I live about 10 miles from SF and we love it here. People are friendly. The crime rate is pretty low, and SF is growing all of the time. There are a few communities around SF that are really blooming. We have the basic stores, Target, Walmart, Shopko, Sams, JCPenneys, HyVee, and so on. A friend of mine that moved here about 7 years ago from Minneapolis misses more shopping choices such as Whole Foods. Education is good overall, but depends on where you plan to locate.
Let me know what else you are curious about and I may be able to help
Let me know what else you are curious about and I may be able to help