After featuring a viral TikTok of a woman explaining the “stark differences” she noticed after moving from a Republican-leaning state to a Democratic-leaning state, members of the BuzzFeed community who did the same — or vice versa — came forward to share their own stories. Here are the major and wild differences that people who have lived in both blue-leaning and red-leaning states have noticed:
1. “I felt like my vote mattered more when I lived in a blue state. I’ve never seen a candidate I voted for actually win the Electoral College vote in my state. I was wrong. Now, I realize the exact 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
—promising young woman
2. “I grew up in New York and ended up moving to Florida for a job opportunity. It’s…quite different from NYC, but generally the people are really nice. I don’t get into the politics of things, so that’s probably why it was easier for me to adjust.”
– Anton, 42 years old
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3. “Mine is silly, but once I moved from a red country to a blue one, I was never accused of trying to steal someone’s wrong boyfriend again. Almost every woman I know who moved from a red to a blue country was accused of it in their red hometowns. The biggest, loudest, ugliest truck they could find.”
— witch legend85
4. “We moved from Nebraska to Arizona when we retired. Except that we have to deal with a few MAGA-crazed friends, we love it. It was so disheartening to see Arizona go to Trump in the last election, but overall AZ is still a great place for retirees and families. In Nebraska, I knew that if I talked about my more liberal views, I would be disappointed in the right. The conservatives there are radical. Once, I had a tiny Black Lives Matter gathering in our small town, and men in anti-obnoxious vests and guns showed up.”
“People drove by and threw water on my family, which included our 10-year-old grandson. They drove their monster cars through the protesters and gunned the engine to spew diesel fumes, and then ran away laughing. Shame on ALL of them.”
—grumpytruck292
5. “I’m a military veteran and a retired teacher. I lived in Illinois most of my life, but when my daughter left home, I decided to move to a warmer climate near the beach. I ended up in North Carolina. That was in 2015. Wilmington was good because the population was more diverse, but then MAGA moved and I stopped feeling safe. It’s not uncommon, people were referring to black people, they were gun shopping in my hips and the signs of Trump were everywhere.I was even suggested not to teach about Civil Rights, before I moved back to Illinois, I will not ask for an absolute price.
—Amber, Illinois
6. “I live in a blue state, Illinois, but recently moved to a rural red county because it’s cheaper. I have to put up with really stupid, disconnected people, many 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 so stupid poor, just to praise the stupid.”
—purple goat4588
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 watch what I say and to whom, because there always seems to be an angry MAGA member ready to pick a fight – or worse. Just to be safe, I’ve even changed my party affiliation.”
-Anonymous
8. “Red areas are very cheap to live in, but there are no jobs. Blue areas have everything you could ever want, but you’ll never be able to afford anything.”
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9. “I grew up in Northern Virginia, which is VERY liberal and wealthy, but spent every summer with my family in Florida. Now, I live in a not-so-liberal, but still liberal, area in Southeast Virginia. I love being from Virginia and am truly grateful for the benefits I get from living here. I also love being a public school teacher in this state. Through the Bible Belt it’s wild. People are so judgmental and short-minded. Massive billboards with “REPENT” or “BURN IN HELL” are everywhere, and Confederate flags are also very common for gun stores, churches, and anti-abortion clinics.
“It’s so weird and honestly scary. I’m Cuban and my best friend is black. We drove to visit my family and go to Disney World in the summer of 2024 and we were scared to stop for lunch or bathroom breaks. And when we did, we were so careful because we were really terrified of getting shot, harassed, or both.”
—Eleanora, 25, Virginia
10. “I grew up in Minnesota and lived in Wisconsin, South Carolina, and 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 is pretty liberal in most of the state. As a minority, I felt more at home in South Carolina than in South Dakota.”
-Anonymous
11. “I’ve lived in 12 states in every part of the country, including Hawaii, but excluding Alaska, big cities (NY, SF, and Houston) and smaller cities, including college towns. Everyone seems to comment on politics and cost of living, so here are some other differences. First, there’s the food. As a foodie at home, I’ve learned a lot about the food in my region. The Midwest is terrible, and some of the regional cuisine of the southern states is amazing.The culinary diversity of the big cities in the blue states is so enlightening.
“Second, culture and the arts. It’s impossible to match the museums and high arts of the big cities in the blue states, but there are good orchestras and regional arts to enjoy everywhere. Finally, over many years, I’ve developed a basic understanding: there are positives and negatives everywhere. If you focus on the good and respect the positives, the negative can be ignored or avoided anywhere.
—famoussalt737
12. “I grew up in central Florida in a metropolitan area that was pretty purple politically. I moved to the Philadelphia area a few years ago, and the differences were shocking to me. While Philly can be dangerous, the suburbs I live in are much safer than where I lived in Florida. Also, the politics are not shoved in your face. You might see people complaining about who’s holding the door open at Wawa. Plus, the quality of care medical care is better, as is the overall quality of life.
—brandonbear35
13. “I grew up in Missouri and moved to California. Politics aside, the food is WAY BETTER. Like, seriously. Everyone should have a California burrito at least once in their life.”
— Anonymous, 37, California
14. “I moved from Pittsburgh to a small beach town in Florida and back to Pittsburgh after 10 years. My partner is European. I was captivated by the weather and the beach life at first; the Florida town I moved to was wonderful, but it hasn’t voted for a Democrat at any level since FDR. People, teachers, government workers, and hospital staff mostly vote for their jobs, but they mostly vote for their jobs. Weird. Moving back to the suburbs of Pittsburgh was like a return to civilization, the friendliness of strangers, the cost of living and services, and even the quality of drivers obeying the rules of the road were all better, and although the winters are less welcome, the quality of life was much better.
— Anonymous, 72, Pennsylvania
15. “I’ve lived in eastern Idaho for 17 years. I’m an atheist, but I haven’t told anyone. Most of the population in eastern Idaho is Mormon and very conservative. I was a public school teacher, but I was frequently asked about my religious beliefs by students and colleagues. Oregon, near the coast, the cost of living is much higher, but no one here asks me about my religion or preferences anymore.
— Mary, 73, Oregon
16. “I’m retired and commute from Colorado to Texas because of the warmer winters and closer relatives (in small town Texas). In Texas, we’re very careful who we talk to and what we say, especially in politics and religion. There’s a certain independence and pride that ‘everything’s better in Texas,’ but it’s not. they try to control the minds of children and the health of women.”
-Anonymous
17. Finally: “I grew up in California, then joined the military at 17. I was pretty lucky; aside from a few deployments, I was mostly on the West Coast. When I left the military, my husband and I moved to a red state for work. We always vowed to get out, but it just wasn’t possible until last fall, now we’ve moved to California. I’m already getting more support as a vet with disabilities than I ever had in my little red state.My kids get free schooling and the grocery stores are really good – they have a lot more variety and the produce is really cheap.
“We pay a lot more for gas, and the utilities are technically higher, but since we’ve downsized our house, the bills are pretty comparable. The biggest thing, though, is that people care about others. For example, there are groups that meet and put together baskets for families that need help, including non-essentials, that are just for fun. It’s completely secular; there’s no religious judgment. Places with “poor-don’t-deserve-cookies”, it’s a breath of fresh air, also there are working libraries, events where people read to kids… they are so nice.
– Anonymous, 43 years old
If you’ve moved from a Republican-leaning state to a Democratic-leaning state, or vice versa, what has your experience been? Share 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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