Northern California, officially known as NorCal, is a region in the United States that includes the coastal area north of the Bay Area and the interior region north of Sacramento metropolitan area. It is characterized by rugged, often steep mountains, bisected by rivers and their narrow valleys and canyons. The region is officially located at the northernmost counties of California, such as Butte, Colusa, Del Norte, and Glenn, and extends down to include San Francisco.
The location of Northern California is a matter of perception, with researchers finding that it has no official location. The sparsely populated interior territory further inland is characterized by rugged, often steep mountains, bisected by rivers and their typically narrow valleys and canyons.
There are two different Californias: NorCal and SoCal. NorCal is comprised of the North Coast (think Eureka and Mendocino) and the interior region north of Sacramento metropolitan area, which is referred to as the Northstate. It claims that Northern California is comprised of the top 48 counties that sit north of the conspicuously straight county lines of San Luis.
The correct answer is that Northern California ends in Stockton, roughly where the Sacramento Valley ends. The interior design community showcases, advocates for, and becomes our best, supporting and celebrating design and designers. The NorCal region is also home to the California Coast, which is on the San Francisco Bay.
📹 Inside a Northern California Modernist Tree House from 1963 | House Tour
Sacramento may not be widely recognized for its Modernist architecture, but the city boasts a significant number of Modernist …
Why do Californians say Hella?
The term “hella,” derived from the phrase “hell of a lot,” is used to express a considerable amount, a strong affirmation, or a high degree of intensity. It is widely recognized as a colloquial expression originating from Northern California. The term can be employed to convey excitement or enthusiasm, as evidenced by the following examples: “There were a great many people at the Farmer’s Market today” or “Green smoothies are a superior alternative to coffee.” In contrast, the term “marinating” is used to describe a process of relaxation, rather than a cooking or seasoning technique.
Is San Jose NorCal or SoCal?
San Jose, located in the Santa Clara Valley, is the fourth-largest city in California by land area, with a total area of 180. 0 sq mi (466 km2). The city is situated between the San Andreas Fault and the Calaveras Fault, which is a major source of earthquake activity in Northern California. Moderate earthquakes, on average one or two times a year, originate just east of the city on the creeping section of the Calaveras Fault. The most serious earthquake in 1906 damaged many buildings, while earlier significant quakes rocked the city in 1839, 1851, 1858, 1864, 1865, 1868, and 1891.
The Daly City Earthquake of 1957 caused some damage, and the Loma Prieta earthquake of 1989 also caused some damage to parts of the city. San Jose’s expansion was made by the design of “Dutch” Hamann, the City Manager from 1950 to 1969, who annexed property 1, 389 times, growing the city from 17 to 149 sq mi (44 to 386 km 2).
What area is considered NorCal?
The Northern California Megaregion is a geographic and cultural region that covers the northernmost 48 of the U. S. state of California, encompassing the San Francisco Bay Area, Greater Sacramento, Redding, and Metropolitan Fresno. It is divided into two regions, Southern California and Northern California. The main population centers in Northern California include San Jose, San Francisco, Oakland, Sacramento, Redding, and Fresno. The region is home to redwood forests, most of the Sierra Nevada, Mount Shasta, and the Central Valley, one of the world’s most productive agricultural regions.
Northern California is also home to Silicon Valley, the global headquarters for some of the most powerful tech and Internet-related companies, including Meta, Apple, Google, and Nvidia. The Northern California Megaregion extends from Metropolitan Fresno north to Greater Sacramento and from the Bay Area east across the Nevada state line to encompass the entire Lake Tahoe-Reno area.
What is included in NorCal?
The Northern California Megaregion, comprising 164 cities, 21 counties, and four regions, accounts for 31. 5 of California’s population, totaling 12. 7 million people. The region faces transportation challenges due to the region’s diverse train system, which has grown over the last 150 years. The system is disconnected, infrequent, and often unreliable due to long travel times, transfers, and fares.
Travel by train often results in schedule delays and overcrowded rides, especially across the Bay between San Francisco and Oakland. BART, a frequent and well-connected Bay Area train service, is the only operator providing access across the Bay, often resulting in standing room only pre-covid.
Is it hotter in NorCal or SoCal?
The NorCal versus SoCal debate is influenced by the weather. Southern California has a warmer Mediterranean climate with slightly rainy winters, dry summers, and an average of 300 sunny days, while Northern California has a moderately oceanic climate with cool and wet winters and mild summers. SoCal is ideal for swimming and sunbathing at California’s best beaches, but winter temperatures can drop to around 55°F, making it a good choice for wetsuit wearers.
NorCal has the largest concentration of ski resorts in California and is known for its milder temperatures and easier access to winter sports. Living costs in California are high due to factors like high gas prices and expensive real estate, particularly in large cities like San Francisco and Los Angeles. The Bay Area in Northern California is among the most expensive regions in the nation.
How do Californians talk differently?
The California vowel shift, primarily seen in younger Californians, is causing a sound similar to the California accent. This shift is becoming more widespread, with linguists citing shifts in Canada, the American South, and cities in Michigan. Other cultural dialects have also adopted this shift, as evidenced by Cambridge University’s extensive study on this shift. The shift has led to numerous YouTube and TikTok videos featuring the California accent challenge.
Is SoCal or NorCal more expensive?
Living in Northern California is generally more affordable than in Southern California, unless you choose to avoid high-cost areas like San Francisco and the Bay Area. Despite these high living costs, Northern California offers a range of living expenses that can be significantly lower than Southern California, which is known for being one of the most expensive areas in the country. Key living expenses such as housing, groceries, and transportation contribute to the overall cost of living in these regions.
When choosing between living in Northern or Southern California, consider factors such as lifestyle and budgeting. Northern California offers lower expenses in housing, groceries, and transportation compared to Southern California, which has high housing costs. The median house price in Los Angeles can exceed $700, 000. One-bedroom apartments rent for around $2, 000 monthly, higher in good neighborhoods. Therefore, it’s crucial to consider specific locations within these regions to align with your financial and lifestyle preferences when planning a move.
Where is the split between NorCal and SoCal?
There is no definitive demarcation between Northern and Southern California. However, the Bay Area and Sacramento are regarded as the southernmost regions of the state.
Is Sacramento NorCal or SoCal?
The Northern California Megaregion, comprising 164 cities, 21 counties, and four regions, accounts for 31. 5 of California’s population, totaling 12. 7 million people. The region faces transportation challenges due to the region’s diverse train system, which has grown over the last 150 years. The system is disconnected, infrequent, and often unreliable due to long travel times, transfers, and fares.
Travel by train often results in schedule delays and overcrowded rides, especially across the Bay between San Francisco and Oakland. BART, a frequent and well-connected Bay Area train service, is the only operator providing access across the Bay, often resulting in standing room only pre-covid.
Do people say NorCal?
Northern California and Southern California are distinct regions due to their unique climates, cultures, and languages. Northern California slang is associated with the technological and Bay Area rap scenes, while Southern California is heavily influenced by surfer culture. Locals from San Francisco and San Diego agree that terms like “Nor Cal” or “So Cal” are almost exclusively used in these regions.
To distinguish between Northern and Southern California, one can ask for driving directions, as Southern Californians put “the” before the name of a highway or freeway, while Northern Californians do not. For example, a Southern California native would say “Take the 5 South and get off at the Balboa Exit” while a Northern Californian would say “Take 5 North and get off at Madison Avenue”.
The term “PCH” stands for the Pacific Coast Highway, which Southern Californians know to avoid during high traffic times. Overall, Northern and Southern California slang varies greatly, with some embracing it while others prefer to use “Nor Cal” or “So Cal”.
Where is NorCal vs SoCal?
California is a stunning state with a variety of attractions, from the sun-kissed beaches of SoCal to the foggy Golden Gate Bridge and pines of NorCal. Major cities in Northern California include San Francisco, Los Angeles, Sacramento, San Diego, Redding, Palm Springs, San Jose, and Malibu. As an Amazon Services LLC Associates Program member, the author may receive compensation for purchases made using these links.
📹 Northern vs. Southern California- The Definitive Comparison
An in-depth analysis comparing Northern and Southern California. These two halves of the state have been rivals for a long time.
You guys look like good caretakers and the advice in the end was spot on, my family too lives in a 1961 custom built modernist house and it’s true, if you want perfection it would drive you nuts. But if you embrace it for what it is and accept imperfections it’s awesome to live in houses like these and they should be embraced and protected as important postcards to a great optimistic time in American history.
Shout out to Cow Town, AKA, City Of Trees, Sac Of Tomato. NORCAL all the way. When in doubt, just block the aqueduct and NORCAL will always win. Ha ha. California is a win win all around. The most beautiful and diverse state in the union. Even though I retired in Florida. With pride, I always tell people California has everything. From desert to ocean, from meadows to mountains, from cities to country. California does have all four season. I’ve been through all of California, without a doubt we have 4 seasons. If you don’t like one season, just drive a little within the state, the weather can drastically change for ya. Hella love your articles, wish it would have popped up on my YouTube sooner. Good stuff Maynard!
Santa Cruz native here! Definitely, we are hanging on to that counter-culture spirit although it is changing due to a lot of Silicon Valley employees living there. Overall, the city has the lowest income to cost of living ratio in the country, meaning it is harder economically to live there than anywhere else. Go Slugs!
Northern California besides Yosemite is some of the most beautiful scenery ive ever seen. Lassen national forest feels like youre in Northern Canada, Mt Shasta was unexpectedly spectacular, we had to stop just to take a look even tho we had no plans to stop on our roadtrip. loved the frontier feel to it.
I have no problem with SoCal. I love all of California. I feel like we are more alike than different but for some reason, there’s always transplants that go to LA then SF and say “oh it’s sooo different” lol nobody up here in NorCal cares for that shit. If I’m feeling beachy, I go to SoCal. If I’m feeling outdoorsy, I’ll go to NorCal. It’s simple but that’s what’s great about Cali. Best of both worlds.
I’m from NorCal and was completely foreign to Sacramento till about 2 years ago. Just wanted to say that Sacramento is probably the nicest big city I’ve ever been to it’s very clean there are many many good places to see and it is so historic just being there makes you feel all that history rushing through you. And there is countless things to do and see. I used to live in San Jose for 25 years but my next stop is for sure Sacramento
I’m a Northern Californian (5th generation) and I have to agree on Southern beaches are wonderful! From pebble beaches to the softest sand I ever felt! The water is noticeably warmer than up here, as well. I love our beaches here, especially Monterey, but Southern California has much more comfortable and pleasant beaches. IMO
I’m from the desolate northern Calif area near Red Bluff. Orange County is a conservative stronghold next to totally liberal LA. The airport there is “John Wayne International.” When you stand in the Bay Area and look past the Golden Gate bridge toward the setting sun and the Pacific, it is truly awe-inspiring. California is a really beautiful state once you leave the cities. I would recommend that every American take at least one drive from San Francisco up the coast to Crescent City. You will be stumbling all over yourself to find the right superlatives to describe the wonder.
This has probably been the single most comprehensive comparison article on the state of California I’ve ever seen in my life. Not being a CA native, but wanting to move there, I spend as much free time as my schedule will allow trying to glean as much information as I possibly can so that I know what I’m talking about and feel good about the decision I ultimately wind up making.
When I was a medical intern in the 1970s I had a resident who was born in California but had moved away to practice in a rural location in another state. He was now back taking specialty training. I told I couldn’t wait to get out of California; too many people. He said: why do you think there are so many people here? Here it is 2020 and I’m retired and I’m still here (in SoCal).
You live in Fresno County? I just moved to California from Michigan. This article helped me get to know my new state! Thanks! And on the east coast of the US, LA is hyped up. Its not as good as you hear in northeastern states and the Midwest. San Francisco is actually better, crazy? I thought SoCal would be better, but NoCali is. AND I NEVER KNEW THE WATER WAS FREEZING
I like this, it’s a good comparison but also depends on how much weight you give the categories. I have to say I disagree with the food aspect, San Francisco has some of the best food I’ve ever eaten, consistently. But I am sure loving living in Los Angeles and building a fun, dynamic life there in the sunshine!
I’m from Europe and from my point of view it seems like NorCal vs SoCal is kind of like an introvert vs extrovert analogy ! 😂 – Big tech nerds in the north vs muscular dudes with fancy cars in the south. – Scenic views and national parks vs Crowded beaches – Chillier weather vs Mediterranean paradise – productive, high gdp cities vs Sports hubs and music artists – etc… Maybe I’m wrong but that’s the vibe it gave me ! Great article regardless, keep up the good work
moved from Orange County to Northern Calif in 1993, I love it here. Beaches on northern coast are totally different than So Cal. did miss Huntington Beach for awhile but got over it. When I went to DMV and walked in and got out of there within 30mins I knew I made the right choice. I have visited Orange County a few times since moving here and it is horrible. The traffic is unbelievable. And I do like SF better than LA.
Great article as usual! I had a 4th grade teacher who was a German war bride. She had lived with her American husband for 2 years in Germany and then moved with him to his hometown of Alturas California. She told us “Alturas, means altitude in Spanish!” She thought it would be warm weather, palm trees, swimming pools, bathing suits and movie stars as neighbors! Ha ha it turned out to be high, dry, cold with lots of sage brush, cowboys and mile after mile of empty country. She said she almost went crazy at first but learned to love living in the empty Northeast corner of California..
I know the bands I’m about to say are primarily punk/metal, but I thought I’d share a little more music knowledge. Bands from NorCal include Green Day, Deftones, Papa Roach, AFI, and many others. Bands from SoCal include Tool, Korn, Rage Against The Machine, Avenged Sevenfold, System of a Down, and many others. Also, (according to eventbrite) Sacramento is the fastest growing music scene in the US, while Los Angeles is slowly shrinking as far as the music scene goes.
Attention: no one from southern california cares or is even aware of any “rivalry” while NorCal definitely does care. It’s very one sided argument where one party is way into the subject and the other literally doesn’t think about the north at all, whether good or bad. I’m from coastal California so I’m from both areas
I’m from Yolo County, CA. Right in the middle between SF and Lake Tahoe. Most people from Bay Area and LA area don’t know much about other parts of California. As someone who’s from the Sacramento region who has explored more of north and south CA I have to say that NorCal is probs better cuz of its rural areas, country side and snow. SoCal is alright but it’s overpopulated meanwhile the Bay Area is overpriced.
Dude, the Lakers have 16, SIXTEEN Championships, NOT 11. The Angels have won one World Series. UCLA has 11, ELEVEN Basketball Championships, 1 Football Championship, USC has 6 Football Championships. The Rams have 1 Superbowl Championship. I could go on Sir. SoCal has many more CHAMPIONSHIPS than NorCal. Yes, the LA Raiders SB title counts for SoCal. By the way, you make GREAT articles. Keep up the GREAT work you’re doing.
Honestly as a San Diego native I would say there is a stronger rivalry/dislike between SD and LA than there is between So cal and norcal and basically put like someone else said Socal doesnt think about norcal so its a bit of a one sided rivalry in that regard but between LA and SD theres alot of of intermixing/back and forth travel/interaction so we are more acutelty aware of each other
I appreciate the nerdism of all your vids with how you present the facts in a very intellectual and objective manner backed up with interesting pictures and little known stats. At first I thought you were just some guy that likes to travel but I figured out real quick that you’ve got some serious education. Like you, when traveling, I want to know the details of the places I visit such as the economy (why are the people so poor, so rich, what are the largest markets, why is everything so cheap, so expensive?), the geology, the culture, the history, etc. You nail all of this. The slight peppering of your opinion makes it more interesting so we (the viewers) can get a first hand opinion from someone that’s been there. If someone receives no intellectual stimulation from they’re travels, it’s as if they’re just a monkey in a crate being shipped around the globe. When the monkey returns home, it’s still just a monkey in a crate that’s learned nothing. Most people I’ve known travel this way. Also, I’ve often pointed out that there’s little variation between many cities because one Bed Bath & Beyond shopping center is just like the next so it doesn’t matter what city you’re in. This is the first time I’ve heard someone else say that. One request: if you could quickly show a map of the places you’re talking about (santa barbara, santa cruse, etc) it’s nice because then I don’t have to pause the article to them up to see exactly where they are in California.
So much factual content but you sprinkle in humor nicely – like ordering the gross vegan food in Northern California. I also Lol’d at your emphasis on LA Kings’ Stanley Cup wins “2 freaking Stanley Cups” as a huge hockey fan I could sense your frustration about the San Jose Sharks having great squads over the years but never quite getting it done.
I grew up and still live in Northern California…and have heard of the feud between the North and South my whole life …and as I got older I realized that nobody told the South about this ..they don’t care about us and just dismiss the North as a bunch of hippies…love my State …and love the South for TV, Movies and of course every kid here loving the weekend trips to Disneyland ..Hwy 5 south past stinky Harris Ranch ..the grapevine and then looking at everybody searching for movie stars…Northern California would not be the same if we didn’t have Southern California for our childhood vacations…not just Disney, but Knotts and Universal Studios …our State ROCKS…!!!
I agree that Orange County is not historic and I left for a lot of reasons, but I do want to mention 2 historic sites worth visiting for anyone interested. Mission San Juan Capistrano is a monastery with gardens built by the Spanish and dates back to 1776. It’s one of the nicer missions in CA. 2nd is Casa Romantica in San Clemente. It’s a historic home and museum from the 1920’s displaying the history of how Orange County was started.
This is an excellent article. Interesting which cities you chose to match up, but still. I think people get a pretty good idea of the populated parts of the state. I know you’ve done a article now on the Central Valley, which was really cool. Can you do a article on the far Northern California (State of Jefferson) area and one of that very weird part of California around the Salton sea? And maybe discuss how the foothill / mountain towns are very different from the rest of California, both northern and southern? You’re doing a great job of showing the diversity, but I still think people are unaware of just how intensely culturally diverse California is. Some parts of the state are hard to differentiate from Appalachia, and some parts seem like living on Mars. As crowded as the state is, there are so many out of the way tiny little desert towns and foothill towns and beach enclaves… It’s not all wall-to-wall people. I know you know this, but not sure everybody else does.
Agree with every point of your assessment. Grew up in NorCal in the 60’s…Cal was too crazy for me in ‘72…transferred to San Diego State. Worked in LA for 8 years…lived the singles life in NB….loved SD…not so much LA. Married at 30 and deadheaded back to NC to raise my children. Wanted access to mountains, snow and water sports…never going back. That said, I live visiting LA, SD and the desert in winter. We have it all out here in the west….along with better access to the PNW.
I am from Southamerica, and I have been in both regions, so I have no bias with some part of California, and I have to say that Northern California it’s better, more green, beautiful mountains, more variaty of landscapes, I like the climate, the people is cool, no that many drugs and car traffic. But Southern California has good areas like San Diego, Pasadena, malibu and Death Valley. It’s just my opinion
As an orange county citizen I dont think we are a wannabe LA, I live in Irvine and I dont think anyone really cares about appearance that much, and we dont flaunt our money. A lot of rich people live here, but you cant tell cause they dress so modestly. I dont think orange county is that car centric as other socal cities as it has so many biking routes and walking routes. Growing up in oc my whole life we all walk to school and bike to school.
I said it on another article, but I’m saying it again—-Iove San Francisco but it is totally not the most pedestrian friendly city in the US (man, those hills!) –, you need to go to Boston! True, Boston is not as colorful or diverse, but vibrant in a different way, particularly because of the huge number of students attending its many prestigious colleges and universities: not just Harvard and MIT but also Tufts, Brandeis, Boston U, Emerson, Northeastern, Boston College, New England Conservatory, Berklee School of Music, Longy—I’m sure I’ve missed some.
I’m that person who’s not from California who likes L.A. better than San Francisco. As a Midwesterner, the Bay Area came across as stuck up to me, and the thing I loved about Los Angeles was the city’s diversity. Also, in spire of what people say, I find the transit in L.A. surprisingly easy to use. I’ve been to southern California many times, and I haven’t driven on any of those trips.
I think the real rivalry for California would be the rural vs. urban populations… throughout the ENTIRE state… I’ve lived in Gold Country for most of my life and I work in the Sac metro area, and I while I tend to resent the small town aspect of my life a bit (probably just because I’m a restless young adult who has been trapped in a black-hole town for years!) but there’s some real charm! I also think Sacramento is becoming quite the up and coming city! The food culture there is quite unique, and it truly is a lovely city when you see it from the midtown/downtown perspective. There’s a lot of problems, for sure, but so many great aspects that we take for granted. If you can think of ANY type of natural beauty, geological phenomenon, or weather pattern…chances are you’re just a couple hours’ drive away from them ANYWHERE in California! Overall I love what this state has to offer, even if some of the political aspects can be frustrating from time to time…
I haven’t been there in about 20 years, but, if you want a counter culture vibe like I remember Boulder, Colorado had during the 70’s, Arcata, California had it like I rarely see now. Most of the hippies from the 70’s in Boulder either got a haircut, a job and bought a home, or the most committed among them moved to the mountains west of Boulder. I’m assuming that something like that happened to the hippies in California as well. I wonder what other cities have a counter culture, or hippie vibe about them? I don’t see many that are honestly that way. I miss it.
As a Canadian, California has a special place in my heart especially the city of San Francisco. It has more culture, art and beautiful scenery. Santa Barbara is a distant second, my only gripe with it are the dirty beaches. Los Angeles has better weather but that’s about it though I do love the South Bay and OC, worst traffic EVER!
It might have been good to have laid down some definitions of Northern and Southern California. The one I use is the border between Monterey and San Luis Obispo Counties and then extend it due east. That way the entire state is in one of the two – including Visalia, which would fall under Northern California. I grew up in Northern California and I live in Southern California as an adult. I prefer SoCal easily. Better climate and beaches of course, and it just has more stuff overall. In each of the city matchups I preferred the SoCal city, though it was a little closer for Santa Cruz vs. Santa Barbara (I haven’t spent that much time in either one compared to the others). Thank you for giving the win for food to Southern California – even when you were talking about how Asian food was introduced to the United States through Northern California, I was thinking in my head that the Asian food in Southern California is clearly superior. The only thing that NorCal has over SoCal is the outdoor scenic beauty – but even that advantage isn’t that meaningful since many of the most famed national and state parks like Yosemite are located in the Sierras, far away and difficult to access from the major cities, and logistically difficult to visit. In all my years in NorCal I went to Yosemite exactly once.
SF doesn’t have the most financial institutions outside of NYC as mentioned in the article. For banking Charlotte is the nest biggest hub and for finance it is Chicago with CME leading the most diverse derivatives marketplace not to mention so many proprietary trading firms operating just within loop area.
I’ll like your articles, Kyle. For this comparison, I think your scale is skewed a bit. A fairer comparison would be San Francisco to downtown LA or Hollywood, or LA to the larger Bay Area – including Monterey, Silicon Valley and some of the stuff north of the Golden Gate. I spent my childhood in east San Diego, I lived for a while in LA, a while in SF and I’ve been in the South Bay, which I prefer by far, for 40 years.
What about the San Francisco Opera at War Memorial Opera House in San Francisco…..It once was the West Coast ” Metropolitan Opera” These Years are gone and Los Angeles Music Center Opera at Dorothee Chandler Pavilion ( In thje 60’s still Toured by San Francisco Opera) Today outrun SF Opera ! Placido Domingo made that happen. Cali Rocks! Despite the Expenses and the HORRIBLE TAXING!
This article has not aged well. I have been all over California. used to be my favorite place to visit because it is so geographically diverse and beautiful. SF was one of my favorite places. However, the people, politics, and culture today are what have turned this state into an overall septic tank. I wouldn’t step foot in Cali today for no amount of money. There are much better places to visit. I think the only thing that can save Cali now is if the “big one” struck and turned the central valley into coastal real estate.
Being from Southern California I wasn’t aware of a competitive rift between No and So CA until I went up to Berkeley to college. I’ll never forget the stuffy California history teacher lecturing us about Alta California and Baja California and then dropping his little jibe at my home part of the state. “These days some of us divide what was formerly Alta California into Superior California and Inferior California.”
As a resident of California (doesn’t even matter where), I 100% agree that this rivalry exists more in name than in reality. Same thing with New York, too. 99.9% of my fellow Californians have a ‘live and let live’ attitude – as long as you;re doing what you wanna do, we could care less where you’re from! ✌
Whaaat? I’m native from LA and my mom moved up north for a little bit. It wasn’t in Sf but San Jose. We would constantly go to SF, and I hated the everything about SF, San Jose, and the rest of the bay! It was Def beautiful and a lot cleaner than home. But for me, home is where the heart is. And LA is just that! There are many things bad about my city, but the culture, the food, and the whole vibe is what makes it home! Plus nor Cal was waaaay too cold for my liking haha! I wasn’t used to that! Never the less, the Bay Area is indeed beautiful! But for me, LA is home. I would rather move to one of the OC cities or SD if I ever had to move out of LA!
Southern California Google Images: Rancho Palos Verdes, Rancho Mirage, Anza Borrego State Park, Lake Arrowhead, Laguna Beach, Mission Viejo, Temecula Valley Wine Country, Century City Los Angeles, Joshua Tree National Park, Avalon Catalina Island, Hancock Park Los Angeles, Coronado, Rancho Santa Fe, Palm Desert Ca, Idyllwild Ca, Torrance, Pacific Palisades Northern California Google Images: Sonoma Coast, Healdsburg, Folsom Ca, Monterey Ca, Napa Valley, Los Gatos, Pacific Heights San Francisco, Copperopolis, Sutter Creek, Livermore, Mountain View, Pt Reyes, San Francisco Bay, Mt Shasta, Sausalito, Martinez, Palo Alto, Lafayette, Orinda, Hillsborough, the Eastern Sierra, Lake Tahoe I grew up in Southern California and now I live in Northern California….both are incredible
CA is changing at such an incredible rate, and even now only a couple years after this article, SF real estate prices and traffic have basically eliminated most of the city’s once-famous ‘charm’. BTW, a visiting friend from back East once remarked that, “the way California deals with ‘Diversity’, is everyone just ignores each other.”
I know this article is 5 years old, but its just not been true NorCal has had a more diverse economy than SoCal. And the GDP figures have also changed, but weren’t accurate even then. Southern California does not just have entertainment. LA is still the aerospace capital of the U.S. and world really with not just SpaceX but also companies like Rocket Lab, Virgin Galactic and all the legacy aerospace companies. It also has the largest logistics industry with the busiest ports in North America and Europe. The LA ports have basically been the busiest outside of east Asia. Also has had the 4th or 5th busiest airport in the world depending on the year. Southern California, LA metro specifically has also had the largest manufacturing base in the country–companies already cited like SpaceX, but also many other medium and smaller companies in avionics and other industries. There’s also tech companies based in LA–Snapchat was one such, among others. Banking/Finance, healthcare, education, real estate, and a number of other industries are also big in LA. And San Diego is the biotech capital of the U.S. if not the world, and hosts a number of defense industry companies. The numbers say it the best though. California’s economy is currently around $3.4 trillion in GDP (quite a difference from 5 years ago). Of that however, the San Francisco Bay area metro accounts for just over $700 billion i n GDP. Meanwhile the Los Angeles metro alone is $1.3 TRILLION in GDP. That’s just LA, not counting San Diego or other smaller metro areas.
As a Pennsylvanian who has been wanting to visit California for the past 11 years, I will put my unneeded opinions 😂 Los Angeles vs. San Francisco: San Francisco Orange County vs. Silicon Valley: Orange County Sacramento vs. San Diego: San Diego Santa Barbara vs. Santa Cruz: Santa Cruz Climate: So Cal National Parks: So Cal Beaches: So Cal Economy: So Cal Companies: Nor Cal Agriculture: Nor Cal Food: So Cal Music: So Cal Sports: So Cal Final Score: Nor Cal: 4 So Cal: 9
You are missing one HUGE category – military. San Diego and adjacent, alone, have NAS North Island, Coronado, 32nd Street Base (or, as it’s officially known – Naval Station San Diego), and Bethesda. Get outside the city, you get Naval Station Point Loma, MCRD San Diego (Navy also used to have a boot camp there), MCAS Miramar, Camp Pendleton, Fallbrook, El Segundo, and Edwards AFB, 29 Palms, El Centro, and the shit show known as NAS Lemoore. Up north, you have Alameda, Beale. In between, you have Ventura, Monterey, and China Lake. In the interest of fairness, we’ll give the Seabees and China Lake to the north and dock two points from the south for Lemoore and El Centro. Make that three points – two for Lemoore. Still, I think San Diego, alone, makes SoCal the winner, given the importance of NASNI (aircraft carriers and the Headquarters for Naval Air Forces) and Coronado. And for the nit-pickers, I’m ignoring BRAC pretending separate bases are one “Joint Base.” I’m sure I’m missing plenty of smaller bases, as well as reserve bases and NG armoires, but I think the winner is clear enough, just looking at the big guys.
I 💗 my Santa Cruz. 🌲🌲 Monterey would be a fairer comparison to Santa Barbara, I think. Same distance, too. But I’m glad you reviewed Santa Cruz. 🙂 I grew up on the Monterey Peninsula, but Santa Cruz is home. The whole Monterey Bay is lined with beaches, too. The northern stretch (Santa Cruz) lies in a pocket that is often sunny during the summer, while the rest of the shoreline is socked in with fog. So small wonder the over-the-hill traffic on hot days, especially weekends, can be insane. Oh, and the clam chowder is even better on the Monterey Wharf than anywhere in San Francisco. Not one person who’s eaten it there will disagree. But as we told people at the wine bar, there is no perfect wine for you. It’s all in what you enjoy. So the battle between Northern California and Southern California boils down to one preference: which way do you want to die of exposure? :face-fuchsia-wide-eyes:
Just now perusal your article, sorry. I was raised in L.A.’s South Bay, but I lived in Contra Costa/Berkeley/Walnut Creek for one year and I LOVED it. ’87 La Crescenta, ’91 Walnut Creek, ’92 Dallas- best friends on the entire planet forever. LAX to Long Beach is my home turf, no matter how much it changes I still feel at home. Mad love to North Carolina and Kobe Japan!
I’m from Michigan and I’m the only person I know who “drops” their O’s like saying “c-aw-ledge” (college), “mc-daw-nolds” (mcdonalds), or “d-aw-ler” (dollar). Everyone I know here, even my family, says it with more of a NY twang that sounds like “AH” instead of “AW”. So hearing someone else pronounce “college” 1:22 the way I do felt oddly satisfying to me lol
The use of a definite article followed only by a number to designate a roadway is reason enough for the rest of the world do know that southern california belongs beneath Northern California. I would give you an example but it makes my stomach turn to hear “the…add the number of your favorite clogged up artery”.
I grew up in SoCal in LA and I can say it depends on the kind of person you are or where you are in your life. My younger, partying self preferred LA. Parties, clubs, concerts, etc are better. Now that I’m in my 40s and looking for a calmer life, we’re looking to move to the Bay Area which I also love very much.
You made me laugh @ about 7:20. “You’ve got the old Historic Gaslamp Quarter of San Diego” Let me remind you when San Diego had the Ferry to Coronado Island about 1962 at the end of F ST that ‘historic’ area was the historic red light district full of bars and ladies of the night. The big Navy ships were docked along the bay there. There was a huge shipbuilding company and a huge very stinky tuna cannery. They have weaved a much more acceptable story for the area named the Gaslamp Quarter which was cleaned up 1980 – 1990. The distinctive shopping mall was a big hit when it opened. All this is anchored by the very old walk-in theater which was remodeled and the park when they cleared out and cleaned up. I remember when all the city streets were lined with trees and the downtown area was lovely. Then they tore out the trees to widen the streets. And they call it progress.
While there are some aspect based on opinions that I disagree with (such as the Santa Barbara comparison), I have to factually disagree as per agriculture. If you draw an actual line between the two halves, the Central Valley is pretty much equally split. Even the Salinas Valley (another major agricultural area is really on the line, but I will throw this in with Northern for good measure). However while you noted that Orange County is no longer agricultural, the facts are parts of Riverside and Northern San Diego are still agricultural (especially for Avocados). As well much of Ventura County is still agricultural (leading in Strawberries). You also have the Santa Ynez Valley and one of the largest agricultural areas is the Imperial Valley which did not even get mentioned. So in the end, it was not an easy win for Northern in this area, it was an easy win for Southern. Other than this, I like your website and subscribe.
I’m English and I just spent 2 weeks in california on holiday; a week in LA and a week in SF and whilst I enjoyed my time in LA but it wasn’t much fun outside of beaches and disney, it felt quite weird as I couldn’t just walk everywhere. But san Francisco felt more like home and personaly I preferred norcal but that’s just an opinion
being an LA native verse just going to school here, I have a much boarder view. The only people flaunting their money the Hollywood type who moved here trying to get in the Film or acting, the flake want to be natives, who typify the worst Hollywood version of the West LA and the live West LA west of the 405 frwy & wont travel east of the 405 frwy.
I live in Southern Oregon. Have been to South California, only once. During the Watts riots. It was pretty bad, back then. I was a Forester in Oregon. A fire lookout on the Or – Cal border for several years. Based on the Or – Cal border. I reported to both states. Fires. It does happen. I have respect for Cal Fire and the KNF.
Years ago I would have said San Francisco is “better” than LA. However since the tech companies moved in San Francisco has made a drastic change for the worse. Sure in terms of homelessness and housing costs LA is not that desirable as well but LA has a much larger population so that is to be expected to some degree. It’s just that San Francisco is so much worse than it was many years ago. I’d have to give the edge on overall city to LA now. Hopefully things will change. If the state can take care of the problems both cities have in common it will easily flip back to San Francisco.
Woahhhhh wait did you just say Northern California has more agriculture I’m sorry but that is so wrong I’m in the agriculture field my self and own a nursery and live in SoCal and have been to north California on many trips they do not have nearly as many fields of crops as we do not do they grow as much my city Santa Paula is literally called the citrus capital of the world!! Amazing article but SoCal wins ag for sure
Music wise, you forgot about Joan Baez and Linda Ronstadt. I grew up in the Bay Area and went to school at UC San Diego. I found the biggest difference is that southern Californians are the people who make TV and McDonalds possible – they will do anything just because everybody else is doing it. In terms of resources, S. Cal has a lot more mineral resources, but northern California has the water.
I’ve lived on the central coast, east Bay Area and now LA, I know the coast like the back of my hand, two gems that never get much notice: 1. morro bay- Los osos-montaña de oro and the 2. the drive from jolon road to highway 1 by Big Sur, you drive through the army bass fort hunter-liget, and if you drive going west in April the wild flowers are insane, and you can see the ocean from like 10,000 ft there’s nothing like it
When I lived in Fresno, California from 1989 to 1995 when I was attending school at California State University, Fresno, they love to be identified with Northern California even though they are in Central California. Two local TV Stations lived to broadcast the games of the SF Giants and Oakland A’s. For my job and career I have now as a Meat & Poultry Inspector for the USDA (U.S. Department of Agriculture) FSIS (Food Safety and Inspection Service), Northern California and Southern California are like Night and Day job wise for me and others like me, I started out there in Fresno once again from 1989 to 2001 but left to return to Southern California for better job opportunities for me. In Northern California places tend to be more authoritarian and when your given a job to do, your expected to do it, while Southern California is more laid back where if you still get your job done there by a certain time frame, that is Okay for Supervisors down here. In Southern California we no longer have micromanagers down here anymore as most have retired from the job mostly to health conditions they acquire such as heart and other stress related conditions. A couple have died from being too stressed out all the time and never being able to relax away from the job. I was born and raised in Orange County where Westminster is my hometown there but now I live in San Bernardino as my wife were able to get a house there 7 years ago when they were very affordable at the time in 2013.
Lots of great observations, agree with the overall premise. I’m native Californian, lived in Bay area / San Francisco ’52-’62. Family moved south, raised in Pasadena, ’63-’74. Sweetheart and I moved to Sacramento ’74-’82. Working for the State, promote and move to Lindsay / Porterville area, been living in the Orange & Olive groves since ”82, still there and love it most of all. While the air is pretty bad due to being trapped in the Central Valley, wonderful place to raise my kids, they all moved off to big cities, did school in San Diego (Pt. Loma), Cal State Long Beach, and Cal / Berkeley. I can go pretty much throughout the state in 5 or less hrs drive, 2 1/2 to San Louie /Pismo, 3+ through Yosemite and down the Tioga Pass to fish up & down the East Sierras Mountain Lakes & streams. I love visiting family and big cities, and really love coming home to my boondocks of the Tulare Co. Orange grove. We just got a bonifide street sign on a metal pole a few months ago! (Been out here 40+ years). People using google map can’t find us half the time, that’s OK. Every few weeks we go to the big city- Visalia -to shop a bit. You might remember it somewhat, but it’s grown quite a bit since you’ve been gone. Thank you very much for the different angles and observations you show with you pretty good articles. Bill B.
Great, fun article – Santa Cruz for the win! Not to mention the whole Monterrey Bay and Carmel. Not to mention Mendocino and the whole Lost Coast. Hmm, but being a geological geographer, thought including natural/unnatural disasters like earthquakes (maybe that’s a tie between north & south), forest fires (ditto), air quality (NoCal slightly better except for haze from the forest fires?) and riots (LA’s had more) would be some key criteria.
As a Korean immigrant, norcal doesn’t even effin compare to SoCal for Korean food. LA has a special place in Korean diaspora culture, so much so that the biggest sitcom in 90s Korea was actually set in LA following an immigrant family, and to this day the flanken cut of short ribs in Korean bbq in the motherland is actually called “LA Galbi” or “LA Ribs” bc it originated from LA and went back to the motherland.
I can understand how you would pick Silicon Valley over Orange County due to all the important companies in Silicon Valley, but no way/no how does Orange County want to be anything near to what LA County is. Orange County is “a red dot in a blue state”. Outside of Downtown LA (DTLA) or a stopover in LAX, there is no reason I would want to set foot in that sh!t-hole called LA County.
I live in “The Heart of Dixie” in a 4000 sq ft 5 bedroom, 3.5 bath home with a 2 car garage and a14x32 workshop in the basement. The Basement is finished and includes a 30 x32 Den and full kitchen. My subdivision includes 20 houses on 1.5 acre lots and is surrounded by 1000 acres (with NO other houses) of wilderness on a clear water creek. Me and my wife designed and built our home for $150,000.00 21 years ago! we are 5 miles from the nearest city. There are about 10-15 miles of trails that I run, mountain bike and drive my Polaris RZR in a wilderness that is like the land that time forgot! I have lived on 4 Contentment’s (Africa, Europe, North America and Middle East and 5 States–Florida, Mississippi, Virginia and Texas, and been to Mexico, NYC, NC, GA, SC,NM,NV,OK,TN,WV,) and where I live is Heaven (for me at least)!
Santa Barb vs Santa Cruz? I’d say Humboldt vs Santa Barb is actual North vs South or maybe Fort Brag vs Santa Cruz. North would lose both times but SF is essentially the central point of California. People often over look everything past SF/Sac because of the redwood curtain. Not sure why Redding is over looked tho. But yeah, Northern California is everything ABOVE SF/Sac, southern is everything BELOW SF/Sac. SF/Sac is Central California.
Maybe I’m biased because I grew up there, but I find it wild that you could give the win to Silicon Valley over OC! I will say, I found it very weird to hear “they’re trying to be like LA” when a large part of OC-identity is hating LA so much that you visit it maybe once a year despite living 30 min away max lol. I will say north county feels like it has been completely taken over by LA’s urban sprawl. Regardless, there’s a ton of beautiful places in OC and tons of fun stuff to do (especially if you’re the outdoorsy type)!
I am uniquely qualified to assess Northern California’s strengths and weaknesses, Southern California’s weaknesses and weaknesses, and I was surprised how much I didn’t disagree with the sentiments shared in this article. I grade it: not an entirely unacceptable take. My qualifications: I’m viewing from my current home on Pleasure Point in Santa Cruz, California – as my permanent presence ensures that it does indeed stay weird. Having grown up in Silicon Valley, and lived in San Francisco later as an adult. Most importantly, I gained perspective having lived over a decade as an adult in various diverse locations across “the rest of America”, including Manhattan NYC/Jersey City NJ/Downtown Chicago/Lehigh County PA/Lexington Kentucky/Cary NC+Charlotte NC/Tyler Texas/Seattle.
Here’s a thing to think about: Southern Cali sets all the bad stereotypes about California. Ex: Valley girl/ surfer dude accent. Busy gross cities. Full of frats. Everyone only cares about appearances. Northern Cali set all the good stereotypes. Ex: Full of beautiful mountains. Wacky but extremely pleasant weather. Chill. Diverse. Lots of Mexican, Chinese, and Italian food.
Really like most of this guy’s shows here. This one completely misses the mark. Been in California nearly all of my 61 years. Lived in many of the cities he mentions. Born in LA and have lived in Sonoma, Napa, San Diego and more. Somehow the King here forgets that the southern half of the state has Kings Canyon, Sequoia, and Death Valley National Parks! And anyone who knows California knows Yosemite is not only the worst place to go as it’s a giant dog mile of Bay Area people, but it’s also a distant 2nd to the Redwoods. That sort of abbreviated analysis is all through this show.
Oh yeah totally agree with you on Northern California being better than Southern California. Except for the music aspect. I would of split the point. I would of included the impact each scene had in heavy music and what was happening in The Bay Area still has its effects to this day. The Sunset Strip saw its scene and genre implode. Sunset had those late 60s groups who carried the mystic into the 70s and 80s starting with the Doors all the way to Van Halen, then Slayer, Megadeth, and Suicidal Tendencies. Metallica formed in LA and is associated more with SF due to the only way they were going get Cliff Burton to join Metallica was them moving up north. A couple of time references were a little off too but not by much. A mention of Jefferson Airplane, Country Joe and the Fish, Exodus, and Testament would of helped with establishing regional music genre supremacy. Plus including Tesla from Sac would had been nice..
I always enjoyed myself and had a great time visiting Southern California, but it might as well be another state. I was born in “North State”, raised outside Modesto and have never lived anywhere farther south than Monterey or Fresno. I literally can count on both hands the times I’ve been south of the Grapevine in my 60 years. I just don’t have any reason to go there with any regularity. California is so big that my “world” has basically been from Fresno to Redding and Yosemite to Monterey (and that coves a huge area).
The biggest argument is the line… It is ALWAYS between Big Sur&Cambria. But one of the reasons California is great is because we hate each other… Until someone try’s to say something about our state, we have problems, but we would rather argue among ourselves than allow people to have any significant say who isn’t at least from here.
I came to Southe0rn California in my early boyhood from another state. I.grew up there near the Arroyo Freeway. (formerly the Pasadena Freeway. This area was the west end of US 66 which was still an important Highway. I’ve only Ben to the Bay Area once. I’ve been to San Diego three times. I’ve been up and down I-15 more times than I can count.
Idk how I feel about splitting california into north and south, there’s so much in central California that I couldn’t just split it down the middle, like is Lone Pine and the Eastern Sierra Nevada southern California or northern? Is San Luis Obispo NorCal or socal? How about Monterey? If we’re talking splitting the country in true north and south then it seems like socal would have the not only the lowest point in the lower 48 but also the highest, with more varied geography and climate. But I guess that’s getting a bit unnecessarily specific, great article nonetheless!