MurryM
Locals do know what they call various places and they also differentiate because they usually must and know the differences. It's a matter of scale.
Strangers on the other hand don't have a clue and the further away from the area of interest, the greater the generalities.
Thus, ask most New Yorkers and most would say any place from San Francisco to Anchorage. Pin them down and most probably think Vancouver B.C. is part of Oregon or Washington. Some may even opine that the Pacific Northwest consists of Japan, Korean and Kamchatka.
Interior Alaskans call everything outside Alaska, the "Outside".
Simple, works for Seattle or Miami.
Though the Yukon would be called the Yukon, but B.C. "Outside"
Don't take it personally.