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Notes -
I mean, I think it depends on the person. People in tech and entertainment want to be in California because those industries are centered in California. That does create a certain demographic who wants to live in California because they’re wealthy enough to pay to live there.
Even in red states, you find people clustered in red areas around blue cities. People want to work in the big cities because the high value industries are clustered in cities. If possible, they prefer to live in red counties that surround those cities because it’s cheaper and has less crime. And I think the reason for the people willing to live in California for those industries, it’s a combination of those industries being very lucrative and the relative distance between LA or San Francisco and the nearest available cheap red state housing. In my area, you can live in bright red Arnold MO and commute to bright blue St. Louis in about an hour. Most middle class people do that because it’s cheaper, safer, and easier than trying to live in the city.
Judging by Scott's article on the subject, housing in the Central Valley is also relatively cheap, isn't it?
The climate is terrible, and pollution and crime are rampant there. The Central Valley - especially the southern bits - is a miserable place.
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