airport in most big cities which makes it convenient to get around by plane.

You can live where other people spend their vacation

By moving to California, you can also live in a place where many other people want to spend their leisure and many of your friends will also envy you for your California life and the nice things you can experience every day.

California provides everything you need to live a happy life

In general, California provides everything you need to live a happy life.

In fact, if you don’t get happy in California, it will be hard for you to get happy at all and in such a case, you might want to change your overall attitude towards life and see life from a brighter and more positive perspective.

As you can see, there are many advantages to living in California. However, it is still not all upside and we should also talk about all the issues that come along with it so that you get a more realistic picture of reality and can better decide whether you still want to move to California or rather want to live in a different state instead.

Disadvantages of Living in California

1. Property prices in California are pretty high
2. Rents have increased significantly over the past years
3. Housing shortage has become a serious problem
4. It may take you lots of time to find a suitable place to live in California
5. Average person may not be able to afford to live in big cities in California anymore
6. Unemployment rate among low-qualified people is pretty high
7. Crime rate is above national average
8. Increasing gap between the poor and the rich
9. Social tensions have increased significantly
10. Homelessness is a big problem in many major cities in California
11. Beaches become increasingly polluted
12. People leave their trash in nature reserves
13. Life has become increasingly stressful in California
14. People are not that laid-back anymore
15. Many people worry about their financial future
16. Many locals have to leave their homes
17. Public infrastructure may collapse sooner or later
18. You have to make really good money to afford living in major cities in California
19. Pretty poor air quality in major cities in California
20. Traffic jams are a big problem
21. Hard to find a parking lot in major cities in California
22. You need a car to get around
23. California is vulnerable to earthquakes
24. Wildfires are a big problem in California
25. Water scarcity may decrease quality of life in the long run
26. Lack of seasons may be annoying
27. Pretty high tax rates in California
28. California may be too hot for you
29. People are often shallow

Property prices in California are pretty high

One problem with living in California is that property prices are pretty high and have skyrocketed over the past years.

This is especially true in major cities like San José and the surrounding Bay Area and if you want to retire in San José or live in one of those cities, you would have to spend lots of money to buy a home and it may take you a long time to pay off your mortgage.

Rents have increased significantly over the past years

Not only property prices have increased, but also rents have become much higher over the past decade and many people have to spend a high fraction of their disposable income on rent and don’t have enough money left to spend on other nice things of daily life.

Housing shortage has become a serious problem

Not only property prices and rents are pretty high, but there is also a serious housing shortage in many big cities in California and this means that far more people want to live in this region compared to vacant space available and you may therefore have to compete with many other people who have the same plan of moving to California as you do.

It may take you lots of time to find a suitable place to live in California

Another downside to living in California is that due to the housing shortage, it may take you quite long to find a suitable place to stay and this may be really annoying since you will have to spend lots of time on property search.

Average person may not be able to afford to live in big cities in California anymore

While people working for one of the big tech companies often make really good money, the average person often struggles to pay rent and other expenses for daily life and may no longer be able to pay his or her bills in the future.

Unemployment rate among low-qualified people is pretty high

Many low-skilled people often have problems finding a decent job and will have to work in low-wage environments where they don’t make enough money to cover basic expenses and therefore have to work second jobs to make a living.

Crime rate is above national average

Another disadvantage of living in California is that crime rates are above national average and if you are a person who is easily afraid and want to have a maximum of safety, you may not want to move to California but rather go for a safer state instead.

Increasing gap between the poor and the rich

Over the past decade, the gap between the rich and the poor has increased significantly.

While landlords have benefited from increasing property prices, tenants often struggle to pay their rent and if this trend continues, people may become increasingly desperate and crime rates may increase even further since people have to find additional ways to make money.

Social tensions have increased significantly

Due to an increasing level of inequality, also social tensions have increased quite a lot in California over the past years and if this trend continues, people will no longer be relaxed and friendly but rather in a rush since they have to make money somehow and may no longer have the helpful attitude of the past decades.

Homelessness is a big problem in many major cities in California

Another reason not to move to California is that homelessness has become a serious problem in many major cities.

Not only is this a pretty sad picture, but homelessness also leads to increasing crime rates and you may therefore just no longer feel safe walking down the streets, especially at nighttime and your overall quality of life may drop significantly due to that.

Beaches become increasingly polluted

You should also note that beaches have become increasingly polluted over the past years and if this trend continues in the near future, the beach may no longer be a popular place to hang out but may rather become a garbage dump.

People leave their trash in nature reserves

Not only beaches become increasingly polluted, but also nature reserves and national parks are vulnerable to littering since people just dispose of their trash everywhere they want.

Thus, lots of beautiful nature may get destroyed and overall quality of life may drop significantly since you may no longer be able to enjoy beautiful nature.

Life has become increasingly stressful in California

Another downside to moving to California is that life has become increasingly stressful compared to just one decade ago.

People are often in a rush since they have to make lots of money to pay their bills and are no longer as relaxed as just a few years from now.

People are not that laid-back anymore

In general, people are more stressed and are no longer that helpful, especially in major cities in California where living costs are high and people have to work quite a lot just to survive.

Many people worry about their financial future

Another problem with moving to California is that you may have to worry about your financial future all day long.

In fact, many people barely make enough to pay their basic expenses and are not able to build an emergency fund or to invest enough money for retirement.

Consequently, many people get into serious financial trouble once something unexpected happens.

Many locals have to leave their homes

Due to skyrocketing rents, many locals are also no longer able to afford to live in California and leave the state for a brighter future in a different region.

In turn, many things that have made California a unique place to live may be lost and California may just become a soulless place in the future.

Public infrastructure may collapse sooner or later

Another disadvantage of moving to California is that public transport is pretty poor in most regions and this means that you may have to rely on your car to be on time for important appointments.

You have to make really good money to afford living in major cities in California

Since living in California has become such expensive, you have to make really good money to be able to afford a decent lifestyle and the average person is often not able to do so and is barely able to afford any luxury.

Pretty poor air quality in major cities in California

While air quality in rural regions is pretty decent, it is pretty poor in major cities like Los Angeles and you may therefore suffer from all sorts of health problems if you live in one of those cities for an extended period of time.

Traffic jams are a big problem

Since population in major cities in California has increased significantly over the past years, also traffic jams have become a big problem and you may therefore lose lots of time commuting to work and back.

Hard to find a parking lot in major cities in California

Due to increasing traffic, you may also have a hard time finding a parking lot in major cities in California and this may become really annoying in the long run.

You need a car to get around

Since many cities are pretty large and public transport is often pretty poor, you will often need a car to get around in California and this is not good for your pocket as well as for our environment.

California is vulnerable to earthquakes

California is also waiting for a big earthquake that may wipe out many cities on the coast.

Thus, in case this earthquake happens at the time you live in one of those cities, chances are that you will not only lose your home but even your life.

Wildfires are a big problem in California

Not only earthquakes may destroy your home, but California is also pretty vulnerable to wildfires and if you live in the suburb, you will be at much greater risk in this regard compared to living in the city center.

Water scarcity may decrease quality of life in the long run

Due to global warming, also water scarcity may become a serious problem in the near future.

Droughts are already quite common and if this trend continues, overall quality of life may drop significantly and many farmers may also lose their livelihood.

Lack of seasons may be annoying

You should also note that in many cities on the coast, you will have a lack of real reasons and if you want to experience strong winters, you will be better off living in the mountain area or in other states instead.

Pretty high tax rates in California

Another reason not to move to California is that tax rates are pretty high and the government will take away lots of your money and you will have less money to spend compared to most other states in the US.

California may be too hot for you

While California is a great place for sun lovers, it may not be for you if you don’t like the heat and rather want to live in a cooler region instead.

People are often shallow

While many people are friendly, many are also often pretty shallow and only care about the material things you have and if you are not wealthy or rich, many people in California will not be willing to make friends with you.

Top 10 Moving To California Pros & Cons – Summary List

Should You Move To California?

As you can see, California is a great state to live in and has a lot to offer.

However, rents and living costs are pretty high and there are also multiple other factors to consider.

Hence, in the end, you should evaluate all the advantages and disadvantages of moving to California carefully to make the best possible decision in this regard and to become happy in the long run.

Most Popular Cities To Live In California – Comparison

Sources

https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/CA

About the author

This site is about living, moving and traveling to various parts of our fascinating planet.

My name is Andreas and when I was younger, I traveled the world and learned a lot about different cultures and countries.

Thus, I want to share my experiences with you so that you can benefit from them and avoid common mistakes in this regard.

In my articles, you will find everything you need to find the best location for a happy and successful life.