Let me try and give you some info. As a native of Los Angeles, California and having lived there many years off and on, as well as other countries and currently in Dubai, I think I can give a decent perspective.

My thoughts are that if you aren't living on the coast or within 10 miles in California it just isn't worth living there. Traffic will be a nightmare as everyone wants to get to the beach. The weather can be fantastic. Nightlife is always happening. You'll meet nice people, but also meet others who are the cesspool of humanity too. It's got it all BABY!!! The air inland can be treacherous to the point where if you don't smoke it will feel like do. Even as a kid in the 1970s the air was bad where after a day of swimming I can recall having to rest in the afternoon because I could feel my lungs struggling to take in oxygen and didn't have any energy, and this isn't an exaggeration at all. There are so many things to see and do in California and this is what also makes it a wonderful place because so many things are in your backyard. The beaches are nice, but they'll also close the beach because the sewage has made it a health hazard to go in the water. The mountains are nearby with snow skiing that is so-so, but a change from the city.

But don't leave one place because you think the crime is bad, when in fact it will be the same in California. I've had bicycles stolen as a kid, car stereo as an adult, and you'll find pick pockets at the amusement parks. So take the wallet that contains a note telling them to suck on it when they pick you...too much fun. Housing prices aren't going to be cheap in Southern California either, especially the closer you get to the coast.

What part of California are looking at moving to?