That's me. We moved out to Virginia where the cost of living is much lower and the attitude is much more down to earth. I think the thing that most bothered me about California was the attitude. Lots of proud people there.
Most metropolitan areas are like that. I just did the opposite; I moved from metro DC in Maryland to a smaller city in California, and have rarely felt more welcomed.
I moved to Arlington, Virginia and down to Earth is not how I'd describe the area. Wish it was more laid back, but that's what you get when everyone works at a job that requires a suit.
It's pretty amazing how few California, or even Bay Area, natives there are working in tech in that same area. People have always flocked here for jobs and money, but the scale is just so much larger this boom. It's pretty shocking when your company of 100+ has only half a dozen native Californians.
Not necessarily a bad or a good thing, it's simply quite the surprise compared to almost every other career in the area. The flock out of state isn't much of a surprise either, considering the massive spikes in rent and cost of living even in the historically lower income areas.
Even I'll admit to considering a move, despite being a native for more than a few generations. It's just getting too crowded, feels even more so than just 15 years ago, and the cost premium is starting to look less appealing...
