Wanting to move to California - what can I do there?
#76
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jan 2006
Location: San Francisco
Posts: 12,851
Re: Wanting to move to California - what can I do there?
"They have an irony deficiency"... guess that rubbed off on Pulaski too!
#77
Re: Wanting to move to California - what can I do there?
This thread has been a glowing sales-pitch for CA
#78
Re: Wanting to move to California - what can I do there?
#80
Forum Regular
Joined: Jul 2018
Location: California
Posts: 254
Re: Wanting to move to California - what can I do there?
#81
Re: Wanting to move to California - what can I do there?
If you haven't already you'll realize that it doesn't take much to send posts on long tangents. Just be thankful OP didn't ask about the different types of washing machines.
#82
Re: Wanting to move to California - what can I do there?
Didn't Pulaski have his washing machine in pieces a few years back or was that someone else?
#84
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Dec 2005
Location: Colorado Springs
Posts: 1,213
Re: Wanting to move to California - what can I do there?
Well, this thread is Festivus-worthy. Definitely "airing of the grievances" stuff. A microcosm of America for sure. Appliances. Who is it on here that raves on about Miele appliances? That's another touchy subject IIRC.
#85
Re: Wanting to move to California - what can I do there?
I was thinking about the comment that "California taxes are high". According to this calculator, https://smartasset.com/taxes/califor...tor#n3z7lBRzDy the state tax due on an income of $150k in CA is $10,696. The state tax due on an income of $150k in NC is $7,350. ( https://smartasset.com/taxes/north-c...tax-calculator ). (Georgia is similar). So CA will cost you an additional $3,300 in taxes. Property tax in NC is just under 1%; property tax in CA is about the same. Difference not worth discussing.
But the median income for a senior software engineer in Charlotte, NC is $108k. Same job in San Francisco has a median income of $138k - a difference of $30k. So - are you better off making $30k more in income and paying $3k more in taxes? (these figures both from salary.com).
https://www.salary.com/research/sala...n-francisco-ca
https://www.salary.com/research/sala...y/charlotte-nc
But the median income for a senior software engineer in Charlotte, NC is $108k. Same job in San Francisco has a median income of $138k - a difference of $30k. So - are you better off making $30k more in income and paying $3k more in taxes? (these figures both from salary.com).
https://www.salary.com/research/sala...n-francisco-ca
https://www.salary.com/research/sala...y/charlotte-nc
#86
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 6,148
Re: Wanting to move to California - what can I do there?
I was thinking about the comment that "California taxes are high". According to this calculator, https://smartasset.com/taxes/califor...tor#n3z7lBRzDy the state tax due on an income of $150k in CA is $10,696. The state tax due on an income of $150k in NC is $7,350. ( https://smartasset.com/taxes/north-c...tax-calculator ). (Georgia is similar). So CA will cost you an additional $3,300 in taxes. Property tax in NC is just under 1%; property tax in CA is about the same. Difference not worth discussing.
But the median income for a senior software engineer in Charlotte, NC is $108k. Same job in San Francisco has a median income of $138k - a difference of $30k. So - are you better off making $30k more in income and paying $3k more in taxes? (these figures both from salary.com).
https://www.salary.com/research/sala...n-francisco-ca
https://www.salary.com/research/sala...y/charlotte-nc
But the median income for a senior software engineer in Charlotte, NC is $108k. Same job in San Francisco has a median income of $138k - a difference of $30k. So - are you better off making $30k more in income and paying $3k more in taxes? (these figures both from salary.com).
https://www.salary.com/research/sala...n-francisco-ca
https://www.salary.com/research/sala...y/charlotte-nc
#87
Re: Wanting to move to California - what can I do there?
I was thinking about the comment that "California taxes are high". According to this calculator, https://smartasset.com/taxes/califor...tor#n3z7lBRzDy the state tax due on an income of $150k in CA is $10,696. The state tax due on an income of $150k in NC is $7,350. ( https://smartasset.com/taxes/north-c...tax-calculator ). (Georgia is similar). So CA will cost you an additional $3,300 in taxes. Property tax in NC is just under 1%; property tax in CA is about the same. Difference not worth discussing.
But the median income for a senior software engineer in Charlotte, NC is $108k. Same job in San Francisco has a median income of $138k - a difference of $30k. So - are you better off making $30k more in income and paying $3k more in taxes? (these figures both from salary.com).
https://www.salary.com/research/sala...n-francisco-ca
https://www.salary.com/research/sala...y/charlotte-nc
But the median income for a senior software engineer in Charlotte, NC is $108k. Same job in San Francisco has a median income of $138k - a difference of $30k. So - are you better off making $30k more in income and paying $3k more in taxes? (these figures both from salary.com).
https://www.salary.com/research/sala...n-francisco-ca
https://www.salary.com/research/sala...y/charlotte-nc
I think you're totally missing all of the other indirect taxes that add up fast.
You're also missing the value of houses in these tech hubs. Given the property tax is a % of assessed value, the point is moot without knowing the assessed value.
NC definitely isn't the cheapest state in the union to live in, but I don't think anyone would say it's reasonable to compare to CA.
#88
Forum Regular
Joined: May 2018
Posts: 233
Re: Wanting to move to California - what can I do there?
I was thinking about the comment that "California taxes are high". According to this calculator, https://smartasset.com/taxes/califor...tor#n3z7lBRzDy the state tax due on an income of $150k in CA is $10,696. The state tax due on an income of $150k in NC is $7,350. ( https://smartasset.com/taxes/north-c...tax-calculator ). (Georgia is similar). So CA will cost you an additional $3,300 in taxes. Property tax in NC is just under 1%; property tax in CA is about the same. Difference not worth discussing.
But the median income for a senior software engineer in Charlotte, NC is $108k. Same job in San Francisco has a median income of $138k - a difference of $30k. So - are you better off making $30k more in income and paying $3k more in taxes? (these figures both from salary.com).
https://www.salary.com/research/sala...n-francisco-ca
https://www.salary.com/research/sala...y/charlotte-nc
But the median income for a senior software engineer in Charlotte, NC is $108k. Same job in San Francisco has a median income of $138k - a difference of $30k. So - are you better off making $30k more in income and paying $3k more in taxes? (these figures both from salary.com).
https://www.salary.com/research/sala...n-francisco-ca
https://www.salary.com/research/sala...y/charlotte-nc
#89
Re: Wanting to move to California - what can I do there?
You forgot sale taxes - NC varies by county but typically 7.0%-7.25%, CA varies by county/ municipality but appears to be typically 9.0%-9.5%, so that could add on another $2k/yr +/- for a household, depending on income and expenditure.
Price/ tax on gas - currently appears to be north of $1/gal difference.
Using the Smartasset web calculator you used, I used their cost of living comparison calculator to compare my area to a variety of locations in the SF suburbs and hinterlands. Places such as Concord, Walnut Creek, and Pleasanton come in at 23-25% more expensive than where I live, further out Stockton, Modesto, and Sacramento are 11%-13% more expensive. I checked similar suburbs and satellite cities around LA and San Diego, and as with SF, I deliberately avoided the urban centers and known expensive areas as that wouldn't be a fair comparison with where I live, and came in with a smilar range as around SF i.e. the cost of living is 20%-25% higher in closer suburbs, and 12%-15% higher further out, although around San Diego the "further out" is around 18%-20% higher. ..... FWIW Bakersfield is only 4% higher.
All in all, I believe that your "extra" $27k after taxes is entirely illusory. Also I do have direct experience of moving between high cost and low cost areas - my posts are based on experience, moving from the commutable suburbs of NYC to NC, and found that taking a paycut paid massive "cost of lifestyle" dividends - we paid less for our monthly (15yr) mortgage on a 2,750sqft house than we did on rent for a 1 bed apartment 25 miles from Manhattan. A sit-down meal out about halved in cost.
Last edited by Pulaski; Aug 28th 2020 at 4:41 pm.
#90
Re: Wanting to move to California - what can I do there?
I think house price inflation is also higher in California compared to many States. I do think a lot of Californians are house poor, but often they also can make a lot of money when selling their house and moving to a less expensive area. But like buying a house in Richmond, who in their right mind would want to live in Richmond, London? But many do.