I wonder how statistically accurate this is. Is the bay area in fact the best suited for success in that field?

This is a claim of fact because it is something that can be argued and proven through research or trials. This is a fact because of the research that proved it. I have friends who have claimed that smoking cigarettes isn't as bad as vapes, and that it's more natural. But it is foolish to claim that it isn't cancer causing, as there are mountains of research that prove the opposite.