There are a lot of people who want to make a hobby of lambasting people who live in California. Screw them.

Here's something to consider:

It costs more, but if you like California it's worth it. I pocket 60-70K a year more having left, but being able to throw on flip flops and shorts to walk the dog in the morning? Being able to walk to the beach and put my long board on a bike and ride to my surf?

Priceless.

I'm saving and investing like a lunatic so I can buy a winter home there.

Thanks to all for the great information. We have a beautiful house in the Balboa Park area, and kids are all grown, and we are debt free (minus the house) ...with a nice military pension when the day comes. All I really want is a job that offers good QOL, and isn't staring at a computer screen all day waiting for the clock to hit 5pm. I do understand the benefits of living in base, but you should see our backyard!!! I am even thinking that being a Sky West FO in SAN may actually be all I need. Again, it isn't financial, it is as the previous guy alluded too: My wife and I "argue" over whether I should wear a light jacket in January, when walking the dog.
And for those that really care...I usually lose that argument, but she got me a nice light windbreaker with lots of pockets to hold all my stuff!

Thanks again, and safe flying!

IF QOL is truly what you are after, then I don't think being a regional FO is really going to get you what you are looking for.

Do the ground work and prep to get hired here or at Delta. Get based in LA and sit tight till you are senior on your original aircraft. At the current pace that should happen quickly, though with 18 months left in the Nav things could change.
Once you get hired here you will be able to decide for yourself what QOL really means to you. Being senior as a narrowbody FO here is much nicer than being senior as an RJ FO. Having the option to become a WB FO is a QOL change that the regionals obviously don't offer. A mid seniority WB FO out of LAX usually works 12 days a month! My joke is that it is crack cocaine, you know it is bad for you, but you keep doing it anyway! Currently LAX 787 crews fly, Tokyo, Shanghai, Heathrow, Sydney, Melbourne, and a small amount of domestic. The junior 787 FO in LAX has been here a little over 3 years. the junior 787 FO in SFO has been here less than a year. So, playing the long game, you could have a long career at UA in Cali with some really good QOL. And all of that while keeping your nice yard next to Balboa Park.

Now, about that Packer fan situation....

AAG has LAX too.

Yes, and the 737 has trips that originate in SAN & SNA...

A fair handful of us live in WI & drive to ORD, 1:30-2:00 hours is about right.

I can see flying to work short-term, much less desirable looking at 25+ years.

It works for us, not sure if NY or CA would take me.

How is the cost of living in WI?

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using Tapatalk

Better than IL!

A good amount of individual factors go into where to live or ‘lower cost of living’. Are there kids? What ages? Interests? How does quality of life rate? Yes I know, it’s fun to tell relatives & friends it’s 75 out as they fight a blizzard ‘up North’.

Years ago I was looking at an article as they compared how far a $75k income gets one in all 50 States. For the most part, the difference from average to better isn’t all that big. That difference is easily muted with individual lifestyle choices. One has to average out any State ratings anyway, they change, are subjective, and particulars vary by individual.

Am I understanding correctly that being based somewhere may have you originating out of a different airport in the "area"?

So a EWR base means you have to be available to be called out of LGA on Reserve. Or being SFO-based may have you originating out of SJC? I'll most likely be commuting for a bit at the outset and just want to get a feel for what sort of living radius I need to keep in mind.