Extremely different

Examples?

Well you got Boston which is go go go or Maine that king of does it’s own thing. In general people of Maine want your money but not you. NH is a bit weird as well ( mostly basing it on the sub Reddit). Even WA is pretty different depending what side you are talking

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.

People are far more direct back east, less patient, and generally more rude in general. People over here get started later in the day, are far less formal at work, seem to never be in a hurry, are overly kind, and will let you merge into traffic when you turn your signal on. Those are just off the top of my head. Born in CT, lived in ME, NH, and MA. Been here since 2019.

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

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

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.

The history of Europeans is not as long as it is in New England 300 years longer.

Just read American Nations by Colin Woodard

I’m in NH, haha 🙂

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

I grew up in NH and MA, been here a few years now. I just went back to MA for a short trip and had to drive across the state. Holy shit had I forgotten how intense driving is there, massholes for sure would never let anyone else in, speed at crazy speeds, and lane change abruptly without signals. While I was fine, as I’d cut my teeth learning to drive there, I’m glad my wife gets the gentler WA experience lol..

Haha, using your signal just tells everyone what you're trying to do so they can block you. I remember when I first moved here I was merging into traffic on the highway and used my signal, immediately the car next to me slowed down and let me in... that shit still blows my mind sometimes

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.

Washingtonians don't generally say Wicked Awesome

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.

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.

Take this with a grain of salt because I’ve lived in New England for 30 years, but I love it here. Maybe around bigger city areas (really just Boston) it’s more “go, go, go” but I live in a rural area and it’s not like that and I rarely run into anyone rude. Most of us are friendly.

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.

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Yeah, this is a huge one that I all but forgot about!

This is very accurate. I've lived in ME, VA, CT, RI, and MA and been here in WA since 2017. Also born in CT oddly enough!

I'd like to add that I have no desire whatsoever to return to the East Coast.

Good point!

From Philly, I feel the same except for the food. The Philly food scene is amazing but anywhere outside the city is just so so bad. In Washington I've found that outside of cities I can still get decent food. The same goes for coffee.

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.

WA doesn't have Eversource. I wouldn't wish Eversource on anyone.

I’m from NH 🙂 good to know there’s something similar!

Spot on! As someone who drives a lot both in PNW and New England, I can’t help but feel amused at how different drivers are in these two parts of the country. I learned driving in MA so I never fully understood why we’d be called Massholes, until I started driving out west.