Looking at most of the low-value states (Cali, NY, NJ etc), it’s interesting that people pay to live in states with (presumably) the highest crime and the lowest individual fulfillment.
We’ve recently acquired another home in Gardnerville, Nevada ( just down the hill, and over the state line from Lake Tahoe). Same story. Gas is a buck a gallon less, there is NO STATE INCOME TAX and property taxes are so low, by comparison to CA you hardly know that they exist! The locals are 95% conservative and a lot of them routinely carry a gun. Plus the scenery is to die for. The only thing that’s really gotten hard to understand is that restaurants are all through serving dinner at 9 p.m.
We pay so much to live here for the sole reason that we are here. Friends, family, etc. sometimes it’s impossible to move (taking care of elderly, children in special school). But we dream!
To be fair, many people continue to live in these abominable states because they are unable to move due to cost, jobs, family, and a myriad of other reasons.
California is a whole other story.