It is important to me as well. I'm a physician, 2.5 yrs out of residency. Going to be another 10 before I feel at all secure (student debt gone, healthy savings, well into mortgage payoff).

My wife is from bay area and we never even considered it. That's not to say it's not a great place. A lot of people obviously love it there. Just didn't fit our priorities. Guess you gotta decide what is MOST important to you.