CNBC: Worst 10 States to Live In - Opinions?

[briantroutman]

This is at the county (or county-equivalent) level, which is more informative.

N.Y. Times: Where Are the Hardest Places to Live in the U.S.?

Already presented in evidence.

Not that it matters, anyway–just another opportunity for New Yorkers to wring their hands while thinking about "those fat, stupid southerners" .

[triplemultiplex]

This is at the county (or county-equivalent) level, which is more informative.

N.Y. Times: Where Are the Hardest Places to Live in the U.S.?

I've seen this map before.  It's basically a map of poverty.  They tried to take into account all these other factors, and in the end, pretty much created the same map as just showing the poverty rate by county.




There are only subtle changes based on how one places the breaks between each category.

[Arkansastravelguy]

There are very few places I truly enjoyed living in. But I love NW Arkansas. Oklahoma is a republican stronghold that alone should make it one of the top places to live! I don't see how New Jersey didn't make the lust, it's only like dirtiest state in the country. Or Connecticut and it's crime and poor road system. The stretch of 95 should land Connecticut in the bottom 10 alone!


iPhone

You should probably visit some of the towns in Hunterdon, Warren, Sussex, Somerset, Mercer and Middlesex counties (among others) before coming to that assumption... I love New Jersey, and part of the reason is because it's beautiful in so many aspects.

I'm sure New Jersey has nice places just like every state in the country does. Every state on that list has great places and horrible places. NJ has sky high taxes, overpopulated, sky high crime, that thing they call the turnpike, and from a roadgeek perspective those hideous oval shields


iPhone

OK, but you said NJ is the dirtest state in the country.  What does that have to do with a state route shield or high taxes?  And Zeffy pointed out the inaccuracies in everything else.

The cities I've been in (Atlantic City, Camden, Newark) we're horrible horrible places. The turnpike is what it is.. A congested mess in a lot of places. Which isn't so bad except you have to pay a hefty amount to go from one side of NJ to another at a decent speed.
I don't understand why all these southern states are in the bottom ten. I'm not a huge fan of the south, but northerners are, because they are flocking down to the southern states.


iPhone

[Zeffy]

The cities I've been in (Atlantic City, Camden, Newark) we're horrible horrible places. The turnpike is what it is.. A congested mess in a lot of places. Which isn't so bad except you have to pay a hefty amount to go from one side of NJ to another at a decent speed.

Please do not think that New Jersey's urban cities (ESPECIALLY CAMDEN!) are a representation of the rest of the state. The reason the cities are like they are is mainly corruption within the cities. In Camden's case, it's mainly because of it's status as an Industrial City, and, like Trenton, they both took the closing of the industrial areas in the city extremely hard. Trenton has the state government - Camden really doesn't. In time, both of these cities will become nice again, but you need to give it time. In Trenton's case, a lot of work is being done to make the quality of life better for Trentonians.

Please come back to New Jersey and visit some of the areas I recommend - Somerville, a small quaint town located in my county, Morristown, another small town on the rise a bit north, the Princeton area (or to an extent, the lesser Trenton area), the outlying areas of Hunterdon County, etc. There's a lot more to New Jersey than corrupted and decaying cities.

If you don't like the Turnpike - don't ride it. Simple as that. But both the Turnpike and the Garden State Parkway are two of New Jersey's busiest roads, and calling it a congested mess is just unfair.

Your view of New Jersey is very flawed, and I don't think you actually experienced New Jersey if the places you visited were all some of the sketchy places to be.

[Arkansastravelguy]

The cities I've been in (Atlantic City, Camden, Newark) we're horrible horrible places. The turnpike is what it is.. A congested mess in a lot of places. Which isn't so bad except you have to pay a hefty amount to go from one side of NJ to another at a decent speed.

Please do not think that New Jersey's urban cities (ESPECIALLY CAMDEN!) are a representation of the rest of the state. The reason the cities are like they are is mainly corruption within the cities. In Camden's case, it's mainly because of it's status as an Industrial City, and, like Trenton, they both took the closing of the industrial areas in the city extremely hard. Trenton has the state government - Camden really doesn't. In time, both of these cities will become nice again, but you need to give it time. In Trenton's case, a lot of work is being done to make the quality of life better for Trentonians.

Please come back to New Jersey and visit some of the areas I recommend - Somerville, a small quaint town located in my county, Morristown, another small town on the rise a bit north, the Princeton area (or to an extent, the lesser Trenton area), the outlying areas of Hunterdon County, etc. There's a lot more to New Jersey than corrupted and decaying cities.

If you don't like the Turnpike - don't ride it. Simple as that. But both the Turnpike and the Garden State Parkway are two of New Jersey's busiest roads, and calling it a congested mess is just unfair.

Your view of New Jersey is very flawed, and I don't think you actually experienced New Jersey if the places you visited were all some of the sketchy places to be.

I have been to a few other places in Jersey, such as Cape May which was awesome. I appreciate you defending the state, anytime I've bashed Jersey I haven't gotten resistance... Even from my jersey friends. So you may be right that my perception is flawed, I just go by my experience


iPhone

[JakeFromNewEngland]

There are very few places I truly enjoyed living in. But I love NW Arkansas. Oklahoma is a republican stronghold that alone should make it one of the top places to live! I don't see how New Jersey didn't make the lust, it's only like dirtiest state in the country. Or Connecticut and it's crime and poor road system. The stretch of 95 should land Connecticut in the bottom 10 alone!


iPhone

I do agree with you on Connecticut's I-95, but Connecticut has a lot more to offer then their horrible roads AND they are in the process of reconstructing bad sections of I-95. Honestly, some roads aren't THAT BAD. Sure, the crime is bad but almost every state with large cities is prone to that.

[agentsteel53]

the poop is going on with Rhode Island there?  one extremely poor county?

[nexus73]

To those who quoted and inquired about my I-55 south of Memphis to the MS state line experience, it took place in June 1996.  I have never gone back!

Rick

[Desert Man]

The quality of life in a community is determined by a variety of factors: employment, safety, access to necessities and geographical (climate and distance from major cities). Sometimes, local government plays a role in mismanagement of communities to become poor or blighted.

In my area (the Inland Empire CA region), there are really bad cities like San Bernardino, sections like East Riverside, and towns like Desert Hot Springs rank among the worst places to live in CA or the country. Poverty rates are higher in towns surrounding San Bernardino and the town of Coachella, while prosperity is concentrated in Chino Hills, Rancho Cucamonga, Redlands, Temecula and Palm Desert where you find upper-middle-class and wealthy residents.

[hbelkins]

It's all subjective.

I live in one of the bottom 10 counties and it's not been particularly hard or difficult for me. Grew up here, came back here initially after college, and came back hopefully for good 12 years ago, and I hope to never move again. I'd rather live here than in Lexington despite this place's flaws and perceived "hardness."

Tennessee has no income tax, but the sales tax is outrageous. Jersey has a low gas tax but very restrictive firearms laws. Florida's too hot and humid. Maine's too cold. California's too liberal. Ohio's roads and drivers generally suck. Colorado has legalized pot. Kentucky has Louisville.

One person's paradise is another person's hell.

[Arkansastravelguy]

It's all subjective.

I live in one of the bottom 10 counties and it's not been particularly hard or difficult for me. Grew up here, came back here initially after college, and came back hopefully for good 12 years ago, and I hope to never move again. I'd rather live here than in Lexington despite this place's flaws and perceived "hardness."

Tennessee has no income tax, but the sales tax is outrageous. Jersey has a low gas tax but very restrictive firearms laws. Florida's too hot and humid. Maine's too cold. California's too liberal. Ohio's roads and drivers generally suck. Colorado has legalized pot. Kentucky has Louisville.

One person's paradise is another person's hell.

Well said.


iPhone

[SP Cook]

Very well said. 

We live in an era where most work is portable.  Probably the next generation even more so.  But everybody is different.  People have different values, ideas, needs.