Thinking of moving: CO or CA. Opinions?

[21Kid]

My wife is finishing up med school and is looking to do her last years rounds in the place we'd eventually move to. We were thinking about the Denver or Los Angeles areas. Yes, we're sick of the midwest winters. Her residency would probably be 4-5 years, so we would be staying for a while. Considering the kids would then be in high school, we probably wouldn't move for even longer after that.

I was just wondering what opinions people have, that live in these areas. I know a few people have recently moved, and seem to really like both. I'd appreciate some honest opinions, positive and negative. I know the basics about each, but I've never visited LA, or southern CA at all really. I've only been to SF.

other considerations:
Wife's best friend lives about 80 miles NW of LA. And my mom lives about 2 hrs north of Denver. Neither of which is where we'd want to live. We'd prefer to be closer to the city, but still have a yard while the kids & dog are around. I know a lot more people in Denver, most of which I've met through here.

[Kchrpm]

Colorado winters are better than Midwest winters?

[21Kid]

Colorado winters are better than Midwest winters?

Definitely Better.
Plus there are more sunny days and less humidity.

[thesameguy]

80 miles NW of LA? So, like Ventura? Or Santa Barbara? Lovely places to live! *Personally* I think living in LA is a bunch of shit. It's not like SF or NY where the city is the destination, LA is just urban sprawl. The places you want to live "in LA" aren't in Los Angeles. And may not even be in Los Angeles county! Personally, I would live in "Southern California," but I wouldn't live in LA. I would definitely go for Ventura or far south like San Diego, maybe go back to Orange County maybe off to the east in like Pasadena. LA itself is just too much for me - and I love SF.

I think California has a lot going for it, but if you're not excited for the weather (which it sounds like you might be) or the culture or some other aspect, I'd be as mercenary about this as possible and live where your income:expense ratio is the most favorable - at least for a while. I would move to Colorado or Oregon tomorrow *except* that I happen to have a situation where my ratio is pretty darned good. It would be tough for me to do better.

Where was KB's moving through? Here, or some protoforum?

[21Kid]

80 miles NW of LA? So, like Ventura? Or Santa Barbara? Lovely places to live! *Personally* I think living in LA is a bunch of shit. It's not like SF or NY where the city is the destination, LA is just urban sprawl. The places you want to live "in LA" aren't in Los Angeles. And may not even be in Los Angeles county! Personally, I would live in "Southern California," but I wouldn't live in LA. I would definitely go for Ventura or far south like San Diego, maybe go back to Orange County maybe off to the east in like Pasadena. LA itself is just too much for me - and I love SF.

I think California has a lot going for it, but if you're not excited for the weather (which it sounds like you might be) or the culture or some other aspect, I'd be as mercenary about this as possible and live where your income:expense ratio is the most favorable - at least for a while. I would move to Colorado or Oregon tomorrow *except* that I happen to have a situation where my ratio is pretty darned good. It would be tough for me to do better.

Where was KB's moving through? Here, or some protoforum?

I don't remember the name of the city. I wouldn't want to live that far out of a city. And if I did move there, I would definitely prefer somewhere other than around downtown LA. I'm not a fan of sprawl at all. Is Irvine good? or still too close?

[thesameguy]

I don't remember the name of the city. I wouldn't want to live that far out of a city. And if I did move there, I would definitely prefer somewhere other than around downtown LA. I'm not a fan of sprawl at all. Is Irvine good? or still too close?

I do not mean this facetiously, but have you spent much time in SoCal? Everything between roughly Santa Barbara and San Diego and as far east as Riverside is "the city." There are no breaks, it goes forever with no clear divisions between one city and the next. It's not like the Midwest or most of the East where miles of nothing separate one suburban area from the next. You can drive for hours and not see open land - you are always in the city.

Irvine is gorgeous - it's actually where I'm from. But despite being a master planned city, it's still sprawl. Everything is sprawl. KB has way more recent experience than I, but I would strongly encourage you to find the job and THEN figure out where to live. SoCal traffic is awful. You want to minimize your commute as much as possible, especially if that commute involves on-call or exhaustingly long days. Sitting in a car for 45 minutes while you travel 5 miles at the end of a 20 hour shift is bananas.

[21Kid]

I do not mean this facetiously, but have you spent much time in SoCal? Everything between roughly Santa Barbara and San Diego and as far east as Riverside is "the city." There are no breaks, it goes forever with no clear divisions between one city and the next. It's not like the Midwest or most of the East where miles of nothing separate one suburban area from the next. You can drive for hours and not see open land - you are always in the city.

Irvine is gorgeous - it's actually where I'm from. But despite being a master planned city, it's still sprawl. Everything is sprawl. KB has way more recent experience than I, but I would strongly encourage you to find the job and THEN figure out where to live. SoCal traffic is awful. You want to minimize your commute as much as possible, especially if that commute involves on-call or exhaustingly long days. Sitting in a car for 45 minutes while you travel 5 miles at the end of a 20 hour shift is bananas.

Nope. I know the basics about each, but I've never visited LA, or southern CA at all really. I've only been to SF.
Gotcha. I warned my wife about the traffic. And it would effect her more than I. I might be able to work from home if I move. One of the major things that will effect where we end up.

[thesameguy]

Nope. I know the basics about each, but I've never visited LA, or southern CA at all really. I've only been to SF.
Gotcha. I warned my wife about the traffic. And it would effect her more than I. I might be able to work from home if I move. One of the major things that will effect where we end up.

I think it'd be worth a trip to see what you could handle and what you couldn't. Although SoCal is a big, spread out area there are a lot of distinctive flavors going on down there, and depending on what you want different areas will appeal. Or, just play some GTAV and see what Los Santos neighborhood appeals the most... chances are it extrapolates directly into a SoCal city.

[21Kid]

80 miles NW of LA? So, like Ventura? Or Santa Barbara?

Just found out... Frazier Park

[thesameguy]

Just found out... Frazier Park

WHAT. That is a horrible place. HORRIBLE. When Lancaster is a step up, the only place you can be is the bottom. I highly recommend visiting there, and then never going back.

BUT, you're not talking about living there, only that you know people who do, yeah?

Edit: No, you can't be talking about living there. There is nowhere to work there, much less any hospitals. I suspect the nearest place you'd find an actual hospital is 80 miles away.