5 things you need to know about: leaving California

By Jennifer Davies
Union-Tribune Staff Writer
2:00 a.m. June 6, 2009

Beset by deficits, unemployment above 11 percent, eroding infrastructure, the Golden State is looking tarnished. Ready to ditch the sunshine in favor of more stability? Here are some states to consider:

Employment: Scratch Michigan, Oregon, South Carolina and Rhode Island off your list because those states have higher unemployment than we do. North Dakota, Nebraska, Wyoming and South Dakota all have unemployment rates below 5 percent. [b]New motto for the Dakotas: “Our unemployment is so low even the cattle have jobs.â€