So the universe seems to feel it would be a good idea for me to start over. I am trying to engineer a soft landing from business failure, foreclosure, etc. As I am currently single I can move just about anywhere.

Is there a better place to live than central California?

Cleaner air, water, more outdoor opportunities?

Your thoughts welcome.

Re: your question "a better place...", damn near anywhere. Were it me, given you'r criteria for water, air outdoors, etc, I might opt to look at Idaho, Montana, Wyoming. Oregon and Washington are tooooo liberal/PHRASECENSOREDPOSTERSHOULDKNOWBETTER. for me, with too many old hippies. Out east is almost as congested as California and seem to want to bleed you out tax wise as well.

Yup - the midwest or 'upper midwest' as in the prior post. I'm in MN and was raised in South Dakota and my wife is from Iowa. I too had the opportunity just lately to look at a new job and was able to work it out so we could stay in MN but when I was looking, one given was to stay away from the coast or the south.

We're looking at retirement in about ten years and may consider the southwest - but Wyoming is still the top choice. with your criteria, most of the small town or rural midwestern states will fill the bill. If you are looking for more urban environment resources (job is high tech or whatever) try the smaller cities like Minneapolis, Des Moines etc. Sioux Falls South Dakota has a really large health care and financial business culture as an example. Good luck on your search.

You might cast a "look around" towards:

central/western Missouri (Rolla);

Arkansas (Little Rock area, Ft Smith, Rogers),

Northern and central Louisiana (Shreveport, Monroe, Alexandria//We've got the best politicians and police that money can buy);

Mississippi (Jackson, Meridian, Natchez)

Tennessee (Memphis; Nashville)

Texas (Houston, Beaumont, Dallas-Ft. Worth)

I mention certain cities to highlight certain areas that I know are very nice. Keep in mind that wages are lower in the south because the cost of living is also lower
(Greatly drastically lower cost of living than California)

What's wrong with up north CA? Sierra Nevada Mountains... or even Reno or other high dessert. Pollock Pines, Strawberry, Tahoe City, Kyburz, Somerset, Placerville are some from way up there to not to far out.

I think you'd be better off figuring out what you want first, then look for a location that fits the bill. What are the outdoor activities you enjoy the most? How is the market for your specialty in that area? What area specific natural disasters are you more willing to tolerate? Check out air quality reports for areas you like, etc, etc. Sometimes it helps to work backwards and ask yourself a hypothetical. "If I just won the lottery and money was no issure, where would my dream location be?"

IMO there are no perfect locations. Too often I see people moving to start over and they bring their problems with them and recreate the situation they fled from.

This happens on an interpersonal and psychological level and environmentally. Arizona used to be the place to go for low pollen counts. Problem is the people who moved there brought their flowers with them. Now major cities in Arizona have pollen counts about as high as the rest of the country.

Yes, there are significant differences between locations. But in many ways they are all alike.

You are very correct Art but EVERY PLACE HAS IT'S STOPAR.

Stopar is that animal, vegetable, and/or mineral that is a natural hazard to settlement. I learned that from a Sci-Fi novel and life has shown the truth of it to me over time.

After working and driving/camping in the 11 western states for the last 10 years on my preveious job ( now retired) Try Swan Valley Idaho. but you better like the 4 seasons.

"...Is there a better place to live than central California?..."


Since we are currently (and temporarily thank God) in Central CA again, I have to say that just about anywhere would be better.

If you want to stay in CA, we have a couple of lots in Alturas we just put on the market, we could give you a deal on the price...