21 "Absolutely Wild" Differences Between Living In A Republican Vs. Democrat-Leaning State

Recently, we featured a viral TikTok where a woman who moved to a blue state for the first time explained the "stark differences" she noticed after living in the South all her life. After, members of the BuzzFeed Community came forward and shared their own experiences moving from a blue state to a red state — or vice versa — and the stories are a mix of shock and intrigue:

1."I was born in South Carolina and went to college in Maryland in the '90s. I never looked back. In SC, teachers used to ask the community to buy basic classroom supplies. It was a shock when I found out that the school districts in Maryland provide teachers with basic supplies. Also, the county parks here are free to use and enjoy. In Charleston, SC, you have to pay an entrance fee, which prevents access to public lands. There are so many other examples."

2."I lived in Arizona my whole life until I moved to Texas in 2022 with my husband and two dogs to be closer to my stepdaughter. Let me tell you: I hate living in Texas. I miss how forward Arizona is on most things deemed 'irredeemable' or 'immoral' in Texas."

—agntclkwrkorng

3."I lived in New York and recently moved to Ohio for a job opportunity. While I do miss the hustle and bustle of city life and the rich culture, I enjoy my life here. The people are nice, and at least what I've seen so far, political ideology isn't shoved in your face this way and that. I do miss the food in NY, though."

4."I grew up in a very liberal part of New England and briefly moved down below the Mason-Dixon Line as an adult. It took me less than 20 minutes of driving outside of Northern Virginia to see my first Confederate flag, and I questioned all my life choices. The Blue Ridge Mountains are gorgeous, but I moved out a few months later."

—lobster_lemon_lime

5."I moved to Tennessee from California four years ago. I'm a government worker and military vet, and the differences between the states are STARK. Not only have my benefits and pay decreased, but the overall quality of life for vets is laughable. Conditions are abysmal. And here I thought that red states worshipped the military."

6."I moved from the North to the South. I have access to the same things as up North, but it is cheaper with less traffic and crowds to deal with. My property taxes and utilities are dirt cheap, and the cost of living is wonderful. There's also no crime to deal with. The biggest thing that happens around here is theft. You don't read about city shootings every day, and in the country, people mostly keep to themselves. I rarely see Trump flags. The only thing I miss is the food, which is way better. Otherwise, in my opinion, red states are safer to live in and raise a family. As far as work, I work remotely, so where I live doesn't matter."

—cleverdog423

7."I moved from California to Arizona. Wages were much lower, but rent and gas were cheaper. However, that didn't make up for the lower wages because food and utilities were the same, if not higher. I had to watch my opinion at work and in the general public. If I were a woman, I'd never want to live in a red state. If red states could get it together and vote blue, the people there would see how much better their lives could be. After living in Arizona for six years, I moved back to California."

8."I went from Pennsylvania to Kentucky, and I think the most terrifying part is that the rural parts of PA are WORSE than the metro areas of KY."

—luxahoy

9."I grew up in a red state and have lived in two blue states on opposite sides of the country. The worst part about living 'in the red' is how long it took to get out — it really was a trap. Lower wages in red states mean it's harder to save when prices are going up across the board. When people say to 'just move,' it's not that easy. I feel safer where I am now, even though I live in a large city instead of a smaller town because I know there are more resources here to help me if something happens. Although I can work, I'm disabled, getting older, and I'm alone, so having access is important. I do wish it weren't so expensive, though."

10."I live in a red part of a very blue state, Maryland. It's great because there's a much lower crime rate than the rest of the state, like Baltimore, which is considered a blue city. The blue parts of Maryland are the high crime parts because Democrats are generally 'soft' on crime."

—fancylight35

11."I grew up in a red state and was super conservative myself. I moved away to a very liberal part of a blue state, and over the course of a decade, my views changed tremendously. It was great to experience life in an area where differences were celebrated, and you could freely express your views without fear or social repercussions. Even though I grew up around conservative ideals, it was still a culture shock to come back to the state I grew up in and see that little has changed, and that many people are more overtly prejudiced and hateful now than they were 30 years ago."

12."In my adult life, I've lived in multiple blue states (Washington, California, and Illinois), red states (Texas and Iowa), and swing states (Georgia and Nevada). There were a number of differences, but I never had a serious problem finding a state fairly nearby that had what I needed if it wasn't available in my current home. There were 'good' and 'bad' people in every state. The main and consistent differences include the cost of living, the honesty of community political leaders, my family's and my overall safety, and the quality of my children's education — which were all superior in red states."

—Anonymous

13."I'm a blue molecule in a VERY rural and red area here. It's terrifying. I grew up in California and have lived in Northern Idaho now for decades. We hide, and we don't talk to any neighbors. No one knows our 'real' selves because our farm would be burned to the ground — and that is no joke. The area is gorgeous, and we are rooted in it, but we've had many discussions over the years about how it's maybe time to escape. But we're too old to move all of our stuff now, so we do our best to keep our heads down and keep to ourselves. Think I'm exaggerating? Drive through the downtown city areas here, and you'll see AR-styled weapons, white-robed rituals of some kind, Nazi pride, and burly men covered in handguns waving around Trump signs. It's absolutely wild."

14."I went from a smaller town in a red state to a large city — still in a red state, but much, MUCH more progressive (Nashville). I can't imagine why the rest of the country wouldn't want the same for themselves! There are more job opportunities, people leave each other alone, better education, better healthcare, and better access to resources in general. Nashville is a microcosm of larger, 'bluer' areas. I've always called it 'Little Portland.' Every time I go back to my hometown, I'm horrified."

—maskedghost60

15."I moved to Minnesota from Missouri, and access to abortion isn't the only difference. We also don't pay taxes for food or clothing. I was startled when I went to get plates for my car and didn't have to pay personal property tax or get a road inspection. Missouri takes in a lot of money, but the people never see it. And they tax a whole lot more, too. All my life, I'd heard how horrible life would be if I moved to a blue state. Boy, were they wrong. There's actual culture in Minnesota, and that's wild to me."

16."I moved to a blue state from Tennesee and never looked back. There is a reason blue states are more expensive and in higher demand — more freedom, no regulations on education working days, alcohol sales, dispensaries, gambling, less overt racism, and women having bodily autonomy. I would never move myself or my daughters to a state 30 years behind other parts of the country. The ignorance some people have regarding blue states is astounding, and I feel like many conservatives on the West Coast would be considered liberal in the South and parts of the Midwest."

—JR

17."I moved from California to Oklahoma three years ago. Housing and gas are cheaper here, but you get what you pay for. The roads are literally falling apart, and the food is awful. I cared for my mom in CA, and she had Section 8 housing assistance, part-time IHSS (In-Home Supportive Services) help, and good healthcare with Medicare. I took care of my aunt in Oklahoma, and there was nothing. It was all on me. It's almost impossible to vote, too. You're on your own to find out anything about candidates and even election dates. Oddly, the one thing I do like is the weather! The thunderstorms are awesome and there's snow in the winter."

18."I lived in Missouri all my life before moving to the east coast. Normal, everyday things that happened to me in Missouri that my coworkers were horrified to hear about include a guy waving a rifle around in a store just because he was excited, a person threatening me when I was a child for walking near their yard, being told I couldn't be friends with POC, and watching a boy get arrested at prom for dancing with another boy. My coworkers are used to New England, where racism is more hidden and careful. They were horrified by these things. The culture shock is extreme."

—lacjiba

19."I grew up in Texas, and it was terrible. I moved to California 15 years ago, and it's been pretty great. There is so much more freedom and opportunities here, and I don't feel like my rights as a queer, disabled person are constantly under attack. I can't imagine ever living in a red state again. It would just feel like going backwards."

20."I moved from Georgia to California thinking I was going to live a very romantic life along the coast and escape all of the hateful rhetoric I've encountered in Georgia and its surrounding parts. I'm in Huntington right now, and it's awful. It's such a conservative area with so much vitriol. I didn't realize Trumpism was eating away in California, too. Best of luck to all of us, I guess."

—Andy, 33, California

21.Lastly: "I lived in blue states for the first 18 years of my post-college life. Then, I decided I needed a new job and moved to a red state with a Democrat as governor. I was there for six months until the ultra-MAGA super majority swept the elections. I feel so screwed. I am a single childless cat lady who is queer and an atheist. I'm constantly hiding who I am and what I think, so it looks like I belong until I get out from under my relocation package repayment contract. I'm desperately hoping that the economy doesn't crash before I can get a new job and get the heck out (while taking a loss on the home I bought). Sure, the cost of living is cheap and I have a big, fancy house, but I don't feel safe, and I definitely feel lonely. Plus, infrastructure, healthcare, and education here suck."

If you moved from a Republican-leaning state to a Democrat-leaning one or vice versa, what was your experience? Share your story with us in the comments, or you can anonymously submit it using this form.

Note: Some submissions have been edited for length and/or clarity.