There are a lot of companies in my industry in Orange County, CA. I’d likely do well there. However, from what I can see, while compensation is considerably higher the cost of living is even higher still, so it doesn’t make economic sense. You’d be scrimping to an extent to live there on 100K a year. Forget buying a house, you’d be renting and not a really nice rental at that. It’s a very pretty place, at least within view of the Pacific it is. A lot of people want to live there, there are jobs to be had. But the expense is bizarre.
My cousin (Newport Beach) and my stepmother (Laguna Woods) were lucky to move there years ago. They would probably appreciate this article. Ironically, the reason my stepmother is there is because after my dad's retirement they couldn't find affordable housing in Los Angeles.