Is San Francisco Better for Me?

[dallen47]

I am 19 years old and have already set my goals in life and my career in my eyes, I have decided that I want to pursue a career in Law Enforcement and have also decided that I will pursue this in California, originally of my intention in Los Angeles.
I have as well decided that I want what is best for my overall happiness and more importantly what will be better for my child(ren).
Now Los Angeles holds tons of amenities that pretty much can only be found in L.A. County
and overall Southern California, warm weather, beaches, good schools and more;
I can also say that the Bay Area holds some of the best reputation for education and museums and such especially in San Francisco.
Northern California seems to hold what I have noticed immense scenic beauty and is overall rated better to raise a family
I just mainly am keeping the mind on what I truly what myself, is to be happy in California
now, I dont believe there is anyway I can't be happy living in California because I have always wanted to live here and I know in either city I will find the best in life, I just want to know that my child(ren) will find that same happiness in where they are raised, I want my child(ren) to receive a great education and take enjoyment in with their surroundings

which city would be better for me to move to,
a little bit about me,
I enjoy going to the beach and I also enjoy scenic beauty I love going "out on the town" getting to know people of different cultures and backgrounds I enjoy casual dinning and sporting events
I love being around people, I like to know that living in a big city for me, and my intended future family will always have something interesting to do

I know in both of these amazing cities that, I will be raising a family in a "Culturally Diverse" Mecca
which is what I want, I basically want everything for my family to be the best and even better
everything I would have rather been raised around that Delaware doesn't offer

The only thing of doubts I have is would San Francisco be right for me, I really prefer warm weather but I am told that San Francisco doesn't really get that chilly around 65 degrees everyday, that's only 5 degrees below the average in Los Angeles so I am wondering if the weather of which really is my main concern will bother me that bad in Northern California

I have always had a preference towards Southern California primarily Los Angeles, but I would move to NorCal if it would truly be better for myself, and my future family
also one thing about the Bay Area is I can earn around $41K more annually than in SoCal which to make that same salary in SoCal I will have to work for at least 4-5 years before I start seeing that big cash flow, the expenses of life in both cities would be about the same
probably just a tick more in San Francisco but overall the same expenses
im weighing out the expenses that in SF I would not need a car because of the public transportation is so good and if I didn't want to use it, walking would do good as well

can you please give me advice on where exactly seems to be the best decision, if San Francisco seems alot more fitting for me, or if I should just continue with my originally intended plans of a life in Southern California

can you please include all the pros and cons of living in each San Francisco and Los Angeles
it will be very much appreciated thank you all in advance

[caspar99]

San Francisco / Bay Area is significantly more expensive than Southern California.
Rent will be 20-30% more in SF/Bay Area than Los Angeles. Basic everyday things are also higher like gasoline in SoCal is about $3.40 a gallon where as it is around $3.90 a gallon up north.

Since you will be happy in either location and all of California is in a financial crunch and not doing much hiring, in fact my area in SoCal is laying off police/fire. So instead of worrying about where you want to live you should apply all over and see your options.

In most places in California you need a 4-year degree for law enforcement. Do you have this?
- I know this is a different requirement than much of the US.

[avikar76]

If you're speaking of living specifically in San Francisco, rents are high. The cost of living in SF, especially rent, is higher than other places in the Bay Area, as reflected by the recent raise of the SF minimum wage to $10.24/hour and the higher starting salary of the SFPD.

You are correct that it would be an excellent area of diverse culture and the arts.

The SFPD tends to be a tighter-knit group than the LAPD, seeing as how the LAPD has about 10,000 officers, while the SFPD has about 1200.

Your weather statistics are a bit off, and if you like really warm weather you probably won't be happy in SF. I left LA because of the heat (among other reasons), and SF's cool weather is fine for me. The summer months are quite cold, and in other seasons it could be warm in one part of the city and freezing cold due to fog in another part. (FYI, going to the beach usually involves bringing a jacket.)

However, just across the bridge in the East Bay gets quite warm, as do neighborhoods down the Peninsula. You could live near the city for your heat without being in the city proper.

I'm not trying to steer you away from SF; in fact, I think it's a fabulous place to live. I was just addressing your specific questions.

[hewlett]

In terms of diversity, cultural venues, and educational opportunities, they are both great cities. And it really is a matter of personal preference.

Most of Los Angeles was built after World War II. So it is still in a phase of transformation. Nobody knows exactly where it will end up. But it is an exciting place to live regardless. San Francisco is a much older soul. It has more of a "lived in" urban atmosphere. And despite the liberal reputation, the city thrives on a sense of continuity, community, and tradition. As is the case with other historic cities (Boston, New Orleans, etc), San Francisco has a unique charm that is difficult to describe.

If you are looking for warm weather, San Francisco has roughly two months of it (typically September and October). Then it back to the normal "mild" weather pattern. Freezing temperatures and snow is extremely rare. Be forewarned though, San Francisco often feels much cooler than it actually is. This is due to the thick layer of fog and fierce Pacific winds. The wind tunnel effect is also magnified because of all the skyscrapers.

The situation is quite different in the Bay Area suburbs and agricultural areas such as the Wine Country. The further inland you go, the warmer it gets. It is not a consistent Southern California warmth though. And there is a thin line between balmy and scorching hot. During a summer heat wave, inland temperatures can hit triple digits. That's when everyone flees to San Francisco and the coast for some relief.