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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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.
terrible? new york and montreal have terrible food? sounds like you haven’t spent any time here…….
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..
Cold winters could freeze pipes and cause them to burst though. Tradeoffs for everything.
All one has to do is run a trickle of water through the pipes.
Cool. Sounds like a simple solution. I wonder why pipes ever freeze then.
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
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?
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.
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.
“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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!!
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?
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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
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!
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.
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.
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 .
“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.
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.
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
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
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. :(
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.
Cool you moved out to NOVA. I used to live there for high school. Why did you go?
You’ll like this post. It chronicles some racism I experienced in Virginia:
The Importance Of Feeling Consistently Uncomfortable For Progress
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
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!
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.
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.
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 .
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!
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!!!
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.
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!!!
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.
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!
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.
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.
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.
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.