People love to bash California. I get it. I used to as well, until I married someone from San Diego.
While California certainly does have its share of problems, some of the stereotypes simply aren’t true. Here are 11 common misconceptions about California.
Everyone Is a Liberal Democrat
It’s easy to assume that everyone in California is a liberal Democrat. That’s untrue. In the 2020 presidential election, 35 percent of voters, or just over six million people, voted for Donald Trump.
In other races, it wasn’t common to see at least 40 percent go Republican. Areas near military posts and agricultural areas are commonly more Republican, just like you see throughout the country.
California Is Just LA and San Francisco
Los Angeles and San Francisco are all that make up California, right? If that’s your assumption, you’re missing lots of beautiful places to visit and solid people you’d love to have conversations with.
Plus, people from LA or San Francisco aren’t all bad, either.
Earthquakes Happen All the Time
Many people often believe that earthquakes happen every other day in California. Yes, it is possible they can occur at any time, but bad ones aren’t that frequent.
The California Department of Conservation says the state gets two or three bad ones (5.5 or higher) annually. That’s not too bad overall.
Earthquakes Are the Only Natural Disasters They Get
Earthquakes aren’t the only natural disasters in California. They’re also well-known for wildfires, floods, and more.
I had the pleasure of being in San Diego during the tropical storm that hit in August 2023, so I know they get more than earthquakes.
It’s Always Warm There
Many parts of California are typically warm, but it’s not always hot. Some locations, particularly in the mountains, can get cooler during the fall and winter months.
Even in San Diego and Orange County, you’ll be wishing for a light jacket in fall or winter. While they don’t often get freezing temperatures, it’s not uncommon for it to be in the 40s or 50s.
Californians Don’t Know How to Drive
Ask most people, and they will tell you that Californians don’t know how to drive. Admittedly, the sheer number of people on the road does make it a challenge.
However, that doesn’t mean all are bad. In fact, Omaha, Nebraska, is known to have the worst drivers.
Everyone Surfs
Surfing is synonymous with Southern California. However, it would be a gross overgeneralization to assume that everyone there does.
Most residents wouldn’t know how to ride a wave and would look at you weirdly if you asked them if they could “hang ten.”
Everyone Is Tan
Not everyone in California is blond, white, and tan. While you can certainly find many people like that there, California is an incredibly diverse state.
You will find people from all walks of life and all shapes and sizes. That’s a good thing.
Everyone Is In Acting, Music, Or Modeling
Sure, there are plenty of people in California there to try and get discovered. That’s impossible to deny.
However, there are many more people who are salt of the earth and living their daily lives that don’t work or care about the entertainment industry.
They’re Only Vegan, Gluten-Free, Or Raw
If you prefer an alternative diet, you’re bound to find something you like in California. It’s fairly easy, generally speaking, to find a diet that works for you in the Golden State.
However, there are also plenty of choices that are anything but healthy. Being the home of In-N-Out is just one example. Best of all, you can relatively simply find any kind of diet you want to follow in California, whether that be grease-laden burgers and fast food or foods from the most alternative diets.
Everyone Gets Botox Or Plastic Surgery
California is well-known for plastic surgeons. People come from all over to get work done, so it’s easy to assume that everyone in the state is more plastic than not.
That’s just not the case. Most people don’t get work done. More importantly, they’re not lining up on every street corner getting injections of Botox.
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I’m John Schmoll, a former stockbroker, MBA-grad, published finance writer, and founder of Frugal Rules.
As a veteran of the financial services industry, I’ve worked as a mutual fund administrator, banker, and stockbroker and was Series 7 and 63-licensed, but I left all that behind in 2012 to help people learn how to manage their money.
My goal is to help you gain the knowledge you need to become financially independent with personally-tested financial tools and money-saving solutions.
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