Posted on 08/19/2002 11:52:05 AM PDT by crystalk
STATES RATED [Assumes you will grow up, raise a family, or retire--in an AVG spot in the BEST 25% of the State]
[If no regional preference is shown, it means entire State about equally good overall, pick your own best.]
1. Florida [Best areas are in NE, NW, or SW. So friendly and so many jobs, climate an extra.]
2. Georgia [Avoid areas within 35 mi of Atlanta center; better not too close to AL line.]
3. Virginia [Avoid areas >5 mi NW of I-81; if TIED to DC area, live in Va.]
4. South Carolina [better NW and around lgr cities. or in gated comm]
5. North Carolina [Better in West; less good >15 mi E of CLT-GSO line]
6. Tennessee [Much better to E of N’vl-Chatt line]
7. Texas [Best areas SCen or beaches; avoid Mx border zone.]
8. Kentucky [Avoid E 30% of state, or W’most 10%.]
9. Mississippi [Better in S 40% of state, or near universities.]
10. Arkansas [Best in NW; avoid SE 44% of state.]
11. Oklahoma [Better in E/SE 60% of state]
12. Louisiana [Better near NO or lg cities, but if you love Cajuns go Anywhere in S half.]
13. Alabama [Better in Mobile/coast area; or in/near sizable cities, or N/NE area.]
14. Arizona [Best in Cen or SE areas. Pretty desert, pretty hot.]
15. Nevada [Bracing weather in N 90% of state; Vegas and Ariz-type climate in S; low taxes.]
16. New Mexico [Interesting, not as hot as AZ; N half is cold in winter.]
17. Idaho [Climate less cold than you think; beautiful. Boise booms.]
18. Utah [Climate and Mormons not as cold as feared. Scenery forever.]
19. Indiana [Better in Cen, SCen, SE. E areas; avoid the Gary/Chicago area in NW.]
20. South Dakota [Unique place, Indians, Colleges. Scenery better and climate less bad in W qtr]
21. Colorado [better out of City limit of Denver; plains E/SE and deserts W & NW less good.]
22. Oregon [deserts E sunny chilly and lonely; W 40% mild, drizzly, England-style, take your pick]
23. Kansas [better in E 30% or S 30%, of state; avoid in-city Wichita, KC, Topeka.]
24. Wyoming. [Just what you’d think, in all four corners and the center.]
25. West Virginia [best in E half of state, or Chas/Hntgtn area, or near Ohio R; avoid SW and SCen]
26. Pennsylvania [even in Phil & Pitts, some livable areas]
27. Delaware [Only state in NE with net inflow of population, but room runs out soon.]
28. Ohio [Avoid the city limits of largest 6 or 8 cities]
29. New Hampshire [Unique, snowy but low taxes, builds character.]
30. Washington [S half and E quarter really better than popular Seattle area in NW]
31. Maryland [Avoid area within 25 miles of downtown DC or Baltimore.]
32. Montana [Remote chic, or just remote? Neighboring states offer better for less.]
33. Missouri [Better in S half; avoid StL or KC city limits absolutely; their areas if possible.]
34. Rhode Island [New England, but not so stuffy. Good sailing. Italian, family oriented.]
35. Maine [Remote like Montana, but lives on lobster & welfare instead of cattle.]
36. Connecticut [A used-ta-be FTMP. Avoid Hartford; E third of state not as bad.]
37. New Jersey [No-go areas getting smaller, but stay out of Camden, Elizabeth, and Newark.]
38. California [Get real Mexico at $15/day; avoid this $750/day 3d world. Polluted, Baja is Better.]
39. Nebraska [American Gothic; prairie still wholesome. Nice folks, Go Big Red!]
40. Hawaii [Corrupt, expensive, a social catastrophe in the making? Trouble in paradise.]
41. Iowa [Hogs, corn, freezing cold, some of looniest leftist universities anywhere.]
42. Michigan [Avoid SE and rust belts. Snowy. Rural areas lovely in summer.]
43. Illinois [Big city, decent areas far to S, but still 24 pts below IN and 6 below NJ!]
44. Minnesota [Beginning to wake up from Marxist dreams, but still cold as ever]
45. Wisconsin [9 months frozen; 3 of mosquitoes, leftist state U attracts kooks. Cheesy.]
46. Alaska [Not all of state is as cold as feared; envo-wackos, moose, affirm-action natives, grizzlies.]
47. North Dakota [Nice people, but who deserves THIS climate?]
48. Massachusetts [Loony-left Tax Hell , with once-great universities. Avoid Boston, Brockton.]
49. New York State [ Tax Hell. NYC OK for richest; see lower Hudson valley & Long Is; forget rest.]
50. Vermont [Taxes and enviro- wackos. Hell freezes over, with maple syrup and socialism.]
51. Dis. of Col. [Dangerous, dirty city has tourist sites, universities. Power in the air, though.]
Come on, California has that distinction. On electoral votes, Mass. is what, third?
Here's an idea, conservatives should start a movement, relocate to and overtake the worst liberal states and give us small Pubbie troops some backup.
The road ends right at the border of SC/GA at the Tugaloo River, where you pick up 85 . (Isn't it wonderful that there's a river named Tugaloo?) Have heard about Dillard House, will make it there someday. Yep, several years ago we made a jog off 85 to see the Cherokee hwy, and I said to DH, "This is for us," and I didn't even have to count to three. (See "O Brother Where Art Thou"). There are some fine peach and apple orchards around Chesney, nice fruit stands.
At Salem and 130, you can drive up to Whitewater Falls, the biggest waterfall east of the Mississippi. The little park is nice, but keep going just a bit past (half mile, maybe) the park entrance, and stop at an unmarked gravel shoulder and climb up the rocks to see Jocasee and Keowee. Then walk up the road a half block and climb up those rocks, look down at Whitewater. (Be very careful, it is a sheer scarp).
I should have known better than that, because I once went to an event at a church camp at Head Waters, Va. as well as having been to the Homestead 3 or 4 times.
New Hampshire is still a desirable place to live but they are being invaded by the "Human Plague," that is... Massholes.
Unless there is a drastic change, NH will become like Massachusetts lite. I could go into specifics but I am sure you are aware of them. My godparents lived in NH and my Father used to own cottages up there and I can tell you the whole place has changed dramatically, and not for the better.
I meet Liberals from New Hampshire all the time and I cant say I met one from up there before 1992. All anecdotal of course.
Florida is also being invaded by the dreaded "Human Plague" but since most of them are old cheapos from up here, they dont do as much damage as you would think. When I lived near Jacksonville, Florida was a beacon for the GOP, now it seems like it is a toss-up. It is truly sad because I loved Northern Florida. After Mass, I could not believe the freedom I had when I lived there.
So, where would I want to go if I had my choice? I would have to say Wyoming. I am not a country boy and I do like being near some sort of city, but from where I sit, most of these areas have gone insane.
As for the comments on Vermont... it IS a nice place and it does have great gun laws BUT a lot of whackos have moved up there and are turning it into another la la land. If the whackos gain numbers, you can bet that the gun laws wont be so great. It will take time but like I said, if they have the numbers, they will change them.
Thats about it. :D
Like you, I have too many ties to the east coast, so would have stay on the right coastal area. Probably among my biggest factors is politics, economy, guns and weather; the weather and seasons here suit me.
I know whackos are invading the northern NE states, but not all of them are from Mass. and others will attest that whackos are proliferating all over.
Maybe I can tolerate it because I've lived here all my life. God knows the leftists drive me crazy but I do my part as a Republican. Pubbies like us in liberal states are fighting on the front lines and I'm still saying we could use some backup here.
WOW! You mean we're not last in a category? Who woulda thunk? Yep, eastern pahandle where I live is best. ;-) Here's a suggested revised rating: "[best in E half, but quickly turning Republican statewide]" Gratuitous Wolfe for US Senate hyperlink
WV PINGS)))))))
I'm a native Virginian, lived here all my life ('cept for four years in school in Kentucky). I would re-phrase your statement about I-81. Yes, it goes through some of the most beautiful parts of the state. But I avoid driving on I-81 if at all possible. It's a major truck route north to south. I'd rather drive on I-95.
I lived in Arlington for a while. We're a little weird but we like urban living and liked the DC area. We were close enough in that traffic wasn't a major problem. But now were in the suburbs of Richmond. We like it here too. Close to the mountains, close to the beach.
Worst thing about our winters. We don't really get lots of snow. But when we get winter weather, it's usually ice. But for my money the other 10 months of the year make up for that.
Now if it would just rain...
Now if only the government were more efficient and less corrupt, and if only those people would vote like their descendants across the USA instead of thinking they can live at govt expense...Note how much higher tax burden it bears than Virginia itself, for much lower services level overall.
Unfortunately, a Rockefeller can still arrive in the state and buy himself a Senate seat for life, voting against every value of the people he supposedly represents.
Charming small towns, unique architecture homes from 50-150 years ago to restore...
This State would go from 25 to 12 or so overnight if its people would just realize the world would not end if they voted Republican.
Tax and crime levels can be a problem, and the climate is really (adjusted for breeze and humidity) hotter than Florida in summer (AC needed worse) and of course, cold and yucky in winter, which often lasts from Dec 20 to March 20.
Yes, I have lived there, and longer than in Fla (by a hair)....
But here we pay half the taxes, and service levels are not much lower if at all...
Still, number 3 is very good, and in a way it is home.
Another problem tho, is that many communities in Virginia are not so welcoming to newcomers, you would never really get to know them and be allowed to participate.
But you see, my people got here in the late 1600s...:-)
You're right, we don't always take kindly to newcomers.
Actually though, I wouldn't mind living in Florida if I could be on the coast. I'm pretty sure I just need to live on the coast somewhere (Virginia or further south). Just got back from a week on the NC Outer Banks and I always find myself thinking about what kind of business I could open...
Heh heh, I live in North Alabama.
Hee, hee, I live south of Mobile.
(Not just in one isolated heaven, or one isolated "hell.")
The South has offered that, and that is why so many trailers are seen here. In so much of the country, anyone who is not rich is both assumed to be subhuman, and in fact is ground down INTO such status by being forced to live among such, in a degrading setting.
The states higher on the list offer some chance of getting a piece of land somewhere and getting away from the riff-raff, even if it has MORE money than YOU do!
The Left, of course, wants this cut off right away by forbidding persons to live in rural areas.
"I like my fellow man the best, when he is scattered some."
The city of Fairhope, Ala. (on east Mobile bay) frequently comes out on top or near the top of the 'best places to live' lists.
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