Extremely different

Lived in CT my whole life until moving here one year ago. Washington is slower paced and higher appreciation for the outdoors. CT and Washington are pretty similar politically. However, people in CT tend to be a little more closed minded in my experience, as it comes to things like interracial relationships, the lgbtq community, and how people choose to live their lives in general. I live in Seattle and in general people here are nicer, however have run into my fair share of people who are snobby as you’d imagine people from CT are, so similar in that way too lol. A huge plus for me is that Washington does not have state income tax and CT does, although NeW Hampshire also doesn’t have state income tax if that peaks your interest

State Constitution drives a lot of the differences. Washington entered the Union in the “Progressive Era” so features the will of the people more directly than original States. This is why there are initiatives & referendums every election cycle. If elected politicians are to frightened to act, the people take things into their own hands. See for example how Washington banned indoor smoking when politicians were afraid of the restaurant lobby. Also a minute percentage of Mass-holes out here

From Boston, been in Washington for just under 4 years now. Boston moves much faster, people are far more impatient there. People tend to look down or straight forward when walking, a hello from a stranger is treated as odd and creepy. You are much more likely to be honked at and given the finger( or "flipped the bird") when driving. In Washington people are much more friendly, not necessarily trustworthy or nicer, but friendlier for sure. The food in that area is better by far though. I like Washington better because so many people are from somewhere else, you don't feel isolated like you may in the Boston/New England area not being from there. The weather here is better.

I moved from CT where I had been all of my 56 years. Colonial New England lol can be slow to change. CT passed the first gmo labeling law, but it went into effect only after 4 other NE states enacted same. WA just constantly keeps passing new progressive laws.

I love both places, lots of people have made great points here. I would add that the bugs in Washington are almost nonexistent compared to NE. No ticks and way less mosquitoes. I have 2 long haired dogs so not having ticks is a huge difference maker personally.

Comparatively, far fewer Washingtonians can trace their ancestry locally than NE. I don't feel people are as rooted here and there's a feeling of impermanence.

Washingtonians don't generally say Wicked Awesome

Very few people in Washington are from here while most New Englanders I met while living there were from there. The main differences are in formality. We have basically none out west and back east you feel like you can find yourself “out of place” fairly easily. Whether it’s Omak or Seattle, being new is more appreciated and doesn’t mark you out as “weird” as much as it would back east. When I lived in Massachusetts, states like Alaska, New Mexico and Washington were like faraway planets.

Interesting post, thanks. I've often wondered myself. New England has always seemed comparable from afar, but I've never been.

Kind of a bummer the way its being painted tho! I'll still at least try to visit some day and decide for myself.

I love both places. They are definitely different and for me in one important way. In Washington there is more wilderness and craggy mountains. The only place I haven’t felt this way in the NE was in New Hampshire. But that’s just my opinion.

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Just read American Nations by Colin Woodard

They are responsible for Dunkin’ Donuts, they are a cultural wasteland.