Best and Worst States to Live In!

[CountyTy90]

Found this article (among many other interesting state-ranking ones) on Gallup.

http://www.gallup.com/poll/168653/montanans-alaskans-say-states-among-top-places-live.aspx

As a resident in Illinois, I was not surprised, though I was saddened, to see that we are basically on the bad end of all the rankings.

Where do I even start? For that many people to say Illinois is literally the worst state to live in is a huge problem. Where do you start to get your s%$# together and change that?

In my mind, the best state I've ever been to is Minnesota. I admire Minnesotans so much and hope to someday call myself a Minnesotan (too corny?). Such a beautiful, progressive, clean, natural, good natured state. You could call me obsessed...

So... do you like/hate living in your state? What's the best state in the Union? What is your dream state to live in?

[GaussLaw]

Missouri's pretty good.  I'm more liberal than the state for sure, but the people are nice and as a teacher it is nice to have students that address me as "sir"(One certainly doesn't see this happening in northern schools).  The education system is very sub-par and the students are quite weak, but they're generally well-mannered and well-behaved, albeit lazy. 

The governor, Jay Nixon, is fantastic and while many of my neighbors and friends are quite conservative, I prefer that situation to having my associates just be an echo chamber.

[CountyTy90]

I love living in Mississippi.

My odds at becoming successful in Mississippi are probably higher than they are anywhere else because of my family's history and connections, the relatively low cost of living, and the subpar competition.

Except for brief excursions to D.C. or the Northeast during my young adulthood, I plan to settle down in Mississippi to raise my family, grow my career, and enter politics

The Northeastern part of the state, specifically the Tupelo area, is especially alluring. 

My grandma lived there in the early 70's and I just talked to her the other day about going on a road trip this summer and she said she's always wanted to go back to Miss. It'll be my first time there.

[CountyTy90]

Missouri's pretty good.  I'm more liberal than the state for sure, but the people are nice and as a teacher it is nice to have students that address me as "sir"(One certainly doesn't see this happening in northern schools).  The education system is very sub-par and the students are quite weak, but they're generally well-mannered and well-behaved, albeit lazy. 

The governor, Jay Nixon, is fantastic and while many of my neighbors and friends are quite conservative, I prefer that situation to having my associates just be an echo chamber.

I grew up going to Missoura (love it when people say it that way) every summer; most of my family, most of my town actually, came from the Hannibal area, so I was always in the cave, at Becky Thatcher's house, etc. I loved it! And I just visited St. Louis  for the first time in like almost 17 years and I really liked it.

[Mr. Illini]

Illinois is fine. I like Chicago a lot and I would be satisfied in the suburbs as well at a later place in my life. It isn't my #1 choice in states but I don't hate on it.

Best states to live in: Massachusetts and Vermont, total FSs
Worst state to live in: West Virginia and Mississippi, complete HSs

[DINGO Joe]

It's a hard question because almost all states have someplace good/great to live in and someplace horrible.  I live in New Orleans and I'd consider Baton Rouge to be tolerable but everywhere else in the state I'd regard as mediocre to horrible.

The worst state is pretty obvious--West Virginia.  Second worst is probably Kansas. 

I defer on best state, too many to choose from.

[Padfoot]

As a resident in Illinois, I was not surprised, though I was saddened, to see that we are basically on the bad end of all the rankings.

Where do I even start? For that many people to say Illinois is literally the worst state to live in is a huge problem. Where do you start to get your s%$# together and change that?

Based on the two lists in this article, I would say that Illinois' problems are two-fold:

#1. The state's population is concentrated in a large urban/suburban area that meets the stereotype of being crime-ridden, polluted, run down, etc.

#2. The less urbanized parts of the state are lacking in big-ticket, outdoorsy, tourist stops that are marketable to non-locals.  It's essentially Iowa once you get south of Chicago-land.

With the exception of Texas (where nothing is bigger than their egos) all the other top ranked states have a lot of natural beauty and nature-oriented tourism going for them.  As the article says, mountains seems to make people happy, but I think it's more about feeling close to nature.  Even people living in the crappy parts of Honolulu, Portland, and Denver can still look out their windows and see a lot of natural beauty around them.  Although the shoreline of Lake Michigan is pretty awesome just because of its sheer size, it doesn't really measure up to a tropical beach or mountain backdrop because it is so overdeveloped.  The state doesn't really possess any other areas where nature is overwhelmingly beautiful or scenic and so you end up at the bottom of the barrel. 

My pie-in-the-sky, totally unfeasible recommendation for Illinois would be to first team up with Kentucky and Missouri to lobby for a new, large scale national park at the confluence of the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers.  Then, I would design a park in or near Chicago, suitable for wildlife beyond a few urban squirrels, that stretches along a significant portion of the shoreline and penetrates into the city for at least a mile.

[pbrower2a]

The shoreline of Lake Michigan is not overdeveloped except perhaps in Holland and of course along the I-94 corridors from Benton Harbor to Chicago and Chicago to Milwaukee.

[Heimdal]

Some of my relatives are living in Huntingdon Beach in California. I have visited them there on a few occasions, and I really liked the place. So I think I would enjoy living in California.

[Padfoot]

The shoreline of Lake Michigan is not overdeveloped except perhaps in Holland and of course along the I-94 corridors from Benton Harbor to Chicago and Chicago to Milwaukee.

I was speaking specifically about the Illinois portion of the shore.  Obviously there isn't development around the entire lake.

[Kevin]

It's a hard question because almost all states have someplace good/great to live in and someplace horrible.  I live in New Orleans and I'd consider Baton Rouge to be tolerable but everywhere else in the state I'd regard as mediocre to horrible.

The worst state is pretty obvious--West Virginia.  Second worst is probably Kansas. 

I defer on best state, too many to choose from.

Agreed it's hard to label states as ether good or horrible states to live in.

Ex. why some states like Massachusetts, New Jersey or Maryland might have the some of the best standards of living in the country I def wouldn't want to live in a place like inner-city Camden, Trenton, Baltimore, or even some parts of Boston imo.

Don't trash on WV entirely. Despite it's problems with poverty is quite a beautiful place and has wonderful people.

[DINGO Joe]

Don't trash on WV entirely. Despite it's problems with poverty is quite a beautiful place and has wonderful people.

Well, it pretty much ranks at the bottom of everything, like Louisiana does, but it lacks a New Orleans and the depth and breadth of culture that exists (I'm sure WV has some fine mountain music and home cooking).  Also, it's reliant on an industry that pretty much played out (coal).  It has horrible demographic (old and poor), it has little capability to maintain it's  crumbling infrastructure, the largest metro area had it's water supply compromised by a chemical spill and it seems to lack the political will to prevent it from happening again.  While drugs are a problem everywhere, it seems more debilitating in Appalachia and probably contributes to the incredibly small, ill-equipped work force.   While, I'm sure many people are nice and the scenery is pretty, it's strikes me as a state version of Detroit in the making.

[Fed. Pac. Chairman Devin]

I love Washington, and Dream of having my own home on Bainbridge island someday. As far as worst state I would say Vermont. Any state that elects a "former" socialist to the Senate is a bad fit for me.

[Starbucks Union Thug HokeyPuck]

There are many things about NJ that frustrate the average resident.  That said, I love love love it there and even being in San Diego, I'm TERRIBLY homesick. 

[Goldwater]

Why the hell do people love Alaska so much?