East Coast Living – Is It Really That Bad?

East Coast Weather Blizzard 2016

Any rational person would agree that living on the West Coast is better than living on the East Coast. Anybody who tells you otherwise probably has never experienced West Coast living long enough to understand the difference.

I'm rational. I've lived on both coasts for over 10 years each and I don't believe there's really much of a debate. Who doesn't want to live in more moderate temperatures where the sun is always shining? Unless you like frigid winters and uncomfortably muggy summers, the East Coast isn't for you.

When your family and friends are on the East Coast, it's hard to leave I understand. We're afraid of change. I know I am. But, this is not a post to bash the East Coast. This is a post to understand what truly makes the East Coast and other uncomfortable climate zones special.

A friend of mine is thinking about relocating from San Francisco, one of the best cities in America, to New York City or Washington DC for a little work. I think she's a little nuts leaving our California sunshine behind and I'm trying to understand why, and maybe even why not.

With the artificial intelligence boom happening, you want to live in San Francisco, where all the main AI companies like OpenAI, Anthropic, Databricks, and many more have their headquarters. The amount of AI wealth that will be created over the next couple of decades on the west coast is going to be hugE!

East Coast Living Positives

1) Richer history. Since the Europeans first invaded the East Coast of America, there is a much richer heritage as evidenced by more developed infrastructure and building architecture. Museums are more prevalent, and attractions are more interesting. Therefore, the East Coast has a much older and richer history.

2) Closer to Europe. It's easy to get a direct flight to Europe that's also cheaper and quicker. Who doesn't love to visit the bright lights of Paris, and the bustle of London every once in a while? The Europeans really know how to live well.

3) Time Zone Dominance. American TV and major broadcasts still revolves around eastern standard time. The stock market market opening at 9:30am, the French Open finals at 9am, and World Cup matches at 7am are all examples of major events serving the eastern time zone.

4) Food. Certain foods such as hot pastrami sandwiches, pizza, and cheese-steaks always seem tastier on the east coast for some reason. Perhaps there's no real difference, other than the fact that when you eat a hot pastrami sandwich at Katz's deli in NYC, it's just more authentic given the history.

5) Fewer Earthquakes. Earthquake danger is overrated in California given the infrequency of large shakes. That said, the danger still exists. I'd much rather have a big earthquake every 30 years than tornadoes and hurricanes every year.

6) There's Only Upside. Imagine if you were born and raised in Hawaii. What a drag to leave! Once you live on the east coast, anywhere else you go will be so much better!

East Coast Negatives

1) The weather is horrible. Too hot and muggy during the summer, too cold and dreary during the winter. If there's going to be snow, at least have some snowboardable mountains. There are frequently blizzards that shut down cities and towns for days. Only the Fall is beautiful.

2) Damaging storms, more accidents. Without fail, there always seems to be a blizzard or a violent hurricane every year which wreaks havoc on property and financial well-being. Homeowner's insurance and maintenance costs are much, much higher than prices on the West Coast as a result. You get compare great homeowners insurance rates with PolicyGenius for free.

3) Terrible for allergies. Anybody who is highly sensitive to any allergen should consider leaving the East Coast. I suffered from tremendous allergies while living in the East Coast for 10 years, and as soon as I moved to San Francisco, my allergy attacks all but went away. Perhaps there's something in the trees or the pollution.

4) More stressed out people. When the weather is terrible half the year, people suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). Stress levels are higher, people are more overweight, and even suicide rates are higher. Given all these problems, life insurance rates are also higher.

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5) People seem to be more in a hurry. Unlike the west coast, people on the East Coast never seem to stop and smell the roses. East Coasters are always in a hurry to get somewhere. As a result, stress levels are higher and people are more combative. There's much more of an easy going vibe on the West Coast.

Related: The Worst States To Live In For Work And Life

East Coast Living Is Much Tougher And More Stressful

I really am trying to see the positives of living on the East Coast with my six examples. However, I have to admit I'm struggling to find more reasons.

The weather is atrocious for half the year on the East Coast. It would take quite a premium to leave California, Washington, Oregon, or Hawaii for the East Coast. During the winter, folks in California and Nevada mostly miss all the storms.

If you're willing to live in such a difficult climate, why not live in the Heartland / Sunbelt region instead? At least in the Sunbelt, the cost of living is much cheaper. I'm personally heavily investing in heartland real estate to take advantage of the demographic shift. I think it's going to be a 50-year trend!

In fact, there are signs that more people are migrating to California from the South and Midwest after the pandemic. But this post is about East Coast living, not about the South and Midwest. The East Coast is fine for half of the year. I lived on the East Coast from 1991 – 2001. 10 years was enough. Once I moved to California in 2001, I knew I could never go back!

Won't you help share some of your reasons as to why the East Coast is so wonderful?

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East Coast Living is a Financial Samurai original post. For six months of the year, the east coast is a great place. But for the other six months, the weather is either too hot and humid or too cold. It's better if we can live a great life for as many months of the year as possible!

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377 thoughts on “East Coast Living – Is It Really That Bad?”

  1. Food is terrible on the east coast compared to California. So that’s one less positive on the list for them as well. It’s the reason they’re always talking about pizza and bagels. They don’t have much of anything else comparable to the better ingredients and larger immigrant culture of California.

    1. terrible? new york and montreal have terrible food? sounds like you haven’t spent any time here…….

  2. James Schuler

    I’d rather live where I am now in Michigan, why ? Those with common sense know that winter weather including a blizzard generally will not destroy your home..we have no forest fires, no major flooding, no earthquakes, and rarely a low rated tornado. So who can top this. Just buck up and survive the winter..

  3. Publius Flavius

    Born and raised in Fairfax VA, left at 18 for college in southern California, was there for 33 years, returned upon my mother’s passing, taking care of her estate for the last year.

    “Only the Fall is beautiful.”

    This use to be my perspective but this year I really appreciated how wonderful spring is, granted her home is on a mountain near Front Royal.(humidity and heat difference between 1700ft and town is noticeable)

    The weather is for the most part gorgeous in socal, but it gets very mundane after a couple decades, I am enjoying the thunderstorms, more varied cloud patterns and yes even the cold.

    Mahalo

  4. San Francisco is NOT the best city in America. I lived in Cali for a decade. I have no idea why people love San Francisco.

    What you say about the East Coast is pretty accurate. Add suburban sprawl without the geography of the west (surfing, mountains).

    Also, classism. Classism is out of control on the East Coast. Read the Great Gatsby. He gets the East Coast perfectly.

    The East Coast is a place with lame geography (NC is the best) and people comparing themselves to one another. Everyone uses their home as a status symbol. This leads to a low quality of life IMO.

    Who wants to walk around making sure some jerk has a high opinion of you? It makes you do things you wouldn’t normally do but only do so you can be in that class. Like opera. Like you understand Italian. You go there hoping someone sees you there and then you are 8 and everyone is like a 5.

    Instead of worrying about being better, maybe go have fun in life?

    1. What do you think is the best city in America? If you can afford to live in San Francisco, and nice house, and a good area, I think it is definitely one of the best cities in America and the world. It’s just that most people, or many people live in San Francisco a little too expensive to fully enjoy.

  5. Peter Mizla

    The west coast from San Diego to Seattle has a mild temperate climate- north of San Francisco, it becomes wetter in winter. Eugene, Portland, and Seattle have mild winters- but incursions of snow, ice, and cold happen sometimes.

    Climate change is making it warmer. Despite this winter’s rain- it will continue to become drier over time. Fires are a huge problem as well- and this will worsen- making air pollution worse.

    The cost of living on the west coast is very high. The cost of real estate in greater NYC Boston, and Washington is high- but there are pockets along the northeast corridor that are surprisingly affordable (greater Philly and Hartford CT) and places with median home prices below 350K.

    The climate along the northeastern coast megalopolis is ‘humid subtropical’ as opposed to the west coast ‘dry subtropical’

    Climate change is especially transforming New England- winters are significantly milder than only 20 years ago. Summers are hotter. Connecticut has warmed almost twice the national average (1.1C) to over 2C above pre-industrial times. The humidity along the east coast takes some time to get used to from mid-June to early September.

    Culturally most places are good- the East of course has a much longer history. Schooling is of higher importance in the East. Food is great and diverse along both coasts.

    The west coast has the edge with climate- is milder and dries with less summertime humidity. Autumns in the east are sublime and beautiful.

    In the end, it all depends on what you are looking for.

  6. “At least have some snowboardable mountains?” Are you serious? You obviously have no clue what you speak of. Ski culture was born here. Mt Washington? Tuckerman ravine? Vermont? Maine? Dude this article is so ridiculous and no you aren’t “rational” you’re just a weakling.

    1. Now, now, no need for name calling. Those are decent mountains for snowboarding or skiing. But they aren’t nearly as nice as the mountains in Colorado or California.

  7. I am a native californian that must interject. I grew up way up north, nearly Oregon, in Eureka. Which used to be a beautiful near utopia. Had a really lovely, wholesome upbringing I wish I knew would never exist again…. Till extreme liberal policies wrecked the area, and the rest of the state. It’s still gorgeous, but it’s well known for those of us west coast natives that are not liars and full of ourselves….Now it’s a crime ridden (most dangerous in the state even) drug riddled, sleasy, cesspool of depravity. Kids and women out here have the highest ‘ACEs’ in the state. That’s trauma and mental health issues. Native women especially are at risk. And the ‘woke’ crowd who pretends to care about them with their fake virtue signaling, doesn’t do anything to address it. Even the elderly people here are druggies and hustlers, the officials all corrupt and involved in the drug ‘culture’, that is our ‘culture’….it’s all so depressing and disgusting, you cannot even begin to describe it. The ‘lucky’ ones are the rich who can afford to try and avoid it, and live in bubbles. There is no longer a middle class. Indeed, any otherwise nice places, like when you try and enjoy the outdoors, are utterly ruined by the surge of gang bangers and thugs (part of the ‘genius’ of legalising drugs which brought huge numbers of cartels and such to the area) who get drunk, high, and otherwise make it unlivable for anyone normal and decent. With their pitbulls, gangster rap blaring, and antics. Also, human feces is increasingly in the water supply…. Human trafficking is at all time highs. People ‘disappear’ in great numbers. Prostitution, murder, rape, child molestation (we have some of the highest numbers of sex offenders) I also lived for a long time in the UK, which is a whole other story. I lived in WA state as well. In the 90s, WA state was awesome! Not anymore. People out west are totally intolerant also. If you do not agree with everything ‘woke’ they attack you and ostracise you. They are delusional, and TOO laid back. I second the person that mentioned something about how we all dress like homeless people as well. Being casual does not mean we should have zero class….step it up west coasters! Most of the men here are forever in flat caps and hoodies and usually covered with tattoos. Or they are ‘country’ which means they might have a scruffy beard. If you are a woman, the dating scene is a dumpster fire. You can choose between criminals with neck tattoos, players and hustlers, porn saturated losers that only want hookups (I wish an instant end of hookup culture and anyone who partakes and treats people like pieces of meat. To hell with that and people who try and ‘get laid’. Grow up and get some morals), MRAS and incels, druggies, hippies, creepy men that are way older than you with grey beards and beer bellies, or rich, arrogant types that think we care about what stupid car they drive. I don’t. Then for daring to want a normal guy, you get called ‘stuck up’ which really means ‘how dare you have any standards and not sleep with me when I think you are hot’….rapey much? Stuck up here means- not a druggie, or having values….Normal guys over here have completely disappeared. I used to know nice guys back in the 90s….I am now ready to head out east, having had more than enough. I realise no where is perfect, and these annoying ‘woke’ politics are spoiling the country as a whole, but still, elsewhere, unless you are in like NYC, are not anywhere near as bad as the west coast. I don’t plan on living in NYC or related. Only visiting. Other normal places out east and midwest are far cheaper and safer as well as full of more normal people. The weather on the west has also become intolerable. We reached 120 where I am now, and yeah, NO a/c. How dare that even be legally allowed! We are sick all the time from the heat. Not to mention the fires. I had to get air purifiers and stay in for months on end last year. Gas is astronomical, and the great distances mean you are doing that a lot. We are already being threatened with more fires and possible evacuations. And that is all up and down the entire western area, not just cali. I have had to watch the sad destruction of this once amazing place. We talk about people from cali going elsewhere and ruining them, (perhaps some of my kin have done this, and shame on them trying to bring their liberal bs elsewhere) but no one stops to think about all the people who invaded our state and ruined it in the first place. Don’t get me started on the bs prison reform, letting all the felons out of prison, and ‘decriminalising’ bad crimes, defunding the police and then wondering why a surge in crime lol, and all of that total bs. Is it a coincidence that people with values now are considered ‘bigots’ or ‘uptight’….?? I think not. It’s called manipulation and brainwashing. And this is regardless of whether you are ‘conservative’ or not, religious or not. Honestly, humanity is doomed at the rate we are going…. On the east coast, as far as I can tell, the worst concern is the tick problem. The rest of it is nothing concerning. Weather or otherwise.

    1. Lucy, it sounds like *you’re* the problem. It also sounds like you tend to take your drama with you wherever you go.

      It must be awful to have to live with yourself.

      1. lol… now you’re the one that sound riddiculous.

        While Lucy did go on a rant, not all of her points are off–the fires, for one, are extremely disconcerting. And “too laid back” is definitely a thing, let me tell you.

        Let’s not get started with the homeless population problem. It’s rampant in Cali, and as an east coaster going over there, I was actually amazed at how bad “tent cities” are out that way. NYC ain’t got nothing on Cali’s homeless population.

    2. Lucy, I concur 100%. Lived in California for most of my 55 years then moved to Washington. Have family in Oregon and what you speak is 100% truth. The response from Roxanne is untrue. Clearly she is the type of people you are referring to in your post and I agree with you! Thanks for speaking up. I could have written it myself!!

      1. Wouldn’t living in California be better as a retiree? Lower taxes, more government support, great lifestyle and weather.

        Why spend 55 years paying taxes and not reap the benefits in retirement?

        1. Washington has zero income tax and property prices are so much lower that the higher property tax rates don’t matter. You also don’t pay sales tax on groceries and other essentials. The main downside is the weather.

    3. Haha there’s a 100% chance this was written by a honky. Make sure you check under your bed for liberals before you fall asleep.

  8. Christopher P Cole

    I’m 62 years old. I grew up in NJ, lived a couple years each in Florida, Milwaukee, then settled on the West Coast. Lastly I’ve lived 7 years in Portland Oregon and 34 years in Olympia Washington most recently. This has been an amazingly informative blog to read through. The author of the original post seems determined to argue for San Francisco to be the only place worth living. Here we are ten years later and people are leaving SF in droves because they can’t afford it. I’m curious if they feel the same way now? There are the common themes in this discussion of weather, culture (and history), cost of living, food and ease (or difficulty) of getting around in everyone’s decision. I’m just newly retired. I’ve spent those 34 years here going running, snowshoeing, mushroom hunting, fishing, hiking and skiing (Colorado, Washington and Idaho). I now have to pull back on those activities now because my body is telling me to at my age. I find my self craving more of culture and a connection with people. In the last 3 days we (Washington and Oregon) have been forced to stay housebound with windows closed tight (with an air purifier running) because the smoke from regional fires has produced literally the worst air quality on the planet according to the news reports. Scary. One wildcard that was discussed very little in this blog (although wildfires were brought up repeatedly) is climate change. In the ten years since this blog originated the wildfires have gotten exponentially worse. These fires are erasing entire towns, housing developments, iconic resort campgrounds and forcing ALL residents on the West Coast into their homes just to escape the smoke. So I see climate change soon dictating that larger groups of populations will need to relocate. Since I first moved to Olympia in 1986 the traffic has gotten dramatically worse. You have to carefully time what day or time of day you leave for Seattle or 45 minutes becomes 2.5 hours. There is a condition called “The Seattle Freeze” and many articles have been written about it. It’s attributed somewhat to the gray winters, and the conservative Scandinavian and Asian cultures. I agree what others have said about the challenge in making close relationships here and passive aggression being a factor. Friendly, but not genuine. I miss the directness and honesty of East Coasters. Since I’m originally from the East Coast I’m considering moving to Delaware because of the proximity to Philly and NYC and the lower property taxes. If anyone could chime in on their experience with Delaware I would appreciate it. Thank you for all the observations and comments. I was relieved to know I’m not the only person challenged by deciding where to live next, especially in a climate changing world.

  9. I know this is an old thread, but still interesting. First off, I think it’s pretty ridiculous to market this as an obvious thing that the East Coast is worse than the West Coast. Weather is not the only thing to consider and I think it’s pretty silly that people think weather makes a place awful. If that were true… why aren’t millions of people from the East fleeing to the West every day? Lol. I really do think it comes down to personal preference. Here’s some categories I personally think each coast wins at…
    Weather: Let’s start with the obvious. West Coast, no question. East Coast weather blows, except in the fall.
    Cities: East Coast, no question. LA is a smoldering garbage dump; SF and Seattle are cool and San Diego is beautiful. However, nothing compares remotely to New York, Boston, Philly, D.C., Atlanta, Miami, if you count Montreal and Toronto you name it. Everything is so much more accessible and it gives so much more opportunity.
    Easiness of transport/commute: East Coast. No question again. You don’t need to completely rely on your car for everything.
    Culture: East Coast. West Coast culture is going on hikes and eating avocados. East Coast has incredible history with museums, music venues, tourist attractions unmatched by anything in the West Coast.
    Nature: Generally the West Coast is more physically beautiful; its beaches and mountains are breathtaking. That being said, East Coast beaches are much nicer because you can actually swim in them and there are adorable summer colonies that the West does not have. East Coast is also unbelievably beautiful in the fall and spring.
    People: East Coast, but it’s a preference. Imo, there is a more varied stock of people; everyone in the West Coast seems to be the same kind of person. East Coast culture fosters individuality and makes everyone more interesting. East Coast also has noticeable accents, which I think is really cool and adds to the culture that the West Coast does not have. However, people on the West Coast are more friendly on the surface
    Education: EAST. COAST. The schools are so, so, so much better here. Public schools on the west coast, especially in California, are absolute crap. You cannot give your kids the education they can get in public schools out East, in places like DMV, Tri-State Area, and Boston. Universities are good in California, but there’s still so much more opportunity in the East Coast.
    Cost of Living: Comparable. Both are awful. West Coast has incredibly high rents and added cost of NEEDING a car with expensive insurance, while East Coast has higher property taxes and homeowners insurance.
    Generally easiness of day to day life: West Coast. Commutes are probably more stressful but not having to worry about the weather or relying on public transport does relieve a considerable amount of stress. East Coast day to life is definitely more busy, though not as much in the southeast as the northeast.

    So in summation, it’s ridiculous to say life on the East Coast is “really that bad”. I am from here and love it here, I would not have wanted to be from anywhere else and plan on raising my kids here. That being said, I’m still young, I wouldn’t mind spending a few years in the California sun if I get the chance!

    1. Agreed. Philly has its problems, but I am never sad when I return from other places within the US. It’s actually a gem of a city being right in the middle of the NE Corridor, but yet affordable. I live within city limits and my neighborhood has deer and foxes and a lot of greenery. The shore and Pocono mountains are close by and NYC is only 90 miles away, so my activities aren’t limited to just Philly. The weather isn’t great, but you get used to it, and you begin to really appreciate beautiful spring and fall days. But….I must admit the real reason I stay here is because of the people. I am by no means progressive or liberal, but this is a very forgiving place towards those who are “different” which is the true meaning of liberal. Forgiving, genuine. I think people in other parts of the country have forgotten this and are mostly followers.

  10. Scott Dobos

    East Coast is great! Beautiful Ocean, less crowded than some other west coast areas. Generally more affordable, depending on what you’re comparing it to! You have to love the winter if you live in Maine where I’m writing from. Without a love for the snow, you will find yourself struggling for activities when it’s freezing out! We have a short, yet incredible Summer season. On a bad year, call it 8 weeks in total, and on a good year it might stretch to 12+!
    There are certainly different times of the year to visit depending on what you most enjoy!
    Happy 2020!

  11. I’ve been to 42 states and 3 countries. I’ve enjoyed most places I have visited. I’ve lived in Virginia, Pennsylvania, Vermont, Indiana, Oregon, and Washington. As for weather, climate, and other natural factors, each place has is amazing wonders. I can find things to gripe about for the climate for each. I was able to fit in no matter where I went… but not here in Longbeach, Wa. I really just don’t belong and these people really make you aware of that. In a very passive aggressive indirect way. I grew up in all black ghetto as a black kid and felt more welcomed than these people make me feel. And, I came all the way from Virginia Beach (yes the humidity sucks) to this place to help manage an after school program here. They couldn’t find anyone that would work. You think they have shown me any appreciation? No. I am not a republican or anything like that, but these people act like I am some kind of freak. I really just don’t like these people and will be moving soon. No singles bars. Being single here has been the most depressing experience of my life. But, I do love the kids. Peace out 98631. Portland has some great spots, as do Seattle and most other cities. And, most cities have their issues. I won’t gripe on the living expenses here because you generally make more money here in the West. It’s just the people in this Peninsula. Maybe I am just spoiled from living in Chesapeake, Va. It’s getting too populated, but the locals are the most amazing people and the women are the most beautiful (inward and out) of any people I have seen. With San Diego and parts of Poland being close second.

  12. If you’re a transplant and don’t come from a great deal of money, IMO life on either coast is pretty much the same: you’ll likely be overworked, short on time, stressed about money, and socially isolated.

    Nice people from average backgrounds have a tendency to try this life, and move back home, because it’s so hard; this tends to leave people who are really ambitious (too selfish to care) and/or really desperate (nothing to go back to). Neither group is great at building community, and the constant churn of people coming and going adds to the overall disconnect.

    I’m stuck on the high CoL coastal hamster wheel, trying to figure out an escape route. The challenge of low CoL areas is the lack of jobs; even if you have a good network and can work remote, will you be able to find the next job when you need one? Dunno.

  13. I am an east coast native, PA-Philly and Poconos, NY city and upstate ,VA outside of DC… that moved to the west coast Portland OR.
    First the people on west coast …. dress like homeless people. No one dresses up. A clean flannel, or old top and pants found at the nice restaurants.

    Let me tell the rent on east coast is CHEAP! compared to Portland, OR! (Aside from NYC). You can’t get anything decent out here for under $1700 up a month!! And a small house, very small and not great goes for $350K and up! I would kill for housing or rent fair and cheap!! Housing is insane on the west coast.
    People are more chill out west, and the nature is spectacular. That is it!

    Weather, is gray 9 moths out of the year. I miss the east coast weather. Grass is green out here only in the actual lawn grass. I will move back east. I want a home that is decent, not a tiny box, for under 325K! The two houses across the street for me that are new but smaller than my father’s house, sold for 525K and there is nothing great about them. Oh yes there are beautiful houses out here, with hardwoods and 4 bedroom but be prepared to shell out 700K up. It is that bad out here.

    If you find a home out here for $260,000 it is ready to be bulldozed and needs a whole rehall. Two shacks sold for that much and they were abandoned, and run down with wood rot, and had to be torn down … but thats how much the land cost. And the neighborhood was not great. Too expensive. I do want to own, so I am moving back east, to Fl, or VA to get a home under 300K.
    The trees are incredible out here, because of the year round rain, but not worth renting forever. :( And I miss people dressing up even slightly to go out .

    1. “You can’t get anything decent out here for under $1700 up a month”!!

      I just finished looking at Portland rents. You can commonly get an updated one bedroom for 1-1.2k. outside of city’s dead center.

  14. I live in Fairfield County in Connecticut. There is nothing to do, taxes are high, electric is high, everything high except your water bill. You cannot get a decent rent for the most part under $1200 a month and a nice house under $275k but more like $300k. Lack of jobs believe it or not we are just coming back from the recession. State in the red but they find no way to create jobs or bring businesses in. They just tax everyone to death here. People are leaving in the droves especially college grads and seniors who can no longer afford to live here. Last winter was mild not much snow but summers have been rain, rain, rain and then one or two major heat waves but generally cold. I enjoy the seasons but sometimes think would be cheaper to buy one set of clothes, versus fall, spring, summer and winter clothes. I spend $500 dollars clearing leaves from my property every year. I think West Coast and East Coast one of the most expensive areas you can move in USA.

    1. Connecticut sucks!! I grew up there and then moved to DC for 12 years and then back to CT for 4 years and now I’m in NH and it’s jist less taxes. I want to move to the west coast so badly. I’m saving up so I can bounce!! I despise winter and there is o it sunshine a few months out of the year here. I’m still younger (37) and I don’t want to wait till I’m elderly to go somewhere nice to live

      1. I grew up in Maine and Rhode Island and spent about 10 years of my life on the West Coast. California is 1000 times better the people the weather literally just everything about it is positive where I feel everything is very negative on the East Coast. I just left California four years ago because the fires and can’t wait to move back to the West I’m going to try Colorado and act because the vibe there were so amazing to! Good luck I hope you get to the West Coast and find your happiness because it is much happier

    2. I am an east coast native, PA-Philly and Poconos, NY city and upstate ,VA outside of DC… that moved to the west coast Portland OR.

      Let me tell you the rent you describe is CHEAP! compared to Portland, OR! You can’t get anything decent out here for under $1700 a month!! And a small house, very small and not great goes for $350K and up! I would kill for housing or rent that cheap!! Housing is insane on the west coast.
      People are more chill out here, and the nature is spectacular. That is it.

      Weather, is gray 9 moths out of the year. I miss the east coast weather. Grass is green out here only in the actual lawn grass. I will move back east. I want a home that is decent, not a tiny box, for under 325K! The two houses across the street for me that are new but smaller than my father’s house, sold for 525K and there is nothing great about them. Oh yes there are beautiful houses out here, with hardwoods and 4 bedroom but be prepared to shell out 700K up. It is that bad out here.
      If you find a home out here for $260,000 it is ready to be bulldozed and needs a whole rehall. Two shacks sold for that much and they were abandoned, and run down with wood rot, and had to be torn down … but thats how much the land cost. And the neighborhood was not great. Too expensive. I do want to own, so I am moving back east, to Fl, or VA to get a home under 300K. The trees are incredible out here, because of the year round rain, but not worth renting forever. :(

  15. San Francisco Expat to East Coast

    San Francisco native here. Currently living in Northern Virginia. Took the job to find out what the folks on the eastern side of my country are like. Yep, different culture, sure, and it’s still a bit socially conservative on my scale (duh!), and there are many more churches here by comparison, but really, “folks is folks” anywhere you go. People anywhere just want to live a happy life, and it didn’t take long to see that, too.

    Living in Northern Virginia is much like living in any other major metropolitan area. There’s traffic. Buying a home or paying rent is expensive. There’s all sorts of hustle ‘n’ bustle. However, like in California, nature’s beauty isn’t far away. Here, we do get all four seasons. The first time I saw the entire countryside turning the colors of fall, it amazed me. It’s just like in the postcards, as far as the eye can see. Sure, we get snow. And yes, they do use salt on the roads (I wish they wouldn’t, like in Seattle), which causes rust issues with cars. But the laws are, surprisingly, much more “liberal” than in my home state of California! Yeah, greater liberty in the former Capital of the Confederacy–go figure that one.

    One difference I saw between San Francisco and Washington, DC is racial. Turns out I’m from what many call a “mixed race” family, and as a result, I’m kinda swarthy. Black Americans out here in DC, especially women, seem to have much bigger chips on their shoulders than I remember their counterparts in San Francisco having. Not sure why yet, but it’s something I’ve noticed. I hope that things get better that way as time goes on.

    For bp who expressed concern about attractive women: there are good looking women all over the world, including in all parts of this country. What makes a woman attractive or not is the same thing that makes a man attractive or not: personal attitude. If she’s a nice person and considerate of the feelings of others, and in reasonably good physical shape (doesn’t have to be Flo-Jo’s level, just decent shape), she’ll be appealing. But I’d walk away from a supermodel if I didn’t like her attitude (yes, I have done this!). That’s anywhere in the world, folks, not limited to a particular area.

    So, is it different? Sure! Is it so different as to be “better” or “worse”? I don’t think so.

  16. Aren’t there more educated single women on the east coast? I could be wrong, but aren’t they also more attractive? The west coast numbers don’t look good for educated men, if you are looking for an educated women. San Francisco in particular is very bad. I went out with some guys in SF and one guy was from San Jose a.k.a Man Jose. He was desperate to talk to ANY woman with the intent of getting laid by any woman no matter what. This was very different from my friends in Chicago and NYC who have their pick and only date the hotties. This guy was very successful by the way.

    Yes you can go to Marin where there are more women, but in the City of San Francisco and San Jose, the numbers are a no-go for dudes.

    Date-onomics has the numbers also

  17. some person

    East Coast and West coast are no longer the USA. They’ve become overpriced international areas people can barely afford. I especially loath east coast. Santa Claus is putting a piece of coal in the east coast stocking this year!

  18. Just want to give my input

    I don’t think you fully experienced east coast living. Yeah west coast is cool but if you notice y’all can only say is Cali this and Cali that. Nothing like east coast we have dmv, New York, New Jersey, Carolinas, Florida (like Rick Ross said nothing like 305 in my yayo lol) I seen somebody say Phoenix if you wanna go a lil further out we have ATL granted it’s not east coast but it sits similar to Phoenix if you wanna mention Phoenix we have Atlanta some of those cities that I have mention cost of living is better than west coast. Idc what statistics you show I know people paying like $800 for a full house with a lot of rooms and acres of land in a great area. Stress thing you talking about my dude stress is everywhere like crime is in every city it’s not due to weather it’s because certain ppl are broke bottom line has nothing to do with weather or whatever your saying. Each coast has good and bad but to say east coast is horrible is reaching you really reaching on that one. At the end of the day it’s a personal preference.

  19. Totally agree. The east coast is awful. And, people back there are totally clueless about it.

    I grew up in northern NJ, went to college in NH, and, lived my first 2 years out of college in CT.

    Then, I moved to Seattle, have been here 18 years, and cannot fathom moving back east.

    I remember my wife and I (she also grew up in NJ) regularly saying to each other, our first year, things along the lines of: “I can’t believe people live like this and we didn’t know about it…” So laid back, drop-dead gorgeous scenery, clean air, incredible skiing an hour or two away, places like Lake Chelan a couple hours more…people seriously complain out here if it’s colder than 40 or warmer than 80 not realizing it’s almost always one of those back east…

    Brainstorming on the back burner for awhile, here’s what I think is my exhaustive list of things I somewhat miss about the east coast:
    – I like the Caribbean slightly more than Hawaii. Boo hoo.
    – A weekend per year in NYC at Christmastide
    – Warm summer evenings at the Jersey shore. Maybe that’s just nostalgia
    – Sitting on a porch during a torrential downpour a hot summer day
    – The pizza

    I think that’s it.

    The Fall is nice in New England, but it’s also nice here. Crisp, colorful, apple picking and all the rest. Honestly, I think Fall just seems nicer when you live back east because it’s sandwiched between the sufferings of summer and winter.

  20. Jack johnson

    I know this is an old thread , but I’ve lived in Washington , Oregon , California , New Hampshire , Massachusetts , Maine and Florida . I’ve also spent time vacationing in Hawaii , the Carolinas , I’ve been all up and down the east coast.

    Let me start by saying the west coast is more than just California . In fact if you’re looking for some of the most beautiful landscapes in the country go to Oregon and Washington. Nothing compares to the Oregon coast . People complain of the rain , but it takes a lot of rain to keep the coastline so green . Washington coast is also beautiful , but it isn’t as accessible except for the Long Beach peninsula and Westport . I actually got married at Heceta head lighthouse. The eastern halves of Oregon and Washington I could do without but some people love that sort of terrain. I’ve also lived out there and in part of Idaho for 5 years. I’d never go back . The winters are 6 months and the summers are too hot to go outside.

    California is a different animal . San Francisco is a great city . Recently it’s become drug and homeless infested . They actually had to hire crews to clean up needles and human feces off the streets. Just north or south of the city are big sur , Muir Woods , point Reyes , point Bonita . Some of the prettiest places I’ve ever been. Crescent city is also nice if you like small towns . Eureka is like a small San Francisco that never made it . San Diego has some good qualities and for the most part is clean. A lot of things to see and do. Los Angeles is a garbage heap that really takes away from the appeal of California . It’s dirty . The air is nasty. The people are awful. It’s ugly . It’s terribly laid out in development and not even really a city . More like a bunch of areas . The freeways are scary. Traffic is bad. It took me 2 hours to drive through just Los Angeles because of traffic . If I was going to live on the west coast it would be San Francisco to southern Oregon. The rest is not really worth it in my opinion and San Francisco has become close to unaffordable.

    All of that being said . I’d choose the east coast over the west coast any day of the week. I was born and raised in mostly the Seattle / Portland area. The easy coast offers so much more. Most of the complaints are the winter weather. The thing is even when it’s snowing there is so much to do. Or just go south a little bit for a weekend and get away. The people are less filtered , but that’s a quality. West coasters (which I guess I’m part of ) are so fake. Also I saw a previous poster comment about home maintenance on the east coast that you don’t have on the west coast such as rot and termites? Termite risk in California is actually higher than New England . Go check a map. Also rot happens in Oregon and Washington. I had to replace an entire bathroom in my house because of rot in Washington. The walls were leaking inside and by the time I found out it was too late. All of my family is in the Pacific Northwest , but I’m staying out in New England. The landscape is prettier . The seasons are beautiful. If you like history this is the place for you. I’m a lighthouse person myself . Maine alone has 67 lighthouses . That’s more than the Washington , Oregon and California coastline put together. The United States basically revolves around the east . The west is just where we get our produce lol.

    In conclusion . California is a great place to visit . People are rude and parts are dirty. Washington and Oregon are very pretty . The weather is awful most of the time unless you prefer rain . I’d choose Oregon over California any day for living regardless of the weather and apparently so would many Californians since they’re moving there in hoardes . New England is great as long as you like seasons. The landscapes are the best anywhere. So much to do. A lot of people in some places but that’s also avoidable. Maine and Oregon have a lot in common actually . The biggest difference is the weather .

    1. Thanks to both of you for your insight!!! I am spot on with both of on everything, however, I am still getting raised eyebrows from most CA natives I know about why I want to do this. I continually tell them the facts about both coasts (East really IS better) and yet they still think I am insane, my parents included (they plan on retiring to Phoenix, I’ve been there once, and, even in mid-MARCH, the weather people were already talking about 100 degrees, and don’t get me started on July/August there, as they have been seeing record temperatures quite often, which are into the 120s!!!). Regarding the West vs. East debate, even as a CA native, West Coasters (Californians especially) are some of the most fake, superficial and just plain awful people that I’ve come across! And people say NYC is bad, well, when I went there, everyone, and I mean EVERYONE, was very friendly and helpful, and willing to look out for you!!!

      Now, I have gotten some terrific advice about New England, now I need some about SE Michigan (again, I do plan on working in the automotive industry, in design). Any Michiganders here?

      And forgot, I mentioned in the beginning that I am looking to go to a university afterwards (won’t even THINK about living in CA ever again!!!) in the areas or close to the areas mentioned, with a good graphic design and/or communications program, and thanks again for the insight!

  21. Hey there!!! I am going to community college (19, looking at transferring back east afterwards) in CA, originally in Stockton (1 hour south of Sacramento, if you are REALLY lucky, traffic sucks!!!), which, if you do not know, is, literally, the WORST place in the entire country (even topping Forbes magazine’s list of “Most Miserable Cities in America”). It literally WILL get up to 110+ degrees in the summer (pretty much the only season here, lasts nearly ten months out of the year), and it’s only getting worse, as in, hotter, drier, and FAR more fire-prone every single year (Stockton is flat, but the smoke coming in from the fires will literally cut visibility by half, not to mention there are days sensitive groups of people wear surgical masks to BREATHE, yes, it can be that bad). It is also, like most other cities, regardless of size, here in CA, full of illegals, degenerates, criminals, and, worst of all, there are tent cities full of homeless people EVERYWHERE in this area! I really feel like a minority in my own country, as Spanish has taken over English completely in most parts of CA, thanks to the idiot governor Jerry Brown (aka Moonbeam, as some call him) giving illegals full asylum, when most don’t do a THING to contribute to society in a positive way (seriously, most illegals coming here expect the state to take care of them, their 20+ kids, and their extended families, in which Moonbeam does exactly that!) I have since transferred to another college on the Central Coast, Monterey to be exact, and how does that stand up? Well, the weather is much nicer, but still, very little rain, and, the demographics aren’t all that much better. We have tons of all four types of people mentioned above, and, as everyone back east states, the beaches are FREEZING. Not to mention, real estate in ALL of California, not just SoCal/Bay Area, is much higher on average compared to 90% of the rest of America.

    Where do I go? Well, I looked at the other Western cities (Seattle, Portland, Denver, etc), but, natives in ALMOST ALL Western states that are close to California are actually treating the millions of Californians who have moved there like crap. In Denver, many Coloradans have bumper stickers literally reading “Don’t Califonicate Colorado!). How about Boise? Uhm, last I checked, nearly 80% of people living in Boise are not original Idahoans, they hail from California! Or what about “liberal” Portland, where Oregonians are even going as far as VANDALIZING cars belonging to CA natives! These stories are all true, look them up! So, yeah, the West Coast doesn’t do it for me…

    Which leaves me with only one option, the East Coast. I am considering two areas, which are listed below!

    New England: While the closest I’ve been to New England was NYC (LOVED that place), I also have fallen in love with New England (I mentioned I am a college student, so a good university with a good design (graphic design especially) and/or marketing program would be beneficial, doesn’t have to be Harvard/Yale/insert name of Ivy League school!), especially with the beautiful Colonial-era architecture (definitely will not see anything close to that in CA), and the SEASONS (seriously, at this point, I WOULDN’T MIND a winter there, given that CA is seemingly always in a big drought), as I just dream of playing in the beautiful fall leaves on a crisp, fall day, or watching the fresh-falling snow blanket my big backyard and maybe even small lake from the deck of my beautiful Colonial-era farmhouse, or, when summer comes, spending a gorgeous summer day on Cape Cod/Nantucket/Martha’s Vineyard (all three of which are impossible in CA due to the extremely hot, dry conditions)! And, not to forget, you are close to some of the most AMAZING cities in America and even the world (Boston, NYC, Philadelphia, DC, ALL of which are much cleaner and nicer than cities out west)!!!

    Ann Arbor/Metro Detroit (surprise!), Michigan: I plan on working in the automotive industry, so that’s part of the reason I put this area on the list! Now, the winters may be harsh (you DO get used to them like you do in New England, takes about a year to acclimate), but, again, due to the year-round wildfire weather in California, I WOULDN’T MIND! Before you hate on Detroit, let me just tell you: My family and I took a trip to the Great Lakes last summer, and Detroit is revitalizing itself (granted, many neighborhoods do have a long way to go, but, the areas that matter aka Downtown, Midtown, have gotten back on their feet, and, just since the recession’s end, LOTS of development has come back!), and I can see at least most of the city being totally reinvented within the next 15-20 years (in contrast to CA, which may never recover from its mess). When we stopped in Metro Detroit, I was blown away at how much friendlier and more outgoing people are there, people really do change for the better once you leave CA (and probably the entire West Coast)! Ann Arbor (home of the University of Michigan, a world-renowned university), 45 minutes to the west, is even more awesome! Great attractions, great scenery, and great college football! And, you still are close to MUCH more than in CA, such as Chicago (a fabulous city, as long as you stay out of the bad neighborhoods), Toronto (standing on the CN Tower, in my opinion, is a lot better than the Space Needle as it’s a LOT taller, especially on a beautiful summer’s day looking over Lake Ontario), Niagara Falls (what more can you say, the rainbows are amazing, and seeing the falls light up at night makes it even better), Mackinac Island/Upper Peninsula (REALLY pretty in the summer, fall is even better), and drive for a little while longer, and there’s the aforementioned Boston/NYC/Philly/DC!

    You really are sort of isolated in CA, you really have to drive to find any clean city, one WITHOUT homeless/illegals!!! So, I would GREATLY appreciate any insight you may have, and thanks so much!!!

    1. I would say to look into New Hampshire, I definitely know where your coming from because I’m originally from Massachusetts & moved to California as a teenager but it has gotten worse here within the past 20 years. It’s nothing like it use to be. People are friendly there compared to California it’s like day and night. There is no tax in NH, you don’t even have to wear a seatbelt or helmet if you don’t want to or even have car insurance, it’s so crazy. The license plates say Live Free or Die. It was so weird when I went back there to see so many people speaking English & it’s like 80% white people. I’m just not use to that and everyone is so laidback they just wear jeans & a T-shirt. It’s not a fashion show out there or being judged from what you drive or how much money you make. All my cousins live there in NH, Maine and Massachusetts. I go visit them a couple times a year. I’m in Orange County, California right now but who’s knows maybe one day I will be back there living there too. It’s fun driving in the snow and going snowmobiling, lots of lakes and dirt bike riding too.

      1. Think I just replied to the wrong post… but I just want to tell you, THANK YOU for the input regarding New England! However, in the other reply (which is down below), I mentioned the fact that I am getting many raised eyebrows and weird looks from Californians about where I plan to move to, even when I continually tell them that the East is better for obvious reasons (IT IS). My parents are very much included in that sentiment. They plan on retiring to Phoenix. I understand that everyone likes different things, but NO WAY will I follow them to the Phoenix area (when I visited there with my family in March of ’15 to watch the San Francisco Giants in spring training, the weather people were already talking about hundred-degree temps. In MARCH!!! Don’t even get me started on July/August there, it is brutal. When the temperature never dips below what, 115 degrees during the day, nothing gets done! Construction is done at night (whether it be buildings or roads), and high school athletes are forced to wake up at 3 AM (they practice at, like, 4:30/5:00 in the morning), as there is absolutely no way that any athlete could survive practice (especially with the activities they do) without getting heat stroke. And I went to high school in the Central Valley of California (I was a cross country/track runner), and even where I lived it was awful. And, Arizona is a Western state, so the natives there must LOVE the millions of California natives moving there in droves, right?! Enough about the Southwest, let’s talk about where I’m going!

        New Hampshire is a very beautiful place. ESPECIALLY without severe droughts and of course wildfires! I also am considering Connecticut too, since not only is it a great place to live (especially for someone like me who HATES seeing the same exact weather every single day), but the housing is relatively affordable in many places (especially compared to the “nice” parts of CA such as Silicon Valley, where a 2 bed/3 bath house like the one my parents own in the Central Valley will go for over $1.5 million, in which even tech engineers, remember, these folks usually make around $250,000, are struggling to find any affordable, desirable real estate anywhere near their jobs!), schools are terrific (both K-12 and higher ed), and plus, you are, at the easiest, an hour’s drive from New York City (literally one of my favorite cities, if not my favorite, in North America), and Boston (like I said, still on my bucket list)!!!

        I had also mentioned Metro Detroit/Ann Arbor, Michigan, as I said, either going into automotive marketing or design, so I’m looking for a good college and program in that specialty (must be in the area that I settle on living in, my urge to get out of CA is growing exponentially by the day, as things are getting worse and worse here!!!). I would like advice about that area as well, so if you know any Michiganders, please refer them here so I can get some tips!!! Thanks again and have a great day/weekend!!!

  22. Maybe 2 months ago I wrote, vented, about how miserable the East coast is specifically because of the weather, and since then it has still been nothing but constant downpour 80% of the time. It’s dark and wet most of the time to the point it wears on the mind, and I honestly can’t understand how anyone, unless they are predisposed to hate sun and good weather and love rain and mud, could possibly suggest the Eastern seaboard isn’t a miserable place to be most of the time.
    The fall and spring time everyone tries to point to as redemption for the oppressive, humid summers and depressing, often rainy themselves winters, are hardly 2 week periods of relief and amount to a total of 4 to 5 weeks of uplifting weather out of the year.
    It wasn’t always this bad, but year after year the weather is more extreme, more rain, more humidity, more overcast days, more depression.
    I’m not a meteorologist but I simply can’t fathom how it could literally rain this much, it has literally rained 80% of the time since early spring. Yet people defend this miserable coast as a good place to live. Maybe a year more before I can move back West and I’ll be glad to say good riddance to this abomination of a place on earth that is the East coast and not look back.

    1. Absolutely agree! NYC has gotten worse weatherwise and I didn’t think it was possible! so miserable and depressing..people are in winter coats in early May!

      1. It rained pretty much non stop for 6 months from November to May this past Winter/Spring in the Bay Area too… it’s not just the East Coast. Weather is changing everywhere.

  23. I’ve lived most of my life on a farm in the middle of what is arguably one of the best states—Virginia. Most people consider us a classy, well-run, interesting state. What most people may not know is just how awful our weather is, most of the year. Sometimes it rains for an entire month. We’re just far enough north to get slammed by occasional snowstorms and steeped in deep, lasting cold (it was 8 oF below zero here in February 2018). We can have bad droughts when it’s not constantly raining. Spring brings dangerous, violent storms (you have to pay heavily for the dawn of the warmth). And it usually gets hot pretty much right away (we don’t get much of a spring, in other words). And then it stays hot until September. AND ABOVE ALL IT GETS AND STAYS MISERABLY, DISABLINGLY HUMID. We have about two nice days the entire summer. Fall is the nice period, sometimes, although it can rain for weeks at a time in the fall. The rest of the year is hell. Other than all that, it’s a nice state.

  24. We are living in the time of the Great Migration of New Yorkers to Los Angeles. I’m one of them. There’s a reason for that.

    NYC is safe, gentrified, crazy expensive and has a lot of wealthy people. But too much wealth makes a city boring and uncool. It’s become the land of five thousand dollar baby strollers, 2 year waiting lists for pre-schools and sensible shoes. Think of the tech monoculture in San Francisco, or the money Wall-Street monoculture of NYC.

    LA has a higher crime rate than NYC and less rich people, but along with that comes a better and crazy diverse food scene (and no, NYC doesn’t come close! NYC still plays up its pizza to distract from the the lackluster state of its ethnic food scene), and an art scene that’s booming and all around creative culture of people doing interesting things even if they’re struggling. Things just don’t get made in NYC anymore, and no one wants to actually live in an episode of Sex and the City. At one time, NYC was the cooler Mean Streets, but that’s not true anymore.

    Yes, NYC has a subway system. But does anyone really want to take the NY subway with the state it’s in now? I’ll uber/lyft like the rest of the sane people, thank you very much.

  25. Mark Zuckerberg Sux

    Wow, it seems the east coast in this thread means the north east coast. Don’t forget about the south portion. We are totally different in every aspect. I’m an Army brat and have been everywhere but have lived most of my life Georgia. Depending on the region of Georgia, you can live in the mountains or just a few hours away. The mountains here are gorgeous and green. The peak height is only around 5500ft from sea level and base, but you can’t tell the difference when you are at the top just like when I go to Aspen, except you don’t freeze and can actually breathe. The west coast mountains go up to 12000ft there but the base area is around 7000ft so it seems similar to me.

    In Georgia, we are also at the ocean or only 2 to 4hours drive depending where you want to go. The beaches are pretty nice with plenty of isolated areas to enjoy. You can actually enjoy getting into the water without a wet suite. I use to think the west had warm water too after seeing Baywatch. A 4 to 7 hr drive to the pan handle of Florida will get you top the best beaches in the country. However, they are very snobby about who can go where there. The water is clear because of the perfect white sugar sand.

    We experience a sort of the seasons too. Again, it depends is you agree more south or north in the state. I lived in Nashville, Tn a couple of years and didn’t expect the gray and bone chilling winter. Seriously, I thought it was the south and the ten degrees difference really counts in the summer and winter. Summer feels a little better but winter can suck it worth the wet cold weather and not much sunshine. Their fall was beautiful, especially in the mountains. Although, one day I’m going to visit the New England area for fall. In Georgia, the winter feels awesome. It gets chilly but not like the north by any means. I do wish we got snow every year for a few weeks. At least our cars won’t rot from the salt.

    Summer sucks balls though. Walk to your mailbox and come back wet. It makes a great moisturizer! We call it swamp ass. Everyone gets pluses and minuses where they live.

    The weather is safer here. Rain and storms but nothing to threaten your life. Some of the east coast dangers like drought and fires are a direct result of their crazy policies. When I visited there, especially Colorado, I now know why they are such tree hugging crazies. There are like 2 in the whole state with brown sands and dirt while the east is very lush and green covered in real grass and trees. It’s really a stark difference. We have dammed lakes that support our water needs instead of worrying about some non native miniature fish species keeping them in California from saving up water during the rain season. They are fighting over water well rights and going as so far to collapse a Nestle water bottling facility. Nevertheless, any bottle of liquid drink like Coke, wine, or beer requires water too.

    The next point is a biggie. Politics! You are not allowed to be different in the west coast. They want a homogenized system of politics, people, even weather. They preach acceptance, unless it differs from their opinion. The same could be said of the north eastern coast too. The hillbilly rednecks here are , although a nasty form of racism perpetuated the north and west, are more of thinkers and accepting of different nationalities, religions, and beliefs. You should actually meet some people native to Nashville. So nice and actually genuine. The realtors I talked with spent the better part of the day with me eventhough they knew there was no money to be made in a rental situation at that time.

    I could go on and on but really we should just appreciate our homes because I don’t want any more northerners or westerners invading Ga, Tn, and TX. They are changing the landscape to become shit holes like the places they left. They can’t even recognize why the west coast sucks like the northern east coast. Their liberal choices in local and state leaders have raped their homes and lifestyles by making them slaves to work and taxation thereby an unaffordable and miserable lifestyle. I say this because I have experienced it in all 3 places I have lived. I still live in 2 almost equally in time. I have met many of my northern and western neighbors and they seem out of touch with causation and effect.

  26. Mark Zuckerberg Sux

    Interesting, I thought it was cooler in weather there. The southern east coast is pure misery in the summer from June thru August. However, the Fall feels wonderful and winter is sunny. It gets cold for less than 2 months. Our skin and sinuses doesn’t get dry but we experience swamp ass in the hot months. The beaches on the east are better. Prettier sand and water you can actually swim in without freezing or getting pounded by waves. Destin area Fl is the most gorgeous beach in the whole US. You make good points. I’m writing a missed comparison too.

  27. Mark Zuckerberg Sux

    Interesting, I thought it was cooler in weather there. The southern east coast is pure misery in the summer from June thru August. However, the Fall feels wonderful and winter is sunny. It gets cold for less than 2 months. Our skin and sinuses doesn’t get dry but we experience swamp ass in the hot months. The beaches on the east are better. Prettier sand and water you can actually swim in without freezing or getting pounded by waves. Destin area Fl is the most gorgeous beach in the whole US. You make good points. I’m writing a missed comparison too.

  28. I’ve lived on the East coast most of my life and the West Coast for 3 years in Oregon, and traveled extensively throughout the country. There are certainly good and bad about most places, and completely agree wherever you are happy is a good place, and that’s up to the individual.
    For myself I simply can’t take the weather of the East Coast any more. The amount of rain every spring and much of the summer in recent years is not only depressing it’s maddening.
    Last week I had our back door propped open and the windows looked fogged like you could write with your finger on them from the humidity in the air. Everything’s damp most of the time, and today before it started raining the air was heavy and just unpleasant to breathe.
    I’m not even going to start on the traffic. Comparing traffic in LA on the West Coast is an unfair and unrealistic way to judge West Coast traffic. A few big cities are an exception to the rule, and the West is much more vast than that.
    One only needs to look at a satellite photo of the U.S. and the lights at night to really compare the traffic and crowded living. You simply can’t get away from humanity on the East Coast.
    But this weather, one can only endure it much of the year. Life is too short to simply endure anything.

  29. You keep saying you assume other people are rational when what you actually mean is you assume people agree with your opinions. It’s a very condescending way of saying what you think is right, but you’ll indulge other’s incorrectness for the sake of this article.

    I find it completely rational to want to live on the East Coast. One visit to LA and I had no desire to ever return. It’s not even a city just a spread out clustering of buildings with no useful public transportation to get around it’s inconvenient layout.

    There is much more to the west coast than LA I realize and I plan to visit much of it. But all the nicest cities have been gentrified to the point of Portlandia absurdity. I’ll visit the Red Wood forests and the beautiful (rarely swimmable) coast line and I’m sure I’ll love it.

    But on the east coast I experience the jaw dropping colors and smells of autumn. The bonfires in the crisp air with warm apple cider. The countless beaches some with massive boardwalks stacked with games and food. Others in adorable towns with barely another person around.

    I can travel my city without using a drop of gas and get almost anywhere for a few bucks a day. In the winter Philly is at its most gorgeous with a slight covering of white and the flakes falling against the lights. When we do get a rare snow storm cars disappear. People sled down the steps of the art museum and everyone enjoys the brief day or two of walking the streets without cross walks or red lights.

    I can be in NYC in just over an hour. I can be at the beach in 40 minutes. I can enjoy Pho in China town, Tortas In South Philly, hot roast pork at the Italian Market. I can see a play, an orchestra, a musical, an underground punk show all at venues less than a few blocks apart.

    And I can live near everything in a house I rent for less than a studio apartment in San Francisco.

    Being rational is subjective. It’s rational to want to live in a place that makes you happy and offers you the life you’re looking for.

  30. All the “Californians” posting here crack me up. I am a 34 year old native, born and raised in the SF Bay Area. First of all, summers (outside of SF) are hot as shit. We had several 100 degree plus weeks in the South Bay and on the Peninsula last summer (it got to 107 for days!!!). I make over $100K per year, but can only afford to live in a shit box apartment with no A/C with my wife and young child. No washer dryer, no A/C, one bedroom, built in the early 80’s for $2,000 per month, and that is a bargain where I live!!!! Go to the beach to cool off you say? Sure, we did that, and it took FOREVER, because all of the other poor families making less than $200K per year had the same idea. 2 hours to drive 30 miles to Half Moon Bay. When I got there I needed a sweater, no joke, but at least we weren’t dying of heat exhaustion. How they get away with renting units in the South Bay Area without A/C boggles my mind, it is inhumane. Hot summers here are the norm and always have been since I was a kid. Mid 90’s – 101 are normal temps, and it is dry a shit. I get nosebleeds all the time in summer. By the way, no racist, but I hope you enjoy being a white minority in the SF Bay Area. Majority of population is Asian and Hispanic, and they generally keep to themselves. I get the occasional head nod or hello from other white people, but the majority non-whites generally ignore you. It is not a friendly place. A polite place, yes, but not friendly or social. Everyone is into their work and making $$$, especially the transplants. They have ruined my state. All the talk of Napa and Tahoe, beaches, etc. Let’s see how frequently you go to those places. Three day weeks are great to go skiing/boarding or wine tasting. Problem is the traffic!!! As a transplant you will go to Tahoe 1-2 per season max and to Napa less than that I predict. The beach, LOL don’t make me laugh. Water is freezing as shit and our beeches are overcrowded with gangbanger types and minorities. Enjoy listening to gangsta rap music, inhaling bbq pit fumes and listening to drunk dip shits rejoice on how great the shitty beaches are. The beaches and parks are where the ghetto people take themselves because it is free.

    Also, I’ve spent plenty of time in Southern CA, would people stop saying that NorCal and SoCal are essentially two different states? I’ve here this before from the millennial SoCal transplants who come to the SF Bay becuase they think surroundign themselves with “smart” people and tech companies will make them the next Mark Zuckerberg. They couldn’t be successful in the OC because it doesn’t have the opportunities the Silicon Valley has. This is what they tell themselves but the suck out here too. Basically SoCal has better beaches, marginally lower cost of living, but also lower pay. We have more tech jobs in the Bay but life is more expensive here and if you’re not in tech it isn’t all that. That’s it.

    1. Mark Zuckerberg Sux

      Interesting, I thought it was cooler in weather there. The southern east coast is pure misery in the summer from June thru August. However, the Fall feels wonderful and winter is sunny. It gets cold for less than 2 months. Our skin and sinuses doesn’t get dry but we experience swamp ass in the hot months. The beaches on the east are better. Prettier sand and water you can actually swim in without freezing or getting pounded by waves. Destin area Fl is the most gorgeous beach in the whole US. You make good points. I’m writing a missed comparison too.

    2. The exact problems you mention plague New York. It is just freakin awful there now. I used to love it. All major cities have become cess pools of poverty and uber rich. I found my oasis but wont say where. I give it a decade before it too becomes another cesspool. Young people are especially screwed by this new climate.

    3. I am a native californian that must interject. I grew up way up north, nearly Oregon, in Eureka. Which used to be a beautiful near utopia. Had a really lovely, wholesome upbringing I wish I knew would never exist again…. Till extreme liberal policies wrecked the area, and the rest of the state. It’s still gorgeous, but it’s well known for those of us west coast natives that are not liars and full of ourselves….Now it’s a crime ridden (most dangerous in the state even) drug riddled, sleasy, cesspool of depravity. Kids and women out here have the highest ‘ACEs’ in the state. That’s trauma and mental health issues. Native women especially are at risk. And the ‘woke’ crowd who pretends to care about them with their fake virtue signaling, doesn’t do anything to address it. Even the elderly people here are druggies and hustlers, the officials all corrupt and involved in the drug ‘culture’, that is our ‘culture’….it’s all so depressing and disgusting, you cannot even begin to describe it. The ‘lucky’ ones are the rich who can afford to try and avoid it, and live in bubbles. There is no longer a middle class. Indeed, any otherwise nice places, like when you try and enjoy the outdoors, are utterly ruined by the surge of gang bangers and thugs (part of the ‘genius’ of legalising drugs which brought huge numbers of cartels and such to the area) who get drunk, high, and otherwise make it unlivable for anyone normal and decent. With their pitbulls, gangster rap blaring, and antics. Also, human feces is increasingly in the water supply…. Human trafficking is at all time highs. People ‘disappear’ in great numbers. Prostitution, murder, rape, child molestation (we have some of the highest numbers of sex offenders) I also lived for a long time in the UK, which is a whole other story. I lived in WA state as well. In the 90s, WA state was awesome! Not anymore. People out west are totally intolerant also. If you do not agree with everything ‘woke’ they attack you and ostracise you. They are delusional, and TOO laid back. I second the person that mentioned something about how we all dress like homeless people as well. Being casual does not mean we should have zero class….step it up west coasters! Most of the men here are forever in flat caps and hoodies and usually covered with tattoos. Or they are ‘country’ which means they might have a scruffy beard. If you are a woman, the dating scene is a dumpster fire. You can choose between criminals with neck tattoos, players and hustlers, porn saturated losers that only want hookups (I wish an instant end of hookup culture and anyone who partakes and treats people like pieces of meat. To hell with that and people who try and ‘get laid’. Grow up and get some morals), MRAS and incels, druggies, hippies, creepy men that are way older than you with grey beards and beer bellies, or rich, arrogant types that think we care about what stupid car they drive. I don’t. Then for daring to want a normal guy, you get called ‘stuck up’ which really means ‘how dare you have any standards and not sleep with me when I think you are hot’….rapey much? Stuck up here means- not a druggie, or having values….Normal guys over here have completely disappeared. I used to know nice guys back in the 90s….I am now ready to head out east, having had more than enough. I realise no where is perfect, and these annoying ‘woke’ politics are spoiling the country as a whole, but still, elsewhere, unless you are in like NYC, are not anywhere near as bad as the west coast. I don’t plan on living in NYC or related. Only visiting. Other normal places out east and midwest are far cheaper and safer as well as full of more normal people. The weather on the west has also become intolerable. We reached 120 where I am now, and yeah, NO a/c. How dare that even be legally allowed! We are sick all the time from the heat. Not to mention the fires. I had to get air purifiers and stay in for months on end last year. Gas is astronomical, and the great distances mean you are doing that a lot. We are already being threatened with more fires and possible evacuations. And that is all up and down the entire western area, not just cali. I have had to watch the sad destruction of this once amazing place. We talk about people from cali going elsewhere and ruining them, (perhaps some of my kin have done this, and shame on them trying to bring their liberal bs elsewhere) but no one stops to think about all the people who invaded our state and ruined it in the first place. Don’t get me started on the bs prison reform, letting all the felons out of prison, and ‘decriminalising’ bad crimes, defunding the police and then wondering why a surge in crime lol, and all of that total bs. Is it a coincidence that people with values now are considered ‘bigots’ or ‘uptight’….?? I think not. It’s called manipulation and brainwashing. And this is regardless of whether you are ‘conservative’ or not, religious or not. Honestly, humanity is doomed at the rate we are going…. On the east coast, as far as I can tell, the worst concern is the tick problem. The rest of it is nothing concerning. Weather or otherwise.

  31. Had an idea, moved to Nevada for tax purposes in my early twenties, hated that place with every part of my being. I became a millionaire by my early thirties and then decided to move back to my hometown (a college town) in PA and couldn’t be happier. I have an estate that can rival Northern California views for 1/3 the cost and a bonus is that weather-wise it is still 75 and sunny here in late October. Winter here is getting shorter by the year thanks to the warming temps.

    Think someone like me still went wrong, huh?

    1. I don’t think Nevada counts as the West Coast. But good for you for reaching Financial independence.

      Home is where the heart is. I personally cannot take four months of Pennsylvania winter. I want to be outside all the time playing Tennis and going hiking.

      1. Haha, shhh… Nevadans tend to think they are west coast though ;)

        Yeah, 4 colder months here can inhibit outdoor activities for sure. I get it.

        Also lived in Sonoma for a brief period during a couple years ago, had the freedom to “see” ehat it was all about. Too many leftover hippies that didn’t get the memo, IMO. Beautiful countryside though in certain pockets and SF is not too far out for comfort. Loved thst city for the brief time I spent in it.

    2. Where in PA did you locate to? The Keystone State has some amazing older architecture and fantastic deals are to be found all throughout PA.

    3. I thoroughly enjoyed your post. When I was younger, I wanted to move to California but now that I’m older- I really appreciate PA. I don’t love the cold or snow but I enjoy living here- east coast. It really has a lot to offer.

  32. New Englander here….The weather is actually only good on the East Coast about 4 months out of the year (not half!); that’s COUNTING the hot, muggy summers which I don’t mind!

  33. I am a new fan after hearing your website mentioned on a podcast. When I saw this post title I had to read it and as someone who was born and raised on the East Coast this is somewhat depressing lol I can definitely relate to the Seasonal Disorder and pretty much most of what you mentioned but for some reason I am still here :). I do love the love east coast but for weather alone, I may consider moving in the future once I make enough off of my blog to live anywhere I want.

  34. In my 33 years, I’ve lived in PA, NJ, MD, NC and Delaware, currently in MD. In the last 5 years I got to drive across country, fly to Denver, Arizona, Nevada and California, and regardless of whatever it may cost, when my next opportunity to move comes, I plan on moving to Utah or California. My allergies we’re unbearable on the east coast. I went out west a few times, and Everytime my asthma wand allergies disappeared.

    The cancer rates are very high on the east coast as well. My best experience so far out of all my travels was my drive through Utah. Amazing views, nice people, good food and clean air.

    East coast is very expensive. I’d sell my house at the drop of a hat, if it wasn’t for my wifes job.

    1. Hi Mike, good to hear that your allergies went away when you went out west! That’s the same thing that happened to me actually. I had terrible allergies all throughout the year or the 10 years I was living on the east coast. When I went to San Francisco, my allergies went down about 95%. It was a godsend and it changed my happiness for the better.

  35. I’ve lived in New York, Pittsburgh, Columbus, Mississippi, Utah and Los Angeles. It sounds as though your entire argument is based on weather. If that is true then fine, LA and San Diego wins. But if you start adding in other meaningful criteria, it starts to fall apart.

    First you need to decide if we’re just talking coasts. If that is the case the west has LA, SD, SF, Portland and Seattle. The east has Boston, NYC, Philly, Baltimore and DC in the north and Charleston, Savannah, Jacksonville and Miami. But we all know the southeastern US sucks, and the northwestern cities are rainy and gloomy. So really you are comparing California to the northeast. And I have to say, the northeast wins by a mile.

    All California really has to offer in LA/SD and the Bay Area. Everywhere else is hot and miserable. Have you been to Sacramento? I have, it sucks. For me a geographical area’s greatness is in its driveability. You might say that the skiing is better in the west. Ok, it is. But it takes you two hours to fly to Denver and me three. Either way we are both flying.

    If you live in LA, where can you actually drive to? San Diego, Death Valley, Vegas in five hours…you are isolated. I live in Pittsburgh and I love the diversity of options in my vicinity. Is Pittsburgh better than San Diego? No. But even San Diego gets boring eventually. I love sports. In the last year I went to an NBA finals in Cleveland, a Stanley Cup finals in Pittsburgh, two PGA events in Ohio, the US Open (tennis) in NY, numerous NFL and college games…there is just so much more here.

    If you just want to be a beach bum and suntan, the west is best. But in five hours I can drive to NYC, Philly, Baltimore, DC, Buffalo, Toronto, Cleveland, Detroit, Columbus, Cincy, Indianapolis, and so many places in between. The seasons are amazing, the history inspirational. I was so bored in LA after a year…I did everything there was to do in a year. I’ll never run out here.

  36. It’s interesting to read the comments here and sort through the approximate ages of those posting. Younger folks interested in night life or looking for suburbs to raise kids seem to have a different opinion about what’s best compared to older folks, especially those who’ve endured years of NE winters. Let me just point out that there is generally a big difference between southern New England and northern NE weather, especially winters. Up here in VT, we like to joke that we get 4 seasons, Autumn, Winter, Mud and July!

    I grew up in RI and have traveled the world. Settled in VT to raise kids and wouldn’t change it for the world. It’s a slower pace of life than even RI was and kids have time to be kids. That being said, a mid-winter trip to San Fran to visit family or down to the Florida Keys to recharge is an absolute necessity. If you can’t afford to travel, think carefully about where you put down roots. As I get older and the kids get ready to spread their wings, I’ll be a snowbird spending most of my winters someplace warm and 8 – 9 months or so back home around Lake Champlain.

    There’s a lot to love about both coasts in my opinion and small towns with slow pace can be found on both sides of the country. One key is to have skills that are portable and/or allow you flexibility to work from home. Opens up a lot of options as your needs and desires change over time. I for one, could never live far from water, ocean preferably but a big lake will do as a filler!

    Final word: try the korean chicken wings at Fuse Box in West Oakland. OMG, they are out of this world!

  37. East Coast = polluted, dirty looking, way overpopulated, and folks from the NE are generally unbearable overbearing jackasses, even when they don’t try to be. Far north is great. Down south is better than new york and Massachusetts, but then you are getting into redneckville.
    In general the east coast sucks. People from there love it, but they don’t know any better.

    1. I work with 20 people and all 20 native Californians have NEVER visited the east coast. These are college educated professionals….clueless about their country except for CA. It’s hilarious to me – they have no clue. They pay $10K a year in property tax and swallow all the state taxes that are jammed down our throat……it’s quite ridiculous.

  38. i hate the dry west coast. live in colorado at high altitude and dry after being married. i have chronic sinus issues..dry skin..have to wear sunscreen and hats constant…and the sunscreen won’t blend….am prone to skin cancer…and have had several jaw surgeries..to where the dry climate makes me feel even worse. i absolutely hate it and am always better when out of town in a more humid low altitude climate. I’m moving back to the east coast in about a month and cant wait….EAST COAST IS THE BEST..PERIOD..for someone like me….my husband will have to move when he’s ready however I’m done living in the dry high ugly brown west where I’m constantly sick..have such dry sinus and throat and swallowing issues…and dry nose lips skin…to the point i am miserable…and when not here..i feel like a normal person….il never have a life if i dont get out of here…have repeated sinus infections…have had 2 sinus surgeries and repeated antibiotics…the west is not the greatest place for everyone..and people who grow up in the south love it ..we dont mind the humidity and welcome it…our skin and mucous membranes are much healthier there..and we dont mind the wonderful warmness…

    1. Plus people in the south are way nicer than just about anyone else in this country, period! And I’m from California/SF so that’s saying something. But I love the south….If I could handle the heat I’d move, plus my folks are here so meh….but dang it’s like 90 and 11pm in my house here in Marin! It was 95 today…ugh…

    2. Sorry your sinuses are so messed up. I came back from living in LA with sinuses infections, before that never had them. I ended up using a drop or two of grapefruit seed extract in a wash and rinsed my sinuses, hurts but it cleaned them and took the bacteria with it! Add some aloe juice too, should soften it.

  39. The east coast has New York City. NYC is the greatest city on the planet. There’s not much debating that. Therefore, the east coast is better. It also has other large cities like DC, Philly, and Boston. They are all close by and easy to get between. The west coast has Los Angeles, which is not dense enough to be a fun city.

    1. I have to say I have thoroughly enjoyed reading the years of comments from people across the nation, providing their opinions. As many have stated, there is no right or wrong answer, it’s all in what you are used to and what your preferences are. I was born in New England and grew up in North Carolina, only to return to CT as an adult – leaving my immediately family down South. I have lived in CO and have visited the west coast on many occasions from Seattle to San Diego. I will say this, no matter where I am, I long for what I don’t have. And what I don’t have can always be gotten somewhere else. When it is January in CT and have have just had three blizzards in as many weeks, all you can think of is South Florida. It’s a 3hr flight away and chances are you will fly out of New England in sub freezing temps and when you land it will be 75-80. Now, to a New Englander, that is Heaven on Earth. When you have spent a few months pent up in your home with the heat blasting, nothing feels better than warmth and humidity on your skin. Trust me, there is not another area of our great nation that bitches more about the weather than New Englanders. For the first 10yrs after I moved here I felt like slitting my wrists if I heard another negative comment about the snow and cold “THEN MOVE DAMMIT!” Now going on 26yrs in CT, I get it. I really do, you must endure the winters to make it through to the flowers of Spring (warms too slowly for my taste) and amazing Summers (practically perfect for me (fronts fairly reliably blow out the extreme heat and humidity), and we are pretty darn famous for our Fall weather and the leaf color. We even get super excited when that snow storm hits, but then realize we have to actually drive to work. But, remember, Florida is only a 2.5-3hr flt away!!!

      I have never lived in SoCAL but I’ve visited. As a visitor I could only dream of living in a place as beautiful as this. I personally love San Diego. The last 2 times the fog hasn’t been and issue, the first time it was foggy EVERY MORNING until lunchtime but then reliably burned off. Probably would get on my nerves. But the city is gorgeous, the tall buildings along the water mesmerizing, the mountains gorgeous. And to think you can drive a little ways and you’re in the rugged mountains and then you can cross them and be in the beautiful desert. I mean, come on — you have it all there. The traffic sucks. Hey the traffic sucks on the East Coast, too, but I don’t think it nearly compares to the west coast. I often dream of the perfect year round climate — is is San Diego, LA, Orange Cty, Malibu, Santa Barbara? What about up towards beautiful Monterey or Santa Cruz? Seriously California, you have all the beautiful places with temperate weather year round. I might agree with one poster where, being an Easterner, I woudln’t want to put a sweater or jacket on during summer mornings or evenings. Even here in New England my NYC native husband curses CT for being too cold up to July.

      I end with my time in CO. I grew up in North Carolina where snow was a rare nuisance at best and I longed for the cold and snow. I moved to the mtns of CO and got it all in spades. Colorado is hard to beat if you like 4 seasons but I’ll tell you what, when you fly to NC in April and you land on a warm rainy day and everything is so brilliant green it almost hurts your eyes, and the moment you exit the airport you breathe in that warm humid air, it’s intoxicating! LOL Colorado summers are gorgeous but, probably simillar to SoCAL they are almost too beautiful – every day warm and sunnier than the next. I actually missed a rainy day on the east coast. I know now that I am an Easterner, a flatlander to folks in CO. On hot sultry days in New England I dream of hat first snow storm. ON cold snowy days, i dream of a quick flight to FLA, I look at photos from my trips out west and dream of perhaps some of the most beautiful scenery anywhere in America. But i’m an easterner. I love all the crazy cultural diversity here, I love the occasional blizzard. I love the summer thunderstorms. we sit and watch with anticipation where hurricanes are going to go. Like our western friends, we sit in traffic on the Jersey Turnpike waiting for the traffic to ease up so our vacation can finally start.

      The great thing about America is that we can travel wherever we want to experience all the good that both the East and West coasts offer.

      oh, and living in New England, I am DONE with Italian food. There is more to life than Italian food. And Southern California has some of the most beautiful food EVER! So jealous!

  40. Robert Langdeau

    Well….. after reading everyone’s post you can feel the vibe from the different coasts! When west coast comments there not aggressive, there laid back and not rude. When east coast comments there aggressive, jumpy, and vulgar. I lived on the east coast for 15 years in RI . When I was 15 I moved to west coast Las Vegas . By far big difference weather but….. both sides can drive easily to different weather!! You can get sun,snow,or rain on both coast if you want!!! The vibe of people is completely different on east coast everyone’s fast paced and serious! What’s the point of being so serious about life if you can’t stop and enjoy it? You can make all this money but then die and give it to your kids but then there just gonna be rich snobs that move to the west coast anyway! Lol but on the west coast the whole laid back party vibe doesn’t get any thing done some times but on the same hand what’s the point of having life and not enjoying it??? It’s really hard to determine which is better but after living in Vegas for 15 years I’m moving back east in a couple months because I have 2 new kids and don’t want to raise them here! Want out of the city life and want them to be raised where I grew up with outdoors and trees and snow !! But don’t want them to be snobs.

  41. Agree with most posters….everything is better on the East Coast. In winter you can get drive to get snow in the higher East Coast states….or sit on sunny, warm beach on the lower East Coast states. Florida blows away CA in winter, sunny, dry (Ca has it’s wet season in winter), and you won’t turn blue from the cold in the warm tropical Atlantic like you do in the frigid Pacific.

    ….add in that the financial capital of the world, political capital of the world, and most trendy tropical city in the world are all on the East Coast….the West Coast loses big time. Sorry, but the truth is the truth.

  42. I have lived on the east coast most of my life, and let me tell you bad weather is way more than 3 or 4 months. If you live south of Virginia, that may be true, but if you live in the northeast, expect bad weather October-April or May. Expect, lots of snow, and lots of ice. NYC is an amazing city, but I can’t see the cost of living worth it.

    I lived in the southeast for a while, and really liked it there. It was beautiful. There were only a few months of bad weather, and it was inexpensive. The only problem was there were not a lot of jobs, and people were mostly conservative.

    It all depends what you like, but I think people who like winter are nuts.

  43. East Coast, West Coast FAMILY is the most. Since when does climate, mountains, museums or food trump FAMILY. None of these things will matter if you or your family get sick. They cannot replace your child’s lifelong enrichment from grandparent relationships and/or close extended family. None will matter when your own parents are dying and you feel guilt for not being able to help them in the way you know you should. Nor will keeping “in touch” ever replace sharing real time having full relationships.

    America has gone to pot. This independence thing has made us lose our sense of values and what matters most.

  44. JOHNNY MCC BABY!

    East coast mid Atlantic is the best place to live in the USA HANDS DOWN! DISTINCT SEASONS, IF YOU DON’T LIKE IT GIVE IT THREE MONTHS IT WILL CHANGE. OH IT FUCKING RAINS HERE LOL SNOWS GETS HOT, BEST FALLS AND SPRINGS OF ANYPLACE. ITS GREEN NO EARTHQUAKES TO SPEAK OF, AND NO FUCKING WILD FIRES. THE OCEAN IS WARMER, MOUNTAINS ARE GREENER FOOD IS BETTER, AND CULTURE IS BETTER. THERE ARE MORE CITIES CLOSER BY. I CAN BE IN SOUTH FLORIDA OR THE CARIBBEAN WITH IN 2 TO THREE HOURS FLY TIME FROM BWI IN MD. I CAN DRIVE TO THE OCEAN IN MD OR DE OR THE MOUNTAINS IN TWO HOURS AND i LIVE IN ANNAPOLIS, BEST HISTORIC TOWN IN TH USA. I SAIL AND FISH ON THE CHESAPEAKE, EAT THE BEST SEAFOOD IN THE WORLD AND HAVE THE SKINS NATS O’S AND RAVENS WITHIN 45 MIN OF ME. WE HAVE SOMETHING HERE TO CALLED GOOD JOBS! YOU EVER HEARD OF THAT? JUST SPEAKING FOR MD ITS THE RICHEST STATE IN THE USA. NO PLACE IS PERFECT AND THERE ARE ISSUES, BUT I’LL TAKE MY ISSUES OVER THE THE ONES THEY HAVE IN CA OR THE WEST COAST ANY DAY!

  45. I was transferred to the West Coast for my job. I am an East Coast man. It didn’t
    take a year living in Studio City for me to grow bored of the sun everyday.
    I became depressed by the sun. You could say I got an overdose of Sunny weather. I had to leave. Back to the East Coast with SNOW, RAIN, and at last
    I felt human again. Other than the Bay area of San Fran, Oakland, I was done
    living in L.A. By the by, Florida weather sucks 10 times worse than Cal. weather.
    Humidity is the single worst weather in the world. Florida might as well be in Africa.

  46. After living in soCal for a decade, I moved to upstate NY for grad school. I can’t wait to go back to CA after I get my PhD… Thank you for this post, it made me feel good knowing that I’m not the only one who feels this way here…

  47. Been in the DC area for almost 15 years now, and yes it sucks. It’s depressing mostly because of the weather.

    1. Why not leave? I did in 1999 and it’s been a blast! Just played tennis in 78 degree weather here in SF, and plan to go to Tahoe for some snow boarding next week due to the epic powder so far in 2016.

  48. I live in Maryland, close to DC. Its horrible. Everything about the DC/MD/NOVA area is terrible. With the exception of the public schools system. Wife and I scoped out Cali a few years back but I just cant see spending 900K+ for the same house I have now but I have 3 acres in MD. That amount of land would never happen in CA. I don’t think I could go back to what is basically Townhouse levels of closeness to neighbors.

    1. How much is your house? It is an interesting dilemma about environment versus shelter arrangement.

      I’ve found all a family of 4 really needs is about 2,000-2,200 sqft, which is affordable.

  49. I’m a sixth generation Californian who moved to upstate NY in late 2015 for one main reason: I could not afford to live in the Bay Area any longer.
    California is a microcosm of the US. It’s driven by money, so when money speaks, there’s no discussion or debate.
    Housing developments continue to be built without regard to water, traffic, land use, quality of life. There are too many people in the state. The outer Bay Area seems to be trying to imitate the horrors of southern California with its endless sprawl and disconnect with the natural world.
    The drought is worse than the media is reporting, even though the media enjoys exaggeration and whipping up hysteria. The fact is, the underground water table has been depleted. A couple wet winters won’t fix that. In another ten years there’s going to be a crisis in this country because the farms that supply so much of the nation’s food will be gone.

    What I do miss: food. No, not restaurant food, but the food you buy to eat and cook! It’s better than ten years ago when you would be hard pressed to find fresh tortillas, but it’s not California. Oh well.
    There is a surprising lack of concern and knowledge here in the East, even in the “progressive” Hudson Valley, about environment and animals. Even the people who like to hike or bird watch don’t have the depth of knowledge or awareness about nature that people do out west, at least in the SF Bay Area. (L.A. is another story, but heck half the people there are from the East Coast. They don’t even know you aren’t supposed to brush your teeth with the water running or throw a lit cigarette butt out the car window….)

    I guess my main complaint about the east so far is trying to stay awake to watch your Bay Area sports teams when their games don’t start until 10:30 eastern.

  50. Very interesting post about the East Coast. As I mentioned to another commentator, I come from Baltimore and was born and raised here. Actually, I spent about 99% of my childhood in this awful place because I did a school year down in North Carolina. Baltimore is one of those terrible cities where if you try to leave you’re either trapped or it wheels you back as it did with my mother and I. As you mentioned, the hurricanes and the tornadoes are terrible back east, but I’ll also add that it gets this way further south you go. When I was in NC, there was almost always a tornado warning. One was even on the ground one day while I was at school. Thankfully, it was on the other side of Concord close to their Downtown area. However, NC was really nice and the weather was less humid than in Baltimore (mainly because we weren’t near the Atlantic. ;)) And I do agree that the pollen is awful here on the East Coast. As I get older, my allergies are getting worse and I always seem to get these headaches especially in my sinuses.

    One other thing I should say is that my father (who’s originally from LA), says how down to earth Baltimore and the East Coast is compared to the West. I’m like, “Are you serious?” Baltimore, along with a few other Eastern cities, are known as America’s Rust Belt because so many people have left and many industrial jobs have gone overseas. Most of the city of Baltimore (both East and West side) is in decay and the recent riots we had over Freddie Grey made things worse. And another thing I might ask is if the East Coast is so down to earth than why do so many people here put so much emphasis on having a job (most of the women in my family are like this)? Over here, working and sometimes even where you work is seen with utter importance. You have to keep up appearances. I can’t even count how many times I heard people ask me, “where do you work,” “what do you do for a living”, or “are you in college?” It’s really starting to irk me. And now that I dropped out of college, I realized I don’t care what people think especially not my family. It is all about keeping up appearances here. And once I get myself together, I’m gonna leave Baltimore for good.

    I know I’ve never been to the West Coast, but I actually plan on living in a territory when everything’s said and done and that place is….Guam! I always wanted to live on an island. I hate the winters here in Baltimore (we actually had pesky snowstorms every two weeks back in March 2014). And I just need to be in a better setting. Most people here are too uptight and don’t know how to relax. The crime here is awful, public transportation sucks and people don’t know how to drive especially in the suburbs. It’s all hustle and bustle here (no wonder why so many people get sick). I actually want to enjoy life.

    P.S. I may visit California some day, but I just don’t know when. :-)

  51. Thank goodness there is enough room for all of us and our different opinions. I lived in CA for almost 10 years and you couldn’t pay me to go back. Bad drivers, bad traffic, cost of living, awful people… no thank you. Have fun in the drought! I’ll take four seasons over that any day. And my allergies were ten times worse there than they are on the east coast. Californians can stay in their bubble…

  52. OK. Well, let’s compare West Coast ex-Cali and East Coast ex-NYC:

    1. People – West Coast wins. East Coaster’s are rude, wound too tightly, and generally don’t understand manners.

    2. Food – East Coast wins. Pizza, Philly cheese steaks, Maryland seafood, Boston soups, and Southern home cooking… compared to TexMex and Mexican? Sorry, no competition.

    3. Beer – West Coast wins. There are some good brewers on the East Coast but Washington, Oregon, and Colorado cannot be beat.

    4. Housing – West Coast wins. Sorry, but Phoenix wins it for the West Coast by a long shot. Let’s see, do I want to own a 1000sqft brick box built in the 1940’s in the cold and grey D.C. suburbs? Or a 2000sqft high ceiling beautiful home built in the 1980’s or ’90’s with a pool in sunny Phoenix?

    5. Culture – West Coast wins. Sorry, but nature trumps museums and cafes any day of the week. The wet climate in the Pacific North West is amazing, the deserts of the South West, and the Rocky Mountains are Mother Nature’s art and no paintings can compete with it.

    6. Safety – West Coast wins. Baltimore and Philadelphia are two of the most scariest cities in the world, let alone the USA.

    7. People – West Coast wins. Colorado is the fittest State in the USA, enough said.

    8. Travel – West Coast wins. Everything on the East Coast looks exactly the same. Drive through Colorado, Utah, up to the Pacific North West and prepare to be amazed.

    9. Freedom – West Coast wins. Montana, Arizona, Utah, and Idaho are some of the freest States in the US. Don’t take my word for it: https://freedominthe50states.org/

    10. Health – West Coast wins (slightly). Let’s face it, the USA has an epidemic, but Colorado seems to continue to stand taller (and thinner) than everyone else: https://www.forbes.com/sites/niallmccarthy/2015/09/24/americas-fattest-states-infographic-2/

    So, in my opinion, the East Coast cannot compete.

    1. Philadelphia one of the scariest cities? Have you ever actually been there? People watch Rocky and suddenly they’re an expert. It’s annoying and I’m not even from Philly. I’m from Upstate NY.

      San Francisco is all homeless people and dirty streets. See? I can do it too.

      Baltimore’s murder rate is 47 people per 100,000. Philadelphia’s is 15 per 100,000. Yeah, they definitely compare! For reference, Washington, DC’s murder rate is 18 per 100,000. Don’t see anyone bashing DC though. Chicago’s is 24 per 100,000. Boston’s is 7 per 100,000. The media darling. The safe haven for rich white people. That Boston.

      To put it frankly, Philly is awesome and one of my favorite cities. I’ve been to 44 states and only have a handful of cities left. I have family out West (CA, WA, HI) and most are here in the Northeast. I’ve been to Europe as well, so in other words, I have been around.

      Philly is the most underrated city in the US. The history is second to none (sorry Boston, I know white people love to think you have all the history but Philly’s footprint is larger and more important). There are gorgeous neighborhoods like Chestnut Hill, Old City, Society Hill, University City, Rittenhouse Square, Washington Square, Manayunk, Fairmount, Bella Vista, Queen Village, and that’s not even considering the Main Line suburbs or Bucks County. The most botanical gardens of any US metro (30 for those counting). Their own unique accent (similar to NYC and Boston), signature foods like cheesesteaks, tomato pie, soft pretzels, in addition to a booming restaurant scene. Passionate sports fans that sell out games win or lose. World class museums and cultural institutions. Largest urban park in the US (Fairmount Park), Fine arts scene and most public artwork of any US city. A very mild four season climate. Population density of 12,000 etc.

      I know that some people think Boston is such a wonderful white utopia, so I will just say as someone who has been to both cities and lives four hours from both, Philly is an edgier version of Boston.

      You should be viewing Philadelphia no differently than Boston, because they’re very similar cities. Boston is much smaller however (4.7 million). Philly has 6 million.

  53. I grew up in San Diego, lived there for 30 years, and moved to the DC area just over six months ago for a big promotion.

    First – The cost of living is drastically higher here, yes, that is in immediate comparison to San Diego. The cheapest place I found (that wasn’t an unlicensed basement sublet) was $400 more per month than my previous place. It blew my mind, the promotion was nice, but cost of living increases have me in a worse financial position than I was in San Diego.

    Second – Allergies. Yup, if you have an allergy to any natural elements, mold, fungus, or dust, it will guaranteedly be worse out here.

    Third – Humidity. I heard that it was more humid here, but living ten minutes from the actual beach for most of my life, I seriously questioned how much worse that could be. The humidity out here is so bad that a towel won’t dry over night in my apartment. If you’ve lived here long, maybe that’s normal to you, but as a west coast transplant it’s inconceivable to me.

    Fourth – The food. The food here is just freaking awful. What’s that? Oh, you know a good place? Shut your mouth. You don’t know what good food actually is, you’ve set your standards so low that youll settle for something I could have microwaved from the frozen food aisle, if someone serves it to you in a restaurant. I cannot understate how much worse the food is here in the DC area. Even the sushi is terrible in DC -SUSHI, a food that hit the east coast long before the west, a food made famous by east coast culture is terrible here in DC. And don’t get me started on the idiocy that is most restaurant employees out here -I’ve actually taken record of how often orders are screwed upup. I don’t order anything special, no unique requests, and it still winds up wrong more than half the time. What is that!?

    *breathing… Breathing….*
    I love food. And -sorry I’m not sorry- people in the DC area haven’t the foggiest idea of what good food is. It breaks my heart.

    The weather – I actually ADORE the weather out here. Coming from San Diego, I can tell you that everyone who tells you that it’s Sandy beaches, and comfortable climates year round is lying to you. The last two years I was there, I put out digital and traditional thermometers so that I could track the actual temperature… Not what they said on the weather channel. 8-9 months out of the year, it’s over 85°. At about March it hits the mid 90’s, and by April it will tap the 100’s, and most nights it won’t drop into double digits even when it cools down -when does that drop back down? Right about the end of October it’ll be back down around 85 or so. Say “it’s a dry heat” all you want -at 100+ degrees, it’s an oven. There was maybe one week, at the peak of summer here, that even pretended to rival the misery of San Diego climates. I really appreciate the weather here, and the fact that you actually get SEASONS here on the east coast. It’s legitimately a nice change.

    Lastly, service. The service industry out here is just awful. Whether it’s a building manager, restaurant employee, or retail worker, I still find myself in shock at how badly trained and poorly mannered service workers out here are. I was refused service at an establishment I’ve never entered, simply because the employee looked at me and out of the blue made an assessment that I was racist. I had said nothing to them, never entered this place before, and not been in there more than one or two minutes. The manager supported this, adding “cracker” while telling me to leave. When complaining to the regional office, it became clear that even corporate offices out here simply don’t care about the customer experience so long as it doesn’t become an actual legal issue for them. I’ve since learned that this sort of thing isn’t unusual here, but actually rather common.

    I’m very happy with my new job, and I love the weather (outside the sometimes ridiculous humidity), but the food and the service industry out here are beyond the pale. I eagerly look forward to completing my time here and leaving the area, whether it be returning to San Diego, or moving somewhere else new. The people out here really do make it the worst.

    1. Totally agree with the comment about service workers. Having been born and raised in Seattle and then subsequently moving the New York City, I was just appalled at the lack of “care” given by the vast majority of service workers. It’s almost a point of pride to treat the customer with disregard or an annoyance – UNLESS OF COURSE you’re paying say $300 or more for a fine dining experience – I guess good service comes at an extraordinary price out here. My 9+ year run out East is coming to an end – going back home to Seattle this winter!

  54. Born and raised in southern California and I’m a surfer girl. My husband and I both have Masters degrees. I’m in Healthcare and he is in a niche consulting career. We make over 250k a year combined and have imnaculate credit and cannot afford to buy a house in California because our cost of living is so high.

    We now have a child which makes the dream of ever buying a house impossible now.

    If you already own, or have rich parents to buy you a home it may work for you but given that the average cost of a 1400 Sq foot home in any decent (not good just decent) neighborhood starts at 500k (no joke) we can’t afford it.

    Health insurance, gas prices, utility prices, car insurance all break the bank here.

    Bottom line….sure we have sunshine but you will most likely never get to enjoy it because you will be too exhausted from being wirked to the bone to keep a roof over your head and food in your mouth.

    1. May I ask why a $500-$750k house isn’t affordable on a $250k salary? With today’s rates, people can easily afford 3x their gross salary.

      Is it the 20% down payment you find most difficult?

    2. Wow…..sounds like the DMV. ( District of Coulumbia, Maryland, Virginia)as far as incomes and cost of homes here. Wayyyyy to many transplants here. A lot from Texas and California tags here. Tooo many ,go back lol

    3. are you f-ing kidding me? have you heard of living below your means, 250k household income is a heap of cash, be smart with your money and enjoy the time you have cause it will run out at some point…what kind of hours are you working?

  55. In general I have to agree, the West Coast is great, especially for weather , access to the outdoors, and beautiful scenery. Once you are there it is hard to leave

    Having lived both, I can give you some positives for the East Coast, since you asked:

    1) The classic four well defined seasons. I can’t stand the humidity in the summer, and not everybody loves the winter, but I can’t deny how great it is to see the seasons change over time with such contrasts between them.

    2) “Culture” whatever that may mean. It’s a hard word to define, but if you like theater and such, the history and “old money” on the East Coast means there is more of it. Of course, if you want to see a bunch of weird one-man/woman shows, San Francisco and Berkeley are the places to be :)

    3) More urban. Unfortunately a lot of West Coast towns developed around the automobile. Sprawl and car centric lifestyles are a bit too common because of that (not that there isn’t a lot of that on the East Coast too.. but slightly less).

    4) You can swim in the water. The beaches on the west coast are nice.. but it’s wet suit weather all year round.

    Don’t get me wrong, the west coast is great. It was hard for me to think of a fifth reason ;)

  56. Grew up in NJ, lived in NYC for next 20 years, then in San Diego from 2001 to 2009, now back in Jersey. Of COURSE San Diego is wonderful, cool and sunny in summer, warm and sunny in winter. What’s not to like? But – I missed the seasons. Esp fall and winter. I LOVE autumn, when the leaves change colors and the nights get crispy, and the first frosts come. And I love winter, I love snow and ice and cold, COLD mornings down around zero. The world in January and the world in July are so, SO different where you have seasons. And you have to suffer through suffocatingly hot, humid summers to appreciate those first cool September air masses, that rush down from the north and cleanse everything, just as you have to suffer through 50″ of snow, and daytime highs of 10 degrees to really APPRECIATE the first 70 degree day in March or April. So, for me, I definitely prefer the East Coast. But I can’t knock the West. (Except for never being able to find broccoli rabe in the supermarkets regularly in California!)

  57. I say great for the negative comments about California….Keep more people out of my beautiful, sunny state

    1. The drought is doing that. Keep your no water dried up overated state. And as for the negitive comments look at the arrogant name of the article ” East Coast living..is it really that Bad? ” or ” West Coast living…its that much better” Hey dummy the 2 articles are based on primarily california bashing all other states. What did you expect?

      1. Kely,

        I think you’re mistaken. The title is b/c someone asked, “Is It Really That Bad Living On The East Coast?” Given I spent 10 years living on the East Coast, and now 14 years living on the West Coast, I proposed a balanced view.

        Even the MILLIONS of tweets by people who hate and love their job show that the West Coast is better. See the link and the study yourself.

        America is a free country. Might as well go where life is more awesome!

        Sam

  58. I think its funny how everyone confines the east coast to New York and DC. How about Virginia, The Carolinas and Georgia. The best city to live in on the east coast in my opinion is Charleston. Great heritage, great food, wonderful weather and nice mix of southern culture with city lifestyle. How about the many great cities in Florida, Georgia or VA? All of which are very reasonable places to live price wise and trump the Northeast or west coast in my opinion.

    1. I agree Austin but I have experienced the geographical and demographic ignorance of people born and raised in California. Ex: on a visit back to Washington DC a native californian upon seeing the US Capital building stated” is this your state capital building?” another one visiting stated ” you all have a lot of trees how can you see anything” and prior to visiting here argured with me that. ” you all have rain in the summer? You are wierd. Its no suppose to rain in the summer” ..Thats to name a few of a native californian sayings….enjoy your drought ca
      lifornia.

    2. Stealth Wealth

      Thanks Austin, you took the words out of my mouth. The East Coast extends beyond the Mason-Dixon line. Life is good in the Carolinas but let’s keep it a secret:)

  59. Pingback: The Cheapest International City In The World: San Francisco | Financial Samurai

  60. I’ve lived in NJ for 20 years, I’m tired of it. freezing temperature in the winter, too much snow (each year seems to be worse) humid summer, it’s always raining (I think we have just as much rain as in Seattle) High property tax (about 2%) Allergy makes me very uncomfortable. Further away from Asia, fewer population of Asian thus more expensive authentic Chinese/Taiwanese food. I know earthquake sux, but I grew up in Taiwan, Taiwan is earthquake zone and we all live in high rise building! above post mention dry skin, I have dry skin in the winter b/c of heat. Not much outdoor activities in the winter (except skiing which i don’t do much) Sam, I agreed with your post 100%

  61. I’m sorry but I can’t help but laugh reading this article and the posts. I grew up in England and have lived in So Cal (20yrs) Colorado (8yrs), Vancouver WA and throughout Europe. You could never, ever pay me to move back to So Cal.

    There are things far more important than weather in life. I found the people to be the shallowness, most superficial I’ve ever encountered. How irritating to see how much people judge you by your clothing, your car, your income… Living in 3 different houses, the neighbors kept to themselves. Very little sense of community and genuineness. I didn’t realize how much I’d adapted to that cold mentality until my mother visited from England. After going to a popular and upscale mall, her comment was “Suzey, what is wrong with all the employees here? They smile at you but it seems so forced and not warm or genuine, like they couldn’t care less whether I bought something or not from their store? It was a culture shock to her how plastic the people were in general.

    Traffic? You haven’t experienced hell until you’ve had to do the daily traffic on the 101/405. Heat? Unbearable in the summer. Valleys regularly around 95-100° stifling heat for a good 3 months. In fact, this past March when I visited family it was 92… ugh. I couldn’t wait to leave. It has only one season. Over 4 years car was broken into multiple times (Calabasas and Westlake Village – very nice areas! ). I wouldn’t leave my doors unlocked ever in my home, yet in Castle Rock, CO and Vancouver, WA (and other places I’ve lived) I leave my doors unlocked all the time.

    Colorado was like a different planet in comparison – genuine warmth and caring neighbors. Ditto for Vancouver, WA. Chapel Hill, NC has some of the nicest and friendliest people I’ve ever encountered and friends absolutely love it there. I much prefer the weather there too. The tech center in Raleigh there is booming – hubby landed a tech job for $160k easily. We are really enjoying exploring life there.

    I consider friendly, caring people that are genuine, a safe place to live with very low crime where locking your doors is not an absolute necessity, not scorching summer temps where it rains do rarely the landscape is arid and brown, and a sense of community, really important and a rarity in Southern California.

    But that’s just me!

      1. Yes totally – my apologies. I was more replying to the plethora of California comments ☺ Although I’d forgotten to mention the serious and continual drought issue there too.

      2. Hows that drought of yours comming along with all that “beautiful sunny perfect “weather you all have. Hummm im seeing wayyy too many bad driving cars here with california tags. Transplants leaving for a better life in the midatlantic states no doubt. Lawn is green because of the “rain” we recived. No inground lawn sprinklers needed here.

      3. You might also want to consider that NorCal and SoCal are different animals as well. The people and values (and weather!) are different in LA/SD than the Bay Area.

        1. Stint in Berkeley

          Ummm…Nor Cal is as unpleasant, people-wise as So Cal, but the weather is worse: grey, foggy, can go from summer to winter over a single day. SF and the surrounding areas are increasingly full of people who have more money than is good for them, and a greater desire to judge others than any other place I have lived in (which includes London, DC, NJ, Barcelona, Delhi). They apply a lot of thought to what they put in their mouths, that sometimes they go all round and end up eating things that make no sense. In fact, most of their time and emotional energy is spent trying to fight off the diseases they fear or old age. Don’t even get me started on the passive aggression that follows.

          Never again, Cali. North or south, it’s really an odd place with a type of human that’s unlike any other.

    1. Wow, I’m so glad I’m not the only one that seems to think that way. I couldn’t agree with you more. The best thing about california is the weather and that’s it….Traffic all the time, smog, stuck up people who think they are better than everyone. High rent, to many people and not unuff space, not even for any wild animals to live, because they keep building and building so more people can live here. Some people don’t even speak English and hard to trust anyone out here..I’m moving out of here within the next year,was thinking NC. I’m not to sure, I have family in NH but thought NC might be milder winters on me. I’m a single mom and just looking for the best place to live where we are happy, safe and don’t have to be rich and famous.. lol.

      1. Hi, I am a single mom too and looking for a safe affordable community as well! Did you move to NC? I have family in Connecticut but winters are cold!

        1. Not yet. I have to wait until my son is out of school so looks like I will be leaving in June. I will be going to NH first before I can go to NC. The weather here has been unbearable. I’m only 3 miles from the beach and it’s been in the °90’s here.

      2. I moved from Nebraska to Boston 18 years ago. I got married and we moved to New Hampshire 16 years ago. I have never lived on the west coast but I know people that do. They like the weather but that’s about it. I think maybe they have grown used to the people, the attitudes, the high cost of living and the wildfires. While I will never again live in Mass. (nanny state, high taxes, liberal politics) I love New Hampshire. Yes, the winter’s here are cold and snowy but I think the rest of the year is fantastic. New England has a bit of friendliness but nothing compared to the south! The cost of living is a bit higher here than in the midwest, the town I live in is friendly and comfortable and I feel pretty safe, all things considered.

        1. Well I will be on my way to New Hampshire at the end of June, so looking forward to some Peace & quiet and friendly people…goodbye California, now I don’t have to worry about the big one coming….Yay!!!

  62. No mention of the terrifying fact that California does not have the water supply to sustain the population growth. And never has. People are blaming the drought, but the past century has been wetter than the past many thousands of years there. It’s a desert! And you are a water based life form. The problem is population growth in an area that can’t sustain it.

    Now I agree the weather is great, even in winter. I love San Diego. However, I’ve heard of problems with dry skin, dry eye, etc from low humidity. Especially from people who live inland. A little rain is very healthy for humans.

    You mentioned earthquakes, but what about wildfires? On the East Coast, no one can accidentally set the whole county on fire so bad you can see it from space. Plants grow green there.

    Lastly, Southern California is among the highest cost of living in the country. No prob if you’re bringing in the dough, but it’s worth a mention.

    1. But yet they ( people from california who degrades anything not in their state) keep saying how much better it is with its perfect ( sunny no rain drought producing ) weather is.

  63. The gap between cost of living and income is a lot larger in CA than it is in other parts of the country. I’ve been in San Diego for 12 years, and I’m chomping at the bit to leave.

    1. Don’t even talk to me about the cost of living! Pay on the east coast doesn’t even reach $10 a hour,
      Inside of Seattle, WA the pay is $15 minimum wage. And a lower cost of living in the rest of Washington than Virginia and Washington’s minimum wage is $10!
      Literally the cost of living over there is ridiculous, you can’t find a 2 bedroom apt in Virginia for less than $2000 a month and that’s equally ridiculous

      1. Are you refering to Northern Va only in Washington DC metro area? You cannot compare the Tidewater, Richmond, Peidmont or the majority of the state to that small %15 of the state. Get it right or someone might even take your WRONG information as being fact.

  64. Hummm one year of water left and year round fires……..yeah southern california is a real paradise. Enjoy your drought.

  65. I think everybody should move to the east coast. It is the best place on earth, especially if you are from there and have never left there. They love freedom and adventure there, life is a dream. I hear there is a lot of gold to be found on the east coast. Plus it’s a great place to escape oppressive taxes. Go now, I’ll be where dreamers are valued and not ostracized and ridiculed.

  66. Well . . . I am reminded of playwright Neil Simon’s anecdote about this. He lived in New York and was successful, but at some point moved to L.A., wrote California Suite. Then suddenly moved back to New York. Somebody asked him WHY?

    “Well,” Simon said, “In the summer in New York, it’s 100 degrees; in Los Angeles, 72.

    “In the winter in New York, it’s 30 below; in Los Angeles, 72.

    “There are 5 million interesting people in New York.

    “AND IN LOS ANGELES, 72.”

    1. LoL good one Jack. Hummmmm there seems to be a proponderance of California tags back here in the DC area. I wish those pesky west coast bug would create their own ” freeways ” as they call every type of roadway and scatter back to their so call thirsty paradise.They cannot see the beauty here even in winter because they whine about the COLD beaches they have even in the sumnertime……oh thats right its hot and DRY there allllll year long. Enjoy your drought☀

  67. I have read comments from people who swear the west coast is heaven snd the east coast offers nothing at all.The last person “Dimtri” totally contridicts themselfs stating there are no
    Good food places back here????? Is this person serious? And also they stated that cities here are rated as most depressing?? NYC among them? I saw a simular list that had LA and Frenso listed on it as adverse ub
    Urban living cities. The air quality in LA and Bakersfield CA being the worst in the nation. And with California behind Nebraska and CT for having the worst taxes.Lets address nightlife in LA (that non pedestrian friendly ugly stripmall dirty city) has it drive too nightlife but most eastcoast and some midwest towns have wak
    lk to night life and tons of them. It seem when west coast people came the the east coast they are so self centered and maladjusted to life outside their high( sorry as you narrow minded socals call every roadway….a freeway) way driving getting to everywhere overpriced life. They (westcoasters) have the stupid arrogance to think everyone wants to move that that waterless overpopulated desert calledsouther california. Belive me keep your drought you all stay there and enjoy the dryness.

  68. Dont worry you can have that polluted dried out overrated phoney people desert. Have fun with hour drought,

  69. Oleta Stevens

    Born in raised in Cali, have been many other places. I hope all you hate California and never come back. We will enjoy it without you.

  70. Yes San Francisco is the nicest city in the US. The East Coast is miserable (Im from NY) so Im allowed to say that.

    1. I agree. I live in Baltimore, which is infamous for the recent riots of 2015 following the funeral of Freddie Grey. Most people here are just…BLAH. They’re either miserable and ghetto or snobbish and clique-ish (this holds especially true for those who live out in the suburbs).

  71. I’ve lived in both coasts, as a military brat. San Diego for a total of about 7 years, in Portsmouth (Virginia) for 6 months; Greater DC for 3 years; and now in Philadelphia.

    The East Coast is “somewhere you visit, but don’t live”. I see everyone here saying California is expensive, which is true. But in all honesty, the only affordable major city out here is Philadelphia. The advantage is that you get paid more money and there’s more jobs out here, but it all goes towards paying the high COL, so it’s not much different than being out in CA.

    The weather sucks. I will say that CA was too dry for my taste and I prefer East Coast summers (monsoons, warm nights, more heat & humidity, greenery). But the rest of the year, it seems too cold in the East. I hate the snow, and fall is overrated. Pretty but not that special. I do like spring out East, with the cherry blossoms and magnolias. But the weather is still often times cool and overcast.

    The water in summer is usually warmer in the East Coast…the rest of the year, CA has warmer water. And in summer in SoCal, the water isn’t as cold as people here make it out to be. The past few years, it has been warmer than average.

    The people…meh. Out East, I’ve made a few friends, but people here are incredibly rude, don’t know how to relax, and very clique-y. In the West, they’re more laid-back and polite, but also not very friendly (though I have made friends out there too). Here in Philly, there are so many ghetto, rude people that it’s not even funny. I hate it here. In DC, people were more educated and classy, but still too fast-paced and serious. In Virginia, they were mostly rednecks or ghetto.

    The natural beauty is way better in the West. The East has nice spots as well, but because the climate is the same, it all kind of looks the same. In the West Coast, you go from having temperate rainforests outside of Seattle and Portland to snow-capped mountains, to deserts, to places like the Bay Area, and Mediterranean-esque beach towns in Orange County or Santa Barbara. And if you want to include Hawaii, it’s tropical (with warmer weather and water on annual average than Florida and the Bahamas). If you want to include Alaska, it’s breathtaking, just like Hawaii, though Arctic.

    Food…it’s good out East, but usually the good food here is so unhealthy and gets old fast (pizza, pretzels, cheesesteaks, Italian). Out West, there’s more variety–and GOOD variety. Chinese in San Francisco, Mexican in San Diego, Persian and Japanese in LA, Vietnamese and Thai in Orange County, seafood in Seattle, Polynesian in Honolulu, etc.

    The work ethic is good out here. I like that people are hardworking. But they tend to remain so serious and stiff and bland even after-hours. In CA, there are also hardworking people (and “real” people, contrary to opinion, just as there are “fakes” out East), but they aren’t as serious and boring, and they know how to “chill out” after hours. There’s fantastic nightlife in LA, San Francisco, and San Diego.

    The remarks about the seasons are also a bit overdone. I can tell you that “4 seasons” gets old too. After New Years Day, most everyone I know is ready for spring, but still has to wait like 3 months until it begins. Snow isn’t so fun when you have to shovel it, or try driving in it, etc. The cold is painful. Similarly, by the time mid-August rolls around, fall is starting to sound appealing, though you’ll have to wait about another month until it arrives. Once November hits, it might as well be winter, as it’s bitterly cold with barely any of those colorful leaves on the trees and snow flurries already starting to fall. And once the flowers have all gone away in May, it might as well be summer already. Yes, I’ll admit that sometimes you wish for more rain in Southern California, as it was very dry, and certainly the warm nights and summer thunderstorms out East are great. But the fact is, when you add it up, the weather is way more enjoyable in Southern California than in Washington DC, New York City, Philadelphia, and especially in Boston. I can’t even begin to tell you how many people in DC and Philly have asked me “why did you leave San Diego for HERE?”

    Consistently, Philly and NYC are rated as the “unhappiest cities to live in” in America. You never see San Diego, or even LA or SF, on those lists. There’s something to be said for that.

    Granted, my native Hawaii, as well as New Orleans, where I went to college for a year…I’ll take those over West Coast mainland OR the East Coast. Better weather and nicer people than either place.

  72. I can’t wait to move back to the west coast. I live in Miami now and hate it. Have also lI’ve in nyc. while nice, I hate the winters and lack of nature. I grew up in warm weather so…just could never get used to the winters. Nyc is also super expensive…it’s the only place that could keep me on the east coast though. Even though sf and la are also pricey.. I don’t have to pay for the weather and nature. The attractions of ny are all super pricey. I don’t care about the night life either, I don’t even drink. So there goes that. I moved back to Florida to be closer to family but really still don’t see them that often, plus I can’t stand south Florida

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  74. How do you contend with the fact that average homes cost three(or more) times what they do on the East Coast?

    I could afford a 200,000 house on the East Coast. The same house in CA is 1 million in LA, and what I would call “bad areas” (high crime, mixed use, graffiti, vandalism, etc) STILL cost at least 375,000 in LA. Forget San Francisco. I can’t afford a shoe-box for 1 shoe in SF.

    I AGREE CA is awesome, wonderful, beautiful, earth-minded and liberal, but what good is it if an average person cannot afford to live there? It is essentially just another enormous country-club, full of wealthy individuals who imagine that their hard work is harder than other’s hard work, when it isn’t. It is simply that their is gross inequity in the work place.

    Certainly, the robber-bankers on Wall Street do not work harder than a trash collector, small businessperson or fireman, for example. An average, college-educated person today does not make over 100,000 a year, sorry to say. You need to make at least 275,000 a year to live in CA.

    CA is great, but let’s not pretend that it isn’t just another huge exclusive club for rich folks who feel a big sense of entitlement and do not mind fiscally prohibiting others from enjoying CA as well.

    1. Great question and point Pat!

      It is damn expensive in parts of LA and San Francisco, that is for sure. Luckily, there are a lot of lovely places in Eugene, Bend, Portland, Seattle etc that are pretty nice too, and not as expensive.

      There are also tons of cheap places to live in California as well. Higher incomes are often the reason for higher home prices.

  75. I came across this discussion while researching “pros to living in New England” as my husband and I are highly considering it. I was born and raised in Southern California and have lived in quite a few cities from the Inland Empire, Palm Springs, and Northern San Diego. Now that we have two children and are looking to buy a home, we can’t help but wonder what life would be like on the East Coast, and for many reasons. Based on the above discussions I don’t want to sit and complain about living in Southern California, because I don’t have anything to compare it to. The things we want for our children though are better public school options, a much more small town/village setting and feeling, more GREEN surrounding us and less smog?? The issues we have with SoCal, based on us both growing up here is that it seems many people base their lives on material things and a lot of people try to “keep up with the Joneses,” the cost of living has become very high based on what you get for your money. We would prefer a bit more land rather then the “cookie-cutter” type homes out here. I desire a quaint, cozy house with some history behind it!!Don’t get me wrong, I appreciate the warm weather but this year we have had nothing but warm weather, we are currently longing for a little bit of a cool down for fall! Yesterday was 91 degrees!! Anyways I would love some input from East Coasters about moving my young family across the country, would I get what I am looking for on the East Coast? If so, where exactly? We are going to vacation there soon so we can see for ourselves obviously but some input would be great!!

    1. The “keeping up with the Joneses” phenomenon is very prevelant on the east coast too.

      The history is great on the East Coast, no doubt. But the winters are terrible, and the summers are muggy as hell.

      Going from SoCal to New England is going to be a very painful move. BUT, so long as you keep your expectations very low, you should be OK.

      Keep in touch by subscribing to my site!

    2. Great to read about East Coast living & West Coast living. I grew up in Avon & Hartford, CT & went to Univ. of Conn. I now live in Queens & worked at the U.N. for over 33 years. I have traveled to over 60 countries & all over the USA. After, turning 35, each winter, I took my vacations in mid Jan. to mid Feb & went to warm places. So I cut the winter length in 1/2.

      Growing up in CT was great, great schools, team sports – everyone can play, small & mid sized towns & cities, near NYC, Boston, museums, many good colleges, educated & friendly people, nice change of seasons, good food, good roads & train transportation, parks, warm summers, good beaches & warm water. NYC area & New England are very GREEN & tons of trees, small towns, no smog & fresh air & lower cost of living. Houses are all different, with history & a nice side & back yard & good neighborhoods.

      I have been about 6 times to San Diego & CA for over a week each time, one college summer in LA at UCLA & 3 times to San Francisco. Now retired, I am very grateful to go to Hawaii, for about 5 weeks each winter, for the last 5 winters & also previous trips to the Caribbean. I know every one from NYC area & New England, likes & needs tropical trips in winter time, if possible & affordable.

      Growing up, I enjoyed the winter; playing indoor basket ball & soccer, out door ice skating, snow balls & snow men, sledding, good schools, snowboarding, cross country skiing, swimming at the YMCA, downhill skiing, etc. Children have fun playing in the snow, going sledding, ice skating, building snow forts, indoor basketball, etc.

      In New England & NYC area, children & adults need some WINTER SPORTS or YMCA or school activities to keep moving & active. Winter sports do keep you healthy. If you don’t get out doors during the winter & keep active, it’s going to be a long & dark cold winter in the house & not fun. Shoveling snow, keeping ice off your windshield, good car tires & driving in the snow, take getting used too & is not so much fun, but not impossible. But, the change of seasons is great & after winter you really appreciate spring, summer & fall weather.

      During the winter a quick 1 1/2 week trip during school Christmas break to South Carolina, Florida, Bermuda, CA or some place warm, will keep you smiling & give you healthy sunshine. Hopefully, saving money on renting or buying a NYC area or East Coast house, can give you some money for a winter vacation each year.

      I hope you can visit NYC area & New England during the winter, so you know what it is like. The other 3 seasons are great. I do not find NYC area or CT summer too muggy. Yes, there are only a few muggy days, perfect for the beach or the local outdoor pool.

      Westchester, New Rochelle, NY & all along the CT coast line is nice & milder winter & beaches in the summer. Stamford, Norwalk, New Haven, Millford, Old Saybrook, Middletown, Hartford area & most all CT towns are good. As you go further north & northeast the winters are colder & longer in MA, RI, etc. I hope this helps? I will send more info if needed. Good Luck !

    3. Rick’s post was perfect and really well said. Lauren, I think you’d like either CT or NJ and both are much cheaper than Boston or NYC and you get more for your money.

      I would suggest Madison, Summit, Westfield, Scotch Plains-Fanwood for NJ towns. You’ll still be less than an hour by train to NYC, about an hour by car to the beach, and probably be able to find work fairly easily and those towns have good schools, typical East Coast weather without the harshness of New England, so you’ll have warm summers, snow and awesome fall days without too many snow days off for the kids. The public transportation in NJ is phenomenal, much better than most places except NYC. You can virtually get anywhere by bus or train, including beaches, NYC, casinos and universities. There are lots of jobs in NJ in every field, but, yes, it is generally more crowded, especially in stores or banks. Many folks commute to NYC or Philly as well. Lastly, NJ has one of the best library systems in the country, especially Somerset County. The downside of NJ is high real estate taxes. I’d do some comparing on a real estate site like zillow to compare the towns I mention.

      In CT I’d try Colchester, Clinton, East Haddam or East Lyme. You’ll be about 2-3 hours by car from NYC and have more snow, but you’ll have a bit more space and a slightly more New England feel than NJ, but it is also a slower pace than NJ generally speaking, there is poor public transportation and there are far fewer jobs than NJ.

  76. I can only really speak for LA and maybe southern California, but the west coast kind of sucks. I grew up in New Jersey and lived in Los Angeles for around 13 years. Here are a few reasons why southern California sucks.

    1) The weather is actually quite awful. It’s not intrinsically awful, it’s awful because it’s always the same weather! You will rarely wake up to a calming light rain tapping on the window. You will never feel a fresh autumn breeze and see the leaves change. You’ll never be excited by a first major snowstorm. In short, there is nothing interesting or exciting. The weather isn’t uncomfortable, which is good, but instead it’s boring and monotonous. It’s like having some sort of brain surgery where you are in a constant state of blah, nothing bad happens, but nothing good happens either.

    2) Southern California has the mountains, beach and the desert. However, in the urban areas, it’s either largely fake, or in the rural areas, desolate. Basically, most of the trees you see were planted and don’t naturally belong there. So it seems random or forced. There is no water in the river, which is sad too. On the east coast and the plains, the scenery has its own charm because what is there belongs there, it fits and has some sort of reason for being there and has its own natural beauty. LA is just a bunch of random trees from all over the place and they all seem to lose their leaves or blossom at completely uncoordinated times. Southern California does have its own zany sort of scenery which can be beautiful and cool looking and it is unique, however.

    3) The people are really insecure and shallow. People in southern California seem to have a complete lack of interest in other people or anything that is mildly interesting. They dress like gangsters or hipsters and for some reason are really really dull people. It’s difficult to make friends here because people are self-absorbed and difficult to talk to. People try to act a bit like stereotypes of themselves. So instead of having authentic people who pursue what they find interesting and are secure enough to be outgoing and nice to other people, you have this sort of snarky insecure behavior with people trying to act in a way that is consonant with mainstream culture (which is also produced in LA) instead of acting like themselves. So you have a lot of people acting like gangsters or some sort of character you’d see on TV. You have this sort of shallow, insipid behavior that is focused on partying and shopping and acting like everyone else. You have this everywhere, but it’s especially bad in LA. People also make a big deal about race. Although you don’t get people really hating other people for their race, which is good, you get this annoying thing where people will repeatedly tell you what race they are or make a big deal of their race, which gets annoying and is kind of stupid. In any event, it is next to impossible to meet anyone who is actually interesting and unique and shows some interest in people they haven’t met yet.

    4) You’re in the middle of nowhere. If you don’t like LA you can go to San Diego. If you find San Diego is pretty much the same as Los Angeles, you can go to San Francisco. That’s it. On the east coast, in a day’s drive you have Boston, New York, Portland, Montreal, Philadelphia and DC for large cities. If you’re ambitious you can make it to Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Charleston, Miami, etc. If you’re ambitious in LA you can make it to Seattle, Portland or Denver. Denver is really creepy so I wouldn’t go there. For smaller cities, you have Bakersfield, Ventura, Santa Barbara, Victorville and Palm Springs. I think you can do better for smaller cities on the east coast as well. If you find the cost of living too high in LA or the pace of living too fast but you want to live nearby or you can’t afford to move, you are kind of screwed. In NY, you have more options for small cities and towns that are within five hours of NY that don’t really really suck.

    5) Los Angeles by and large has no charm and it’s not cozy. Instead it’s characterized by tacky, swanky and sleazy apartment buildings that largely don’t match each other and are all competing for attention without having any sort of urban cohesion. There are too many cookie cutter houses in the suburbs and too many ugly modern homes. Houses are put too close together and have no yards. Apartments are expensive and you will find some of the ugliest apartments I have ever seen in the whole country for 1200 dollars. The apartments don’t feel solid or cozy; there is this flimsy, fleeting feeling that permeates the buildings and makes them feel fake and cheap.

    6) It’s difficult to be productive in Southern California. The economy is one of the worst in the country and many areas are racially segregated. The main industry is the movie industry, so if self-aggrandizement isn’t your thing, you may feel left out. If you want to do something useful with your life that benefits other people, there aren’t a lot of opportunities to do so. If you want to do something creative or helpful, you are probably better off somewhere else.

    7) It’s difficult to go anywhere here. The drivers in LA are much calmer than the ones in New York. However, the public transportation is spotty. It takes two hours to go from the San Gabriel valley to the San Fernando valley versus 23 minutes by car. It can take an hour and a half to get from the San Gabriel Valley to Santa Monica in traffic.

    8) People are lazy, incompetent and flaky. If you call someone about a job or a school or even if you apply to MediCal, people don’t feel that committed to writing you back. People don’t seem to feel like they have much responsibility for each other and you can feel very alone here, surrounded by three million people who are in it completely for themselves. People will act like you are not there if you don’t try to fit in and act like a mindless zombie and make your life revolve on promoting yourself. Jack Kerouac wrote “LA is the loneliest and most brutal of American cities; New York gets cold in the winter but there’s a feeling of wacky comradeship somewhere in some streets. LA is a jungle.” I would have to agree.

    Advantages of Southern California

    1) The food is better for cheaper

    2) The drivers are better than NY

    3) It doesn’t get very cold

    4) It’s safer, the people are posers and are largely a bunch of wusses

    1. Wow Rick hit it right on the head.I notice people who were born and raised in southern California are amazed at the scenic beauty of our wooded areas here in the mid Atlantic states.

      1. youve got to be kidding,nothing compares to yosemite, big sur, lassen, sequoia ntl parks, not even mentioning tahoe, or the sierra…

    2. Wow, this is so true and so hitting it right on the head! I just found this blog and I have been “secretly” reading the various posts for a couple of days. And this particular post resonates with exactly how I feel about L.A. and SoCal in general. I lived in NY for only one year when I came to the country as an exchange student and moved to and since lived in L.A. for 28 years. I never got used to SoCal for all the reasons you have articulated so well here. I live in the San Gabriel valley (Pasadena/Arcadia area) and I have to add that the “good weather” is so very overrated – the mild or moderate temperature only really applies to the coastal cities and L.A. is very large as in size, and the inland or basin areas get very hot in the summers (105 – 110 degrees is not uncommon at all) and you definitely do need air conditional in the summers. And the summers are loooong. You also get the very dry falls and relatively wet winters so the 50 degrees at nights do feel much colder than what the temperature indicates.

      And like many folks have pointed out already, L.A. is not really a city but a large spread-out conglomerate of smaller suburbs. You usually have to way out of your “city” for jobs and/or entertainment and the drive would be on an average of 20 miles at least, especially for work related commutes. There is no public transportation to speak of.

      And the culture and people are very different here, as you have very nicely/clearly described. I have not made any real friends here despite of having many acquaintances and coworkers and families to hang out on weekends.

      And for anyone considering relocating, housing is expensive especially in “nicer” areas which generally means “livable” in other places. In my neighborhood, a 2500 sq. ft house comes with a price tag of 1.7 million at the very least and the property tax is still going up (although not as crazy as NY of course).

      SF is a beautiful and vibrant city though. Love it and the weather and the amazing amenities. That is the only place in California that compares to the major cities on the east coasts and nothing else in SoCal at least comes close..

      1. I just love how there are no like options on the posts! But I have to say I liked/loved your comment. I’m born and raised in SF. Then lived in Chicago for 2 years. Came back in 2012 and the rents and population had skyrocketed just in those 2 years. Mom retired, we moved to a suburb called Antioch. I have been here for 2 years now. It has been the hardest time in my life. It has been the rudest awakening in my life. This thread is just confirmation for me that to get close to San Francisco quality as a city, you HAVE to leave California, and even the West Coast. You have to go to the East Coast. I have been racking my brain for these 2 years about where I am going to live, because it sure in HELL isn’t here in a CA suburb. Going back to the City, SF, is not an option. It’s way too expensive. And to be honest, too small. I’ve outgrown it. The idea of living so far from family is tough. However I have to think about my future happiness. The economy SUCKs here! Unless you are in IT/Tech. I can confirm with great certainty that every other place outside of San Francisco in CA is a dust dirt desert that will suck your lifeblood dry! (added for drama). In all seriousness folks…in my soul…I want to be East. Great thread. I just hope I can figure out how to make theme by myself, or ideally with a friend.

    3. Gosh you are so write on, believe me I know exactly what your talking about, I moved here from Massachusetts when I was 13 and they put my brother and I in special speech class together because they said we talked funny..It was so hard to fit in out here…I definitely stood out from the rest & always spoke what was on my mind, always honest and always seem to be some chick that wanted to fight me…I don’t want my son to grow up here and be one of those spoiled and stuck up kids that think they are gangsters or better than someone that has less money…the only thing that’s great here is exactly what you said….you nailed it!!!

    4. Agree completely
      Native Californian ..
      Lived in L.A 20 yrs back in Santa Barbara & really considering moving to CT .
      Thanks for your insight .

    5. Wow you really articulated so precisely. All these points are true. Living in SoCal for 10 yrs and moved here from FL. Compared to FL this was a step up – people here more ambitious, culturally open minded, and more career opportunities. However Socal is its own sort of artificial bubble. I feel remaining here to long limits my ability to grow as a person because of points mentored in your post. Also hate the lack of public transportation and sitting in traffic everywhere. The sun is relentless and last few summers have been horrendous. It’s time to move on. However I’m curious about why you say denver is “creepy”? This made me chuckle, please explain. Also is there anywhere on the east coast in particular you would recommend to move? Thanks!

  77. I read all these replies and all I can say is that I relocated to Northern California due to a family situation. I really wanted to go to Portland and live. That failed so I am stuck out west trying to return to FL again.

    I hate the west coast. For all those people who say FL is racist.. no way compared to here in the Sacramento area. No f’n way! For starters theres the closet racism that more than often occurs where you may be turned down for jobs. My mom and stepdad don’t have to deal with these issues but I sure as hell do. Plus my last name is more ethnic or Italian sounding. If you are not blonde hair or blue eyes out here with a more normal last name or Asian or Mexican, then forget about it. If you are Italian and people can’t place what you are, too tall for other whites, hair is too dark, skin is too fair, you’re labeled an arab or Mexican or someone of some non white variety. Yet Mexicans have eachother so many of them stay segregated also.

    CA mostly Northern since I spent most of my time here is one of the most racist places I have ever spent any time. Oregon is a close runner up..Ya so much for progressive Portland. That area has a shit load of issues to sort out also. Its pretty sick. The west coast for me breeds more laziness and less apt to go out and do anything because economic opportunities are slim and people are hard to meet. It makes me angry personally. Until I can officially get back to FL, I will continue to bitch and complain on the net and be a thorn in many of you Californians side so pray I get out of here sooner and help me along. Even help pay my way as the least you can do for making my time here miserable. Horrible horrible place I wouldn’t even recommend to my worst enemies back east plus I could make a lot worse enemies if I am here longer, starting fights or getting into trouble. I am just not to that severity YET.

    I seriously see why more Elliot Rodgers or Colorado shooter, Columbine types come out of this region. Its extremely closed off socially leaving people no other choice but to talk to themselves endlessly. You either talk to yourself a lot if you A, feel closed off by society or B, close yourself off from others. In CA it is definitely the former. I didn’t pick this by choice.

    So ya help me out, give me some money if you don’t want one more unhappy person in your state. I am kind of kidding but you know what I mean. If you will pay my way to help me leave sooner, by all means :). Or else you’re stuck with me. I am fed up and need a change from this oppressive place. I had less trouble in the South by far than I do here!

  78. Spent ample time on both coasts. Born and raised on the East Coast but spent a few years in Northern Cali. To me, the weather and scenery are the ONLY two positives for the West Coast. Earthquakes, horrific flea and tick issues with pets, termites, violent gangs of every shape, size and ethnicity, thousands of transients who migrate there for the weather and “Hollywood”, and most importantly astronomical cost of living coupled with outrageous taxes. There are a couple places on the East coast that rival Cali in high taxes and living expenses (New York City and the metro DC area for example) but The west epitomizes that saying for me: “It’s a nice place to visit but I wouldn’t wan to live there”. I’m not down with the earthquakes, overrated or not. Speaking of things being overrated, the hurricane threat you speak of only affects the southernmost southeast states like Florida and Louisiana. Occasionally, the eastern seaboard will get a serious storm threat but it usually ends up being milder than your “overrated” earthquakes. Even Florida hasn’t had a hurricane in six years as of 2014. I’ve witnessed both a hurricane and an earthquake first hand. I must say the earthquake, although mild, was much more frightening. As for tornadoes, that’s more of a mid-west thing. The Eastern seaboard doesn’t get tornadoes regularly. I’ve lived in the mid-Atlantic region for nearly five decades and only experienced one tornado that was within 2o miles.

    Now, how and why does one want to live on the East Coast? Well, because we’re tough out here. People think we’re bitter and miserable but quite the contrary. We just realize life isn’t one big party. We are about our business out here in the East. Even the business culture is different. Sure, the tech titans may be making billions off of the public’s infatuation with shiny web enabled toys and rampant narcissism (selfies anyone?), but that whole corny fad of CEO’s wearing mock turtlenecks and blue jeans will never catch on out here because this is old money. Tech and entertainment come from the West. Stock trading and big business comes from the East. Besides, we can escape the cold anytime we want. When I want a tropical vacation, I go to Florida. When I want to ski, I go to Killington Vermont. I like my seasons and other than brutally cold or hot days, 90% of the weather doesn’t negatively affect me one way or the other. As for traveling, you guys can get to Hawaii faster, we can get to Europe and the Caribbean faster. You guys have Disneyland, we have Disney World. You guys have cold Pacific beaches and we have warm Atlantic and Gulf beaches. I could go on and on but I’ve made my point. I took issue with the comments claiming it’s no contest or how “superior” the West is. It’s really not all that to be honest. If it were, I wouldn’t have been so desperate to get the heck outta there and return home to my beloved East Coast during my last extended stay out west.

  79. I was born and raised in SF, California (also lived in Sacramento, every part of L.A. And Southern Cali for 10yrs & San Diego. Ive lived in A.Z, Utah, New York and Montana. SF will Always be home, San Diego was awesome but, both are becoming way to over crowded and not very green- then again, Ca is a desert. Although I have tons of friends in L.A. I always thought Southern Cal was total crap. Everyone is pretty superficial. The weather is sunny but no real change of seasons. That’s like eating the same meal every night. Boring. People are super passive aggressive which is annoying because I’d rather just hear the truth- say it like it is. The commutes are insane. Unless you live crazy close to work I could easily commute an hour in each direction and live only an actual 15-20 drive to work. Some areas have no real restaurants and most areas look like they Just built it within the last 20 so years aka a slab of cement and throw in a couple of flowers in the from for decor. I don’t know… Running out of water AND sitting on one of the largest Faults around just sounds like one fat disaster waiting to happen.

    Other states aside New York was amazing. I felt like everyone Actually had a sense of humor and loved how much there was to do Without having to get in my car. Currently I live in the outskirts of Phoenix (was just 115 the other day) and I’m moving to N Virginia just outside of D.C. soon and CANT WAIT.

    I do agree that it’s all about preference. Live where you feel happiest and that’s ALL that matters. ;) Btw thanks for loving the west coast so much.

  80. I grew up on the east coast, and I couldn’t wait to leave. Everything is extremely flat, and the closest we get to mountains are a few rolling hills (the Appalachians). In the summer, the tree’s leaves were so green that they almost looked black. Plus, there are buildings and houses everywhere. There isn’t really any natural areas left. When I first went to the west on a school trip, I couldn’t believe how much better it was. There’s no comparison. I do like the cold winters, but there’s plenty of that in Colorado.

    1. Colorado! That’s where I want to move when I leave the northeast. Have family in Denver & Colorado Springs. The cost of living is relatively lower than New York & Connecticut. Have great chances of finding work. Last but not least don’t have to deal with the high humidity during the summer like the east coast especially Florida

  81. Too broad and general a discussion. Plus it depends on what YOU want. I want warm sunny weather and warm clear water and great beaches for my water hobbies. South Florida>>>anywhere on the West Coast. I hate cold weather, and if the water is freezing cold then what’s the point of living near it?

    Weather and natural amenities and of course jobs are the most important factors to picking out a location. The rest of the stuff it roughly the same. All this crap about people types and attitudes is just that…crap. If you can’t find people you like in a metro area of millions of people, guess what….it’s you, not them. And everywhere has crime and traffic.

    1. The water isn’t freezing cold in So Cal and it is getting warmer every year. (that is not exactly a good thing). Here is socal the summer is actually July, August, September, October weather wise. June is more springish. The past 2 summers I spent many hours in Zuma beach and Luguna Beach swimming in warm water. But the east coast water is warmer due to the gulf stream. Which is also why humidity hangs so long. Both coasts have their assets but I love the west coast the best. I lived 56 years on the east and beautiful buildings lose their beauty when you see them everyday, big yards are a lot of work. only the major cities have good mass transport, there is more cancer and winters are depressing and hard on old bones. And people are very conservative and set in their ways, not all of course but in general. But it is fun to visit and I do like the large beaches, although manmade, they are fun to walk. Overall though, driving home everyday from work in so cal there are beautiful mountains with a gorgeous sunset and sky never filled with clouds. They are different, I love them both, the prefer the west.

  82. joseph hoydilla

    New England is by far the most progressive and most beautiful area of the country. ME is the most forested state in the country and Boston, Portland ME and Northamptpon MA are far more historical and charming with the old architecture than the thousands of strip malls in CA…CA is rather ugly outside of National Parks and San Francisco..The plus in CA is the weather, but the people are superficial and will be friendly to your face, but want nothing to do with you. In contrast, someone will tell you exactly whats’s on their mind and not worry about sparing your feelings in NY..NY is much more real than LA. The public transportation is better in New York…Newport RI simply rocks out more than west coast cities…..The beaches are better anywhere on the east coast…

    1. Good to know, and thanks for your feedback. New England is definitely beautiful during the fall.

      “Ugly” and “superficial” are nice words to use about CA, but have you spent much time here? I’ve spent over 10 years on each coast, and the West Coast is hands down much better living.

    2. There are so many stereotypes about everywhere.

      There are good and bad people in every state, in every country and on every continent.

      The good thing is, no one is right or wrong. These are all just opinions! But we should all refrain from name calling, bashing and saying someone’s OPINION is right/wrong.

      Thanks to the financial samurai for being so positive, even when people are bashing!

  83. This article is a silly, when you think about it. It’s clear that it’s written in favor of the west coast… but they made a list of pros/cons where there were more pros than cons for the east Coast. On top of that, they didn’t even make a list for west coast, as if they couldn’t think of anything.

    I understand the west coast pros/cons list is pretty much built into the east coast list…but it just seems a bit foolish to rave about the west coast, then make a list where the east coast has more pros than cons. Then.. don’t mention any unique pros of the west coast.

      1. I’ve lived on the West Coast, Portland for 20 years and San Diego for 4. Been to LA my whole life as well as we have A lot of relatives there. I’ve lived in the South Jersey, Philadelphia area for 6 years. I absolutely like the East Coast better. Aside from the Natural beauty of the West there is really no competition as far as comparing cities and how much more there is to do on the East Coast. The culture, history, close proximities to other cities, the cultural diversity and population density-walkability is nothing you will find anywhere out west or any other part of this country. You can hop in your car and drive from DC to NYC and more people live in that little 4 hour stretch than the entire West coast population combined. 54 Million people along the East Coast “Megaloposis”. That’s more than Oregon, Washington and California’s population combined so the energy and Buzz of that area is like nothing you will find anywhere else in the western world much less .CA. California is a very artificial place. Plants and trees not native to CA that are planted everywhere. Palm trees don’t grow naturally in .CA. dont even get me started on the artificial and passive aggressive personalities of the residents. I think we all know about that. And despite having double of California’s population we don’t struggle with their horrible traffic problems. They planned their cities horribly and its not uncommon at all for southern CA driver’s to spend 3 hours in their car every day. I don’t want to spend a quarter of my life in my car, as a slave to southern California’s horrible traffic patterns. Sounds like a horrible way to live. Also, other parts of the West coast absolutely hate Californians and California. Everyone I know in Oregon wants those people to stay where they are and stop coming to their state and moving there. Lol. The weather in Oregon and Washington is absolutely the most depressing weather in the country. You are literally under rain, clouds and darkness 9 months out of the year and the summer is over before you know it. Highest suicide and depression rates in the country. I could go on forever but but it’s a common case of someone moving to a sunny climate and trying to run it in other people’s faces when they have so many other problems they choose to ignore about where they live. CA is a complete mess in my opinion and what they have done with their cities and land is nowhere near as impressive as what the East Coast has accomplished with their NE Corridor. Truly an amazing show of what humans are capable of doing with hard work and it was truly the first part of the country I ever went where I was truly proud to be an American and was in awe of what we were able to build and accomplish in that part of the country. Craftsmanship and quality you just don’t see in the architecture anywhere else. 80% of all business is done on the east coast. Our government. Everything that makes us the most powerful country in the world is on display in the east coast. Californians and other rogues who went out west because they couldn’t handle the hustle and bustle should thank the East coast workers for making this country as powerful as it is so they can afford to hang out on the beach and be lazy and talk about how great it is while their local economy is falling apart and their schools are garbage. Glad you enjoy the 70 degree weather.

  84. Russ Connolly

    I am a person who was born on the west coast (Vancouver BC) I have lived in BC and Alberta for most of my life but in 1990 we moved to Maine for a year. Couldn’t stand it. Went back to Alberta. Since then, we’ve had to move out east again due to aging in-laws so we’ve been living in New Brunswick for the last 7 years and I can’t tell you how much I hate this fuckin’ place. The weather sucks, it’s wet,damp and cold all the time but here in NB, what sucks the most for us is that there are so many uneducated, gawd dam HILLBILLYS. Holy Crap, some of these people are stupid. Also all the young people are out west because there is no work out here and what work there is , dosn’t pay worth a shit! Out west, in my trade, I could get a job (Very Easily) for about 35-40 bucks an hour……to START. Out here when I applied for my first job, the asshole said,” I can start ya at 15 bucks an hour.” I said Hey,dickhead, I don’t get outa BED for 15 bucks an hour, but guess what I had to do?????? I’m up to 23 bucks an hour now. Whoopie!! There is just so many things that are very different but not in a good way. When you go to a resturant or fast food joint, instead of being greeted and served by some cute little tighty w/nice firm titties and a pretty smile, you’re greeted by some middle aged, saggy titted bitch who’s cranky and dosn’t know how to smile because she has to go out and work to make ends meet. Also, everyone says ” It’s cheaper to live in the East because of the soaring real estate prices out West” Well maybe so, but everything else is close to being the same price or even MORE. Eg. Out west, my heating bills averaged 200 bucks a month. Out here I’m blessed with paying anywhere from 500- 1000 depending on how cold it gets Believe ME, WEST IS BEST!!!!! Amen.

    1. You seem like the most elitist asshole that exists. Are all West coasters like you or is it a Canadian thing?

    2. You are BEYOND pathetic. I weep for all those people who have to come in contact with you, ever, you misogynistic, worthless piece of shit.

  85. There is a lot more to living in an area than just the weather. And, even if CA has really good weather, the east coast has good weather, maybe just not as moderate as CA. Some people are making the east coast sound like the weather is terrible – that just isn’t so. And, each state on the east coast is different. New England gets more than double the snow of the rest of the eastern seaboard. And, Florida gets hurricanes that the rest don’t get.

    As a person living in Northern Virginia and who previously lived in Marin County, CA and has a hubby who lived near SF and San Diego, we prefer the east coast. The east coast is BEAUTIFUL (agree, there are pretty areas in the west as well) – pretty mountains, pretty beaches and the grass is green most of the year. There are pretty, leafy trees and flowering plants/trees BECAUSE we do get rain. While California does have more moderate temperatures year round and is attractive for that reason, it is not perfect weather wise.

    1. I don’t like the cold CA summer nights – I don’t want to wear a sweatshirt and jeans in July. In the east, I love summer. I don’t mind a little humidity and I love that you can walk outside in shorts and a t-shirt any time of day and be comfortable. There is nothing better than sitting on your porch with friends drinking a cold drink on a warm summer’s night. I will note that some people seem to be hyper sensitive to humidity, while others seem to do just fine (again, we all have air conditioning to sleep in and wouldn’t change that). And, the only months that really have high humidity are July and August. Again, I love summer.
    2. In the east, we can swim in our ocean’s in the summer without wet suits. My kids love going to the beach and actually swimming. The water temps at our beaches get around 80 deg. or higher, so they can swim without freezing. When we were in LA last July, we went to Santa Monica where our family stared off into the ocean – while we sat in our jeans and sweatshirts on the gloomy/windy day. 5 miles inland was sunny and 90 (both of which I liked), but June & July are cloudy and cooler on the coast – the exact opposite of what we are used to. The June Gloom as they call it.
    3. January in Marin County was the gloomiest, most depressing time I have ever had in terms of weather – always foggy/rainy.
    4. Some people like the change of seasons – we have neighbors from Sacramento & Charleston, SC who love the 4 seasons that the mid-atlantic offers and prefer Virginia over CA and SC. DC only averages 16 in of snow a year – some years we get none, others more. But a normal year would be about 3 snowfalls of about 4-5 inches. So it’s good for those who like some and not bad for those who don’t want to shovel much.
    5. I would agree that it is nice having more predictable weather in CA – we have had an unusually cold winter this year like we’ve never seen before. And, the moderate climate in CA (without summer thunderstorms) is good for those with health issues.
    6. CA is worse for many people with allergies – it just depends on your allergy – there are many medical websites that discuss this. Our friends from Sacramento do much better here.
    7. The east has water. Who wants to worry about water?
    8. The biggest earthquake I was ever in was in VA – 5.8 a couple years ago. But I was in several in CA and don’t like that at all.
    9. What is wrong with rain? (Unless you get several days in a row). It cleans the air and keeps the beautiful trees and plants beautiful – and a raining day is great for having a movie night. How many bad air/code red days did the CA cities have last year?
    10. Culture. Lots of culture and things to do in the east. And, a lot of good schools in the suburbs.
    11. Great Wine in VA as well as CA. I have multiple wineries within 25 min. of my house.
    12. Gorgeous Mountains and of course . . . . Moonshine : )

  86. Asian-American Man

    One thing that’s worth mentioning is that for the average heterosexual single guy, the dating pool is much better in cities like NYC, Boston, Atlanta, and DC than they are in California and the Pac NW. Granted, things do getter better when you hit LA, San Diego, and Arizona, but overall it’s a lot less of a hassle on the East Coast than the West Coast. The South Bay and SF were pretty bad when I visited, and the tech influx into SF will only make it worse.

    1. This is too true! Amazing point! I am a single heterosexual female and it’s no better for us!

  87. I would take anywhere in California over DC any day. Except for the fact that Maryland is home for me; I would move out of here to the west any day. I am considering it now because I am disabled, have a terrible time with allergies and humidity (so want to reduce the discomfort), and California has much better benefits for the disabled. The problem is–the cost of living would probably give me sticker shock $$$ ouch!! That said, DC area is expensive too, without all the perks of living out west where it is nicer. So a move is still in order if I can find a way to do it.

  88. You can fool some people but not me. I think Calif. Blows. I lived there for three years. My family lives there and many of my friends. You can keep it I’ll keep the snow over the lack of water and taxes.The houses are so close together you can almost reach out your window and touch the other houses (I’ll keep the cold and all the acres of ground I have).

  89. I enjoyed all of your comments about the East Coast vs West Coast. I grew up on the West Coast in Southern California for 29 years and moved to the Midwest in South Dakota, I do have family on the East Coast in Virginia and the West Coast in Southern California. Living here in South Dakota where it could get 50 below and that is not with the windchill and the wind is non stop it’s time for a move but where ? My question to you all is can I handle the humidity during the summer on the East Coast and for the cold out in the East Coast (Virginia) I think I can handle that. I have been to the East Coast around Virginia and surrounding states around the fall time love it. I also love the food on the East Coast . I am tired of the bland taste (meat and potatoes) of the food out here in South Dakota I think I’m the only Italian out here that knows what food should taste like .

    1. When I hear Left Coast all I can think of is those silly, shallow Housewives of OC and Beverly Hills! lol A fellow New Yorker deplores if I moved West, ” where would you eat?” I survive the winters by pulling stakes to Fla and or the Carribbean.

  90. I’ve lived in the Northeast my entire life (CT right now) and have stayed in SoCal for a while (San Diego area). California is a jaw droppingly beautiful state and I almost settled down there for good. But after a while I couldn’t wait to get back home, back east. I couldn’t imagine living in a climate where the temps were almost always between 60 and 80. How boring. I like extreme variety in weather, whether it’s 0 degrees or 100 degrees, dry or humid, sunny or cloudy, rain, snow or clear skies. The northeast has by far the best variety of weather in the nation, a beautiful rugged coastline and lots and lots of beautiful green flora and fauna. The change of seasons is just phenomenal and even at 29 years old, I still enjoy the fact that every month is uniquely different in terms of weather.

    The east coast also has more world class cities than the west coast, and they are all within a 430-mile span, that can easily be driven through in one day. NYC trumps any city in the U.S., period. Boston is just amazing. And I enjoy the lite European influence in the region. The cities are truly 24/7, have great public transporation, diversity, dining, entertainment, unparalleled history and they are ALL near the beach (even though I don’t care for the beach).

    The people and culture of the east coast is also superior IMO. There is more intellectualism, educational attainment, and the states in general have less crime.

    I will admit, however, that the vibe is somewhat old school, but not in a bad way. It’s just more of a down-to-business vibe. The laid-backness that you see in CA would be looked down upon here in the Northeast. But still, life is what you make of it. I, for one, don’t care about getting rich or whatever. Just give me a basic ranch home and I’m good.

    Also, I like how the east coast has a MUCH larger Italian population (I’m Italian). There are barely any Italians out west, and people out west tend to be taller than those back east. I’m short, so I fit in better :)

    I also love the ability to travel through multiple states within a matter of hours. There have been a few occasions on a summer day where I drove from CT, through RI, MA, NH, VT, then back down to CT in just one day and stopped at places along the way. Can’t do anything like that in CA.

    I also prefer the east coast because it’s more developed and established than out west. The west coast is still in development and IMO they will always be far behind in terms of infrastructure because of a complete lack of any serious public transportation on a large scale. I mean, the northeast has interstate commuter rail networks such as the PATH trains between NYC and NJ, the Metro North railroad between NYC, CT and NYS, in addition to Amtrak lines, bus routes, taxis, etc. You truly don’t need a car.

    So for me, it’s climate, scenery and culture that makes the east coast the superior choice. The west coast is still nice though, but really only if you’re rich.

    1. Thanks for your thorough perspective! I admire folks who are able to bear the harsh winters year in and year out. I guess the West Coast makes us soft, b/c I would be really bummed if I couldn’t play tennis for 3-4 months a year. The sun makes me happier.

      Lots of inexpensive places to live on the West Coast if you aren’t on the coast.

      1. You guys are running out of water……no rain no snow. Burn up California all your arrogances about your lack of rain and totally sunny days are backfiring on you.

    2. I’ve in the northeast all my life. I grew up in CT now I live in PA. The northeast is very expensive. That’s why I want to leave. The south is way too hot during the summer especially Florida. So therefore I want to go out west. Denver, Colorado is my place of choice

      1. You think the east coast is expensive so you want to move to Denver? Haha that’s funny. I have lived in Denver my whole life (29) and for the last 5 years my wife and 2 kids have lived in a tiny apartment downtown where the rent is $1700 a month. We do not want to buy a house because the home values are crazy high. Example would be a 2 bedroom, 1500 SQ/FT house with no backyard is right around $300,000. and that’s a steal out here! I got on this thread because my wife and I are thinking of moving to the east coast to buy a nice house with land and raise our kids.
        Basically if your not going to the mountains every weekend, then there’s not much else to do. No beaches, no history, nothing. I used to snowboard and hike when I was younger but now I’m looking to settle down in a nice suburb where we can teach my kids about life. East coast has A LOT of history, Colorado has a couple gold mines you can tour for $45 a person.
        But who knows, maybe I’m just bitter that everyone is moving here and making it impossible for the locals like me to afford the rent or mortgage.

        1. Depends on where on the east coast you’re talking about. Anywhere on the coast from Mass. down to North Carolina is going to cost you wayyyy more than Denver. Maybe if you want to move to upstate NY, Vermont, Maine, or NH. Or how about Pittsburgh. All those places will be relatively cheap ish. But they won’t be technically on the “coast” or in a big city.

        2. If you think $300,000 is a lot of money for a house then you are in for a shock when you start looking for a place “with some land” on the east coast.

  91. I have lived in California, Seattle, Charleston, Charlotte and New york. In my opinion, The east coast is the best so long as you live south of Virginia.

  92. I lived on both coasts…and Financial Samurai is truly trying so hard to convince him/her self that the West Coast is better – when it’s so obvious the East Coast as it all. Better cities, much more (real) history, better food, culture, more exciting, better access to places to travel…etc.

    As far as the weather thing – the middle East Coast from Washington DC/VA to NYC/CT is only cold for what – 3 months (Dec – Feb) – and then its NOTHING like the real winters in the Midwestern/Western states. Of course, on the East Coast one can always head to Florida in winter for a respite – which has much warmer (and more sunny) weather than anywhere in California, WAY better beaches (without the polar sea temps of the West Coast), and no smog, pollution, gangs, or traffic. Miami is more fun, hip, and feels more like those classic jet set tropical cities like Rio or Hong Kong, than the crummy overpopulated cities like LA. Florida looks and feels like a real tropical paradise, not a desert with fake looking palms like CA.

    Truth be told – from NYC to Miami the East Coast has it all.

    1. Agreed

      The EC does require one to embrace logistics as a hardy daily challenge. Getting around the metro on public transit is healthier at times because your on foot.
      The WC conjures up images of spending a significant part of your life in your car. goggle SNL’s The Californian’s, hilarious and scary.

    2. As a born and raised Californian in her 40’s, you’re right ON about everything you said, lived in Missouri during college, lots of family in Michigan, and my semi-beloved Cali is indeed a desert and for those sad folk who live in So Cal, YES, lots of time in their cars…and when visited the Mid-Atlantic and upstate NY, I LOVED IT…last thing, and only argument, most of the West Coast Palm trees are not fake. They are indigenous to similar climated areas of Mexico…so, besides that, you said it all. Here I am, been trying to get my family to move to the Mid-Atlantic region….We shall see!

  93. I’m from the NY/NJ area and lived in Seattle for 2.5 years; I’m in California now. While the West Coast has been a nice change of pace, there are just as many challenges here as there are on the East Coast. I am planning my move back home now.

    Seattle is a beautiful, but terribly depressing place because of the weather. Though I meditate, run and am extroverted (I make friends easily), the weather started to impact my mood—as it does to so many. In addition, culturally, kindness is valued over honesty, which causes well intentioned, but wildly passive-aggressive behavior. Difficult for me professionally.

    California is huge (something for everyone) and the weather is perfect! However, due to a unique political system, rampant over-population, and poor financial choices by policy makers—CA is a quick sinking ship.

    College students can’t complete degrees—unless at private schools—because of the higher education crisis (never mind spaces for life-long learners not permitted because first degree earners are the priority). Middle-class families are fleeing in record numbers—please LOOK THIS UP! Lastly, but of no less importance: Citizens feel unsafe because “realignment” is allowing criminals out of prison prematurely.

    Personally, my work ethic and creativity are being stifled (it feels like it’s being violently choked away). While I’ll contend with terrible weather, I know that the following are available to me on the East Coast that aren’t available on the West Coast:

    1) As much higher education as my intellect, credit, and wallet can attain—there’s lots of room in NJ colleges, for instance.

    2) A society that is liberal enough to make room for individuals to develop, but not so liberal that other citizens are restrained.

    3) Pockets of poverty (unfortunate!), but mostly safe communities with active neighborhood alliances to combat crime. No one who should be imprisoned is being released because we’re broke!

    4) Honest, direct communication!

    5) Culture that encourages a strong work ethic—not lazy (read: “laid back”) lifestyle.

    In closing, it seems that there’s no “right” or easier place to live. Individuals must decide what they need and choose a state that comes closest to providing it.

    Best,
    Preciocilla

  94. suprsgrlnxtdr

    Oh, left out the entire continent of Africa, haven’t been there yet either….pirates are not what they used to be!

  95. suprsgrlnxtdr

    Maybe I missed it, but I did NOT see a mention of water temperature! Pacific….cold, damp southern and mid/northern CA areas, Atlantic, warmer year round, great wreck diving…was never impressed with diving off California and I love swimming and diving even in cold water with no wet suit, but California….too cold too much of the time even for me and what is the point of being next to the water if you don’t want to get in. Plus every time I went to Caramel or Monterey and areas further north along the coast, I got “walking pneumonia.”

    Between East and West U.S. coasts, by water temp and dive sites alone…hands down East coast (mid to south) and southerners don’t “hide their crazy, they give it a mint Juilep and parade it on the porch!” Add in California’s politics, southern crime areas and taxes and I would not choose it ever again. Plus, if you are into sailing….well, the Keyes and Caribe are ever so close!

    I grew up in Northern Europe and lived there for few years as an adult (mild most of the time on the coast due to southern waters crossing the Atlantic) and hot springs/indoor bath/steam houses six months of dark, six of no “sunset”, Indonesia/Malaysia early childhood and visits as adult (beautiful, hot, typhoon season), Midwest teen and college years (cold azz winters, humid as hades summers, unpredictable tornadoes and floods all year…oh, and there is a fault line), the mid east coast childhood and the last several years (Maryland, D.C., VA) mild winters, mildish sometimes coolish summers, eastern Europe and Greece/Turkey/Italy Spain….not enough years spent to comment on the weather (especially as I was often in less than great housing conditions), middle east…visited, summer…just NO!, South America mild or hot, but often humid and the mosquitoes think I am an exotic treat!

    If I had no family, work and boyfriend family U.S. ties…Croatian coast, great scuba, beautiful mountains less than an hour away, great cities and history nearby always, friendly laid back people, Italy is a short ferry ride…but have not been to Portugal or New Zealand yet.

  96. I hate the west coast. Who want s rocks for landscaping? Or skin cancer for breakfast. This is America and the only good food is Mexican? not to mention wc ppl dont know how to drive…and everrything is twenty mins away. Ridiculous. Summers are too hot and pools arent even warm until the seasons are over… wintets are bitter cold… and wc prices are ohtrageous esp sales taxes and housing..East coast for life

      1. Good life???? Grab some water and have a drink. Its gonna be harder to do in the future in california.

  97. Every time I go to California, for the first three days I say to myself “I can’t believe I don’t live here.” By the fourth day I say to myself “I can’t wait to get home.” Weather is a small part of life.

  98. I grew up on the east coast so I completely understand this article (and have lived in The Bay Area for about 8 years now and absolutely adore it.) I’ve often thought about moving back east to be closer to my old friends and family (and where I could afford a nice house for $500k instead of a studio condo) but I just can’t give up my life out here. I could live in a total s$ithole and still be happy everytime I walk outside. The free entertainment of traveling from town to town and hiking in the hills makes it worth it. But who knows, maybe when I have kids I’ll move back east. I really don’t want to go back to that life however, even though it’s fun to visit.

    1. I don’t understand why whole families just don’t get up and leave, especially families without deep roots. 6-8 months of suffering is not good for one’a health or happiness.

  99. The First Million is the Hardest

    I’ve lived in the north east my whole life. I see the weather as much more of a positive than a negative. Spring and Fall are absolutley beautiful. Summer is hot & humid, but I’ll take it over the scorching heat you get in places like Houston, Phoenix or Vegas. Winter isn’t that bad either, one or two big storms a year is all you have to worry about, half of my state doesn’t catch fire each summer either ;)

    Cost of living is a huge plus around here too, my $150k house would probably cost over $1mm in San Fran, and I can get to just about any major east coast city in under a day’s drive!

  100. It seems like a lot of people are talking about the west coast as if it is only California and Hawaii. Certainly in those places you may not notice much of a difference between seasons, but come up to Washington and in the summer you have nice temperatures of high 70s up to low 90s, rarely exceeding 100. Then in fall, the temperature starts to drop and is in more of the 60s range, sometimes in 70s or 50s. Then when winter comes, it is usually about 40-50, with some parts of the time dropping to around freezing or slightly below. Very rarely we will get temperatures bellow 20, but almost never. Some years it doesn’t even snow here, while others it will snow several feet.

    Then comes the spring, in which new life is brought to the trees that dropped their leaves in the fall. The temperature begins to rise from the winter, and is much more around the 60s and 70s. And then we come back to summer.

    I know there is a bit of a reputation of Washington as being very rainy (our capital city Olympia, does have the most days of rain of any city in the US) but in Seattle it is actually quite a bit fewer days of rain than most east coast cities, and especially fewer inches since it rarely rains heavily here.

    I like living near Seattle quite a bit. You have long streaks in the summer where there is no rain for several months. I suppose a down side is you will also sometimes have multiple week long streaks of rain.

    What I like is how it is not as extreme as most places on the east coast, but you can tell there actually are seasons!

    1. Seattle and Portland are nice cities that are more affordable, I agree. Not bad alternatives at all, especially for those from SF/Honolulu/LA who want to retire and stay out West!

  101. oh god. this post has depressed the heck out of me. I am going to b moving to the east coast to be closer to the only family i have in the states and so my kid can be closer to her dad. sucks that i have to. i dont mind the weather, in fact looking forward to it after the gloom in seattle. however what i am hating is the houses. sad depressing old grimy million dollar sink holes…. what am i to do… ?

  102. This is one of the dumbest debates I have ever read. I’ve lived on both coasts and found both to have their own charms. Coast v. West Coast living… really?! Home is what you make of it. Weather? You can’t control that. You can be bored in the snow and you can be bored in the sun. LA, SF and SAC are totally different environments, and they’re in the same state! Just like New York City. Poughkeepsie and Buffalo…. You can be overcrowded in any city, have bad traffic in any city, have bad public transportation anywhere! If you hate public transportation, move to the suburbs. If you love public transportation, move to the city. Love being laid-back? Go to Miami or SoCal. Need to see people with a lot of drive? Go to Hollywood or Philly. Love partying? It really depends on what kind of friends you make or have the ability to make. If you’re close-minded and looking for the same experiences you had somewhere else, you’re an idiot! YOU’RE SOMEWHERE ELSE THAN WHERE YOU’VE BEEN BEFORE (duh!) Why compare?! You need to ADJUST, people!

      1. Haa love your reply… Not really sure how someone could be so angry over this topic.

        Also, thanks for the article because I am a Native East Coaster and currently trying to weigh out which coast would be best for me. The family and culture back east vs. outdoors and friendly strangers out west…

        As far as the food category…its East Coast all the way! There have bee times that I was just a google search away from buying a plane ticket back east just for some descent pizza or seafood.

  103. I can’t believe that currently we are forced to live on the east coast. If I could leave
    tomorrow, I would. The east coast, with it’s endless cities, is the most fragile
    and weak social system in all of America. It is so fragile that it should instill enough
    fear for people to desire to leave. Consider that you have nearly 27 million people
    living in a space that would easily fit into a majority of other states at least 5 times.
    All it would take is for something as simple as water to be inaccessible for only 2 days,
    for all hell to break lose in these cities. We would effectively see such a weak and
    unsustainable society begin to collapse almost immediately because of its incapability
    Of self reliance. It is beyond disgusting that the entire north east coast is completely
    dependant upon the rest of the U.S. for its survival ~ while because of its population size
    it quite literally dictates to the rest of America our rules. Essentially, it is the most incapable
    of people enslaving the rest of the people of an entire nation while demanding that the rest of the nation keep them alive with basic necessities (such as food).
    I believe the u.s. should be split into two countries – thereby freeing those still in slavery
    while requiring that those who have abused the rest of the nation to learn to take care of themselves. I heard the most god awful thing between two east coast liberals. They believe
    the west is beautiful with the exception of the lack of liberal view. They then said they will just build compounds for conservatives to live in. And laughed as if it were the greatest joke on earth. I am sorry – but liberals already have enslaved us. And it needs to end! It isnt the rest of Americas fault that you ravaged your own land, covered nearly every square foot with concrete so that you can’t grow any food to sustain your own lives! Don’t expect to waltz into other parts of the nation and do the same thing to other peoples land! People from the east coast are absolute parasites latched on to the most capable people while destroying their own land. They should just become their own country, starve and leave everyone else alone.

    1. I’m a born and raised New Yorker, and we’ve seen every kind of calamity you can imagine–from devastating storms to 9/11. Your comments are absurd. We pull together when the chips are down, boyo. We are a community of people, and we don’t care if you’re black, white, Hispanic, gay, muslim, or just stupid–like you. We come together and help our neighbor. You are, apparently, a person who likes to divide people in categories. It’s nice that you have that kind of time on your hands. We, on the east coast, are busy building things, volunteering, coaching our neighborhood sports teams, getting involved with making our world a better place. Please go peddle your depressing world view elsewhere.

  104. First of all, you have to determine where on the East Coast you are referring. I lived in DC, and that’s the farthest north I’d ever live because of the winter. I’d never live in NY or Boston, although I like being close enough to visit easily. I currently live in Virginia and have lived both in the DC area and southern Virginia. I grew up in sunny FL and also lived in the mid-west (flyover country). I have a lot of love for the south. My husband was born in PA and moved to San Diego when he was in middle school. I have visited my in-laws several times who refuse to ever leave San Diego, mostly for the weather. The proximity to family and weather has enticed me to consider southern CA, but every time I do, these are the issues I have.

    While the weather and family is nice and it’s a great place to vacation, I don’t know if I’d want to live there.

    Here’s why:

    First, the beach is cold. VA Beach isn’t that great, but I am way partial to warm FL beaches. My husband doesn’t even care about the beach as he prefers the mountains, and he was eager to leave CA and get back to the East Coast. San Diego never felt like home to him.

    Second, yes, it gets very hot here sometimes in the summer, and in the south, we have a mild winter, but I LOVE the change of seasons. I love the fall colors and the spring flowers and the lushness of the foliage here. To me, if I were to live in CA, I’d have to be a little inland because the coast is too cold for me. I like it around 80 degrees, not 69. But the foliage, while well irrigated with pretty flowers and palm trees, is more like a desert. I don’t find it very beautiful aside from the oceanfront and well-manicured places. But you pay a TON for the water. You have major utilities shortages there. All the rain here creates beautiful gardens and forests and trees and plants that the West simply doesn’t have. Beautiful English gardens and canopies of weeping willows and crepe myrtles and magnolias. Love it.

    The history here is incomparable. From Williamsburg to DC to all the colonial and Civil War History sites. If you like American history at all, this is the place to be. San Diego is mostly Mexican History or some Gold Rush history.

    Cost of living outside the major cities here is largely cheaper than CA. Traffic is the worst in DC and a major reason we left, but public transportation is better on the east. It seems all of southern California is becoming an urban center with population overgrowth. It’s so crowded and unaffordable, you have to really be rich to afford the good life California has to offer.

    Architecture: try to find a historic home in CA. There are a few in LA, but the architecture in San Diego is mostly 70’s type Mediterranean or modern. If you don’t like stucco and red roof tiles, don’t move to CA.

    Careers: There are certain fields that CA supports well such as biotechnology, but if you want to do anything with policy or finance/banking, the East Coast is the place to be.

    Food: I love southern food, but I also love Mediterranean/CA cuisine, so I think is more of a matter of preference. However, after honeymooning in Napa, we find that we tend to prefer VA wines more than CA wines. A matter of preference, to be sure.

    Natural Disasters are everywhere. I prefer hurricanes to Mid-west tornadoes for their advance warning. We had an earthquake here in VA this summer, so that’s not a big consideration anymore. Fires creep me out…see the desert terrain. My husband’s boyhood home was burned down a couple of years ago in a CA fire.

    The biggest downside to southern CA for me is that you’re stuck in CA. You can’t really drive to a lot of trips outside of CA unless you want to go into the mountains in Phoenix. It’s far removed from the rest of the country. The same thing occurred when I lived in FL. The East Coast has a lot of variety within a day’s drive.

    Yard size: This is perhaps my biggest beef with affording a CA home. They will show you these big, lush Cape Cods in marketing or large ranch houses, but they don’t tell you you have to be a millionaire to afford one of them. If we make $200k a year, we can maybe afford an inland 3000 sf stucco house with granite countertops and a a postage stamp yard which could maybe fit a pool. Certainly not a beachfront family-sized house. The yards are so small, you can touch the house next to you from your yard. For all your bragging about the weather, how does one enjoy it in your .09 acre yard?

    CA is great if you make a ton of money. Otherwise, it’s over-crowded, over-hyped and expensive. I’d rather live somewhere more affordable and take several vacations per year. VA has mountains, beaches, city and country, agriculture and history, proximity to many different types of weekend getaways, and four seasons to enjoy it in for a cost that either let us live on one income or will keep some savings in the bank for me to afford to take dream vacations and send our kids to a great university. I’m living my dream. Everyone’s dream is different though. Glad you found yours. We can’t all live in one place…that’s why the US is so great with so much variety.

    1. Lived in southern Cali most of my life so I may be a bit biased. Cali may be one giant state though its landscape is also incredibly diverse, just like the people. You can drive from mountain to beach to desert to urban (maybe not NYC or Chi-town urban, but our version of it) all in 1 hr. You’ll meet people from all corners of the world and eat authentic cuisines from each as well. Nor-cal food is foodie heaven with their farm-to-table mentality. We’re laid back and we’re also a passionate bunch who work hard to afford our costly lifestyles. Having smaller homes means less carbon footprint and more reason to get out there and explore. Personally, I’m not much for acquiring stuff as I am about living minimally. Growing up in L.A. there are still things I’ve yet to discover. Like I said, maybe I’m biased though I do want to try living in the east coast for a bit too in a few years.

    2. Well, to be fair, inland areas are far cooler than the coast in the wintertime, particularly at night, in California.

  105. Interesting! I’m a TCK (Third Culture Kid — a Military Brat) so I have lived 2-4 years in several places around the globe. As an adult on my own, I still moved around but not as much. I have lived on both coasts (currently live in the midwest due to being married to someone with a business based here but in a few years that will change when he retires). Bottom line on East Coast vs. West Coast … The temperature is generally mild on the West Coast but I found it windy. The sun is great during the spring and very early fall but a bit hot in the summer. The winters, however, are rainy and overcast as heck. No thanks! If I am on the West Coast I want sun and warmth and dry weather not gloomy gray skies and rain in bucketfuls but that is what you get there. I lived in LA, SF and Sacramento areas and only liked SF to be honest — but it’s EXPENSIVE to live there. However, it is also beautiful, great fun and full of history, arts and culture. Can’t say the same for most of the West Coast. Also, most people on the West Coast I found to be lacking in energy or drive — way too laid back for me. But they also seem to be “competing” about designer clothes, the best cars, biggest homes, etc. Not for me either. I hated the commutes as well. Takes too long to get anywhere and little is within walking distance.
    East Coast – Lived in NYC suburbs (Scarsdale, White Plains area) loved it and loved the transportation but also so much is within walking distance (esp. NYC). Also lived in less populated areas of SC and VA. Loved it there too for it’s natural beauty. I only managed to make a few close friends in SC but more in VA. I found VA to be closer to DC so closer to more things to do and historical sites. I preferred the weather there too. I was more inland so hurricanes were never an issue in either SC or VA. I also met more internationals in VA and much preferred that. I am a TCK and like to travel so it certainly helps to know people in other countries who also are into traveling.
    I prefer the East Coast for all those reasons. I have no roots there. Until the last few years, I had no roots anywhere but now feel I have them in the Midwest since I have been living here so long now. Chances are we will move upon retirement to the East Coast for all the above reasons. I can’t wait to have easier access to traveling to more interesting areas more often.

  106. I am curious , you all talk like there are no other states on the west coast to live in other than california. what about oregon or washington? you get four seasons for those who enjoy it. you don’t get extreme heat or cold but enough to mark the changing of seasons by something other than presidential elections. also like florida, oregon has no sales tax. seattle has great food and coffee. eugene is an amazing place you are 45 min away from the ocean or snow boarding it’s a great place to live if you enjoy various outdoor sports.

    1. Oregon and Washington are great in the sense that it’s MUCH cheaper and there is no sales tax in Oregon, and no state tax in Washington! The problem with Oregon is that it’s so dreary much of the year. I wouldn’t mind retiring to Washington though for tax purposes and live elsewhere half the year.

  107. Having lived in Florida, all over Florida, Miami to NW Florida, I can say that the winters are fine, the Summer sucks. Way too hot and humid. Its hard to make a living in Florida. Retirees do the best overall. Unemployment is high the benefits cap at about 250 per week. Everything except the southern most part of Florida is basically Alabama.

    I lived in New Orleans. It sucks. Its poor, dirty, crime ridden. No industry to speak of except oil and gas and seafood. Hard to make a living. Its hot and humid with lots of mosquitos. It sucks.

    I lived in philadelphia. Its cold in the winter, grey, and dirty. No tech jobs. The people are kind of douchy in general, that steriotypical Jersey asshole mentality. Its hot in the summer. Lots of bars, yes, if you want to wait tables and party with your friends as your past time philly is the city for you. It has art. But NYC has more and better.

    I lived in the Bahamas. It was really interesting. No industry to speak of, very poor. Nice people though. It was worth the experience.

    I lived in Seattle. A bit dreary but not total crap like philly. The people are generally pretty cool. Small vibe in a major city. Lots of arts stuff, outdoors stuff, and lot of tech jobs. Alot of forward thinking types. I found it very nice, way better than anything in the East. No contest.

    I just moved to Santa Monica. I can say, its the nicest place I have lived yet. Have not been here for that long but I love it so far.

  108. In my area, a lovely home is $150k, and a typical commute is 20 minutes.

    I priced comparable options in silicon valley near a tech company. If I was willing to accept a house half the size, and a commute three times as long, the cost of living would probably have only doubled.

    1. 20 minute commute from Slicon Valley can find you many diff types of houses. From $300,000 to $1000,000 no problem.

      The missing link is income. 28 year olds regularly make $250,000 here. What about where you live?

  109. Obviously it’s a personal choice, and so subjective, that one cannot be “better” than the other, but with that said, there is 1 defining characteristic that will always differentiate the two…

    The people on the east coast are just plain more fun! I’ve lived in San Diego and outside Seattle, and while there are many great attributes to the west coast, and I would move back if the chance arose, west coast people, while nice, calm, and “laid back”, lack the fun factor.

    Come and party on the east coast for a few nights – NY till 8am, when people are still showing up a the bar or just got out of the last LCD Soundsystem show (unbelievable), eating philly cheesesteaks at 4 am, or ben’s chili bowl in dc at 3, no matter how you slice it, the east coast just has more…passion for a crazy party.

    No doubt that’s a bigger draw when you are younger, and I can see why the west coast is amazing as well, especially if you want a family. It’s cleaner, friendlier, more beautiful, and safer. But I know many people who went out there (myself included) and came back, at least for their early – mid 20’s, because people out here are just way crazier. If you grow up with it, there’s no one else like it (except maybe australians, who REALLY party hard).

    1. I started off on the EC too and partied hard. Then it got old and I moved out West where bars close at 2am. We’re a much earlier city and tend to wake up at the crack of dawn go start our day.

      1. I’m about there as well – my hard partying days are behind me, and family ideas dancing in my head, those west coast cities are calling again. If I can transfer, I’ll be back in San Diego by mid 2012. It’s time for safety and sunshine!

        1. Sunshine, maybe….but statistically, New York is actually safer than California, so don’t use that as a reason for moving!

  110. I grew up in California and moved to Ohio when I was 18 to attend college. I plan on staying here the rest of my life!
    Benefits:
    Four seasons. I have a lot of friends in Texas and they have been complaining very loudly about the weather since about May. Me? I have only had my air conditioning on a few times this summer, the weather has been perfect. I am also looking forward to fall, which is the most beautiful part of the year here. Winter is not as bad as people say it is; I enjoy building snowmen, cross-country skiing, and I keep my car in the garage. Spring is also beautiful here; people in So Cal have no what green looks like.
    How does the summer in Ohio compare to California? Oh, I don’t know. It’s actually GREEN here. Every time I go back to So Cal I am SHOCKED at how brown, ugly, and crowded it is compared to the Midwest.
    Cost of living. At 29, I own a 4 bedroom house on ¾ of an acre.
    Stuff to do:
    I’ve been to Disney World and Land; they are crowded and over rated. Cedar Point and King’s Island are WAY better in my opinion.
    Skiing, boating, swimming, fishing.. I can do all of these things in the summer; in a non-crowded and inexpensive manner.
    As far as I’m concerned the only thing I am missing is great snow skiing; however, there is average/ok skiing here in the winter.
    I am within 3 hours of professional sports franchises in just about every sport, the mountains (Appalachians), a large body of water (Eerie), and at least 6 major cities with unique character, history, museums, opera, etc.
    The Midwest rules!

    1. I’m very glad to hear you love Ohio! If you are happy that’s all that mattress because I’ve never met someone from Ohio who came out West who said they’d want to move back.

      No point living in cold if there’s no skiing IMO. It’s like living on top of a hill with no view.

  111. The Wealthy Canadian

    I’m an East Coaster and I love the winter. And that’s the Canadian winter version! Snowmobiling and outdoor adventures are where it’s at, but I love to get away in the sun too.

    My wife and I visited Florida for our honeymoon, and we love to get away down south every so often to soak in the rays. We like visiting the Dominican Republic too.

    With that being said, I think I’d love to live in the New England states for some time. I love the idea of four distinct seasons. I’m definitely going to visit those states sooner rather than later. I can’t wait.

    I visited Vancouver a few years ago for about a week during the spring time and it was gorgeous. I’m really not a big fan of rain. I’d rather snow any day as long as it’s not the slushy kind that melts and comes and goes frequently.

    Personally, I find that it’s not the place but the company you’re with that makes a place ‘better’ than another. Just my thoughts! :)

  112. I have to see, the East Coast really does suck compared to the West Coast. I went to school out East and have lived in SF and Seattle. It’s way better out West!

    It’s weird how east coasters stay miserable!

    1. Good life???? Grab some water and have a drink. Its gonna be harder to do in the future in california.

  113. Sorry West Coast is the best coast!

    I’ve lived in San Diego almost all my life and traveled up and down California extensively.
    – I live 5 minutes away from a beach. Mind you I have a selection of beaches to choose from.
    – If I want some snow, there’s Big Bear Lake/Mountain where I can go rent a cabin for the weekend between November-January. Then when I’m over it I drive back home down the mountain to sun!
    – Feeling the need to visit the desert? Head towards Palm Springs and hike beautiful Joshua Tree.
    – Need some nightlife? Go downtown. Not feeling downtown San Diego? Drive to LA or Hollywood and go clubbing there.
    – Foodie in California? Have you ever tried CARNE ASADA FRIES? Google it!
    – Feel like visiting Disneyland? Let’s go!
    – Want to go on a cruise? There’s a cruise port here. Beautiful Cabo San Lucas, Mexico or go ziplining in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico baby!

  114. Pros of living in New York:
    1. Four seasons – as you are getting tired of one, another comes along, and you enjoy the beauty of that season for 3 months…. love the variety!
    2. Culture
    3. Walking
    4. Beautiful beaches – especially in fall, winter and spring!
    Pros of living in California:
    Being able to bring your dog to the beach. I admit, that is a big one!!! In summary, however…..

    As John Updike, said, ““The true New Yorker secretly believes that people living anywhere else have to be, in some sense, kidding.”

  115. Californians can’t travel to a different state every day and still make it home for dinner. The New England states each have a different flavor and feel, and you can go fly fishing Monday, to half a dozen historic museums,towns, and villages Tuesday, to the beach on Wednesday, mountain climbing Thursday and still make it to a Broadway show on the weekend. You can’t look at it as living in a state, you have to define yourself as a resident of New England. Do that, and youre a resident for a lifetime. :)

  116. I don’t get it either.

    Especially since all the 30 something single educated women I know won’t leave the East cost, whereas most of the 30 something single educated men I know are on the West. I wonder if that gender split is also true on average.

    1. Maybe cause the women are really connected to their family on the EC? I donno.

      For men, there is MASSIVE amounts of entrepreneurial, swashbuckling opportunities here on the West Coast. Perhaps that’s why.

  117. I have lived on the East Coast my whole life so my opinion is exceptionally biased. Although, I have spent a month on the West Coast for a month between San Diego and LA.

    East Coast is where it’s at. Period. First of all, I live in a prime location. 1st highest income county in PA, 24th in the nation. 40 minute drive to Philly. 2 hour drive to Washington, 2.5 to NYC, and a quick trip on Amtrak to Boston. Have a few houses in the Poconos in which it is only a 2 hour drive. Get to go up for a weekend on the lake, ski some great places, and enjoy the winter. Have another house in Ocean City, NJ where a 2 hour drive means a great family weekend down the shore, enjoying a slice of Mack & Manco’s, living the life.

    It is so great to be able to make vacations to exciting places. One month you can be in our Nation’s capital…visiting the White House, meeting Senators on Capital Hill, visiting the memorial where Martian Luther King Jr. gave his historic speech and just THRIVING in history. Then a couple months later, you can visit New York City, see the world famous Rockettes, see the Christmas Tree in Rockefeller Center, and ice skate surrounded by 10’s of thousands of people.

    The weather in the West is beautiful, don’t get me wrong. But the redundancy has to get annoying. I love the excitement of a paralyzing blizzard. Back in high school, got to get out of school for a few days, while building a snowfort with the siblings, come inside, cozy up by the fire place with a glass of hot chocolate. Spring comes, things are coming back to life, the birds chirping once again, and everyone is getting excited for beautiful weather. Thunderstorms make for an exciting evening, sitting on the front porch as lighting and thunder come in from a distance before it becomes to crazy to stay outside. Hot summer days make for a wonderful trip down the shore where sunburn and sweat give way to a dip in the pool and a chilly evening breeze. Muggy days at the end of summer turn into highly anticipated flooding rains from a tropical storm with a great story to talk about the next day at work. Summer heat cools down for the fall, when the rolling hillsides turn into trees on fire with color, a trip to the corn maze in Amish country, apple cider, and carving pumpkins. It must be great to live in a seemingly thermostatically controlled climate, but the excitement of thunderstorms, blizzards, droughts, floods, heat, and chill make for something to look forward to year round.

    And of course the night life/social life out here is amazing. The claims I’ve seen, here and elsewhere, seem to be that we live such a fast-paced life style on the East Coast, because during the business day, we get stuff done. But at night, nothing beats a night out in the City whether it’s from Philly-to-New York or West Chester to Lehigh Valley. There is always always ALWAYS something going on….. celebrations for our crazy-awesome sports teams or St. Patty’s day in State College, we drink to it all.

    You mentioned that you can’t find other things that make the East Coast so great… I can’t find something that makes us anything but the best.

      1. Sam, I am going to have to disagree with you on this one. I absolutely love the East Coast! You can’t beat Thanksgiving and Christmas on the East Coast. Snow just makes the holidays so much better. There is no snow out west. I love the fast pace of the east as well because there is always something to do. California is nice but everyone is so laid back and the cost of living is just so high. My college friends that live out there work 6 days a week just to afford a nice house. It’s cheaper to live on the East Coast. While I would love to vacation there in the summers, the east coast will always be home. Don’t forget the saying that “The East is a Beast”.

        1. Sam, I have never lived on the West Coast. I have traveled there quite abit and I enjoyed it. The traffic was just terrible. The East will always be home to me.

  118. I have lived in MN, CO, IL, CA, WA, AZ, DE and have visited many more states. My car has run maximum while living here in DE for pleasure (at present living) because everything is soooo close and in driving distance of couple of hours..I hate driving more than that. Although I can’t forget Long Beach, Sacramento, Pleasant Hills of CA but the sun really burnt me there..beaches were nice and windy..liked them and those nice winding roads..nice! but city traffic..NO WAY!! I can’t take that..

    On the east coast, Baltimore, Washington DC, Atlantic City, Ocean City and so many Jersey shore cities all are nice for visiting and to go out from the country direct flights from JFK to the rest of world. I don’t like roads of NY/NJ though..one word as compared to rest of the country..terrible!

    I prefer Atlantic City vs Las Vegas as AC has got the casino fun + BEACH fun!

    As far as weather is concern..I can’t take heat..and practially ran away from CA heat or Phoenix, AZ heat. Will always prefer a place with weather of all seasons (but less of heat) I want clothes of ALL seasons in my wardrobe! I liked the Green Seattle but too much of same weather there. Greenery and Falls are amazing at East coast.

    As far as living cost is concerned..it’s basically where exactly one is pointing to..NYC is insanely pricey and so is LA! It’s all about affordability and where one works for living. I prefer places with low cost of living with high quality of life and to me still Denver, CO tops!

    If I would get a chance to live for rest of my life..it would neither be EC or WC it would be Denver, CO! but till that time I will prefer EC.

    1. Dude, Sacramento sucks.. no arguments from me here!

      NYC is 2X LA… trust me on this one! LA is like a 3rd world village in terms of price compared to NYC!

      Denver ain’t bad… but, I can’t live without water.

  119. The East Coast is awful. Foul and rancid with grotesque and obese human beings mulling around looking for something to do and finding nothing but a television show and something to eat. The weather is terrible 9 months out of the year, “richer history” boils down to fake English people and the American Revolution and the Civil War. How much of this can you take in a lifetime? Are you goimg to spend every weekend driving to some place where there was a war event? And then getting something to eat and then going home?

    60+ hour work weeks and forget outdoor activities. Running around The Mall? Ocean City? The mid-Atlantic is the worst. Heinous suburban communities that are car dependent with no access to culture or nature and 70 minute commutes. And if you do get into nature it’s 100 degrees with blood sucking mosquitoes that carry you off to their suburban den and force you to watch reruns of Barney Miller before they suck you dry.

    Collegiate sports are the dominating anything and people walk around with the same Izod shirt tucked in to their LL Bean shorts or Banana Republic slacks, deck shoes, and a baseball cap with their collegiate team they like to root for. They like to discuss sporting moments with a beer in their hand and then take photos of themselves standing in a circle with a beer in their hand. All their photos are the same– them in a different circle with a beer in their hand discussing sporting events, typically in places like TGIF, Atlantic City, some guys backyard bbq, large malls that have fake rock climbing walls.

    But they don’t do anything active like skii or hike or surf, because they can’t because the place is too hideous for outdoor activities. So the get involved in stuff like 4-H, scouts, knitting a sweater, and ultimately drown in pill addiction and fatness.

    Oh exciting, white trash.

    It’s an awful, awful place, don’t let anyone kid you.

  120. I’m a native Ca that has lived all up and down the CA coast
    Northern california and Southern California are like two different states but what they do have in common is this if your into the outdoor living this is the state to be in summertime beaches or the moutains to hike, ski, bike and cool off.
    Wintertime some excellent sking Every city has it own vibe and something for every type of person. Norhtern CA is much like here in nova. Southern CA everything is slow going and more layed back. There is plenty of museums and culture it is a different kind compared to the east coast…
    I have now lived on the east coast for 10 years in the DC metro area of NOVA it is so beautiful not like california where most areas are very nice but CA it is a concrete jungle..Virginia the neighborhoods have trees and forests areas, water everywhere ,deer wildlife and we are 25 minutes away from DC by metro with museums galore.
    The seasons are so amazing winters are mild here not much snow.
    Fall is the most amazing season out here and I can only imagine that is probably one thing that most peoplefrom the east coast. miss .
    I don’t like the food back here no good mexican food or asian food in fact they don’t even know what that is out this way. Pizza boring ca has some awsome pizzia places ca food selection and fresh seletion is far superior to the East coast. You have very expensive produce on the east coast it is just as expensive to live in some areas back east as it is in CA it just depends wher your at…

    The beach water on the east coast are warm and fun and do not stink of seaweed.. I say both coasts have their good and bad.

    The only really bad thing I can think of out here on the east coast that I hate is constantly fixing house damage from weather, bug and fungus. In ca termites and fire is your biggest worry but here every year we have to seal our driveways from the weather and treat for termites wood rot repairs ect that gets expensive especially if you are excited and buy that huge house like I did without thinking or knowing of the extra expenses involved in weather related upkeep.

    Both Coast have good and bad points and they are both amazing places to live imo

    1. Pizza is bad for you, so that doesn’t count in your agument :)

      The housing damage and stuff is bad. Things fall apart on the EC!

      Also, you can’t compare NOVA to Northern Virginia! That’s like comparing a 7 layer cake to die for (Northern CA) to a biscuit (NOVA).

      1. Sounds like you’ve never lived in NOVA either. Its a bit insulting and fairly closed minded to call a whole area like NOVA a biscuit. Its beautiful and safe and cultured. It honestly seems like you’re more concerned with saying the west coast is better than considering how wonderful some areas of the East are.

  121. I have lived in Norther cali, down to southern cali and went to Seattle often for biz. In my opinion the West coast feels like one big suburb connected by a few large towns that people term as cities.
    The area is simply too slow,generic,segregated and mundane for me

  122. I live in NYC. Those intangibles u speak of are very tangible. Years ago I left a position in financial services in NYC for one in L.A. The mentalities and cultures were completely different in terms of within the LA culture there was no sense of urgency and corresponding work ethic. When i needed something yesterday, I would get it next week; people would leave their desks to have hour long lunches(you can’t produce if ur not at your desk); five minutes after the mkts closed the office would literally be empty, even the junior staff would vacate the premises 2min after senior people left! People would hit the freeway to beat the traffic and get home to their isolated lives. After work networking(which is huge and an imperative) such as grabbing a beer eating a meal, was basically non-existent. Those intangibles u discount most certainly translate into revenue and productivity, which in my industry is time=money.

    I will give u one of the best reasons why I love NYC over a West coast metropolis such as L.A.
    At any point of a 24hr day, I have the option of choosing amongst hundreds of activities that I can engage in within 10min of a walk, taxi, subway or bus!

    Also I can randomly meet people from all walks of life at any moment. You can rarely do that on the West coast, life is too segregated out there but some people actually enjoy that segregation.

    1. NYC is amazing, I have to agree. The hustle and bustle and the vibe blows the socks off any other city in America. I’d choose NYC over LA as well. Although, if I had a nice mansion in Malibu, maybe not, b/c I love the weather and the tranquility. It all depends where you are in LA. Whereas if you are in Manhattan, pretty much everywhere is not bad at all.

      Thanks for sharing your thoughts! Here is the retor: https://www.financialsamurai.com/2010/06/22/west-coast-living-yes-it-really-is-that-much-better/

  123. The East Coast(specifically NYC metropolitan area all the way down to Miami) has

    -cities that never sleep
    -more culture, more arts
    -better museums
    -a more sophisticated and informed populace
    -better public transportation system
    -more ethnic/cultural/socioeconomic diversity
    -more hustle and bustle
    -more competitive drive
    -more ambition
    -more willingness to sacrifice for the bigger picture
    -more to do on a daily basis
    -more tolerance to live with others particularly in crowded cities
    -more fun!!!!

    I lived on the west coast for years and way too much of your life is spent traveling in a car and the rest is invested in isolating yourself in your home with entertainment rooms, outdoor decks and swimming pools in gated communities

    1. Thanks for your thoughts. Stuff like “More ambition”, “more competitive drive”, “more willingness” unfortunately doesn’t count as real tangible reasons.

      But, it’s great to see you love the East Coast so much! Where do you live on the East Coast?

  124. What’s so great about sunshine? Seriously. On the east coast we don’t just have weather, we have weather phenomena. How can you not love a good blizzard (or 3) and thunderstorms? Snowball fights, cozing under a warm blanket, hot chocolate…or leaves lilting onto their backs and that smell of ozone and hot, wet pavement.

    But aside from weather…am I the only person who feels like east coast folks have the market cornered on sarcasm and irony? Those west coasters always strike me as being painfully sincere. Really makes it hard to crack good jokes.

    Also, mountains. While the west coast has very beautiful, stark moutains, the east coast has mountains that you actually live in. In the west, mountains are these giant things off in the distance that rise out of the ground. But in the east, the mountains are all around you like great big circling arms giving you a bear hug. You don’t see them as looming but as comforting.

    The east coast is the only coast for me.

    1. Lol I am highly sarcastic which maybe why I got along with people on the east coast, they get my jokes. Im a west coaster but raised by east coast natives,

  125. i’m a maine girl born and bred, and i can’t imagine living anywhere else but new england. i love my 4 distinct seasons (including super snowy winters), and the fact that i can snag a cheap last minute bus/plane/train ticket and be in boston, ny, or dc in just a couple of hours. it sort of feels like europe the way all the small states (all with distinct personalities and features) are smushed together. i love red hot dogs and white christmases, moxie and mardens and ll bean. though entertaining, i don’t know how fair it is to pit east vs. west (sorry middle, we all agree that you suck). i think it’s about temperament. california is beautiful, and temperate, and has way better mexican food than we do out here… but it just isn’t home.

  126. Aury (Thunderdrake)

    Doesn’t seem to be TOO too much of a financial difference in that regard. HAH!

    Personally, I live on the northeast coast. Ontario, to be exact! The weather’s mad volatile, things do get muggy, the communities are awesome though! I never lived on the west, however. But I can’t really say one is better than the other! Of course, I’ve yet to experience living on the west coast before I judge on such a matter!

  127. I’m from Boston and after leaving 12 years ago, I’ve been unable to return for more than a short visit to family and friends once a year. And I’m actually in Boston on one of those visits right now, where it is 52 degrees and raining for the third straight day and I’m forced to where three layers of clothing in the middle of June. This situation alone is what keeps the East Coast off of my list of potential places to live.
    .-= Earl´s last blog ..Spending Some Time in a Place Called Old Lyme =-.

  128. I’ve never lived on the East Coast myself, but I think there’s a stronger work ethic (in my perception) than the west coast… and not sure whether people would view this as a plus or a minus.

    (I’m comparing Toronto and Vancouver, two very obvious examples of East Coast and West Coast)

    The housing is much cheaper on the eastcoast- that’s one plus (well in Canada anyway).

    You can get a huge 1200sqft condo for $400,000 in Toronto, but in Vancouver, that can get you 600 sq ft for the same amount of cash.
    .-= younandthrifty´s last blog ..Weekend Ramblings & Link Love: good bye $100 yearly fee edition =-.

  129. FinancialBondage.org

    I would not live on the west coast if you gave me a free home and paid all my bills. California’s floods fires earthquakes sink holes, etc? No thanks I pass. :)

    not to mention the state of CA is broke… I think many states are, they just won’t admit it yet.

    1. You’re right if you live in California, it’s like living in a war zone with all these floods, sink holes, and flying saucers!

      Please do let us know where you live and share with us how great your area is.

    2. This is about the most ridiculous article I have ever read. Are you freaking kidding me? You would pick where you live based on outdoor weather? If I worked outdoors…maybe I can see this but let me enlighten you to the hell of living in California.

      1. Housing is ridiculous and normal employment (nurses, teachers, accountants) do NOT pay enough to ever buy a home in the Bay area (for example). Unless you have an inheritance from your family or win the lottery – you’ll be renting FOREVER. Imagine….never…owning…your…own…home. Yep – that’s CALIFORNIA.
      2. Go to the grocery store and spend $300…..you can carry your groceries out without bags or you can buy the cheap ass brown paper bags that break and don’t hold anything. This place has no manners.
      3. Traffic AND lines – EVERYWHERE. I recently had family visit and after 3 days in SF, Santa Cruz and Monterey….they just wanted to stay home. Every starbucks….at least 20 people in line. Every grocery store….20 minutes of waiting in line. Everywhere you go….double the miles or quadruple the miles…that is how long it will take to get there unless there’s an accident…then you may never make it on time.
      4. The people are INCREDIBLY rude. I was told by a Republican in Santa Cruz….I can’t even make it known in my workplace how I vote for FEAR of being fired. I can’t put a sticker on my car for FEAR of my car being ruined. The people here are hate-filled and only support liberal loonies. They are not open to people who think differently or believe differently. I didn’t realize this was how it was….but I never have seen republicans on the east coast threathen democrats. This place has gone so left…..they can’t see straight.
      5. You must be crazy if you think insurance cost less. For the same square footage, I pay 30% more on house insurance and my CAR insurance is double what I paid on east coast…DOUBLE. Check your numbers…you are clearly wrong on that.
      6. You have NO changing seasons and you “brag” that that this is the sunshine state? Are you blind? Last winter, it rained from December until March – RAINED …as in …NO SUN, NO WARM TEMPS – just rain, fog and dreary days. Sorry -this ain’t the sunshine state you are bragging about.

      1. Thank you for this comment. I went to nyc and was happy to see how cheap the food was and good too. I was there for two weeks and really explored all the bouroughs and even spent time in Boston. I was just amazed at the prices. 1 dollar pizza, amazing. I really want to leave Cali, which is funny since I know so many nyc transplants.

  130. I have to say, I like the west coast a lot. A LOT. I particulary enjoy the San Francisco area, but also Portland, and even coastal Oregon as well. I highly recommend driving down the coast of Oregon, many small towns with specatacular, unspoiled Pacific scenery. Plus, much of the west coast has a certain laid back vibe to it. I just like it.

    That said….I think that many other parts of the country have their own charm. For me, I live in the Chicago area, and I think it’s just great. Sure, people can say what they want about the winter weather – and it’s mostly true. But it’s a great city, very cosmopolitan yet friendly; loaded with international business, fortune 500 companies, consulting firms, etc – yet, it retains a friendly and down to earth feel compared to many other places. And for 1/2 year – such as now – it’s got it all.

    Plus, the Bay Area and much of California can be quite pricey.

    I like the West Coast a lot, but for the value, I’ll stay in Chicago for now.
    .-= Squirrelers´s last blog ..Stealthy, Quirky Millionaires are Among Us =-.

  131. Money and Risk

    I grew up in and currently live in the OC, CA. My heart is still on the East Coast though. Don’t get me wrong. California is beautiful and gorgeous but…..

    I lived for years in Cambridge and had a place in Manhattan for the weekend. Boston is great if you’re living in the right neighborhoods. Otherwise it could be any old suburbs. I loved Boston but I do recognize the issues. The best time I had was when I lived in Harvard Square. The energy and convenience just outside my door was great. There was no traffic in the part that I lived. However, when I went out to the suburbs like Slummerville (Somerville), the neighborhood was not different from California in terms of community indifference.

    NYC is just its own special place. Until you’ve lived there, it’s hard to describe.

    The main attraction for me about the East Coast is weather, entertainment and FOOD. I missed the changing weather for years. Of course, my memories convenient forget the slushies and the axe that I carry in the car to break the ice on my windshield every morning.

    FOOD and glorious food. There is nowhere else that you can get amazing food at pretty much any time of day like New York City. Nick’s in Hells Kitchen is the best Greek food that I’ve ever had. Bagels at 76th st in New York – sublime. Junior’s Cheesecake that I have to ship every year to CA. The list is unending.

    Nightlife also exists on the East Coast whereas it’s pretty dead on the West Coast. 9PM = shut down. Your only option is Hollywood or LA. Even San Francisco is dead for hot nightlife. Orange County – we have no idea what it means to be awake past 10PM on a Saturday night.

    Paris, London, New York and Boston are the only places that you can go from a lecture to dinner to a show to a poetry reading to a night club to a hole in the wall bar to 4AM late supper all in one evening without much effort. I’ve never been able to accomplish the same agenda anywhere else.

    I have only visited DC and not lived there so I can’t comment.
    .-= Money and Risk´s last blog ..Your Home is not an Investment or Retirement Asset Pt 2 =-.

    1. This is the best post of the ~40 I’ve read. I’m originally from Connecticut, but have spent time in Chicago and now live in New Orleans. IMO weather should be secondary and culture the primary consideration when picking a place to live. Deciding on a home city/state largely for the sake of comfort is bullsh*t in my eyes. Yes it’s nice, but I live where I live for the experiences I have, not not because it’s nice to wear shorts in November. I imagine many readers of this blog are relatively clean cut 9-5ers with families, so priorities may differ, but I think the weather argument is overstated.

      Sorry If this post sounds all aggro, that’s just the way it came out of my head.

      1. I don’t think you’ve ever lived on the West Coast or stayed for an extended period of time. Chicago and NO are horrible compared to California! Night and day man.

        People who live there are usually STUCK there with no other choice.

  132. Speaking as a Londoner (UK) it’s notable that most big music trends, club trends and so on happen these days in miserable wet parts of the world. (Different in the old days, when Italy had an advantage from natural light and patrons, say!)

    Even in the US, the cool places culturally have been Seattle, New York, Portland, Boston etc.

    LA is fine when you get big and have already made it, but if the film industry hadn’t needed the weather then I doubt Hollywood would be there.

    Some food for thought! ;)
    .-= Monevator´s last blog ..Two new personal finance tools for Monevator readers =-.

  133. myfinancialobjectives

    Awesome, Awesome post. I live on the east coast and I am dying to move to Cali. I am actually going there for a week starting next Sunday and I can’t wait. This trip will be a “pre move scope out”.. So I’m pretty darn excited!

    The biggest thing the east coast has is DC. Not saying that because DC is AWESOME to visit, beautiful, or whatever (although DC does have some cool monuments, government buildings, etc), no what I mean is that DC supplies JOBS. Not just JOBS, but high paying GOVERNMENT and GOVERNMENT CONTRATOR jobs. I have not started a job hunt yet for my Cali relocation, but I’m curious to see what there is available out there.

    But yes, I’m with you, West Coast>East Cost
    .-= myfinancialobjectives´s last blog ..Consumer Debt =-.

    1. Carm Becktel

      Please people….as a native Californian I’m letting you know, calling the state “Cali” is like nails on a chalkboard to the ears of a native. 99.9% of those born and raised there NEVER call it that. And also, it’s Orange County, or OC for short. Again, no one born and raised in Orange County calls it “the OC”. Think about it. You don’t call Los Angeles, “the LA”, correct?

  134. NYC skyscrapers as the sun is going down! Being able to get good pizza at 2 in the morning. Did you know that NYC has a magic barrier that repels most major storms? If you get a chance to see the path of a major east coast storm you will see that most storms skip around LI and head up towards Boston. Really.

    And you never hear people kid about buying up PA real estate to get beach-front property when the big quake hits, yet you hear that joke all the time about Nevada.
    .-= FFB´s last blog ..Choices For Your 401(k) When You Leave Your Job =-.

  135. Okay…I am from the East Coast (Pennsylvania), and I love it!!! I currently live in Houston, and also lived in Florida for two years. Washington D.C. happens to be my favorite city:).

    Love to the East Coast!
    .-= Amanda L Grossman´s last blog ..Reading the Fine Print—My James Coney Island Experience =-.

  136. Lifelong (24 year) Massachusetts near Boston native here. I have to agree with the people stating how refreshing the change of seasons are. I may be a bit over the top, but the first couple really nice days after the winter when I can go out in shorts and a t shirt I go outside and pretty much smile uncontrollably, practically cackling with glee. Do you ever feel that much euphoria over a single day’s weather? It absolutely makes the winter worth it for me, along with the excitement of everything turning green again.

    I seriously am curious Sam, what are benefits of the West Coast other than sunny weather? I’ve only been out to California once, and I was 10 so I don’t remember. I mostly remember all the seagulls in San Francisco.

    Also, I prefer blizzards and not so bad hurricanes to earthquakes, mudslides, and wildfires. Not so many tornadoes around here.

    You don’t bring this up but commenters do; it’s hard to argue about property and cost of living points because there is so much variation along an entire coast or even in part of a state. I’d say COL and property-wise they’re pretty much a wash. We can join together and curse the midwest for low COL and large properties (without actually wanting to move there).

    Last point: NFL at 10am is just plain weird.

  137. @Kevin@InvestItWisely
    D.C. just got 3 storms this year all over 12 inches each. Two of them were over 30 inches. D.C. is hit or miss when it comes to weather. You get the cooler northern air, but you can also get the hot/humid southern air. Its part the Mid-Atlantic “charm”.

    I’m a Bostonian by heart. Winters +can+ be tough, but that’s what a nice fire and hot cocoa is for. You get on the slopes or chop some wood and trust me, you’ll be peeling off those layers. The winters in New Hampshire are magical. Hockey is also one hell of a way to meet new people and get back in shape.

    One post on here said that someone lost 6% of their weight by moving out West and that is great. What I would ask that person though, is how hard did they try to enjoy what the “cold” can offer you. I find snow football MUCH more fun than regular backyard football. When you tackle someone it doesn’t hurt as much, you get a much better workout and in the end you have a nice 12 pack sitting next to you on the sidelines, nice and cold for you!

    Its all perspective really. People on the EC tend to be more “driven” and work oriented (so I find) so maybe that translates well into finding fun things to do when the weather isn’t so perfect outside. Like other posters have said, if I didn’t have three other seasons, I wouldn’t appreciate the current one so much.

  138. Nunzio Bruno

    Hey Sam,

    Financially Digital is in Mass and I’ve lived on both sides of it, currently in Springfield, MA. One of the coolest things has to be the history – at least for me. I can’t tell you that the winters aren’t terrible sometimes but there’s so much culture packed in a not very big state. I mean In less than a two our drive you can go from a coastal capital city of Boston to the woods and mountains of the Berkshires. That’s got to count for something right? :) I haven’t been out to the west coast so I guess I’m pretty biased and from what I know I think San Fran would be an awesome place to be ( I mean Mythbusters is there). You can’t beat that financial markets wake up with us and go to dinner with us here too ;p
    .-= Nunzio Bruno´s last blog ..Fundamental VS Technical Analysis Part 1 =-.

  139. Having lived on the East Coast for the first 23 years of my life I can offer the following points:

    1. Plenty of cities close to each other. I remember flying from DC to Boston, we took off and went over Baltimore, Wilmington, Philly, NYC before landing in Boston. It was an hour flight- the same hour flight from LA to Phoenix had me looking out over desert for the journey.

    2. Zoning means you can have a big plot of land- my folks live in Suburban NJ and have a one acre lot. It seems like the best you can get in CA is 1/3 of an acre and you pay big bucks for that.

    3. The East coast has a much bigger concentration of good colleges & Universities than the West.

    4. Many small states means there is more competition with regard to tax structures and local business incentives. Ever wonder why so many companies are incorporated in Delaware? Or why people go to New Hampshire to work and live (no state income taxes and no sales taxes – just high property taxes). When you live in California you don’t have a choice. You are stuck with Prop 13 and when you move there you have to pay higher property taxes than other people. And you have to deal with the NIMBY (not in my backyard) movement that helped cause the electricty crisis under Gov. Davis.

    Don’t like a particular set of policies on the East Coast- just drive a few hours and move there- bam, you are in another state.

    5. I do very much like the West Coast weather however I think (Southern) CA is too sunny for me. Don’t laugh. I don’t like getting skin damage and extra wrinkles, would prefer a fresh overcast day with partial sun.

    6. Speaking of the sun, it does seem like many Californians are sun baked and generally not as alert as their East Coast counterparts. It’s charming at first but then it gets too dozy after a while. I’m referring to Orange county now.

    -Mike

      1. My sister lives in Costa Mesa so I hear enough OC bashing to feel like a residence. I did live in Cupertino for a year and would have to say that NoCal is basically another state from SoCal for all intents and purposes.

        All the companies you mention Sam are from NoCal, particularly the Bay area and I’d say that is out of the sun baked zone… In Socal there is Fluor, Qualcomm, Western Digital, Cardinal Healthcare (I think), Northrop, maybe I’m missing a few others?

        -Mike

  140. I can think of 2 major drawbacks of the west coast: Cost of housing + Traffic. I also agree with one of the above posters about proximity to lots of stuff. Where I am, in New England, I’m 2 hours to Boston, 3 hours to NYC, 5 hours to Montrael, 5 hours to Niagra Falls…3 hours to the beach, minutes to the mountains, not to mention all the places in between.

    I can Ski, mountain bike, rock climb or kayak after work because I don’t have to sit in an hour of traffic to get home.

    After all that, if COL was comparable, I’d still move to California in a heartbeat.

    1. I agree. I’m in North Jersey — I’m less than an hour away from the beach (about two hours from Wildwood, which is my favorite), and an hour away from skiing/hiking/mountain biking trails. A few hours further north are bigger mountains and trails. I think we have the best of everything if you’re into outdoor activities.
      .-= RainyDaySaver´s last blog ..Stocking Up Your Pantry: Yea or Nay? =-.

    2. There is a lot of cheap housing on the West Coast if you don’t live in SF or LA btw. That would be more an apples to apples comparison I think since you are driving to NYC etc.

      COL is nice…. but I will miss the water.

  141. That’s a really good point someone made about the north east having many big cities in one area. That can help with job searching and having lots of cool places to take fairly cheap vacations.

    I’m glad I’m not in the midwest myself. I have a friend that lives in North Dakota and it’s completely normal there to leave your car running when you go to the store in the winter time otherwise it may not restart when you get back! brrr I can totally understand how it’s hard to exercise when it’s freezing outside. I used to think that you could only get a good workout in sports outdoors until I tried playing squash last year for the first time. If you’ve never tried it, I guarantee you will walk away with your heart pumping, legs wobbly, and sweat dripping from every pore and it’s fairly easy to learn.

    I think both coasts have their pros and cons and I think it’s actually really rewarding being able to live in more than one place in a lifetime. There’s so much to see and experience in the US, let alone the world!

      1. I totally agree: only four months of good weather in the north east coast! What are your thoughts of south florida?

  142. I am from Phoenix, but I lived in Boston for a bit. Here are my pros and cons for living on the east coast (if you live in the city)
    PROS:
    1. The camaraderie and energy of the people living there
    2. The architecture
    3. The fall colors
    4. The city parks
    5. Being able to walk to the grocery store
    6. Culture at your fingertips
    7. If you aren’t in shape, you can hide your body under a big coat for 3/4 of the year
    8. You can peek into your neighbors’ living rooms as you walk the dog

    CONS:
    1. Shoveling your car from the snow before work (that is, if you can find/afford a parking spot)
    2. Small houses for insane prices
    3. Cold, cold, and more cold
    4. The beaches just aren’t as cool as those on the west coast

  143. savvysavingbytes

    I would live in exactly one place in this world and that’s New York City. The only other place I would even remotely consider is Paris.

    As for the west coast, I’ve visited there numerous times and lived in San Francisco for 10 months and couldn’t WAIT to get back to New York. The most important thing NYC has that CA doesn’t have is ENERGY. The city crackles with it. You walk out on the street and every inch of NY vibrates with life. Everywhere you go, you’re surrounded by people from all around the world. If I walk ten blocks in either direction I hit a world class museum. Glorious Central Park is around the corner, The variety of everything is unending. Choice is unlimited. Where else could you have a bunch of careers as I’ve had here?

    As for the weather, I happen to love the changing seasons. Santa surrounded by palm trees doesn’t do it for me. I also love snow and feel very alive on crisp cold winter days. I frankly found all that sun in California boring. I also felt uncomfortable with the low horizon and all that empty space. Give me a packed, full of life East coast city any day.

    By the way, many foods don’t taste better here simply because you’re eating them on the east coast. They taste better because they ARE better.
    .-= savvysavingbytes´s last blog ..In Praise of Material Things =-.

    1. True that! Why would anybody not want to live in NYC? You don’t get this kind of diversity and vibrancy anywhere else, not even in Paris or in London where I have also lived for a couple years. Nice, but nothing like NYC.
      .-= ctreit´s last blog ..Setting up a budget is the easy part =-.

  144. Er, always sunny? I live in Vancouver, BC and we have had the worst weather since I moved here in ’75. Rain, rain, rain, oh! What’s that yellow thing in the sky? Oops, it just vanished, rain, rain… I would enjoy your Boston, and the Eastern Seaboard immensely. Our East Coast is not my idea of fun.
    .-= Rosina´s last blog ..Friday’s Five, June 4, 2010 =-.

  145. I was born and raised in South Jersey and have lived in Philly, Anchorage, Chicago and now Seattle. (Although I’m writing this from Anchorage, where I’m house-sitting.) Some of my family members still live in Jersey, and that’s the reason I keep coming back. Well, that and the cheesesteaks.
    I do miss the sense of history, but I don’t miss the barely contained hysteria in so much of the lifestyle and people. It’s hard to explain, but everyone seems so tightly wound and freaked-out about things that don’t really matter that much. I started noticing that after living in Alaska for a while; I’d come back for a visit and everyone seemed so stressed and so angry.
    That said: I may have a chance to house-sit in the D.C. suburbs in the coming year, and I can’t wait for the chance to do the Smithsonian and other sights, as well as to take the train up to NJ to see family and maybe make day trips to New York and Philadelphia. Things are closer together there — another plus.
    .-= Donna Freedman´s last undefined ..If you register your site for free at =-.

  146. I left my hometown Brooklyn, NY 2 years ago to move to Austin, TX and even though its hard to admit it I prob should have left sooner. Most of my family and friends in NY would leave in a heart beat, but they have huge attachments and are afraid to leave what they know. I do miss my Caribbean food though.

  147. Roshawn @ Watson Inc

    Seriously, family is the main reason why we prefer to stay on the east coast. I thought the time-zone dominance point was funny. I guess that is an “advantage” of sorts.
    .-= Roshawn @ Watson Inc´s last blog ..Yakezie Round Up & Uncommon Money News (Vol. 97) =-.

    1. Same here, Roshawn. Our families came through Ellis Island back in the day, settled here (Northern NJ) and stayed. We have strong family ties here, and have no interest in leaving. Besides NYC, I love the proximity to other major cities, also — Boston, Baltimore, D.C., Philly are all a reasonable car ride away — and they’re historic. I need a place with some history.
      .-= RainyDaySaver´s last blog ..Manicures and Pedicures At Home =-.

  148. It depends on which east coast city you’re living in frankly. Living in NYC is one of the greatest places on earth if you can make a decent amount of money (100k+). DC has a lot of character, and the old south is quite intriguing as well.

    The weather really does suck for 6 months of the year, which causes my family and I to just stay inside, and get out of shape. When I moved out west, I lost 6% of my body weight just bc I was outdoors!

    If your friend has some friends and family out east, might help a lot!

  149. Ever location has it’s perks, you just need to know what they are and if they fit your lifestyle in my opinion. It can be cheaper to leave on the east coast sometimes but if you’re going to go batty because of the winter weather… well then it may not be worth the savings.

  150. Mike @ Saving Money Today

    @Everyday Tips

    “If I didn’t suffer through Michigan winters, I would probably not appreciate the beauty of spring and fall as much.”

    Never thought of it that way…interesting point.
    .-= Mike @ Saving Money Today´s last blog ..Would You Buy A House Without Seeing It First? =-.

  151. I live in the midwest, but have visited both the east and west coasts. For one, I think California is incredibly expensive. Given I have not visited the entire state, but I have been to San Diego, LA, San Francisco and Yosemite. I would not like having such a small yard and not having a basement in my house. Those are my west coast down-sides.

    Regarding midwest or east coast, I love 4 seasons. If I didn’t suffer through Michigan winters, I would probably not appreciate the beauty of spring and fall as much. I love taking off in February for a week to Florida and appreciating that wonderful weather. We have plenty of water and beaches in Michigan and I truly do enjoy it here.

    I also love the history of the east coast and the wonderful food. I actually am more drawn to the east coast that the west coast. I love storms and weather. I actually all that sun would get on my nerves.

    To each his own I suppose!
    .-= Everyday Tips´s last blog ..Exercise: Do You Really Have To Spend Much Money To Stay In Shape? =-.

    1. Amen Everyday tips! I love the east coast and weather is one of the most beautiful things about it, to me. So also is the “ free dom” in terms of how the people live. I a social worker, working on the east coast has been awesome! Job availability, and convenience and flexibility have been great!

  152. I live in sunny CA. However, some of my immediate family members live in New York and have been there for many years. I love visiting them, but always opt for late spring, early summer visits to avoid the cold winters or super muggy, hot days. That being said however, if weather is the only factor affecting someone’s decision to move some place new (this is the only reason my husband doesn’t want to move out of CA!), they are only looking at one part as opposed to the whole.
    .-= Little House´s last blog ..Tuesday Tips, Week 13 =-.

  153. If you think east coast weather is atrocious, try the Midwest. Winter lasts something like 6 months. The snow never melts. The temperatures occasionally get so low that your car has problems starting. On the upside, the summers are beautiful.

    From what I’ve seen when I’ve visited the East and West coasts, their cities both have the same problems – prohibitively high costs of living and excessive commute times. Both of which are bad enough to make me consider living elsewhere first. But I’d rather have those problems than any more Midwestern winters.

      1. I see more Cali cars in DC area everyday. They are horrible drivers and reading on blogs the most narsassistic winners here.Love the 4 seasons . I have been to social and aboslutly give a prayer of thanks I don’t live there.

    1. ……midwest is shit i live in missouri and the winters get to -20 and thats without wind chill and the spring is muggy 7/8 of the season to where u sweat as soon as u step outside. and summer is nice for maybe 2 weeks then gets to 112 plus heat index and gets very dry which isnt so bad but still hot. fall is amazing for the first part as soon as november hits it all goes down hill haha the leaves die off and the trees are bare you get cold ass rain midwest blows and im moving to california here in a month or 2 and cannot wait

  154. Mike @ Saving Money Today

    To be honest, your argument is pretty much spot on. If it wasn’t for our family and friends, and just being comfortable with what we know, we’d probably move out west where the weather is nicer.

    We do have some damn fine pizza and cheesesteaks though. And the tornadoes aren’t much of a threat.

    By the way, I like your use of the word “invaded” rather than the more common “settled” to describe the European migration to the new world (new to them at least).
    .-= Mike @ Saving Money Today´s last blog ..Would You Buy A House Without Seeing It First? =-.

  155. The sole reason you give for preferring the West Coast is weather. I live 50 miles east of Manhattan, and the weather here in winter is not nearly as bitterly cold as in the Midwest or Great Plains. We may get 1-2 big snowstorms (6-12″) a year but that’s it. Summers are humid but not unbearably so, and hurricanes and tornados are not common in New York. I am within easy driving distance of Washington to the South and Boston to the North, which together with Philadelphia and Baltimore give me immediate access to five of America’s major cities. Otherwise, you give a set of excellent examples for preferring the East Coast.

        1. The Financial Blogger

          Sam, tell me, what are the “so obvious” reason to live on the West coast? I don’t get it.

          I guess that earthquakes and forest fire are not part of the obvious reasons?
          or the 12% unemployement rate in California (NY is at 8.3%)?

          I think there are good things and bad things about both. And the only bad thing you have to say about the East Coast is the bad weather (having snow is great if you like saking or skying ;-) ).

          Then again, if you talk about the weather, why not moving to Cuba? ;-) hehehe.

        2. The Financial Blogger

          oh.. and I actually suffocate in my suit and tie when it’s 35 degrees ;-)
          Since I’m bald, hard sun on my head all year doesn’t sound like a good point for me ;-)

  156. Money Beagle

    Well, there are people that enjoy four season sporting. While the winters can drag, it’s nice having that change of season. Having the weather the same all the time is boring. I love the re-awakening that comes in the springtime when the world starts turning green again. I’ve heard that on the west coast you sort of measure time by presidential elections, that’s how much the same everything is all the time. No thanks!
    .-= Money Beagle´s last blog ..It’s That Time Of Every Two Years Again =-.

    1. Hmmm, never heard of measuring time by presidential elections. However, I have to admit that I often am oblivious to the intense heat, or blizzards CNN broadcasts often about the east coast b/c everything is so moderate here.

      It might be the same old weather (we do have a 2 month rainy season during winter), but it’s quite pleasant. Can save money on clothes this way too!
      .-= admin´s last blog ..An Extra Seven Hours A Week =-.

    2. News Flash! The west coast DOES have seasons – they just don’t hit you over the head that’s all. For instance during the winter months we can see the snow on the mountains and we can ski and snowboard. I guess for an easterner it’s not really winter unless you have to shovel snow out of your driveway… Thanks, but no thanks.

  157. Well, there are entire cities committed to old people, so I’m guessing when I get older I’ll always have a party to go to. But I can’t really think of many reasons because I’ve never been to the west coast.
    Having lived through many a hurricane I have less fear of those than I do of earthquakes, so maybe it’s more of a comfort thing. If I went through an earthquake I would probably crap myself.
    Not necessarily an east coast west coast argument but I’d rather live in Florida, like I do, than California because of the cheaper taxes and no IOU’s.
    .-= Kevin´s last blog ..Should I Buy This Book? Review: Student Entrepreneurs =-.

      1. Plus, you probably don’t have boiled peanuts in CA either
        .-= FinEngr´s last blog ..Fraud Prevention in Under 5 Minutes =-.

      2. There is no state tax in Texas either and we are 47th in education and have slashed women’s health programs. I want to move back to PA, much better in EVERYTHING compared to Texas, and I’m in Austin.
        And I miss skiing and the way autumn looks and feels and smells.

        1. Actually Texas has some of the best K-12 and high schools schools in the nation. It depends where you are.

      3. Boston is a great city (even though I like San Francisco better). But if your coming from Phoenix (which I don’t consider west coast) ANY coast is better. Phoenix is for rattlesnakes and coyotes, not humans. As for the food – the east coast has the Jewish deli down… but other than that the food sucks. Much more variety and innovation on the west coast, hands down. And if you’re on the east coast, don’t even try looking for Mexican, Thai, Japanese, Chinese, Indian, Korean, Persian or anything ethnic unless it’s Italian, which is pretty much all there is. Oh, and bring your own hot sauce ’cause the East Coast doesn’t know what “HOT” means. Oh, and there’s a reason why coffee never happens on the east coast without a ton of cream and sugar… because they don’t really like coffee – and don’t even get me started with wine. If you have a taste for wine and find yourself on the east coast, get something imported.

    1. They don’t happen very often but when they do… i think Earthquakes are fun! but usually i just sleep through them =(

  158. There are two weeks in autumn when the cool weather, clear blue sky, and a Persian carpet of changing foliage combine to create a landscape so close to heaven, I can handle the winter weather.
    Until about January.
    .-= Matt´s last blog ..Detour on the Road to Ruin =-.

    1. I agree — the fall is what makes us stand out. The spring isn’t anything to sneeze about, either (except for the random 90-degree days here and there).
      .-= RainyDaySaver´s last blog ..Manicures and Pedicures At Home =-.

      1. The highest number of prestigious high schools and colleges are in New England. At the college level, MA has Harvard, MIT, BU, and Northeastern. RI has Brown and Bryant. You can get a top notch education here. You can also get a good job here. I’m a paralegal in a large foreclosure law firm. Just be prepared to spend lots of time in the car! New England also values diversity. Lots of immigration so there’s a great deal of cultures. No one feels out of place, especially in large cities. East Somerville is on the sanctuary city list. There are many grant programs in MA encouraging small/local business so it’s an awesome place for entrepreneurs! Lots to love about New England. (A gorgeous Autumn doesn’t hurt either)

        1. Yeah right on with the sanctuary state of Massachusetts. That’s why our damn taxes are so high and continue to rise. We who are born and raised here call our nanny state Taxachusetts for a reason. People have to work xtra jobs here just to survive. And those are well educated people. The healthcare system Romneycare, is the worst and people, especially in western mass, suffer. New Englanders are tough and used to winter weather, and we have ac for summer. We know how to prep for bad weather. Problem is this generation of sissies with no common sense.

  159. What if the baseball team you follow is an East Coast team? What are you supposed to do, change baseball teams just so that you can live a happier life from that point forward? Wouldn’t that be taking the easy way out? I mean, come on.

    Rob
    .-= Rob Bennett´s last blog ..“You Might Want to See Somebody — This is Paranoia” =-.

  160. I love both coasts, but if I could move anywhere it would be Boston. I hate driving and pretty much anywhere in CA (except maybe SF) you have to be in the car ALL THE TIME. In northeastern cities, public transportation is clearly superior. I think a snowy winter sounds awesome (Jake wants to live in a place with seasons, since we don’t really have them in Phoenix except for summer) and even though I hate humidity I don’t think anything would scare me after 7 years of 110+ degree summers. The culture’s better than the west coast, the food’s better, the nightlife is better…love it!
    .-= Honey´s last blog ..How Likely Are You To Get Divorced? =-.

    1. You’re picking Boston, because you don’t like Calif. traffic? Are you kidding me? Have you seen Boston traffic?

      1. Boston traffic is awful! I live 35 miles from work. Driving in takes an hour, drive home is nearly 2 hours. I work west of the heart of Boston. It’s so brutal! But I wouldn’t trade the museums, musical theater, etc. for anything. Sadly, it’s got something like the 4th highest house prices in the USA. If you hate driving, don’t choose MA. Our train system is awful, too- your only option would be driving. If you don’t like driving, you won’t like rain or snow driving, and we get more rain than sun.

        1. I get that you think your traffic is bad, but I live 4 miles away from my work (in CA), and it takes me an hour. Bumper to bumper the entire way. 35 miles would take half a day! So no sorry CA is much much worse. Rent is $2500 for a 1 bedroom apt. Definitely over it.

          1. DC is the same. I make 45k a year (on paper) 23k after health ins and taxes is taken out. If I had NO bills at all, I could not afford an apartment here. I’ve been living with a friend for 20 years and paying utilities and buying all the food and stuff but, this place SUCKS. Traffic is a NIGHTMARE! I, honestly, cannot get 3 miles in under 30 minutes–sometimes longer. The weather is like this-Monday-Thursday can be sunny but , most of the time, it’s cloudy, overcast and humid as HELL. You can count on EVERY WEEKEND to be cloudy, overcast and rain or storms. Yeh, it’s the asshole of Hell. Not to mention the illegal alien infestation and gangbanger infestation. To Hell with this crap, I’ve been here 21 years on July 4th and I cannot wait to leave. This place is going down like the Titanic. The idiots spent BILLONS on a “road widening” project that , honestly, did NOTHING to alleviate the backup on 95/Route One. I have video of it –ANY GIVEN DAY, if you try to go from Alexandria to Woodbridge, or further South, you WILL be sitting in traffic for a MINIMUM of TWO HOURS to go 15 miles. I shit you not. Traffic, every day, in Alexandria near Fort Belvoir is a complete clusterfk. HATE, HATE,HATE NORTHERN VIRGINIA!!

            1. It’s not that bad I drive from southern md Calvert County in traffic takes 1 1/2 no traffic 45. I get on 695 go over to crystal city work in DC all over. Take the bus or subway stop crying your not going to make 45k else where after 20 years you should be making more than that. Maybe a new job may help.

            1. Agreed! Especially in California where you’re blessed with perpetually perfect weather! Get on your bike and pedal your way to work. If you’re worried about sweating, invest in an electrically assisted bike. No excuse for you. I live in Seattle and am 3 miles away from work. I absolutely love riding to work because it’s by far the fastest way for me to travel. Plus it saves me gobs time, money, and commuting stress!

          2. You’re comparing one of the few places in the West with traffic that is as bad as the worst on the East coast. LA traffic is extreme for the West and uncharacteristic if it. Traffic throughout the northeast is as bad and worse considering it’s over such a widespread region. The East is much more crowded with humanity than the West.

            1. I’ve lived in the east and west – I loved Seattle and hated Kentucky! I hated the humidity, loneliness, hipocracy, boredom, cigarette smoke, the fall is pretty but everything else sucks!

            2. We’re originally from Texas, so not exactly the West Coast, but relocated to Connecticut for work. I enjoy the history of the area, and the proximity to both NYC and Boston… but the awful weather, terrible infrastructure, and sky high taxes are completely not worth it imho. I love visiting New England but only as a tourist.
              We’re in the process of moving back to Texas and won’t ever live elsewhere again!

          3. 4 miles from work. Take a bike if you don’t want to drive. I would.
            Not sure where you live, but now where I’ve ever been in LA takes 1 hour for 4 miles, not even during rush hour. I work 11 miles from home and at rush hour morning and afternoon, takes 40 minutes, city proper.

    2. Hahahaha…ha. Boston. Ha.

      Boston is the single worst city in this entire country. Atrocious weather, atrocious roads, obnoxious people, idiotic culture.

    3. Boston is a great city (even though I like San Francisco better). But if your coming from Phoenix (which I don’t consider west coast) ANY coast is better. Phoenix is for rattlesnakes and coyotes, not humans. As for the food – the east coast has the Jewish deli down… but other than that the food sucks. Much more variety and innovation on the west coast, hands down. And if you’re on the east coast, don’t even try looking for Mexican, Thai, Japanese, Chinese, Indian, Korean, Persian or anything ethnic unless it’s Italian, which is pretty much all there is. Oh, and bring your own hot sauce ’cause the East Coast doesn’t know what “HOT” means. Oh, and there’s a reason why coffee never happens on the east coast without a ton of cream and sugar… because they don’t really like coffee – and don’t even get me started with wine. If you have a taste for wine and find yourself on the east coast, get something imported.

      1. I agree with every sentiment!
        I live 25 miles outside Boston in an affluent suburb and there is ONE restaurant in a 30 minute radius that I will eat at. Just ONE!

        I lived in SF for 20 years and took the food situation for granted. Here your only option is a pizza place and all nearly all restaurants configure their kitchens in such a way that cooked chicken tastes like charcoal and lighter fluid. I am so sadly accustomed to fresh iced tea that it took me six months to realize I just won’t get it here. I spend a ridiculous amount of time cooking now. Like, my whole life revolves around driving 40 minutes each way (without traffic) to the store to buy food that takes me the rest of the day to prepare.

        My allergies are haywire (in California I had zero allergies). I’m having vestibular and eye problems. I’m young and fit. This is purely environmental.

        Public transportation is bad and I am a person who loves getting around without a car. Driving is bad too. Divers run the spectrum from overly kind and patient to hellraising death wish.

        I love the space in MA. I live in a townhome and don’t hear anyone, ever. In SF I had to live with roommates because it was so expensive (even in my early 30’s!). Then, when I could afford to live alone, I had an overhead neighbor who vacuumed and rearranged furniture all night. I remember going to yoga classes where the mats were LITERALLY two inches apart. Parking takes 15-20 extra minutes, wherever you go, even if there’s a parking lot – because it takes that long to get in and out.

        The equation seems to be – how much you need the rad goods and services of other people vs how much they overwhelm you, while factoring in pollution, mold, darkness, snow and humidity.

      2. Funny, I live in a town of 48,000 people in one of the worst states in New England and I have access to all those foods within a two mile radius. Quality, not crap. Unfortunately there’s also six Dunkin Donuts within that same radius. I brew my own coffee from local roasters in a French press and don’t load it up with cream and sugar. The weather is mostly garbage except for the unfairly short summers and half of fall. Most of the people are selfish and have no consideration for the safety of others when they drive. That gives me intense anxiety. We don’t know what hot sauce is? That’s hilarious. Do you like it so hot that it makes your ears hurt when you breathe? Because we have that. I don’t like it here but a lot of what you said is inaccurate.

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