How would the show be different if it had taken pace in New York City? would the jobs be the same? would the characters be the same?

These are some very interesting questions. I guess that most of the jobs could be the same. Because of the climate, the cloths would have to be different. On top of this, in a lot of episodes, there was mention of the beach. Even if they lived in a part of New York that was on the water, the beach would not be usuable for nearly as many months of the year. Furthermore, because of things like the Mexican influence, the Japanesse Interment Camps and the Hippie Generation, California had a sub-culture very different than any other part of the United States. These cultureal differences were still very visiable when "Three's Company" came out. However, by the late eighties, the big cities in the United States were already starting to look more and more alike every day. I had first hand experience with this reality being that, by that time, I had lived in Piscataway, New Jersey, Dallas, Texas and Commerce, Texas. In all three locations, I knew my share of Blacks, Jews, homosexuals, you name it! Archie Bunker is probably rolling over in his grave!