California
California is easy to describe. Los Angeles is the second-largest city in the United States (after New York), the largest city on the West Coast, an entertainment center, and a true pop culture icon.
But Los Angeles is more than that! LA has a population of nearly 4 million. It is located in the center of the metropolitan area of the same name, with a population of 13 million (again second only to New York), and is composed of many famous attractions such as Beverly Hills and Long Beach.
Economy and Hollywood
The most famous place in Los Angeles is obviously Hollywood. The block has become a global symbol of the film industry, attracting the best performing talents from all over the world, and producing the best and commercially successful films in history.
The city’s largest employers are Los Angeles County, the Los Angeles Unified School District, and the University of California.
Hollywood is the center of the Los Angeles economy, generating billions of dollars in revenue through entertainment and tourism. In addition, other developed industries include international trade, aerospace, technology, petroleum, and fashion.
The city’s GDP exceeds 1 trillion, second only to Tokyo and New York, and ranks third in the world.
Education
The largest university is California State University, with two campuses in Los Angeles and Northridge. California State University, Los Angeles offers 129 bachelor’s degrees, 112 master’s degrees, and 4 doctoral degrees, while California State University Northridge has a total of 38,815 students.
Infrastructure and transportation
California has a well-developed road infrastructure. Golden Gate Bridge, the Arroyo Seco Parkway, and The Four Level Interchange are some of the engineering masterpieces aimed towards reliving California of its heavy traffic.
Outdoor activities in California
Taking into account the fine weather, the great outdoor spaces, and the close proximity of a beach and an ocean, then one might understand why the people of L.A. love to spend time outside. There are a few popular biking trails, whether located in the heart of the city or near the beach. Be sure to visit Marvin Braude/Pacific Coast Bike Path, Griffith Park, Elysian Park, and Mount Wilson. They also provide excellent jogging conditions by either their scenic views or their close proximity to the heart of LA. The parks are also full of baseball fields and basketball courts.
Disadvantages
Like every big city, Los Angeles has many shortcomings. Traffic and parking issues are common, but other issues are more specific, such as Earthquakes may be common. The crime rate is high. The neighborhoods of Los Angeles are spread far away from each other The labor market is bloated, and people may show some attitudes because of fierce competition.
Moving to Hawaii
If heaven had a name, then it would definitely be called Hawaii. The island archipelago is the only state outside of North America, nearly 2.000 miles from the Pacific Ocean. Many people think this is a major positive factor, but it certainly has its drawbacks.
Hawaii is made up of 137 volcanic islands. It is the eighth smallest in the area and 11th least populated, but the population density is 13th with 1.4 million inhabitants. Most of them live in Oahu and its capital, Honolulu. Hawaii is one of the few states in the United States that was formerly a country.
Hawaii Economy
Hawaii has successfully transformed from a plantation-based economy to a global tourist destination. Nevertheless, agriculture still plays an important role in the state’s economy. Hawaii is one of the largest exporters of honey, pineapple and sugar cane. The largest employers in the state are Altres Industrial, Kapiolani Medical Ctr and Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard.
There were more than 10 million tourists in Hawaii in 2019. During the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, this number dropped to approximately 2.7 million, but it is expected to increase again in 2021 and beyond.
Education
There are several universities in Hawaii, most of which are located in Honolulu. The largest is the University of Hawaii system, which is estimated to have more than 50.000 students. Other universities include Honolulu Community College, Kapiolani Community College, the University of Hawaii at Manoa, Chaminade University, and Hawaii Pacific University. Hawaii is also home to the Pacific Forum, the East-West Center, and the Asia-Pacific Security Research Center, one of the largest Asia-Pacific policy research institutions in the world.
Transportation
A system of state highways encircles each main island. Only Oʻahu has federal highways and is the only area outside the contiguous 48 states to have signed Interstate highways. Narrow, winding roads and congestion in populated places can slow traffic. Each major island has a public bus system.
Healthcare
Hawaii has 28 hospitals. Two meet high U.S. News standards and are ranked in the state. U.S. News also ranked hospitals in the Honolulu metro area. The number 1 hospital in Hawaii is Queens Medical Center. Further reliable hospitals include Kaiser Permanente Moanalua Medical Center, Adventist Health Castle, and Hale Ho’ola Hamakua Hospital.
Free time in Hawaii!
Due to the long distance from the continental United States, Hawaii does not have a professional sports team. However, fitness and weightlifting are booming!
The island state is home to the Great Aloha Run, the Honolulu Marathon, and the Honolulu Triathlon. The Hawaii Triathlon is also held in Honolulu for the first time! In 2004, Men’s Fitness magazine named Honolulu the healthiest city in the United States. When you go to the beach, you can be sure that this has not changed.
The entire state of Hawaii is very close to nature. Several state parks and reserves are the main attractions for tourists. The largest and most popular include Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Puuhonua o Honaunau National Historic Park, Kaloko-Honokohau National Historic Park, Puukohola Heiau National Historic Site, and Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail.
Biking in Hawaii
Biking is a different experience in Hawaii! With all the sunshine outside, you’d miss a lot if you don’t ride your bike on the following: Kaka’ako Waterfront Park, Mililani Ravine Park, Pearl Harbor Bike Path, or The Outpost at Turtle Bay Resort.
Disadvantages
Living far away from the mainland is in itself a huge disadvantage. Nature also sets traps in the form of huge waves, dangerous currents, and coral reef cutting.
The entire geographical environment of Hawaii and Honolulu leads to quite congested traffic and a lot of traffic jams. Last but not least, so much love can become a problem.
The weather is always hot and humid, and you have almost one season.
Hawaiians pay the highest per capita taxes in the United States. In addition, tourists also need to pay general consumption tax and hotel room tax.
Los Angeles vs Honolulu
A tough couple to compare. Certainly, most of the world’s population would jump on the opportunity to move to either of these cities.
However, LA has the advantage here due to its geographical location on mainland North America, its labor market, cheaper healthcare, utilities, and groceries. The lower average age is probably a consequence of the aforementioned factors.