It’s good of you to forfeit your palate in this way. A sixer on ice for whenever you’re in the vicinity, just say the word. I’ll keep good thoughts for your well-being and sing your praises for the sacrifice. 
I was really confused how someone could mistake the west coast as the bad one, then I reas the OP, yep, there is no reason to come west.
I can’t imagine the population density out east. Even on the California coast where I grew up there are huge swaths of farm land and national forests, not being able to get away from people would drive me homicidal.
The OP obviously has absolutely zero clue or connection with reality, and so can be disregarded with impunity.
I regard this as a fair assessment.
I sense…an obsession.
Really dude, did the West Coast bite you as a child or something?
Where have you lived, that you are such an expert? I grew up in New York, and have lived in Boston, central Illinois, Louisiana, New Jersey (Princeton and environs, the nice part) and the Bay Area. California has better weather, better and more diverse food, real good cultural activities (not New York, but what is) and Silicon Valley which works for me. I’d hate to be poor and live here but with some money it is awesome. My kids went to public schools, and both went to great colleges, and got a good education.
But don’t come here, move to Oregon.
I was born in California and I’ve lived in Oregon most of my life, so I know what I’m talking about. People on the West Coast pay out of the nose for everything and get very little back in return for it, aside from access to nature and mountains which the eastern US also has. Plus they have sea water that’s actually warm enough to swim in on the east coast. California has more poverty than any other state when you adjust things for the cost of living, though New York state is not far behind due to the absurd cost of living in the NYC area. I’m glad your family has done well but the fact is it’s so much easier to do well in pretty much any other state, including the other western states.
I will give an exception to BC, I love that place but Washington, Oregon and California are not worth the cost of living there. If you have a lot of money California is a great place to live, but if you don’t it’s a drag. I have a friend who’s 33 and lives in San Jose without a car, he has no prospect of ever leaving his parents’ place and getting a studio let alone buying a house, and he’s more or less imprisoned from the suburban sprawl and lack of public transit. His only hopes are to become one of the many tech people (which he isn’t into as far as I know) or save up a few grand and get the hell out of there for greener pastures.
I will say Bay Area food is excellent, no question, but the food in Portland is very mediocre, probably no better than what you’d get in Minneapolis or Cleveland. Very few good Chinese restaurants in Oregon.
You’re essentially paying New York or Boston money for suburban amenities if you live in the Bay Area.
Shhh! Whats the matter with you? If they believe you, they will move in! We do not want that. We do not need this kind of attitude here. Keep that “back east”.
OP, You are so right, I can not imagine any place worse then the West Coast of either the USA, or Canada. To save your sanity, please stay in your eastern heaven. Do not even visit.
BC is really bad. They have way too many trees, it is not crowded, and there is almost no trash anywhere. The people are respectful & friendly. What kind of people act like this?
Western Oregon & Washington are really bad, No AC, & it rains 24/7/364. Summer is only one day long, & stuff molds there. In the eastern parts of these states, it is hot in the summer and bitter cold in the winter. These folks will overwhelm you with their friendliness. They can not scowl at you and make the rude gestures that you are so familiar with. Heck, they even smile & wave, and they do not even know you! If you get lost, they even try to help! What a bunch of losers!
I do not even want to discuss Alaska, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Utah, Nevada, Wyoming, or Colorado.
Lets not mention the South West of the US! It is really bad there. Way too much empty land with no skyscrapers in sight. How can anyone live like that? Mild winters, but HOT summers. The only relief is going into the mountains where it is cool. Noone wants to do that.
Then there are all of the State, Providential, & National parks, Monuments, & Forests to clutter up the country. Who want to look at that kind of thing? Not to mention the scenic byways. Too many of those & not enough toll roads. Yes, better stay away from this area. It is simply not civilized!
Actually that’s one of my biggest problems with living in Oregon, come to think of it. People are so unfriendly here. I’m far from an extrovert myself, but I hate how most people here will give you an ugly look if you say hello to them when you’re hiking. I don’t feel entitled to small talk or anything but people on the West Coast are downright snobby and passive aggressive. At least back East people will be honest if they don’t like you. Out West people will talk to you for years yet secretly hate your guts.
Whenever I travel to Canada or the Midwest I notice people are way nicer than they are here. People on the West Coast just aren’t into getting to know new people.
Just split the difference and move to Madison. It is a nice, laid back college town (heck, Wisconsin is a college town), people are fairly decent and forthright, and the weather is only brutal for about ten months (April and October are tolerable). Just get used to beer as a foodstuff.
I considered it actually, it sounds like my kinda place. 
I still might eventually.
Once you start complaining about “snobs” you have pretty much lost any hope of presenting a rational argument. “Oh, I don’t like the snobs” is something that makes sense only if you’re an outsider in high school or living in Buckingham Palace.
There must be a reason that so many people live in California, though. Almost 40 million people live in California; many states don’t have a million, for all that you say they’re better. Why is that? If you haven’t left yet, why not?
The answer, of course, is that California must have much to recommend it. I am sure it has much against it, but everyplace does.
Possibly. It’s the old deal of the devil you know vs the one you don’t. I just keep coming back to PA.
I moved to Boston in late August to go to school. I grew up in the Central Valley of California (a truly horrible place. Seriously, don’t go there. I’m not joking or trying to be cute. The chief export is sadness and math). When I was in the military I lived in Albuquerque, NM and Las Vegas. After I got out I lived in Santa Barbara, Solvang, Davis, and Sacramento. So I’ve been around.
My wife LOVES New England. Loves it. I think she wants to stay here. She enjoys the “seasons” (or so I’m told they’re called. Apparently there’s four of them), doesn’t mind the cold, and loves the buildings. I think she can give up Boston, but definitely wants to stay in New England.
Me: I miss California. I hate San Francisco, but luckily there’s so much more to the state than that. I miss Santa Barbara. But even if I couldn’t live there I’d be more than happy to spend out the rest of my days in Davis. The high today in Boston is mid-30s. I’m longing for that dry heat of the desert. I’m not bothered by 100+ weather.
We clearly live in different Oregons. I have had no trouble making good, good friends here and have seldom encountered anyone who is deliberately nasty.
When my husband died, we had been here for less than 3 years. His memorial service was extremely well attended and those in attendance were genuinely affected by his loss. People brought firewood from as far away as the eastern part of the state; others pitched in for months after to help finish up the remodel on our home that was only two-thirds completed at the time of his death. They did it out of the goodness of their hearts and my only repayments were a good, home cooked meal along with a few libations.
I have a wide circle of friends who are able and willing to come lend a hand whenever I have need of them – and I do the same in kind. We’ve done more than one “barn raising” project for each other. I’m pretty extroverted, but all things being equal I found it much easier to make genuine, forthright friendships here than I ever did in California. I love California, too, but there is no comparison in this aspect of the two places.
I find most Oregonians far from pretentious. They are hard working and generous with their time. They don’t give a damn what clothes you’re wearing or what purse you carry – or if you carry one at all. What matters is if you’re a stand-up sort.
I’ve lived in California, both the Bay Area and near Morro Bay in San Luis Obispo; also Utah, Montana and Idaho – so I have some bases of comparison. Nowhere has ever felt more like “home” than Oregon, for me. I’m sorry your Oregon is so different than mine.
Would move out West in a heartbeat if I could. West of the Rockies & anywhere from San Diego to Vancouver. Not that there aren’t some lousy places out there too, but I don’t tolerate humidity very well. When most people here moan about the winter, I can’t wait for October, when I can finally turn off my ac, which has been running basically nonstop since May. :o
By that logic, China and India are the best places in the world to live? And to answer your question, because living on the West Coast makes it harder to save money and moving ain’t cheap!
I think the main appeal of California to people is hot dry weather. You’re definitely not going to find the charm or greenery (aside from conifers) that you’ll find in the Northeast.
If California didn’t have its overrated hot weather, it wouldn’t have anything going for it aside from nature. And let’s be honest, people might act like it sometimes, but the West isn’t the only part of the country with nature! The Appalachians are just as awesome as the Rockies, they’re just completely different. I actually prefer the eastern greenery over the ruggedness of the West, but maybe that’s just because I’m from the West so the “grass is greener” so to speak.
If I HAD to move from Colorado, I would certainly move further west before ever considering east.
My experience with people in Central or Eastern US has never been good. Seems I always run into bigoted sports fanatics.