The idea to compare the East Coast vs West Coast came to us after one real estate article: “If you could, try to live on both coasts before settling in and buying a house”.
Well, we did it! Although we didn’t eventually buy a house, there wasn’t a more rewarding experience than living 8 years on the East Coast (NJ) and 6 years on the West Coast (WA).
Our kids were 7 y/o and almost 2 y/o before we moved from NJ to WA.
East Coast vs West Coast
The best of the East (NJ)
We liked the East Coast. We didn’t have family members there but had a close circle of friends, and once in a year or two were able to do trips like:
1. Going to Europe and the Caribbean. Easier and cheaper
Reaching the Dominican Republic from NY is possible in 4h. nonstop flight. (Same for Cancun, Mexico). From Seattle, it takes at least 9+ hours with a one-stop and higher price.
The same is true for Europe. From NY it takes 6-9 hours nonstop to reach places like Reykjavik, Paris, Frankfurt, and Amsterdam:
From Seattle, the same trips take around 18 hours. We did it once, which was too pricey and exhausting.
2. Ocean: warm to swim in
A gulf stream (strong ocean current), brings warm waters from the Gulf of Mexico into the Atlantic Ocean and extends along the East Coast to Canada. In NJ we enjoyed the ocean from July till October:
Florida, an East Coast gem, is a favorite vacation spot among Americans and Europeans. It has islands, warm, crystal water, white sand, Theme Parks, National Parks, and amazing wildlife-watching:
On the West Coast, it is too cold to swim, even on the southernmost point, San Diego.
3. Raising kids: schools are better, housing and activities are cheaper
We still get notifications about houses being sold in the area we were looking for in NJ. Pictured below: typical house in the part of the New York City metropolitan area with a great school district:
4. Visiting unique, vibrant cities: NY, Washington DC, Boston, and Philadelphia
NY, Washington DC, Boston, and Philadelphia have played a significant role in American history and remain a cultural center with iconic architectural landmarks. Visiting each of them is an unforgettable experience:
5. Weather and climate: 4 distinct seasons
In NJ we enjoyed more sunlight, vibrant colors of fall foliage, and the contrast between seasons. (In WA climate is milder and has more like 2 seasons: “summer and 9 months of fall-spring”).
6. People are much more open
It was pretty easy to make friends in NJ. People are warm, open, and curious, like “Where are you from? – Oh, cool, how is life there?”, etc.
What we noticed in WA, West Coast: no responding to “Hello”, avoiding eye contact; indifference, – happened often, and making friends took us a while to compare with NJ.
7. Little to no natural disasters
On the East Coast natural disasters are mostly limited to hurricanes.
On the West Coast, on the opposite side, tsunamis, strong earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions are possible and wildfires happen almost every year.
8. Hardly any homeless people insight
On the East Coast, we saw homeless people only in NY, in limited quantities. On the West Coast enormous amount of people live in the streets, including children.
The best of the West (WA)
1. IT paradise
Seattle area is home to some of the world’s largest and most influential technology companies, like Microsoft and Amazon. But there are also Facebook, Google, Zillow, Expedia, Starbucks, Nintendo, Boeing, and more.
2. Nature right in the backyard, wild and beautiful
It could be wet and windy, but people used to go outside to have fun. Pictured below: waterfall 20 min drive from our home, and paraglider on the outskirts of our town, Issaquah:
Nature became everything for us on the West Coast:
3. Excellent skiing, close by
The Cascade Range has one of the best skiing we have ever known, with real snow, high mountains, and night skiing:
If you/your kid is in love with winter sports, WA is a nice place to live!
4. Hawaii and Alaska are just 5 hours away
Flying from NY to Hawaii or Alaska takes around 12 hours, a non-stop flight, and a huge time change. For those, living on the West Coast, it’s so much easier and cheaper – just around 5 hours!
5. Laid back, more relaxed atmosphere
On the West Coast, we found a more active, laid-back, and non-judgemental society. You can be whoever you want to be in Seattle.
6. East Coast vs West Coast: driving culture
Driving is a pleasure in WA: nowhere else have we seen such polite, patient, and calm drivers.
7. The ocean is cold to swim in but dramatic
WA, Oregon coast might have greyish sand, but the coastline is unforgettable: pine trees, streams and waterfalls, and diverse landscape:
8. Marine life is rich and easily accessible
One of the cool things to explore during summer on the West Coast – is “tide pools”, pockets of water full of life left after the low tide.
Plus, there are orcas, sea otters, sea lions, and other creatures!
East Coast vs West Coast: Odds Nobody Will Tell You
- The West Coast lacks saunas, waterparks, and amusement parks (Oregon and WA).
- On the West Coast, it is ok to give birth with a midwife, at the birth centers, or at home. It is a completely normal practice.
- Plenty of vast, undeveloped land and Indian reservations: the closest was in 15-minute drive from our home in WA.
- The abundance of National Parks on the West Coast… A lot of volcanoes, mountains, beaches, deserts, painted hills…
- Despite it’s raining very often, it’s common practice for kids to play in any weather outside, at any age. At schools, daycare centers, etc.
East Coast vs West Coast, conclusion:
Both coasts are simply beautiful and there is no better, “East or West”, just personal preferences. We checked it out! 😉
After 14 happy years in the USA, we moved to … beautiful France!
Thanks for reading! Your support means a lot to us, and we’re happy to share our adventures with you!
