California?............?

California is a really big place, so it's good to see that you're getting an idea of what to look at before starting your research.

Also, please note that there will always be some crime and gang activity in every city in the world, and California always has a risk of earthquakes. It is important to minimize your risks, though, and it looks like you're taking those steps.

The San Francisco Bay Area has several cities like you describe, such as Antioch, Concord, Walnut Creek, Danville, Napa Valley, Marin City, Santa Clara, and San Jose. I would definitely look at all of these if I were you. Even though they are all expensive places to live, you would be well-paid by any business in the area that hires you. They all have low crime rates, damaging earthquakes happen only once in a few decades, and all these cities have excellent neighborhoods. They are close enough to San Francisco that you can pop in for all the tourist attractions every now and again, but far enough feel more like suburbs (except for San Jose; it's a full-fledged city in its own right)

South of the Bay Area are Santa Cruz and Monterey. Both are good cities, and Monterey has one of the best aquariums in the world.

Southern California also has some great cities, although it sounds like you would not be very happy in Los Angeles.

My overall advice would be to choose a specific area of California, such as the San Francisco Bay area, the LA/San Diego area, the Monterey Bay area, the Sierras, the Central Valley, or Northern California, and look closely at what that place has to offer. They all have bad neighborhoods and great neighborhoods, and are almost big enough to be their own states!

I hope you find what you're looking for!

Hotel California

I've lived here all my life. Nice places to live are Danville, San Ramon (excellent schools), Walnut Creek, Hillsborough, Vacaville, Fairfield has a nice area called Green Valley (great school), Burlingame, Redwood City, Antioch. Depends on what county you are moving to as well. You don't want to be too far from work, you may want to add that to narrow down the places in California.

Depending on what you like. I love Carlsbad, Del Mar, Solana Beach. It is just expensive. It is nice around Pacific Grove, but expensive. As far as gang activity, it is pretty much every where in Cali. Just some areas are way worse than others.

Im a Cali native and I have lived in many differnt places California (LA county, San Diego, San Bernardino County, Victorville..just to name a few), you should try Mission viejo or Laguna Niguel. Mission Viejo is actually one of the safest places to live in the nation. And its beautiful in South Orange County.

I currently live in Laguna...and its beautiful and gang free :)

Try to know more about the cities like Sta. Barbara, San Diego and other coastal cities. Living expenses are high, of course, but living in coastal areas or CA is one of the best places to live in:-).....

San Diego has some very nice neighborhoods...

Kensington

Mission Hills

2 hours north of San Diego are....

Claremont

Upland

Ontario

Montclair

Santa Barbara is the most beautiful place I've seen in California, but to buy a house there would cost a lot of $$.

If $$ is not a problem, go there for sure.

san diego is nice but is kinda well "gheto"

try temeecula