By: Kyle Garahana
From the girls to the weather to the sunny beaches, California is commonly painted as the place to be in American culture. Musicians write songs about it, celebrities flock to it, and opportunity appears to be in abundance here, at least that’s what the commercials indicate. But is it really all it’s cracked up to be?
According to a report by CNN, for every new home buyer moving to California, there are three Californians selling their homes and moving out of state. Why you may ask? The high prices in the housing market have all but disintegrated the likes of the middle class leaving teachers, construction workers, and other blue collar workers with less and less options.
This past weekend I joined a friend at a local bar for a going away party one of his fellow classmates was throwing. His peer, Brandon, a graphic design graduate from the University of Utah, had decided to move to California (Los Angeles to be exact) without as much as a lead on a new job. This left me riddled with fear and I wasn’t even the one moving! He seemed upbeat and optimistic about it, perhaps attributed to the liquid courage on tap, but either way, we wished him well and promised to visit.
Brandon’s plan, or lack-thereof, seemed hasty and I pray he doesn’t end up selling his body to science to make ends meet. On the other hand, it is possible a design graduate could tap in to the technology boom California has recently experienced and thrive. Perhaps Brandon’s lofty dreams would pay off. Or perhaps he would be overwhelmed with the high cost of living in LA and would be forced to make his way back to Utah with his tail between his legs and his cerebellum in a petri dish. Only time will tell.
But if statistical data is any indication, Brandon will need to find a good job and soon just to pay his rent. According to a five-year estimate from 2011 to 2015 conducted by The American Community Survey, the median gross rent in Los Angeles County was $1,231 per month, nearly $300 more than that of Salt Lake County during the same time period. But have no fear, if the rent is higher, one would assume there are higher-paying jobs available, this being the land of opportunity and all, right?
Actually, further data collected by The American Community Survey proves otherwise. According to a five-year estimate from 2011 to 2015, the annual median household income for Los Angeles was $56,196. Compare that to Salt Lake County, estimated at $62,117 (nearly $6,000 more than LA) and one can’t help but second guess Brandon’s decision to leave Salt Lake for Los Angeles. I wonder if Brandon was aware of these statistics before he made his decision to move. Perhaps the abundance of quality Mexican food and steady stream of waves to surf can help make up the difference.
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