East Coast vs West Coast

The United States is a single nation, but still there are some key differences between the east coast and west coast.

You can compare east coast vs west coast, with respect to the climate the several time zones, the huge differences in the culture and the political leanings, the behavior, the language and style of speaking, style of living etc. due to their proximity to different countries and the influence of these on both coasts.

Location (East Coast vs West Coast)

• What is east coast? The East coast refers to the states stretching from the states touching the Atlantic ocean to Canada, but it also includes Pennsylvania, which actually does not touch the Atlantic ocean.
• Around 36% of the population resides in the eastern coastal states and 17% of the population resides in the east coast.
• What is west coast? The west coast refers to the states in the US that touch the Pacific Ocean, with Arizona and Nevada also being included in the description.
• The east coast is well known for its Appalachian mountains, whereas California is known for the Sierra Nevada mountains.

Must Read: Difference Between Eastern Time and Pacific Time

Time Zones – East Coast vs West Coast

The key difference between the east coast and the west coast is that they are in different time zones. The USA has several time zones and the east and west coast fall under different ones.

• The east coast time is called the Eastern Standard Time or EST and is 5 hours behind UTC or Coordinated Universal Time or central time standard of the world.
• During winter and spring, the eastern coast makes use of the EDT or Eastern Daylight Time,which is 4 hours behind UTC.
• The west coast time is called the Pacific Standard Time or PST, which is 8 hours behind UTC from autumn to spring.
• During the spring and summer, the Pacific Daylight time or PDT is observed in the west coast and it is 7 hours behind Coordinated Universal Time.

Check: Difference Between Eastern Standard Time (EST) and Mountain Standard Time (MST)

Cultural Differences Between East Coast and West Coast

When Facebook CEO, Mark Zuckerberg showed up wearing a hoodie at a Wall Street investor meeting, it led to some flurried newspaper headlines!

• The east coast insists on formality, whereas the west coast has a rather laid back attitude.
• In general, people in the east coast are more concerned with their social status, whereas those in the west coast are individualistic and free to be themselves rather than conform to social etiquette’s. The east is old and established; the west is new, liberated and free.

😃 this is only a generalization or stereotype of people, and does not specify every person in the west or the east!

• Harvard University in Boston is all about tradition, whereas Stanford University in California is more about the spirit of forward looking, forward thinking, freedom seeking people.
• The east entrepreneurs are more about reputation, experience, etc. whereas their western counterparts are more focused on their pioneering spirit.

See: Difference Between GMT and BST: Greenwich Mean Time vs British Summer Time

Climate Differences – East Coast versus West Coast

The US is a huge country and the eastern and western coasts touch the Atlantic and the Pacific Ocean respectively.

• The east coast has a chillier climate in general, over the west coast.
• During the past years, the western coast has gone through droughts and high temperatures, whereas the eastern coast has been going through extremely cold temperatures.
• The eastern coast is more vulnerable to hurricanes, with the season being typically from June to November.
• The east coast is well known for its long and snowy winters in contrast to the hot summers. It experiences all the four seasons, whereas in California, it is mostly sunny and warm though it can be foggy in the north.

Lifestyle Differences – East vs West Coast

While considering east coast vs west coast difference, each of the coasts caters to different lifestyles.

• Many of the cities on the east coast, specifically New York, is known for it fast pace of life. People often flit about from one place to another, in a rush to catch the bus or the subway. There is a lot of hustle and bustle typically associated with the cities on the east coast.
• People in the west coast are a lot more laid back. They are more focused on nature and on healthy options. They maintain a more zen like lifestyle and go to parks a lot and are rarely in a rush.

Read: What is the Difference Between EST and EDT: Eastern Standard Time vs Eastern Daylight Time

History and Art – East Coast and West Coast

• Since the Europeans first set their foot here and started building colonies in the east, there is a lot of resemblance to European houses among the houses and colonies in the eastern coast.
• You can see historic sites, like the Liberty Bell of Philadelphia or the Lincoln Memorial, White House of Washington DC. You can spot a historical building almost in every city on the east coast.
• As for the west coast, it boasts of a different history related to the cowboys of the Wild West, the Gold Rush etc.
• The east coast, and especially New York, is known for its theater, fashion, music, Broadway productions, orchestras, ballets etc.
• On the other hand, the west coast boasts of Hollywood, where you can take tours seeing the homes of famous movie stars.

It was the west coast and specifically the San Francisco university grads who kicked off the coffeehouse culture of the country, with the now world-famous Starbucks!

Wrap Up – Difference Between East Coast and West Coast

Honestly, it’s difficult to pick one coast and say it’s better than the other. You can only compare and contrast the two east coast vs west coast, but it all depends on your personality as to which one you would prefer.

You might love the rush and the 9 to 5 energy seen on the east coast. However, the west coast allows for a lot for balance to your work life.

The weather, the vibes, the work culture, the behavior are all noticeably different in the two coasts and it is a matter of personal preference and comfort zones as to which one you would choose to live in East Coast or West Coast.