Property tax rates may be higher elsewhere, but the cost of the real estate is so much lower that it more than makes up for it. I'd be interested to know if there are any low-tax states where someone can spend $25k/yr in property tax on a 3bd/2ba, which is the going rate in Palo Alto.

Also, I don't think any state has sales tax rates that are much higher than SMC/SCC.

California is not Palo Alto for a majority of its residents. My point was just that you can’t just look at the state tax rates in isolation to make an accurate comparison. There are definitely cheaper places to live but the differences are not as pronounced as they might seem - usually within a couple percent. Property costs where you want to live are likely to be a far greater impact on your budget.

It’s like when Americans say they pay less in taxes than Europeans without factoring in that our healthcare costs are paid separately. Systems built around different models need to be compared carefully.