USA
17 Wild, Horrifying, Or Staggering Differences Between Living In A Red Vs. Blue State, According To People Who’ve Lived In Both
After boosting a viral tiktok After a woman described the “stark differences” she noticed after moving from a Republican-leaning state to a Democratic-leaning state, members of the BuzzFeed Community who had done the same (and vice versa) came forward to share their own stories. Here it is big, wild differences People living in both blue-leaning and red-leaning states noticed that:
1. “Living in a blue state, I felt like my vote mattered more. I’d never seen a candidate I voted for win Electoral College votes in my state. I was wrong. Now I realize the opposite is true. My vote matters a lot more in a red state, and the GOP wants you to feel apathetic and powerless.”
DAVID DEE DELGADO/AFP via Getty Images
2. “I grew up new Yorkand eventually moved to Florida for a job opportunity. It’s quite different from NYC but overall the people are very nice. “I don’t get into the politics of things, so it was probably easier for me to adjust.”
—Anton, 42
Relating to: If You Can Pass This Geography Quiz, You’re Officially Smarter Than the Average American
3. “Mine is so stupid, but when I moved from a rural red district to a blue district, I was never again accused of trying to steal someone’s subpar boyfriend. Almost all the women I know who moved from a red district to a blue district were accused of this in their red hometowns. The lady, for example, was Tyler from Jiffy Lube, who literally spent her first paycheck on the biggest, loudest, ugliest truck she could find.”
4. “We moved from Nebraska to Arizona when we retired. Other than having to deal with a few MAGA crazy friends, we love it. It was very disheartening to see Arizona go for Trump in the last election, but overall AZ is still a great place for retirees and families. In Nebraska, I knew that if I spoke about my more liberal views, I would be chased out of the room with pitchforks. The right-wing conservatives out there are radicals. There was a small Black Lives Matter meeting in our small town, and the guys showed up with bulletproof vests and guns.” “There was.”
“People passed me and threw water on my family, including our 10-year-old grandchild. They drove their monster trucks past the protesters, shot the engine to make diesel fumes, and then started laughing. Shame on THEM ALL.”
5. “I am a former military and retired teacher. I lived most of my life in Illinois, but when my daughter left home I decided to move to a warmer climate near the coast. I ended up in North Carolina. This was in 2015. Wilmington was okay because the population was more diverse, but then MAGA moved in and I stopped feeling safe. I lived with my Black partner and felt like I was living in 1955. Overt racism was not uncommon. People called Blacks: ‘colored,’ on the hips They were dealing with firearms and there were Trump signs everywhere. I was even advised not to teach Civil Rights. I stayed for seven years before moving back to Illinois. I’ll never leave again or you’ll pay the price.
—Amber, Illinois
6. “I live in Illinois, which is a blue state, but I recently moved to a red rural county because it’s cheaper. I have to put up with some really stupid, disconnected people, most of whom are glued to Fox News all day and believe all the lies. It’s hard to believe how many of them are on Medicare and Medicaid. They’re very poor, but I praise Trump for keeping them stupid and poor.”
7. “I grew up in a blue state and have lived mostly in blue-leaning states. Now I live in Florida, where I have to be careful 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 even changed my party affiliation for safety reasons.”
-Anonymous
8. “In the red zones it’s very cheap to live but there are no jobs. In the blue zones there’s everything you could want but you’ll never be able to afford any of it.”
9. “I grew up in Northern Virginia, which is VERY liberal and affluent, but I spent every summer in Florida with my family. Now, I live in a not-so-liberal, but still liberal, area in Southeastern Virginia. I love being from Virginia, and I’m really grateful for the benefits I get from living here. I also love being a public school teacher in this state. Whenever we visit my family in Florida, it’s like we’re on another planet. It’s crazy to drive through the Bible Belt. People are so judgmental and Narrow-minded! It says ‘REGRET’ on it.” or ‘BURN IN HELL’ are ubiquitous along the interstates, and Confederate flags are also common alongside gun shops, sex shops and churches or anti-abortion clinics.
“This is very strange and frankly scary. I’m Cuban and best friend He is a black man. We went to visit my family and Disney We were rightfully afraid of stopping for lunch or bathroom breaks on Earth in the summer of 2024. And we were VERY careful when we did it because we were really afraid of being harassed, shot, or both.”
—Eleanora, 25, Virginia
10. “I grew up in Minnesota and lived in Wisconsin. South Carolinaand South Dakota. The most surprising thing to me was the huge difference between Minnesota and South Dakota because they are neighbors. South Dakota is very Christian and conservative, while Minnesota leans very liberal in most of the state. As a minority, I felt more at home in South Carolina than in South Dakota. “But I’ve learned that there are really conservative and really liberal parts of every state if you know where to look.”
-Anonymous
11. “I have lived in 12 states all over the country. Hawaiibut excludes Alaska, larger cities (NY, SF, and Houston) and smaller cities, including college towns. Everyone seems to be commenting on politics and the cost of living, so here are some other differences. First there’s the food. As my home rustler, I learned a lot about the food and wine of different regions. Frankly, the food in the Midwest is terrible, and some of the regional dishes in the Southern states are amazing. “The culinary diversity of major cities in blue states is very eye-opening.”
“Second, culture and art. It is impossible to compare the museums and high art of major cities in the blue states, but there are good orchestras and regional arts to enjoy everywhere. Finally, over the years I have developed a basic understanding: there are positives and negatives everywhere you go. If you focus on the good and respect the positives and ignore or avoid the negatives, life can be good anywhere.”
12. “I grew up in Central Florida, in a very politically purple metropolitan area. I moved to the Philadelphia area a few years ago and was shocked by the differences. While Philly can be dangerous, the suburbs I live in are much safer than where I lived in Florida. Also, politics isn’t always shoved in your face, and people in Philly are actually nice people. The biggest argument I see is people complaining about who keeps the door open at Wawa. Additionally, there’s the quality of medical care. The care is better, the overall quality of life is better, too.”
13. “I grew up in Missouri and moved to California. Politics aside, the food is MUCH BETTER. Seriously. Everyone should eat a California burrito once in their life.”
—Anonymous, 37, California
14. “I moved from Pittsburgh to a small coastal town in Florida and returned to Pittsburgh 10 years later. My partner is European. At first I was fascinated by the weather and beach life; the Florida town I moved to was beautiful, but had not voted for a Democrat at any level since Roosevelt. The people, teachers, government workers, and hospital staff, make up most of the jobs there, but religiously vote against their own interests. It’s weird. Moving back to Pittsburgh. The suburbs were like a return to civilization. Education, the friendship of strangers, The cost of living and services and even the quality of drivers obeying the rules of the road were much better, and although the winters were less welcoming, the quality of life was much better than in Florida.”
—Anonymous, 72, Pennsylvania
15. “I lived in Eastern Idaho for 17 years. I was an atheist but I didn’t tell anyone. The population in Eastern Idaho is mostly Mormon and very conservative. I was a public school teacher, but I was often asked about my religious beliefs by students and co-workers. The state was beautiful, with mountains and high desert and a low cost of living, but I was miserable. I eventually moved west to Oregon, near the coast. The cost of living is much higher, but it’s worth it. No one here asks about my religion or political preferences, never move again.” I won’t.”
—Mary, 73, Oregon
16. “I’m retired and fly like snowbirds from Colorado to Texas because the winters are warmer and I have close relatives (in a small town in Texas). In Texas, we’re very careful who we talk to and what we say, especially about politics and religion. There’s a certain kind of independence and pride that ‘everything is better in Texas,’ but it’s not. The government favors the rich, misleads the average Joe into voting against its own interests, and controls the minds of children and the health of women.” He’s trying to.”
-Anonymous
17. Finally: “I grew up in California, then joined the Army at 17. I was pretty lucky; with the exception of a few assignments, I was mostly on the West Coast. When we got out of the Army, my husband and I moved to a red state to work. We swore we’d get out, but that wasn’t possible until last fall. Now, more than 20 years later, we’re moving back to California. I already get more support there than I’ve ever received as a disabled vet. It’s my little red state. My kids get free education.” The health care is much better, the markets have a lot more variety and the products are amazing in comparison.
“We pay a lot more for gas, and the electric bills are technically higher, but since we’re downsizing, the bills are pretty similar. But the biggest thing is that people actually care about others. For example, there are groups that come together and create baskets for families that need help, including non-essentials, just for fun. It’s completely secular; there are no religious requirements and there’s no judgment. It comes from one of those ‘poor people-don’t-deserve-cookies’ places, it’s such a breath of fresh air.” There are also books: working libraries, book tours, events where people read books to children… There are many programs that do not have an agenda.
—Anonymous, 43
If you moved from a Republican-leaning state to a Democratic-leaning state or vice versa, what was your experience? 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.
