I've lived in 3 states in the past 6 years, all while working for the same company. Despite significant geographic and demographic differences between each of these states, my colleagues live achingly similar lives.

Here are the most significant differences for upper-middle class people between each location, in my opinion:

1) Idaho - White collar professionals live extremely well in Idaho relative to other states. I had friends at my firm with one income, four kids, and school loans who were able to afford a boat and two new cars. I recognize this has changed a bit, since house prices are still a fair amount lower than the rest of the nation, I think this is still true.

2) Oregon - Community participation is highly valued across all religious and political persuasions. This can take the form of volunteering, charitable contributions or simply attending local beer and wine festivals. This happens on a much more limited scale in Idaho and not at all in New York.

3) New York - Class envy is the order of the day. I've always read about how intense this emotion is on the East coast, and everything I read was right. NJ natives have a complex about not being from NYC, lawyers are jealous of bankers, Columbia alums speak disparagingly of Harvard, and on up the food chain. I imagine the Giulianis love to put pins in their Bloomberg voodoo doll.

Greatly overstated differences:

1) Idaho - The impact of religion (particularly LDS) is greatly overstated. The Mormons I know don't have have secular friends, similarly for Christians and the irreligious. (It really sucks that there isn't a better word to describe sanity) Yes, it's a hard-right Republican state, but unless you're trying to get birth control at 10pm or liquor on a Sunday, this doesn't much affect your day to day life. The one exception I will readily grant is that Mormons absolutely protect their own in a business setting.

2) Oregon - Being "green". Please. Friends who drove Toyota Priuses would take MULTIPLE international trips on a flying environmental cigar.

3) New York - The impact on day to day life of the "melting pot" of New York is dramatically overstated. Other than your subway ride and ordering your Subway sandwich, you are highly unlikely to interact with multiple races in a day.