California
D+20 · Moderate tax burden · COL index 142
13.3%
Income Tax
499
Violent Crime / 100K
79.2
Life Expectancy
$790K
Median Home
$2,200
Childcare / Mo
State Profile
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Taxes
▾
Income Tax
Property Tax
~$5,609/yr on median home
Sales Tax
Social Security
Pension / IRA
Estate Tax
Inheritance Tax
Capital Gains
No preferential rate; taxed as ordinary income
Housing & Cost of Living
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Cost of Living Index
National avg = 100
Median Home Price
Median Rent (2BR)
Home Insurance
Near national avg (~$1,900/yr)
Flood Insurance
Homestead Exemption
Home equity protected from creditors
Asset Protection
Crime & Safety
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Violent Crime Rate
Near national avg
Property Crime Rate
Near national avg
Traffic Fatality Rate
Healthcare
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State Healthcare Rank
Life Expectancy
Above national avg (76.4)
Medicaid Expansion
Uninsured Rate
Education
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K-12 Quality Rank
School Choice / Vouchers
Childcare
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Avg Infant Care (Full-Time)
Very expensive (national avg ~$1,200)
Utilities & Daily Costs
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Avg Monthly Energy Bill
Avg Monthly Groceries
2-person household, moderate spending
Road Quality Rank
Among the worst roads in the US
Airports & Travel
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Nonstop Destinations
From state's primary airport
Major Hub Airport
Top-25 US airport by passengers
Culture & Lifestyle
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Urban Population
Highly urban — big city feel
Restaurant Density
Religious Congregations
More secular
Pro Sports Teams
NFL + NBA + MLB + NHL + MLS
Major Venues
Stadiums, arenas, amphitheaters (10K+ capacity)
Craft Breweries
2.7/100K residents — Solid scene
Craft Distilleries
One of the nation's top distillery states
Live Music
LA + SF + SD dominate — every genre covered; Coachella, Outside Lands, BottleRock
Transportation
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Car Insurance (Avg Annual)
Traffic Fatality Rate
Broadband Access
Social & Legal
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Abortion Access
State constitution protects abortion rights; no gestational limit
LGBTQ+ Protections
Marijuana
Minimum Wage
Right to Work
Sports Betting
Casino Gambling
Online Gambling
State Lottery
Largest tribal casino market in US (60+ casinos). Commercial card rooms legal (poker, pai gow). Sports betting ballot measures have failed repeatedly.
Age of Consent
Sex Education
Sex ed required by state
Medically Accurate Required
Nude Beaches & Naturist Clubs
Black's Beach (La Jolla) · Baker Beach (San Francisco) · Pirate's Cove (Avila Beach) · Glen Eden Sun Club
Environment & Climate
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Air Quality (Annual AQI)
Poor — can affect health
Natural Disaster Risk
Primary Hazards
Politics & Gun Laws
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2024 Presidential Vote
Gun Laws
Carry Permit
Purchase Permit Required
Gambling
Jobs & Economy
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Job Market
+1.1% job growth · 5.4% unemployment
Top Industries
Tech Jobs
Top tech job market nationally
Healthcare Jobs
Remote Work
High remote work culture
Median Household Income
Business Climate
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Corporate Income Tax
High corporate rate — plan entity structure carefully
LLC Formation Fee
LLC Annual Fee
Minimum Franchise Tax
Due even if no revenue — applies to all LLCs and corps
Business Climate Rank
Bottom-10 nationally
Warning — Minimum Tax
California charges a $800/yr minimum franchise tax on every LLC — regardless of income. Factor this into the cost of forming here.
$800/yr minimum franchise tax due even in year 1; LLCs with gross receipts over $250K pay additional LLC fee up to $11,790
Daily Life
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Gas Price (Regular)
Well above avg (+1.42 vs national avg)
Consumer Fireworks
Only 'Safe & Sane' non-aerial fireworks; aerial/explosive banned. Many cities ban all fireworks.
Weather & Natural Risks
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Winter Severity
Avg January high: 57°F
Summer Heat
Moderate summers
Annual Rainfall
Tornado Risk
Hurricane Risk
Wildfire Risk
Flood Risk
Natural Hazards
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Venomous Snakes
Spider Hazard
Scorpions
Hurricane Risk
Tornado Risk
Wildfire Risk
Earthquake Risk
Danger score is a composite index. Methodology ↗
Veteran Benefits
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Veteran-Friendly Score
5.8% of state population are veterans
Property Tax Exemption
$4K–$180K exemption based on disability
Military Retirement Pay
Active Duty Pay
VA Facilities Access
Notable Benefits
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What Residents Say
Hidden Costs/Benefits of CA : r/SameGrassButGreener
The property tax rates are not bad, but the costs of homes is very high, resulting in very high costs for new homeowners. Rate increases are ......
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California's taxes, cost of living are crushing six-figure ...
Goods and services are much more expensive in California, with housing and utilities making purchasing power plummet. Good ol' SFGate always ......
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California cost of living, am I missing anything?
Income and payroll taxes are higher in California. You will have to have a car and the cost of gas is higher - around $4.19 at the cheapest ......
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Just moved here,came from California thinking things ...
Income tax in California at 15$/hr at current tax brackets vs 2022 NC income tax,saves you a literally a whopping 41.90$ a year on taxes. To ......
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California's taxes, cost of living are crushing six-figure ...
California income taxes are not the worst in the country. Property taxes aren't either. The sales tax is high, gas is high, regulation is high ( ......
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I have always thought about moving to California but it ...
If you move to California it's because you get California pay. You don't take a low-mid cost of living pay and apply it to California. My ......
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Moving from California to Pennsylvania, wondering about ...
PA is an across the board tax. And even with the 1% employment tax, county tax, and school tax. Still less taxes than California. California ......
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For those of you that have left California, are you really ...
Yes. I left 8+ years ago and the tax savings alone made the move worth it. Everyday expenses including gas, groceries, and dining out were also ......
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California's Cost of Living Keeps Climbing — How Are You ...
California has the highest poverty in the country when you adjust for the cost of living. There is no single statistic that gives a complete ......
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Living in California Pros and Cons. Where To Next?
My wife and I have been living in San Diego, California for the past 8 years. We have gotten used to the beautiful weather, mountains, and beaches. However, ......
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Stay Current
Get notified when California tax laws, gun laws, or social policy changes.
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Data is informational only. Verify with a tax professional, real estate agent, and local sources before making relocation decisions. Crime data: FBI UCR ~2022. Healthcare: Commonwealth Fund / US News ~2023. Education: Education Week ~2023. Housing: Zillow / Census ACS ~2024. Insurance: rate surveys ~2024. Sponsored links marked “Sponsored” may earn a commission. This does not affect our data or rankings.