It is tempting to move from California to a place with a lower cost of living. If 3rd gen and I moved to Nevada or Arizona our cost of living would drop by almost 30%. An identical home would cost half of our current one. I would miss our snow-covered mountains and our green yard, but I could take some photos and hang them on the wall. :)
If you stay out of high-crime cities, crime is not a big concern. Certainly safer than New York City. The Mrs does have pepper spray on her keychain, and it is easy to buy a gun if you don't have a criminal record.
Every place has negatives. Hurricanes, floods, Tornados, sub-zero winters, constant rain, droughts, are all things I like to avoid.