I moved here from the east coast as a new hire 18 years ago. Regret nothing. The weather and geography are awesome. Doesn't get too hot...doesn't get too cold. The base is awesome at SFO. Lots of choices.

Glad I don't commute. I'm always headed home while the guys I fly with are often headed to a hotel room. I spend enough time away from home without adding a commute to it.

The traffic can be pretty bad. But, I seldom get caught in it and when I do it's usually 1:45 or so (maybe 2 hours on Friday afternoons). Sure beats a crash pad.

If you head 65 miles to the northeast there are still plenty of affordable areas.

Have a rental house in San Diego, but live in Florida....

It's a misnomer that Cali property taxes are "low" because 1% of a 800K track home= $8K In Florida (no income tax) 2% of $400K nice home = $8K

Obviously there are expensive homes in Florida as well, but for a million you better be on the water, in Cali....not so much.

No gator bites in Cali though....

Bay area homes
 

There are a Myriad of places to live if you keep in mind that you Won't be close by the airport, from the South? I might suggest Morgan Hill, to Salinas South on US-101, Down I-280 to CA-17? Santa Cruz, Watsonville all the way to the Monterey Area. East? up I-80 Vacaville, Fairfiels and Noth to Sacramento Area. Take your Time and Don't Rush!! The Bay area is a great place to live. I've lived and worked all over the Country. I considered Dallas, Atlanta, Houston and the Carolinas All In all?? Each place was good in it's own way. But? I had to bring it home to Northern California in the End. I'll give up some things and gain on others and we decided on Rio Vista CA, east of Fairfield on CA-12. I've got a SOLAR POWERED HOUSE and there's PLENTY of sun for the power. Don't forget to look in the Pittsburg, Antioch area, you might like it. And there's BART to get to work as well.

We moved to Rocklin and love it. I sit short call at home. First year pay is hard with one income, $2100 a month for rent is norm. Schools are awesome, very nice area.

>>> Don't forget to look in the Pittsburg, Antioch area, you might like it<<<<< I kind of doubt that. A quick check of the crime stats in those areas would cause most to look elsewhere.
El Dorado Hills is "affordable" and the schools are outstanding

You can make short call from Rocklin to SFO?

I have been for the better part of a decade. Never had a flight go out late.

That being said you might ring up a ticket or two for driving in the carpool lane during rush hour ($500 each, no points), and have to embrace the idea that "They call it 'Highway 80' for a reason", as in MPH...