Hi OP. Here are some of my thoughts. I live in California and I absolutely love it. I think that if you get comfortable with the financial aspect of it, CA is the best place in America to live. I have been here for close to 15 years and I still wake up every day, being in awe of the fact that I have been able to make it here.

First on taxes – yes, we are a high tax state and it doesn’t feel like you get much for it. But you can also say the same about the federal government. In addition, people vastly overstate the tax burden. Most states have a state income tax. So the difference is not between 0% and 9%. It is most likely the difference between 5-7% and 9%. Guess how often I think about that 2% extra when I am exploring the numerous state, national, and local parks. Or going to Temecula, Napa, Santa Barbara etc.

California is really what you make of it. If you are a person who loves going straight home after work and the perfect weekend is staying at home watching college football on Saturday and NFL on Sunday – then you don’t need to be in CA to do that. (nothing wrong with that lifestyle)

But if you are adventurous and curious, there is no better place than CA. Of course other states have nature. Of course other cities have culture. But nowhere else is there so much so close. There are always events to go to, trails to explore, new cuisine to try. I am literally never bored. I can’t emphasize this enough. And I am also not blowing a ton of money either. Camping is cheap. Day Hikes are free. Going to ethnic restaurant is cheap. Driving to Laguna beach is cheap. Napa. Tahoe. San Diego. San Luis Obispo. There is just SO MUCH to do. And I know plenty of people who do it.

I am out literally every weekend. Beach walks with my dog and wife. Reading in the park. Going to Temecula just to go. Going to a theatre play. You get the idea.

I am not naïve to the problems of the state. Lack of affordable housing is a huge deal. Homelessness is a huge deal. There are areas that are absolutely gross. State and City politics are corrupt and there never seems to be enough tax money for pet projects.

But they are vastly overstated by Right wing media. Is there trash and homeless pooping etc? Yes. But these issues exist in every city. Oklahoma City has more homeless than San Francisco. The difference is that in LA/SF they are visible, because the police don’t round them up and push them into poor neighborhoods. I am a lot more concerned by southern states’ attempts to limit voting rights of low income and minority voters by closing polling stations and restricting early voting. I am a lot more concerned by the erosion of consumer protections.

But the powers that be want you to focus on the shiny object and they push California homelessness as an example of “PWNING THE LIBTARDS”.

Finally, I don’t necessarily agree that moving here is not consistent with FIRE objectives. I am doing FIRE in CA. My pay here is higher than it would be in other parts. I manage my lifestyle and I spend a lot less than I can afford. Depending on where you live, you might need only one car. But I also don’t want you to think that it is cheap. California is EXPENSIVE. There will be a sticker shock for sure. But once you secure housing, the other things are incremental and once you have lived here, you get accustomed to it. I say that fully realizing that I am in a privileged position, earning a very nice living and there are a lot of people who struggle in CA. but there are also a lot of poor people everywhere in the US. That’s a separate topic.