Pennsylvania is one of those states where you can have a cozy life filled with many amazing things. The cost of living is lower than the national average and its central location is perfect for anyone who needs to travel a lot in the area. Additionally, Pennsylvania has miles and miles of incredible nature, mountains, trails, lakes, and woods. All of it is on your doorstep. But, as someone who is thinking about moving from Pennsylvania to California, you know there are also the cons of living here. California can be a good state to move to if you are in need of change, as it offers a lot of opportunities. When facing a cross-country move like this, it is advised to hire professional help. This will make it much easier. Check Verified Movers to easily find your perfect moving company.
Main differences you will see after moving from Pennsylvania to California
Once you move from Pennsylvania to California, you won’t notice only the 3-hour time difference. Since these two states are located on two different coasts, east and west, the difference is the climate is quite big. In Pennsylvania, you will be able to see all four seasons, with a lot of snow in the winter. The highest temperature is in July and averages 86°F, while the lowest average is 41°F in January. On the other hand, California has more than one climate, depending on where you are. In most of the state you will find a subtropical climate, parts like Silicon Valley have a Medditerenaen climate, while the southeastern part has a desert climate. All in all, no matter where you go in California, you can find warmer winters than in Pennsylvania.
Size and population numbers are also something that makes these two states different. The state of Pennsylvania has close to 13 million residents, and this makes it the fifth most populous state in the US. Still, this feels nothing compared to the nation’s most populous state, California. The number of residents here is over 39 million. Pennsylvania is almost 3,5 times smaller than California. Bigger the state means having more options to explore the state, but also a large number of different places you can find a home in. California has 58 counties and close to 500 cities you can choose between before calling the best moving companies in California to schedule your relocation.
Which cities should you consider when moving from Pennsylvania to California?
Among a large number of places you can live in, how do you choose the best for yourself? The list of the top five best cities in California is based on different parameters, like livability, work and education opportunities, activities you can engage and so on. This is what the list of the top 5 places in California looks like this year:
- Sacramento
- San Diego
- San Francisco
- Los Angeles
- San Jose
Sacramento is in the first place as a city that has an affordable cost of living, which is 22% lower than the state average. It also offers excellent education options, with 81 schools in the city’s school district, making it a perfect family place. You can make your relocation a lot easier by hiring Pennsylvania interstate moving companies, no matter if you are moving to Sacramento or somewhere else. Los Angeles, for example, is one of the most expensive cities you can move to, but it offers many opportunities especially if you are in show business. But what is actually the cost of living in the state of California and how different is it from Pennsylvania?
The cost of living in sunny California
The cost of living will depend on which place you have chosen to settle in, but all in all, California is an expensive state to live in. The living expenses are currently 41% higher than the nation’s average. Moving to California from Pennsylvania can make this a hard thing to adjust to, as the cost of living in PA is 1% lower than the national average. And this will impact all of your expenses, healthcare will be 13% higher, food 11% more expensive, with transportation being 26% higher in California than in Pennsylvania.
Housing prices and rent
Before calling the top Philadelphia movers, you should be prepared for the California housing market. You can probably guess that as with the cost of living, this market has quite high prices. In the recent past home prices in this state have dropped a little, with some forecasts that they will drop even more this year. Still, housing is around 95% higher than the US average. The median home price is around $760,644, while the median rent for a two-bedroom home is almost $2000.
The rich economy of the Golden State
While all of the high expenses can be a turn-off for some when it comes to moving to the State of California, the economy of the state easily makes up for it. The state’s economy is the largest one in the USA with a $3.63 trillion gross state product. The most important industries which support the constant economic growth and success in this state are manufacturing, agriculture, finance, technology, and professional services. Also, tourism is a huge breach of this economy. People working in this industry will always have more than enough work. The film industry is one of the main reasons a lot of people interested in working in it move to California. Not only is it the top reason, but it is also one of the top industries in the state, especially Hollywood.
California offers competitive education opportunities
Moving with your family also means researching the educational system in the place you will be living in. In the California education system, you will find public, NPS, and private schools that your kids can attend. There are over thousand school districts you can choose from, depending on where you live. The Fordham Foundation has given an “A” to California for academic content standards that it has. The best-ranked school district is Acalanes Union High in the city of Lafayette.
What if you are moving from Pennsylvania to California for higher education? You are lucky, as the state is famous for having some of the top colleges in the USA, such as Stanford, Berkeley, UCLA, and the US. The public system consists of three parts, the University of California, the California State University, and the California Community Colleges. The state also tries to accommodate its students with lower incomes. It does it by offering scholarships and even waiving fees if they fit the conditions. No matter what your plan for education is, California is surely a great place to earn your degree.