Actually, believe it or not I moved to Iowa from SoCal a year ago and as far as income, sales and property taxes my tax bill here is basically a push from California. California's top rate is 9.3% and Iowa's is 8.9%. Neither taxes Social Security. Nebraska's tax rate is lower, but they tax Social Security. The Killer is property tax. San Bernardino County, CA is 0.73%, Mills County IA is 1.28% and Sarpy Co is 2.08%. Granted, the same house in Iowa would cost a lot more in California, so that more or less evens out. My car insurance on 3 cars and a motorcycle is half here, but I never had much of a heating bill there, so that evens out. Gas costs twice as much there, but I don't drive much.
However, our family is here, the roads there are choked with cars at all hours so going anywhere was difficult, and the lowlife activity you mention above has spread beyond various skid rows into almost all areas of Southern California, even previously affluent areas. So we have no regrets about moving here, especially since their whole state is still shut down. My only bugaboo is I have not found a decent head of iceberg lettuce since I moved back here.