California is Crumbling: Why I’m Giving Up on The Golden State
Things have reached a tipping point
When I was two years old, my family traded freezing Wisconsin winters for the mild and welcoming climate of the west coast. I have to thank them. There’s not a day in my life when I shoveled snow. I never had to scrape frost off my car windshield or brave a drive over ice laden streets. I have called California home for over 50 years, so I guess that makes me (almost) a native.
Those living outside California know us for our fabulous weather, breathtaking coastal views and laid-back lifestyle. Cali is one of the few places on planet Earth where you can begin your day schussing down snow covered slopes and finish by unwinding on the beach beneath the golden sun that same afternoon.
Those outside California may also know us for the juxtaposition of the highs and lows of the place. Jimmy Buffet said it best:
I was out in California where I hear they have it all. They got riots, fires and mud slides. They’ve got sushi in the mall…
Shake and bake life with the quake. The secret’s in the crust.
~ Jimmy Buffet, Fruitcakes
I grew up in southern California, just a couple miles from Disneyland and the beaches. In my 20’s I moved to the San Francisco Bay area. From the golden shores of the OC to the bustle of the Bay Area, I’ve seen the best (and worst) the state has to offer. Whenever I compared the benefits versus the downside of Cali, the good stuff always won out.
But lately the Golden State has lost its shine. Its once-magnificent facade is wearing thinner by the day, its patina cracked and peeling. I thought I’d spend my entire life on California soil. I used to laugh at the “quitters” who fled the state for greener pastures.
I hate to admit defeat, but my allegiance to the only place I’ve ever called home has changed. My husband and I are planning to leave the west coast and will head east in early 2024.
How many people are leaving California?
It’s not a new trend. People have been fleeing the state for some time. Depending on the news source, somewhere between 300,000 and a half a million more people left California than moved in over the last two years.
Everyone has their reasons for seeking greener pastures. In the end my husband and I had a serious sit-down to discuss the pros and cons of remaining in Cali. After some intense debate there were certain things that pushed us over the line. Here’s why we’re going:
Affordable housing is a fantasy
I’m in the San Francisco Bay area, one of the most expensive metros in one of the most expensive states. In January 2023, San Francisco ranked as the 8th most expensive city in the world. That’s behind places like Los Angeles and Hong Kong (who tied for 4th).
The high cost of housing isn’t confined to big cities. My home is 90 minutes outside San Francisco in a semi-rural area that marks the gateway between the tree-lined suburbs of the bay area and California’s lush central valley farmlands. Out here, way outside the city, home prices bump up against the million-dollar mark.
What does a cool mil get you in California?
A small lot in a tract home subdivision of cookie-cutter homes. Land is expensive and developers cram as many houses as they can get onto the smallest lots possible. Homes huddle together, sitting mere feet from one another. You can practically reach out your bedroom window and touch the house next door.
When you buy a home, property taxes are calculated as a percentage of the purchase price. The high cost of housing means you’ll have a hefty tax bill on top of your mortgage payment. Renters don’t catch a break either. Try renting anywhere in the bay area and you’ll shell out around $3,000 a month on average for a tiny 2-bedroom apartment.
After getting married, my husband and I began our quest to find a “forever home.” We started our search in the bay area and quickly pivoted to looking outside California. Ridiculous bidding wars with cash buyers driving up prices left us frustrated. We couldn’t justify paying a hundred thousand dollars over the asking price for a largely unremarkable home.
It didn’t take long to figure out how much better we could do outside California. For the cost of a NorCal tract home, we can own waterfront property on a large block of land on the east coast. It’s a no-brainer.
The cost of living is ridiculous
Inflated housing prices are just the beginning. Add the cost of day-to-day life and your chances for a comfortable life plummet. Everything is more expensive and it’s easy to see why so many families struggle to get by in California.
I knew the cost of living here was high. I was curious to know how high it was and I found some interesting statistics. A report from The Council for Community and Economic Research’s Cost of Living Index says:
- The cost of living in California is 39% higher than the national average
- Utilities, like gas and electric are 22% higher
- Food is 18% higher
- Transportation is 27% higher
- And healthcare is 10% higher than the national average
Pretty much everything costs more if you live in California. Inflation doesn’t help. I’ve seen the cost of groceries and utilities nearly double in the last 6 months.
On our first house hunting trip to the east coast, we did a cost comparison. Groceries were significantly less expensive. Staples like bread and eggs were 20% less on average. The cost of gasoline was almost a dollar a gallon less than in California in many areas.
Crime is out of control:
Crime has been rising at a steady rate in California. There are a lot of factors at play and it feels like the pandemic contributed to a big spike in crime.
Many cities in the Golden State take a hands-off approach to crime. District attorneys are loathe to prosecute so-called “victimless” crimes like shoplifting, resulting in an epidemic of organized theft happening in many metro areas.
Visit San Francisco or Los Angeles and you’ll find hotels and retailers with doors locked to ward off theft and assaults. If you want to shop or enter your hotel, you need to ring a bell and wait for staff to grant access.
Visit a local drug store and you’ll find basics like toothpaste and shaving cream locked away behind clear plastic barriers to prevent shoplifting. You have to have an employee to unlock the cabinet if you want any of these staples.
Theft is a profitable side business in California. My husband and I visited San Francisco a few months ago. As we exited the Mission Street BART Station, we noticed a bazar had been set up. Tables filled with drug store staples like shampoo, toothpaste and body wash lined the sidewalks. People were literally selling and exchanging stolen goods in an open-air market right outside the station. It’s no wonder there’s a mass exodus of retailers fleeing the city. Who can blame them for cutting their losses? It’s become a hostile environment for business as losses from theft pile up and employee safety becomes a daily concern.
Crime isn’t confined to the cities. During the holiday shopping season, a roving mob descended on a nearby suburb with high-end boutiques and restaurants. Over 80 people rushed the downtown shopping area in a coordinated theft spree. This mob engaged in mass looting as getaway drivers waited outside, ready to abscond with loads of fancy goods.
Last week police made a massive drug bust at several homes in our area, including a nice home in our subdivision that was operating as a meth lab. Crime hitting closer and closer to home is another con on the list of California pros and cons.
Homelessness is at an all-time high:
Homelessness is an epidemic in California. Not long ago you could walk the streets of San Francisco and encounter one or two homeless people. They were harmless and non-threatening. Some were outright friendly and it wasn’t intimidating to chat with them.
Go to San Francisco (or any big city or small town) now and it’s impossible to avoid homeless encampments. There’s been a notable change in the homeless population. Many are much more aggressive, engaging in verbal abuse and physical threats. The number of people under the influence of powerful mind-destroying drugs is staggering and those suffering mental illness are forced to live on the streets with nowhere to turn for help.
The first time I took my husband to San Francisco, we took public transit into the city. We walked a short distance from the BART station to a nearby art museum. The 3-block journey from the station to the museum was harrowing. First, we encountered a large pile of human feces — right in the middle of the sidewalk. I heard about this phenomenon in news stories, but thought it was an urban legend. Seeing is believing. We had to watch where we stepped because syringes, needles and trash littered the walkway.
As we continued our journey, we stepped around people lying passed out on the sidewalk. At one point we crossed the street to avoid a man who was punching the air while shouting at no one in particular.
As we walked, my husband commented “far out!”. That’s Australian for “unbelievable.” He comes from Sydney, where you don’t see fecal matter and urban campers occupying the streets.
A Stanford policy brief states between 2014 and 2020, the homeless population in California grew by 42%. The rest of the country experienced a 9% decline in that same period.
The same study says 70% of California’s homeless live outside the shelter system. They sleep rough in tents and on the street. Government entities are at odds about how to address the issue, locked in debate whether shelters or permanent housing is the best solution. This stalemate means nothing gets done while politicians pay lip service. Meanwhile people experiencing homelessness continue to languish on the streets.
Homelessness is a complex issue compounded by mental illness, substance abuse and addiction disorders. The high cost of living and political gridlock in California doesn’t help.
Congestion and pollution are part of life
There was a minute during the pandemic when traffic took a hiatus. Those days are over and the number of cars jamming the roadways is at or above pre-pandemic levels. You’ll encounter traffic most times of day as the traditional rush hour has morphed into hours-long backup.
Summer weather brings more and more days of dull grey haze lingering over the valley where we live. I used to deal with occasional asthma attacks but they’ve increased in frequency and severity over the last few years. I was pleased to discover our trips out of state brought relief from my symptoms. I’m curious to see what other health benefits may come with a move to a less polluted area.
The Verdict: Quality of life wins out
My husband and I are approaching middle age and we’re looking forward to a future with a good quality of life. We don’t want to go broke in retirement. We want to travel, have adventures and make memories together.
When we look at the big picture the quality of life looks better outside California. That’s why we’re making a move.
While I’m at peace with the decision to leave California, I’m also a bit sad. There was a time when I championed California as the best place in the world to live. The quality of life used to rival the most amazing locales on the planet. After traveling outside the state to vet other places to live, I see the potential for a good life elsewhere.
Sorry California, I’m breaking up with you. It’s not me, it’s you. You’ve changed and I can no longer justify spending my golden years in the Golden State. I wish you the best.
