After considerable reflection, the conclusion became unavoidable: California is no longer a place I can afford to live in — financially, spiritually, or otherwise.
The usual suspects drove the decision. The cost of living has long since crossed the line from “steep” into something approaching performance art. My last water bill, for instance, was split roughly fifty-fifty between actual water and a collection of surcharges so creative they deserved their own line-item explanations.
The voters, bless them, reliably approve new taxes every few years to fix the roads — funds which then vanish into the general ether, the roads remaining exactly as craterous as before. Meanwhile, the high-speed rail project staggers forward like a zombie that should have been put down by its own rules years ago, and every few months another neighborhood intersection becomes an impromptu motorsport venue for people who apparently find skid marks more satisfying on asphalt than anywhere else. Add in the drought, the fires, and a general civic atmosphere that feels less like governance and more like an ongoing experiment in managed decline, and the calculus becomes simple.
Time to go.
The Short List
Remote work in tech has changed everything. With a decent internet connection, the map opens up considerably. Most Californians composing their mental escape routes tend to land on the same handful of destinations: Oregon, Idaho, Arizona, Texas. I considered all of them and found each wanting in its own way.
Oregon and Idaho come with snow — a non-starter. I spent enough of my youth moving the stuff around and convincing myself the cold was “character-building.” It wasn’t. I am done with winter as a lifestyle.
Arizona and Nevada have their charms, I suppose, if your interests run toward abandoned aircraft, retirement communities, or watching things slowly bake. Mine don’t.
And Texas is, well, Texas. Next.
The Wider View
Expanding my search eastward brought a few new candidates into focus: the Carolinas, Georgia, and Florida. With snow still firmly off the table and nothing particular drawing me toward the Carolinas or Georgia, Florida came into view.
The case for it assembled itself quickly. Cost of living: dramatically better. The ability to actually afford a house: yes. The presence of Disney, rocket launches, and the Atlantic Ocean within reasonable distance: absolutely. The reputation for an unhinged population: fair point, but I’ve come to believe the entire country is trending that way. Florida’s residents simply have the distinction of being more frequently caught on camera.
Decision made.
Goodbye, California. It’s been expensive.