California, the state that long symbolized youthfulness, has become far better to older folks like me who came when the getting was good. New Californians, and the children of the Baby Boomers, largely cannot afford a house, and few earn enough to even think about it. When people hit their 30s, they are forced to choose whether to stay in this remarkably attractive state or start an adult life elsewhere. Now we are aging 50% faster than the rest of the country. The surveys show that it’s minorities and millennials who generally are most dissatisfied. The older cohorts may not like all the changes, but they often have made a fortune from their homes, protected by Proposition 13. Public employees can retire on plush pensions. Meanwhile the tech elite depends on imported labor, both for skilled labor and low-end services.We have written before about CA being a haven for retirees who’ve made enough to handle the stratospheric housing prices and abusive state taxes. It is still one of the nicest places I know to reside, for the affluent.
Coastal CA between SF and LA is amazing. The year round absence of urban sprawl, humidity, snow and fierce heat is close to unique. The DrsC spend a couple of months there every year, as happy visitors.
