While some say tourism has increased to Miami, another source says, "The rest of the story is: that non-sexually deviant tourists stopped traveling to Miami because they were complaining that they couldn't stay in the hotels because there were sodomite orgies all night long and they couldn't sleep because of the sexual parties going on at night. The sodomites probably spend a lot of money in the clubs and the restaurants, but the other tourists: West Indian, South American, European, Northern States actually spread money around to the economy."
Dimitru Duduman said that in his dreams and visions [See "America will Burn" (1984) here ] the L~rd specifically named the State of New York, California, Las Vegas and Florida and said, "This is Sodom and Gomorrah! In one day it will burn." That would definitely influence my decision in whether a city or state was liveable.
Below is Joel Skousen's list from his own studies. Our only comments are in red* below.
http://www.joelskousen.com ~ Strategic Relocation
WORST 25 METRO AREAS FOR CRIME: [*8 out of 25 are in FL!]
1. Miami, FL
2. Baton Rouge, LA
3. New York, NY
4. Tallahassee, FL
5. Los Angeles, CA
6. Jacksonville, FL
7. Gainesville, FL
8. New Orleans, LA
9. Little Rock, AR
10 Jackson, TN
11. Tampa/Clearwater, FL
12 West Palm Beach, FL
13. Baltimore/Washington DC, MD
14 Albuquerque, NM
15. Chicago, IL
16. Dallas, TX
17. Lakeland/Winter Haven, FL
18. Charlotte, NC
19. Pueblo, CO
20. Fresno, CA
21. Flint, MI
22. Jersey City, NJ
23. Kansas City, KS, MO
24. Orlando, FL
25. Riverside, CA
THE TOP 5 MOST DANGEROUS METRO AREAS FOR EARTHQUAKES: [*Other sources say that Portland, OR is No. 1.]
1. Mexico City, Mexico
2. San Francisco/Oakland
3. Los Angeles basin, CA
4. Anchorage, AK
5. Seattle WA
THE TOP 10 MOST DANGEROUS NUCLEAR TARGETS IN OR NEAR A METRO AREA (there are several other primary targets not listed that are not near a major metro)
1. Washington DC /and related bases (major command and control for the President)
2. Colorado Springs, CO (Cheyenne Mtn Control Center, 2 space command/comm bases)
3. Omaha, NE (secondary command and control bases)
4. Seattle, WA (Trident Missile Sub base and numerous Naval Bases)
5. Jacksonville FL/Kings Bay GA (Trident Missile Sub base, Major East Coast Naval Center)
6. San Diego, CA (largest west coast naval complex)
7. Norfolk, VA (major east coast naval complex)
8. Kansas City, MO (Whiteman AFB, B-2 nuclear bombers)
9. Cheyenne, WY (Warren AFB, Minute Man and Peacekeeper MX missiles)
10. Great Falls, MT (Malmstrom AFB --Minute Man missiles)
Now for some good news: Here are my current ratings for the TOP 10 MODERATE GROWTH, MEDIUM SIZED METRO AREAS that are relatively safe from strategic threats, or where you have a good chance of mitigating those threats. This are not the best areas, but the areas where most people who need to stay in the job markets will find medium term security:
1. Boise, ID
2. Provo-Orem, UT
3. Beaverton, OR
4. Santa Rosa, CA
5. Greenville, SC
6. Winston-Salem/High Point, NC
7. Austin-San Marcos, TX
8. Grand Rapids, MI
9. Reno, NV
10. Madison, WI
For those of you on a tight budget, here are the TOP 10 MOST ECONOMICAL STATES to live. These ratings take into consideration overall taxes, housing, and cost of living. These ratings also exclude most large metro areas, where costs are much higher than the state average.
1. Arkansas
2. Alabama
3. Louisiana
4. Texas (except Dallas Metroplex)
5. West Virginia
6. Oklahoma
7. South Carolina
8. Mississippi
9. Wisconsin
10. Tennessee
SOME STATES WITH TAX ADVANTAGES: This doesn't tell the whole tax story since all states collect a lot of taxes. However, a person whose financial structure or income structure is different from the average person can take advantage of this by living in a state which doesn't tax his particular form of income or spending patterns. There are more details in my book, "Strategic Relocation"
STATES WITH NO INCOME TAX: Alaska, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire (but has 5% tax on div/int) , So. Dakota, Texas, Washington, Wyoming.
STATES WITH NO SALES TAX: Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire, Oregon,
STATES WITH NO INCOME OR SALES TAXES, BUT HIGH PROPERTY TAXES: Alaska, New Hampshire.
STATES WHO SHARE A BORDER WITH NO SALES TAX/NO INCOME TAX STATE: In these states, you can live in a no income tax state and shop across the border in a no sales tax state: Washington/Oregon Wyoming/Montana So. Dakota/Montana
Florida has no income tax and low property taxes, and has Jeb Bush for governor, and both houses of Legislature heavily Republican.
The two areas you are talking about for visible gay dominance are Miami BEACH (a small area) and Key West, also tiny in area. Who a few miles S, N, W would ever notice this?
Florida's statistically reported high crime rate is because, like Texas, this state cracks down heavily upon violent and stranger-victim crime, encouraging persons to report things that in the Northeast would be merely suffered, not reported. Also, actual crime here is more localized in a few identified areas and often against persons known and not themselves very innocent.
VERY safe neighborhoods are in all parts of the State, and I think the average Floridian worries very little about crime.
You are right about the cost thing, this State has become quite crowded, with high prices for buildable land and thus cannot compare with the very lowest-cost housing states, where you list ten there.
In its defense I can only say (a) your net housing cost is not just what is paid for the house, but that LESS the increase in value of the home, plus taxes and maintenance paid. If that is taken into account, it is hard to beat Fla. and many have actually been living virtually free; (b) Florida has a very vibrant economy, very resistant to slumps, and a large population, which the more remote and isolated shangri-las cannot touch for those who must still work.
Also, studies show Florida is still not disappointing those who move here. While Californians flee by the millions, and those who go there usually hate it and leave, Florida still has nearly everyone who ever saw the place, still living here. Even those who find the summers too long and hot often just spend some time in the mtns or other cool places in summer... but would rarely actually move away for that reason.
Of all states, Fla is still in the top 3 for satisfaction on the part of those who have moved here, IOW, while many of the other possible sites are known for disappointing and thus "bouncing" many of those who go there. Still #1 and unchallenged for being "sticky" once one has ever lived here, ie addictive, and has a vibrant economy and no demographic disaster or nightmare...
Compare Arizona, overwhelmed by Hispanics and not able to cope, economy foundering under the load... and of course Cal. is much worse...