I imagine that at least one major difference is that the population density difference between Northern California and the Northeastern US means that people are a lot less tense in, say, Sacramento, than in New York City.

Well, for one thing, the entire West Coast is much less conscious of assigning status based on what school you went to or what religion you are. I remember being shocked to be asked those questions by people I was meeting for the first time. If I answered, I could wheels turning as I was slotted in to their mental rolodex.

Another difference is that people in Northern California (and the West Coast as a whole, again), are smart, but do not spend much of their social time discussing politics or the issues of the day. That tends to be more of a Northeast corridor pastime.

Californians and Northwesterners are much more likely to be outside in their leisure time enjoying the woods, mountains, trails or waters.

Adoption of new ideas (say in health care or other social norms) tend to travel from west to east in the country.

I moved from the Northeast to Northern California for the sake of true love. Culture shock hit me so hard that I felt like I was in a foreign country. It took me three years to begin to acclimate. When I was new here, I wrote a series of articles about the differences. Let me see if I still have a copy.

For the sake of a reference point, which area is home to you?

I moved from New England to Northern California and have noticed these two differences:
1.) Very hard to find iced coffee in Northern Cal, whereas it is ubiquitous in New England
2.) Fewer Jewish people in Northern Cal (at least it seems that way) and occasional mildly insulting comments about Jews, which I never encountered in New England (although none directed personally)

I live in NorCal.
Differences include our keeping the water on our left.
You can swim in the ocean here.
We are much more casual.
Our Governor can beat up your Governor.

i wish i lived in san francisco :( ayyy. i prefer the weather there and the people and the scenery and the everything?

Northern Cali has some bodicious, crip Purple Sinsemilla up there in Humboldt County.

@jeruba I’m from the Northeast, but just spent the summer in San Francisco.

@filmfann…Way too cold to swim in the ocean :(

@lrk That is true most of the summer. Late summer is not too bad. My point was about the pollution.