Is it possible to maintain — or grow — a creative career once you say goodbye to LA? Absolutely.
Los Angeles holds an almost mythical place in pop culture, a place where creative people from around the world come with stars in their eyes. (No, it’s not just the plot of “La La Land.”) The city is ground zero for the entertainment industry, as well as a hotbed for the fashion, fitness and media industries.
Alas, life in the City of Angels has its downsides, too. The traffic is notoriously terrible, and air pollution is an ever-present health issue. And similar to New York City, housing in this city of four million people can be expensive, especially for people who want to start a family or own their own home someday. Oh, and did we mention the earthquakes?
iStock/Getty ImagesBut the prospect of leaving L.A. can be a daunting one. Is it possible to maintain a creative career in a smaller city? Is the trade-off for cheaper rent and a 10-minute commute worth it?
From Madison to Cedar Rapids, Nashville to New Haven, Livability talked to 10 creative people who made the decision to leave L.A. Here’s where why they left, where they went, and how they were able to keep their creative dreams alive.
Madison, Wis.
Population: 243,122
Name, age, occupation: Rob Gard, 48, director of communications and writer
How long did you live in L.A.? 19 years
Where did you move? Madison, Wisconsin
Why did you leave L.A.?
For all the laid-back perceptions of L.A., it takes a lot of focused, intense energy to keep up, not to mention a lot of money. I had a great career and an amazing personal and professional network, but the cost of living was a deterrent to continuing my life there. I was in the Miracle Mile, an incredible neighborhood with world-class museums, restaurants and music venues. But the average cost of a home in the area was $1.9 million, so homeownership was unlikely. There were also 60,000 people in that neighborhood, and I couldn’t keep up with that kind of intensity in my 40s as well as I did in my 30s.
But the biggest factor to leaving was feeling I’d plateaued with the kind of impact I could have on the community. I felt if I took my skills and experience to a part of the country that was on the rise, I could make a bigger difference in the lives of others. So, I returned to my home state to see what I could do there.
What’s the difference in your rent/mortgage payment in L.A. vs. Madison?
I lived in a rent-controlled apartment for my last seven years in L.A. I paid $1,400 for a great art deco one-bedroom, plus $250 for utilities. The second I turned off the lights and turned in the keys to my landlord, the rent jumped up to $1,800. I’m now living in a one-bedroom apartment in a Prairie School home that’s on the National Register of Historic Places, paying $1,200 with all utilities included.
How did leaving L.A. affect your career/creative life for the better?
As I’d hoped, I’ve been able to dive quickly and deeply into a lot of community concerns that I am passionate about including education, equity, transportation and arts issues. Professionally, I found a career that beautifully combines my experience, skills and personal interests. You can see the needle move here and feel the potential for impact a lot more quickly than in L.A.
What’s something creative you’ve been able to do in Madison that may not have happened in L.A.?
I haven’t noticed a difference in terms of “what” I’m pursuing. But the big difference is in the impact of that pursuit. In L.A., I worked on collaborations with musicians and visual artists that reached certain “in-crowd” audiences. Here, I’m finding those types of collaborations are morphing into projects and campaigns that could impact the cultural landscape of the entire community.
What do you miss about L.A.?
Friends, friends and friends. Weather is a close second. And the fact that L.A. comes alive when the sun goes down and the lights come up. No matter what you’re interested in seeing, doing, eating, drinking or experiencing, it’s there for the taking 24 hours a day.
Tell us something surprising about Madison that people may not realize.
There is extraordinarily great food here. James Beard winners and nominees. Innovative menus. As Chef Daniel Bonanno of A Pig in a Fur Coat once told me, NYC and L.A. chefs may have more experience and more layered techniques, but Madison has excellent chefs who have access to fresher, better ingredients, so the end result is the same transcendent cuisine at half the price. Bar Corallini, which is maybe Madison’s hottest new restaurant, is a perfect example of that. Chef Giovanni Novella has a great Southern Italy cooking style that he applies to all kinds of meats and produce that is sourced locally.
Getty Images for IRONMANAnother thing people don’t realize about Madison is how active it is. I thought I’d be able to slack off on the workouts here compared to L.A. But you see people running and biking whether it’s 100 degrees in the summer or 10 degrees in the winter. No slacking allowed! Thankfully, there are five lakes and more than a dozen state parks that surround Madison, so it’s easy to get outdoors and burn off the calories.
New Haven, Conn.
Population: 130,612
Name, age, occupation: Maria Teodosio, 34, owner of Neighborhood Vintage
How long did you live in L.A.? 13 years
Where did you move? New Haven, Connecticut
Why did you leave L.A.?
After several years of owning my own bridal shop, I was burned out and ready for a break. The prospect of owning a home and raising a child in a major city like L.A. was becoming increasingly unfeasible as the cost of living continues to skyrocket. My husband felt the same way, and proposed that we move back to his hometown of New Haven, where property is more attainable and we could be closer to his family for support. My husband works from home, so we agreed if I could sell my business for a profit, then we would make the move.
What’s the difference in your rent/mortgage payment in L.A. vs. your new city?
Well, we live with my in-laws while we look for a house (and save more money!), so our rent is considerably less than our $1,850 per month (rent controlled!) 800-square-foot one bedroom rent in L.A.
How did leaving L.A. affect your career/creative life?
Leaving L.A. gave me a fresh start, which was scary at first because I didn’t know exactly what I wanted to do. But it was good to have a break (and be able to afford not working) and figure out where I wanted to go next creatively. When I ultimate decided on my next venture, a vintage shop called Neighborhood Vintage, in Madison, Conn., the lower rents and voids in the market made it immediately attainable and successful. Basically, my experience in retail in L.A. paid off when I brought it to a smaller market.
What’s something creative you’ve been able to do in New Haven that may not have happened in L.A.?
Vintage sourcing in less competitive and cheaper in Connecticut. There are so many great midcentury neighborhoods in and around New Haven to pick!
What do you miss about L.A.?
THE FOOD! And the people. The stereotype of Californians being laid-back and always happy is so much more obvious once you leave. I think the cold really hardens New Englanders. Also, while New Haven is diverse, outside of it, most of the smaller towns in CT are not. For the most part, Southern California its culturally diverse no matter where you go. That is something I miss.
Tell us something surprising about New Haven that people may not realize.
We discovered there is more to New Haven than just Yale University and the city’s iconic pizza restaurants. Its food and music scene are vibrant and on the rise. There is something for everyone! Some of my favorite restaurants in New Haven are Sherkaan, Hamilton Park, Three Sheets and Firehouse 12.
Pflugerville, Texas
Population: 53,847
Name, age, occupation: Lauren Beth Silva, 35, stay-at-home mom. Previously, I was a creative director at Fox Studios.
How long did you live in L.A.? 10 years
Where did you move? Pflugerville, Texas
Why did you leave, and what city did you move to?
We had thought about leaving for a while, but when I became pregnant with my daughter, Chloe, we knew our time in L.A. was coming to an end. We looked into buying a condo and what you get for under a million dollars, zoned to a decent school and less than an hour commute from work, was abysmal at best. Even though we both had great salaries, we didn’t want to leave our daughter all day long, spend hours in traffic and have little money left for savings.
My husband was able to keep his job (which he loves) and transfer to an office in Austin, Texas. We already had friends there and were pretty sure we would like it, so we went for it.
What’s the difference in your rent/mortgage payment in L.A. vs. your new city?
Our place in Santa Monica was an old, 800-square-foot, two-bedroom apartment. Our place in Pflugerville is a brand new, 2,900-square-foot, four-bedroom house. The payments on our home are almost exactly 1/2 of what our apartment was.
How did leaving L.A. affect your career/creative life?
I left work completely to be a stay-at-home mom. I went from being a busy creative director to trying to figuring out what I was doing caring for a baby and a new house! I thought I would take on tons of freelance work, but babies are way more demanding than I realized. I’m still hoping to jump back into graphic design when Chloe is a little more self-sufficient (she’s only 17 months old).
What’s something creative you’ve been able to do in Pflugerville that may not have happened in L.A.?
I never would have been able to be a stay-at-home mom in L.A. Spending all day with my daughter has taught me how kids really learn and play. I’ve been able to design a few toys and games that Chloe (and a few kids in our family) love. We’ve had a busy few months with friends and family visiting us, but when it gets quiet, I want to look into getting some sturdier prototypes made and see if there is a market for them.
What do you miss about L.A.?
The food! I think about it almost every day.
Tell us something surprising about Pflugerville that people may not realize.
I was told that the Austin area was family-friendly, but I didn’t realize how much so. Kids really are welcome everywhere and nearly everyone will go out of their way to help you out with whatever you are trying to do.
Also, there’s an In-N-Out here that never has a line. Ever. That is unheard of in Los Angeles!
Hilo, Hawaii
Population: 45,380
Name, age, occupation: Alexandra Franzen, 34, author, and editor and founder of the Tiny Press, a division of a larger publishing company called Mango Press.
How long did you live in L.A.? I was born in L.A. and lived there until I was 21 years old. Then I came back to L.A. briefly right after graduating from college, but I didn’t stay for too long.
Where did you move? Hilo, Hawaii
Why did you leave L.A.?
Initially, I moved to Minneapolis-Saint Paul because I got an internship at a public broadcasting company, which later unfolded into a full-time job. Several years later, I moved to Portland, Oregon, where I spent many happy years freelancing, working in coffee shops, hiking and enjoying the Pacific Northwestern vibes.
Then came an incredibly painful breakup, a house sale (my ex-partner and I owned a place in Portland together), and many huge life changes. I decided I needed a big change of scenery — a quiet place to heal, grieve and piece myself back together. I wanted something really different. A big new chapter of my life. So, I sold almost everything I owned, packed two suitcases, and bought a one-way plane ticket to Hilo.
What’s the difference in your rent/mortgage payment in L.A. vs. Hilo?
In my early 20s, I shared a two-bedroom apartment with two other people in West Hollywood. Honestly, the place wasn’t that great. It was a 1970s building that was really outdated and not particularly attractive. Parking was always a nightmare because we had three cars and only one assigned parking spot. Almost every night when I got home, I circled around the block over and over and over, hunting for a precious spot. Our rent was $2,400 per month, utilities not included.
Here in Hilo, I pay $1,600 per month for a really cute 1 bedroom house, furnished, with a giant backyard that’s full of tropical flowers, and my own driveway — so parking is never a problem. The rent includes all utilities: electricity, water, Wi-Fi, trash, recycling and lawncare. $1600 is actually pretty high for Hilo prices. It’s definitely possible to find places here for way less than that, depending on which area you want to be in.
How did leaving L.A. affect your career/creative life?
Living in L.A. wasn’t the right place for me. After a long day navigating around L.A. — going to classes, going to work, being stuck on the freeway for hours — I always felt so drained, like all my creative energy was being sapped away. I remember feeling tired all the time.
Related: Here are some surprising truths about living in Hawaii
Living in a smaller city feels so much better for my mental and physical health. My quality of life has gone way up. From my house in Hilo, I can walk to my local gym in 7 minutes, or drive to the beach in 10 minutes. I love my place so much.
Over time, I’ve realized that I’m just not a big city person. I love that little village feeling living in a smaller place, like waving to everyone as you go by, bumping into your friends at the grocery store, and feeling part of a tightknit community. I feel happier and more productive.
What’s something creative you’ve been able to do in Hilo that may not have happened in L.A.?
When you live in a small city and your “commute” is a five-minute walk to the coffee shop instead of hours on the freeway, you wind up with waaa-aaay more free time and energy to pursue creative projects (and side-projects) that excite you. Living in Hilo has helped me to uncover some passions that have nothing to do with my primary career as a writer.
Since moving here, I’ve started teaching yoga and fitness classes a few times a week, which is something I never planned to do. I’ve also started painting. I painted a big piece inspired by one of my favorite beaches here in Hawaii. I started my own podcast, “So Obsessed,” and recorded the first season at a funky, cool studio right here in Hilo. And I’ve led several writing retreats here in Hawaii, which have been so rewarding.