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Worst county in your state?

Started by Roadgeekteen, November 26, 2020, 12:35:45 AM

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1995hoo

"You know, you never have a guaranteed spot until you have a spot guaranteed."
—Olaf Kolzig, as quoted in the Washington Times on March 28, 2003,
commenting on the Capitals clinching a playoff spot.

"That sounded stupid, didn't it?"
—Kolzig, to the same reporter a few seconds later.


index

Robeson. Anyone who knows Lumberton won't need an explanation. That place has an average IQ of 60.
I love my 2010 Ford Explorer.



Counties traveled

Flint1979

Quote from: cabiness42 on November 26, 2020, 12:59:28 PM
Quote from: Flint1979 on November 26, 2020, 12:32:45 PM
Worst as far as overall worst such as the county pretty much sucks.

For Michigan, I'll go with Wayne County; Detroit is a shithole and so are most of the inner ring suburbs like River Rouge, Ecorse, Lincoln Park and of course Highland Park which mine as well be part of the city of Detroit anyway along with it's neighbor Hamtramck.

For Indiana, I'll go with Lake County. The southern part of the county like around Lowell and in that area isn't bad but it features cities like Gary, Hammond, Whiting, East Chicago, Merrillville and so on. Some of those areas aren't as bad as others but they aren't the best areas for sure. Porter County is a little better but you still have the same vibe as Lake County I think.

Not sure when is the last time you've wandered off the interstates in Lake County, but the Whiting/East Chicago/Hammond area has undergone some redevelopment recently, and if Illinois keeps raising its taxes, that area is primed for a real resurgence.
Probably about 3 or so years ago. When I think of Whiting I think of the huge BP refinery there which just brings it down I think anyway. East Chicago never seemed that nice to me. Hammond seemed fine when I've been there and honestly I've driven through Gary and never seemed out of place or scared or anything.

TheHighwayMan3561

MN: Wright, Sherburne, Benton, Morrison
self-certified as the dumbest person on this board for 5 years running

hbelkins

In Kentucky, it's Jefferson, no contest. For a variety of reasons.

Quote from: 1995hoo on November 26, 2020, 01:50:01 PM
Quote from: Roadgeekteen on November 26, 2020, 12:39:40 AM
Just your personal least favorite.

Montgomery County, Virginia.

Doesn't have anything to do with the college located there, does it?


Government would be tolerable if not for politicians and bureaucrats.

hotdogPi

(Hint: one of these is fictional)

Virginia: Richmond County. Were they intentionally trying to be confusing?
New Mexico: Los Alamos County. Why do we need a tiny county hiding between regular-sized ones?
Idaho: Taft County. Belongs in Montana, and is almost an exclave.
Texas: Kenedy County. Learn to spell.
Florida: Lee County. Most populous county in the United States that's solid red, and named after a Confederate.
Iowa: Des Moines County. Is this another attempt at confusion?
Pennsylvania: Bedford County. Breezewood.
North Carolina: Scotland County. Lost it in 2020.
Georgia: Glascock County. Demographically misplaced.
Alabama: Tuscaloosa County. Colleges are for academics, not sports.
Utah: Daggett County. Seriously, you couldn't be part of Uintah County?
Arizona: Maricopa County. Stop moving there. You're all going to run out of water one day, and why do you want to live in 120° heat anyway?
Kansas: God Hates Shawnee County.
Maryland: Harford County. Again, learn to spell.
Connecticut: Fairfield County. Shouldn't be part of New England, even though it is.
Clinched, minus I-93 (I'm missing a few miles and my file is incorrect)

Traveled, plus US 13, 44, and 50, and several state routes

I will be in Burlington VT for the eclipse.

dlsterner

Quote from: 1 on November 26, 2020, 09:41:03 PM
Maryland: Harford County. Again, learn to spell.

Named after Henry Harford.  Spelling is not the issue here.

oscar

#32
Quote from: 1 on November 26, 2020, 09:41:03 PM
New Mexico: Los Alamos County. Why do we need a tiny county hiding between regular-sized ones?

Originally, a Federal enclave for the secret Manhattan Project. Now, ridiculously prosperous compared to its neighbors, with all the nuclear scientists who live there. It has really high quality of life rankings, including very low poverty rates.

A somewhat similar criticism can be made for Hawaii's Kalawao County, which has among the smallest populations and land areas of U.S. counties, and indeed is so small it doesn't show up on many maps. OTOH, it has the most saints per square mile in the U.S.
my Hot Springs and Highways pages, with links to my roads sites:
http://www.alaskaroads.com/home.html

Roadgeekteen

Quote from: 1 on November 26, 2020, 09:41:03 PM
(Hint: one of these is fictional)

Virginia: Richmond County. Were they intentionally trying to be confusing?
New Mexico: Los Alamos County. Why do we need a tiny county hiding between regular-sized ones?
Idaho: Taft County. Belongs in Montana, and is almost an exclave.
Texas: Kenedy County. Learn to spell.
Florida: Lee County. Most populous county in the United States that's solid red, and named after a Confederate.
Iowa: Des Moines County. Is this another attempt at confusion?
Pennsylvania: Bedford County. Breezewood.
North Carolina: Scotland County. Lost it in 2020.
Georgia: Glascock County. Demographically misplaced.
Alabama: Tuscaloosa County. Colleges are for academics, not sports.
Utah: Daggett County. Seriously, you couldn't be part of Uintah County?
Arizona: Maricopa County. Stop moving there. You're all going to run out of water one day, and why do you want to live in 120° heat anyway?
Kansas: God Hates Shawnee County.
Maryland: Harford County. Again, learn to spell.
Connecticut: Fairfield County. Shouldn't be part of New England, even though it is.
Taft county is fictional
God-emperor of Alanland, king of all the goats and goat-like creatures

Current Interstate map I am making:

https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/edit?hl=en&mid=1PEDVyNb1skhnkPkgXi8JMaaudM2zI-Y&ll=29.05778059819179%2C-82.48856825&z=5

Rothman

Quote from: webny99 on November 26, 2020, 01:38:17 PM
For New York, it's objectively Orleans County.

I'm not sure there's any other counties you could make a case for. Perhaps neighboring Niagara County, although that at least has several cool State Parks including Niagara Falls and Whirlpool State Park. Lewis County handily wins "most nondescript", but that's quite different from being outright bad, much less the worst. Genesee County, meanwhile, at least has some quality farmland and countryside, plus the Thruway. Wayne County, which is similar to Orleans on paper, has a Lake Ontario shoreline that's far superior for both beaches and scenery. And the other 57 counties are in my opinion either too scenic, too diverse, or both.
"Objectively" must mean something different to you than it does to Merriam-Webster.
Please note: All comments here represent my own personal opinion and do not reflect the official position(s) of NYSDOT.

corco

Quote from: 1 on November 26, 2020, 09:41:03 PM
Idaho: Taft County. Belongs in Montana, and is almost an exclave.

The what

webny99

Quote from: Rothman on November 27, 2020, 12:13:19 AM
Quote from: webny99 on November 26, 2020, 01:38:17 PM
For New York, it's objectively Orleans County.
...
"Objectively" must mean something different to you than it does to Merriam-Webster.

Hmmm... "in a way that is not dependent on the mind for existence; actually" sounds about right, but if you or anyone would like to make the case for another county, I am here for it.

TheHighwayMan3561

Quote from: oscar on November 26, 2020, 10:30:05 PM
Quote from: 1 on November 26, 2020, 09:41:03 PM
New Mexico: Los Alamos County. Why do we need a tiny county hiding between regular-sized ones?

Originally, a Federal enclave for the secret Manhattan Project. Now, ridiculously prosperous compared to its neighbors, with all the nuclear scientists who live there. It has really high quality of life rankings, including very low poverty rates.

I decided to turn around before the security checkpoints, between not understanding their purpose as well as having out-of-state plates along with bins of crap I hadn't unloaded from a move that would probably look very appetizing to bored guards.
self-certified as the dumbest person on this board for 5 years running

oscar

#38
Quote from: TheHighwayMan394 on November 27, 2020, 02:27:37 AM
Quote from: oscar on November 26, 2020, 10:30:05 PM
Originally, a Federal enclave for the secret Manhattan Project. Now, ridiculously prosperous compared to its neighbors, with all the nuclear scientists who live there. It has really high quality of life rankings, including very low poverty rates.

I decided to turn around before the security checkpoints, between not understanding their purpose as well as having out-of-state plates along with bins of crap I hadn't unloaded from a move that would probably look very appetizing to bored guards.

Which are south of the "civilian" part of Los Alamos. My most recent visit, in summer 2019, I entered the county from the east on NM 502. I only encountered (and like you, was initially confused by) the Los Alamos National Laboratory checkpoints when I drove south on NM 501 toward the Bandelier National Monument. It took me a few tries to figure out that through NM 501 traffic got waved through the checkpoints, so it could pass through LANL without any other stops.
my Hot Springs and Highways pages, with links to my roads sites:
http://www.alaskaroads.com/home.html

empirestate

Quote from: webny99 on November 27, 2020, 12:31:49 AM
Quote from: Rothman on November 27, 2020, 12:13:19 AM
Quote from: webny99 on November 26, 2020, 01:38:17 PM
For New York, it's objectively Orleans County.
...
"Objectively" must mean something different to you than it does to Merriam-Webster.

Hmmm... "in a way that is not dependent on the mind for existence; actually" sounds about right, but if you or anyone would like to make the case for another county, I am here for it.

Well, what's the case for Orleans, to start with? What are the objective data?

hotdogPi

Quote from: empirestate on November 27, 2020, 06:45:44 PM
Quote from: webny99 on November 27, 2020, 12:31:49 AM
Quote from: Rothman on November 27, 2020, 12:13:19 AM
Quote from: webny99 on November 26, 2020, 01:38:17 PM
For New York, it's objectively Orleans County.
...
"Objectively" must mean something different to you than it does to Merriam-Webster.

Hmmm... "in a way that is not dependent on the mind for existence; actually" sounds about right, but if you or anyone would like to make the case for another county, I am here for it.

Well, what's the case for Orleans, to start with? What are the objective data?

I just checked if it's losing population. It is. (So could other counties, though.)

Are we supposed to create something like kurumi's "most important 2di" list using criteria and a Python script?
Clinched, minus I-93 (I'm missing a few miles and my file is incorrect)

Traveled, plus US 13, 44, and 50, and several state routes

I will be in Burlington VT for the eclipse.

jp the roadgeek

Fairfield.  Bunch of NY wannabes.  Many forms of media assume the other 7 counties of our state don't even exist; those " Best x in every state"  features always choose somewhere in Fairfield County. 
Interstates I've clinched: 97, 290 (MA), 291 (CT), 291 (MA), 293, 295 (DE-NJ-PA), 295 (RI-MA), 384, 391, 395 (CT-MA), 395 (MD), 495 (DE), 610 (LA), 684, 691, 695 (MD), 695 (NY), 795 (MD)

Takumi

Quote from: Rothman on July 15, 2021, 07:52:59 AM
Olive Garden must be stopped.  I must stop them.

Don't @ me. Seriously.

Desert Man

CA's worst county in socio-economics, quality of life and ecological or environmental issues is Imperial, facing the AZ state line (Colorado River which is more popular than Salton Sea now) and the Mexican border (winter is the best time when Canadians and northern states snowbirds are there). I only been there once to visit Mexicali (and Calexico, the county/valley's largest town) and El Centro (county seat, near the town with the name Imperial) and not too exciting, just a visit to another nation. Largely rural, it does have a sizable population between 150-250,000 (varies from season to season, esp. when farm workers are there) and the closest big cities are Indio CA, San Diego, Yuma AZ and of course, Mexicali (capital of Baja California state).
Get your kicks...on Route 99! Like to turn 66 upside down. The other historic Main street of America.

STLmapboy

St. Louis City. And yes, I've been to the likes of Shannon and Reynolds Counties.
Teenage STL area roadgeek.
Missouri>>>>>Illinois

Desert Man

Someone on page 1 said the OC in CA is the worst county...uh, the one with Disneyland? And CA's "US federal government" capital (Laguna Niguel between downtown L.A. and downtown San Diego). And high real estate values despite how crowded the county has become in 6 decades? I don't know I want to be near any amenities or live out in the quiet countryside. In the 1950s, Orange county was a combination of "small town" rural and all of a sudden, sub-urban to now dominate the county.
Get your kicks...on Route 99! Like to turn 66 upside down. The other historic Main street of America.

Flint1979

Quote from: STLmapboy on November 27, 2020, 11:22:06 PM
St. Louis City. And yes, I've been to the likes of Shannon and Reynolds Counties.
Is all of St. Louis really that bad? I've always thought it was mostly the north side of the city that's pretty bad.

danzarblx

"Studying New Jersey's roads, one click at a time."

Max Rockatansky

Quote from: Desert Man on November 28, 2020, 12:00:52 AM
Someone on page 1 said the OC in CA is the worst county...uh, the one with Disneyland? And CA's "US federal government" capital (Laguna Niguel between downtown L.A. and downtown San Diego). And high real estate values despite how crowded the county has become in 6 decades? I don't know I want to be near any amenities or live out in the quiet countryside. In the 1950s, Orange county was a combination of "small town" rural and all of a sudden, sub-urban to now dominate the county.

Yes, the criterion is personal opinion as described by the OP.  That being the case suburban Hell-Scape and gluttony filled theme park isn't my bag, so Orange County it is. 

webny99

Quote from: 1 on November 27, 2020, 06:47:36 PM
Quote from: empirestate on November 27, 2020, 06:45:44 PM
Quote from: webny99 on November 27, 2020, 12:31:49 AM
Quote from: Rothman on November 27, 2020, 12:13:19 AM
Quote from: webny99 on November 26, 2020, 01:38:17 PM
For New York, it's objectively Orleans County.
...
"Objectively" must mean something different to you than it does to Merriam-Webster.

Hmmm... "in a way that is not dependent on the mind for existence; actually" sounds about right, but if you or anyone would like to make the case for another county, I am here for it.

Well, what's the case for Orleans, to start with? What are the objective data?

I just checked if it's losing population. It is. (So could other counties, though.)

Orleans is one of many Upstate counties that are losing population. As for why it's the worst, its Lake Ontario shoreline is terrible (zero beaches of note), it's run-down, redneck, economically depressed, and there's no scenery to speak of. To give an idea, here is your welcome to Orleans County on NY 104. Albion and Medina, meanwhile, are consistently ranked among the most redneck places in the state... and for Upstate NY, that's saying something.

As I mentioned upthread, all other counties at least have a number of things going for them, be it scenery, attractions, quality of life, a regional economic hub, or otherwise. Orleans is a true eyesore that doesn't have any of those things. That makes it the worst.



Opinions expressed here on belong solely to the poster and do not represent or reflect the opinions or beliefs of AARoads, its creators and/or associates.