Welcome!
I live in California (SoCal, used to live in San Fran) and I'm not sure California will exist in any recognizable form in a decade. I think the economy and crime is going to make it unlivable within a year or two. California will dissolve far faster than most of the rest of the country.
That's my 2 cents and my happy ray of morning sunshine.
We're in Wyoming checking it out now. We are debating just staying. Really can't, but really do feel like it. It's nice here. ! 
MWD
THIS^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
As someone raised in Wyoming that's currently stuck in the northern end of California ( read WAY above the Bay Area) I must concur with the above opinion.
California is currently broke , and still catering to special interest groups from the growing illegal alien movement geared towards taking over the state ( research La Mecha sometime) to the various splinter fringe groups caterwauling about their "rights" when they deserve a few lefts into the bargain.
This is still a physically beautiful state , that said the political system ,the lawmakers and the vast majority of the people leave a great deal to be desired.
The Golden State has become living proof that gold CAN tarnish.
And in this end of the state ,at this time of the year one dare to traipse into the vast acreage of national forest and public lands , not unless one plans on going very heavily armed and in some numbers , you may well never come back out since from upper Lake county all the way to the Oregon border it's now been vitually taken over by the Mexican Growing cartels and their illegal agribusiness.
California has gone to hell in the proverbial handbasket and the downhill slide continues at an accelerating pace , overall unemployment for the state is about 12% and some of these counties in the north state are over 20%.
Time to get out , can't go back to Texas because I don't want to be involved in the border wars ( and I assure you that it IS a war ,all the way from the Big Bend down to Del Rio) so that leaves home to Wyoming or back up to Alaska.
B.
