After a woman went viral on TikTok explaining the “clear difference” she noticed after switching from a Republican-leaning to a Democratic-leaning state, members of the BuzzFeed community who did the same (and vice versa) have stepped up to share their stories. Here are the main, big differences people living in blue-leaning and red-leaning states noticed:
1. “When I lived in blue states, I felt like my vote mattered more. I never saw the candidate I voted for actually win my state’s electoral votes. I was wrong. Now, I realize the opposite is true. My vote matters more in red states, and the Republican Party wants you to feel apathetic and powerless.”
David Di Delgado/AFP via Getty Images
——Promising Young Woman
2. “I grew up in New York and ended up moving to Florida for job opportunities. It was… totally different than New York, but overall, the people here were nice. I wasn’t involved in politics, so that’s probably why it was easier for me to adjust.”
——Anton, 42 years old
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3. “It’s a stupid idea on my part, but once I moved from a rural red area to a blue area, I never got accused of trying to steal someone else’s shitty boyfriend. Almost every woman I know who moved from a red area to a blue area got accused of that in their red hometown. Like, ma’am, only Tyler from Jiffy Lube actually spent his first paycheck on the biggest, loudest, ugliest truck he could find.”
——Legend of Witchcraft 85
4. “We moved to Arizona from Nebraska when we retired. Aside from getting to deal with some fanatical friends, we love it here. It was frustrating to see Arizona go for Trump in the last election, but overall, Arizona is still a wonderful place for retirees and families “In Nebraska, I knew if I spoke out about my more liberal views, I would be kicked out of the room with a pitchfork. There was one time where we had a very, very small Black Lives Matter group show up in bulletproof vests with guns.”
“People drove by and threw water on my family, including our 10-year-old grandson. They drove monster trucks in front of protesters, spewing diesel fumes into their engines and laughing. Shame on them all.”
—Grumpy Truck 292
5. “I’m a veteran and retired teacher. I lived in Illinois most of my life, but when my daughter left home I decided to move to a warmer climate closer to the beach. I ended up moving to North Carolina. That was in 2015. Wilmington was okay because the population was more diverse, but then MAGA moved in and I no longer felt safe. I lived with my black partner and I felt like I was living in 1955 Years. Overt racism was not uncommon. People mentioned that black people were seen as ‘people of color’ and they had guns on their waists while shopping at the grocery store, and I was even advised to stop teaching about civil rights and that I would never leave here again or you would pay the price.”
-Amber, Illinois
6. “I live in blue state Illinois but recently moved to a red country county because it was cheaper. I have to put up with very stupid, insular people, many of whom stare at Fox News all day long and believe all the lies. It’s hard to believe how many of them are on Medicare and Medicaid. They are poor, but give Trump credit, he just made them stupid and poor.”
—Purple Goat 4588
7. “I grew up in a blue state and have lived in blue-leaning states most of my life. I now live in Florida, where I have to watch what I say and who I say it to because there always seems to be an angry MAGA member ready to argue—or worse. I’ve even changed my party affiliation for security reasons.”
-anonymous
8. “The cost of living is very low in red areas, but there are no jobs. Blue areas have everything you want, but you can never afford it.”
-Collapse
9. “I grew up in northern Virginia, which is very liberal and wealthy, but I spent every summer with my family in Florida. Now, I live in a less liberal but still liberal area of southeastern Virginia. I love being from Virginia and am genuinely very grateful for the benefits that come with living here. I also love serving as a public servant in this state. Every time we visit my family in Florida it’s like being on another planet. People are so picky and picky. Huge billboards saying “Repent” or “Burn in Hell” are everywhere, as are signs for gun stores, sex shops, churches or anti-abortion clinics.
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—Eleanora, 25, Virginia
10. “I grew up in Minnesota and lived in Wisconsin, South Carolina and South Dakota. What surprised me the most was the vast difference between Minnesota and South Dakota, since they are neighbors. South Dakota is very Christian and conservative, while most of Minnesota is pretty liberal. I actually feel more comfortable as a minority in South Carolina than in South Dakota. What I learned, though, is that there are real conservatives and real liberals out there if you know where to look. Every state has pockets of liberals.”
-anonymous
11. “I’ve lived in 12 states across the country, including Hawaii (but not Alaska), big cities (New York, San Francisco, and Houston), and small cities including college towns. Everyone seems to comment on politics and cost of living, so here are some other differences. First is the food. Being the thief in my family, I know a lot about food and wine in different regions. Frankly, the food in the Midwest sucks, and there are places where the food is terrible.” The regional cuisine of Southern states is amazing, and the culinary diversity of big blue-state cities is very enlightening. “
“Second, culture and art. It’s impossible to compete with the museums and high art in the big cities in blue states, but there are excellent orchestras and local arts to enjoy everywhere. Finally, over the years, I have developed a basic understanding: There are positives and negatives wherever you go. If you focus on the good, respect the positive, and ignore or avoid the negative, life will be great anywhere.”
—Famous Salt 737
12. “I grew up in a metro area in Central Florida that was pretty purple politically. I moved to the Philly area a few years ago and I was shocked by the differences here. While Philly can be dangerous, the suburbs I live in are much safer than where I lived in Florida. Also, the politics aren’t in your face all the time, and the people in Philly are actually nice. Probably the biggest argument I see is people complaining about who opens the Wawa. Also, the quality of the schools, the health care is better, and the overall quality of life is better.”
—brandonbear35
13. “I grew up in Missouri and then moved to California. Politics aside, the food is so much better here. Seriously. Everyone should have a California burrito once in their life.”
—Anonymous, 37, California
14. “I moved from Pittsburgh to a beach town in Florida and then back to Pittsburgh ten years later. My partner is European. I was enchanted at first by the weather and the beach life; the Florida town I moved to was lovely, but it had not voted Democratic at any level since FDR. The staff there were mostly people, teachers teachers, government workers, and hospital workers, yet they religiously vote against their own interests. It’s very strange to be back in the suburbs of Pittsburgh. The quality of education, friendliness of strangers, cost of living, and even drivers who obey traffic rules are much better than in Florida.”
—Anonymous, 72, Pennsylvania
15. “I lived in eastern Idaho for 17 years. I was an atheist but never told anyone. The population of eastern Idaho is mostly Mormon and very conservative. I was a public school teacher, but students and colleagues often asked me about my religion. The state was beautiful, with mountains and high desert, and the cost of living was low, but I was miserable. Eventually, I moved west to Oregon, closer to the coast. The cost of living was much higher, but no one asked me about my religious or political preferences here, and I will never move again.”
-Mary, 73, Oregon
16. “I am retired and flew from Colorado to Texas because of the warm winters and closer relatives (in small town Texas). In Texas we are very careful about who we talk to and what we say, especially when it comes to politics and religion. There is a certain sense of independence and pride that ‘everything is better in Texas,’ but that is not the case. The state favors the rich, misleads ordinary people into voting against their interests, and tries to control children’s minds and women’s health.”
-anonymous
17. Finally: “I grew up in California and joined the Army when I was 17. I was lucky; except for a few deployments, I spent most of my time on the West Coast. When we left the Army, my husband and I moved to red states for jobs. We always swore we would leave, but it never became possible until last fall. Now, 20 We are moving back to California after many years. As a disabled vet, I have more support there. My kids get free tuition and the health care is great – they have a wider variety of products and they are much cheaper.”
“We pay a lot more for gas and technically the utilities are higher too, but since we downsized the house the bills are pretty comparable. Most importantly though, people actually care about others. There are groups that get together and prepare baskets for families in need, for example. Not essential, it’s just for fun. It’s completely secular; no religious requirements and no judgment. It’s also an absolute breath of fresh air coming from one of those “poor people don’t deserve cookies” places. There’s a library, book events, people reading to the kids… lots of activities with no agenda.”
——Anonymous, 43 years old
What is your experience if you move from a Republican-leaning state to a Democratic-leaning state or vice versa? Share it with us in the comments, or you can submit your story anonymously using the form below.
NOTE: Some submissions have been edited for length and/or clarity.
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