I think the pictures that show the entire eastern seaboard as lit up may be misleading if one assumes they represent ground-level experience.

While I haven't been engaged in amateur astronomy for a long time, I vaguely remember an event/meeting years ago that was not that far out in the country, and just a few miles/minutes travel away from the "strip malls" made a huge difference. Northern lights were visible and I think the Milky Way.

I have been out west where it is really dark, so whether or not my recollection is accurate, I do know what undisputedly dark skies are like.