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
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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
Explore California counties
Income, housing, poverty, healthcare — ranked by county
See your full cost of living in California
Housing, taxes, childcare, insurance — all estimated.
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Steyer’s exit from the California governor’s race could spell bad news for climate policy - Politico
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Republican Steve Hilton to face Democrat Xavier Becerra in California governor’s race - NBC News
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What Residents Say
Hidden Costs/Benefits of CA : r/SameGrassButGreener
As a new homeowner you will have very high property taxes, and CA income taxes can be ridiculous depending on your income (It's not bad for ......
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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 ......
reddit.com ↗
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 $4.19 at the cheapest ......
reddit.com ↗
Just moved here,came from California thinking things ...
Income tax in California at 15$/hr at current tax brackets vs 2022 NC income tax,saves you a literally a whopping 41.90$ a year on taxes. To ......
reddit.com ↗
California's taxes, cost of living are crushing six-figure ...
Californians pay more taxes overall because Californians are richer overall. Housing and real estate costs, not taxes, are typically stated as ......
reddit.com ↗
I have always thought about moving to California but it ...
There are relatively lower cost of living areas, but it tends to be harder to make money in those places. In places where people have less money ......
reddit.com ↗
It costs a lot to 'live comfortably' in California. Do you make ...
To live comfortably is a rough one. Because I wouldn't feel comfortable at even 6 figures in California. California is a massive state with ......
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California's taxes, cost of living are crushing six-figure ...
California's state income tax is high, but it's the cities' RPP, which translates roughly to cost of living, that really brings down the salary....
reddit.com ↗
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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How realistic is it to think that leaving CA will save us tons ...
Yep, another California native who is getting priced out! Been here my entire life. Friends, family, community, hobbies, etc… Wife is not from ......
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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.