actually it was because david chase grew up in jersey. garfield new jersey. he was obsessed with oc as a kid. collected news clippings from newspapers like other kids collected baseball cards. he wanted to represent his home state. this is what it stated in the collecter's series of the sopranos. ya know the big huge one that cost like $600 when it first came out....i ran out and bought it like an idiot! but im sure you are correct as well. the budget to shoot around north cadwell, kearney and lodi nj than in any of the 5 boroughs.