I Live in the Worst Run State in USA

[38Chevy454]

.......and I can't wait to GTFO. Only here because of work, and will move out to different state for retirement. See here for details of listing each state:
The Best and Worst Run States in America: A Survey of All 50 - 24/7 Wall St.

New Mexico took this dubious honor of worst run state for second year in a row

It seems NM is always on the bottom of the good lists, and top of the bad lists. Sad because the state has so many natural beauty and potential good things. I have my opinions on why the state sucks so bad, but will avoid getting into political and cultural discussions. I really can't dispute the results of this specific best and worst run states survey.

So how does your state fare on this list and do you agree with the results?

 

[W2R]

I tend to think that lists like this are not very accurate so I'll just blow off the fact that Louisiana was 44th. I like it here, although the crime might eventually drive us away.

Where are you planning to move to? Seems like every state has its disadvantages.

 

[38Chevy454]

I tend to think that lists like this are not very accurate so I'll just blow off the fact that Louisiana was 44th. I like it here, although the crime might eventually drive us away.

Where are you planning to move to? Seems like every state has its disadvantages.

The high crime rate here is the major factor in my wanting to leave. Also want a more conservative area. Retirement location is looking like OH or KY, DW wants to be by family (siblings, both sets of our parents have passed on) and we have been away from family for last 16 years, mostly due to me chasing work around the country. She deserves to get what she would like. I can live with it, used to live in that area for about 10 years. I will be out in country, not in city. Very big detached shop garage and 5 acres +/- of land with a reasonable smaller size house like a ranch style will keep me happy and content.

I agree every state has good and bad points, just unfortunately NM seems to have a lot more bad points than good points.

 

[golfnut]

Well, at least, Illinois beat somebody

 

[Sunset]

Well don't move to IL.
It's the second worst, and I don't know why it's not the 1st worst.
The really scary part is when they say the Debt per capita: $5,119 (for IL) what they don't mention is since many are children and the poverty rate (IL) is 13.6% , it means at best 1/2 to 1/3 of the folks will end up paying the debt.

For IL what they are not counting is the future debt due to Big promises of Pensions which are not funded.

 

[AllDone]

Since the states all define levels for receiving benefits differently, you can't use those levels to compare "poverty rates". These clickbait best/worst lists are silly.

 

[Greencheese]

Well, at least, Illinois beat somebody

We're number 2! We're number 2!

 

[HadEnuff]

It seems to me that the "best" state to live in is the one you most want to live in, which includes things such as:

1. proximity to loved ones
2. climate
3. availability of activities that interest you
4. availability of degree of "ruralness" or "urbanness" (two words I just made up) that suits your wishes
5. COL, to the degree that your means will allow you to enjoy all of the above.

what some list says is "best" or "worst" is immaterial, since there are undoubtedly happy and miserable people in every location on the list.

 

[donheff]

Sad to see my home state (Il) second to the bottom. The politicians (on both sides) have robbed it blind. Those top states are some cold places. Does the bracing weather have something to do with it?

 

[Car-Guy]

According to the list Texas is #7.

Here's one of the biggest problems I see with that according to the article: "In the last five years, 1.2 million more people have moved to the Lone Star State than have left, the second largest net migration of any state in the country." Well at least most of those immigrants seem to be moving into the big cities (the 3 areas of the state that are mega messes) and leaving the rest of Texas alone, for the most part.

 

[travelover]

It seems to me that the "best" state to live in is the one you most want to live in, which includes things such as:

1. proximity to loved ones
2. climate
3. availability of activities that interest you
4. availability of degree of "ruralness" or "urbanness" (two words I just made up) that suits your wishes
5. COL, to the degree that your means will allow you to enjoy all of the above.

what some list says is "best" or "worst" is immaterial, since there are undoubtedly happy and miserable people in every location on the list.

I totally agree with the list and the relative rankings, 1 to 5 of importance.

 

[Big_Hitter]

It seems to me that the "best" state to live in is the one you most want to live in, which includes things such as:

[-]1. proximity to loved ones[/-]
2. climate
3. availability of activities that interest you
4. availability of degree of "ruralness" or "urbanness" (two words I just made up) that suits your wishes
5. COL, to the degree that your means will allow you to enjoy all of the above.

fixed it for ya - love my state for 2 thru 5

 

[travelover]

fixed it for ya - love my state for 2 thru 5

He didn't say closer was better.

 

[Big_Hitter]

He didn't say closer was better.

 

[ERD50]

It seems to me that the "best" state to live in is the one you most want to live in, which includes things such as:

1. proximity to loved ones
2. climate
3. availability of activities that interest you
4. availability of degree of "ruralness" or "urbanness" (two words I just made up) that suits your wishes
5. COL, to the degree that your means will allow you to enjoy all of the above.

what some list says is "best" or "worst" is immaterial, since there are undoubtedly happy and miserable people in every location on the list.

An important list, but if you don't take into account things like the fiscal responsibility of the State, you may see number 5 get out of hand, and find that you can't get anything for your house, making a move very expensive. No man (or woman - how politically incorrect of Simon and Garfunkel!)) is an island.

IL debt keeps growing, the tax base is shrinking, their credit rating keeps dropping. When interest rates rise, it will take even more $$$ to pay the interest on their (our) debt. Where's the money gonna come from. And as we know, wealthier people are also able to be more mobile. It looks like all of IL is going the way of Detroit.

I just assumed that Illinois was the topic of the OP. But I guess we aren't even good enough at being bad to be #1 on that list either .

-ERD50

 

[Dawg52]

At least we're not last in something. Just 47th!

 

[MichaelB]

I think my preferred states to live in are - state of delusion, followed by state of confusion. At the bottom, though, is state of reality. Too depressing.

 

[Midpack]

Like others have said, conditions can vary substantially within a state. Major cities are often different than rural areas within a state, for example Chicago is a completely different world than southern Illinois. Coastal areas are usually way more expensive than inland. I live in a very safe city, with one of the most notoriously dangerous cities only 22 miles away. Even climate can vary within states where elevation is a factor, mountains vs coast.

 

[ERD50]

Sad to see my home state (Il) second to the bottom. The politicians (on both sides) have robbed it blind. ...

On both sides? What 'both sides'?

Since 1975, one party has had control of both houses of the General Assembly in Illinois for 16 years, the 'other side' has had control of both houses for just 2 years.

From the Federal Reserve:

https://www.chicagofed.org/~/media/publications/chicago-fed-letter/2016/cfl365-pdf.pdf

Conclusion
This article reveals that Illinois’s fiscal crisis has been a long time coming. From the late 1980s on, Illinois has spent more than it has collected in revenues. .... How could Illinois get away with this for so long when it is required by law to have a balanced budget? Over the years lawmakers used a variety of techniques to put off paying the bills, including underpaying into the pension systems.

Such techniques can work for only so long, and Illinois is now coming to terms with over 20 years of poor fiscal performance.

-ERD50

 

[ERD50]

Like others have said, conditions can vary substantially within a state. Major cities are often different than rural areas within a state, for example Chicago is a completely different world than southern Illinois. ...

You don't need to go as far as southern Illinois, heck, even the 'collar counties' are a completely different world from Chicago.

I'm about 40 miles from downtown Chicago - it's definitely a different world (unless you live at the Lincoln Park farm).

-ERD50

 

[HadEnuff]

fixed it for ya - love my state for 2 thru 5

He didn't say closer was better.

Yes, I should have said "MAY" include....

 

[MichaelB]

Is no thread safe from partisan comments?

 

[HadEnuff]

An important list, but if you don't take into account things like the fiscal responsibility of the State, you may see number 5 get out of hand, and find that you can't get anything for your house, making a move very expensive. No man (or woman - how politically incorrect of Simon and Garfunkel!)) is an island.

IL debt keeps growing, the tax base is shrinking, their credit rating keeps dropping. When interest rates rise, it will take even more $$$ to pay the interest on their (our) debt. Where's the money gonna come from. And as we know, wealthier people are also able to be more mobile. It looks like all of IL is going the way of Detroit.

I just assumed that Illinois was the topic of the OP. But I guess we aren't even good enough at being bad to be #1 on that list either .

-ERD50

Fair point.

 

[Breedlove]

Originally from Ohio , when were younger we lived up and down the east coast . Came to Texas 35 years ago and love it . Our current house is in the burbs . The retirement home in the country I don't think I could have ever bought the land back east . State of Texas has some really good benefits if you can find out about them . There are so many ways to make money in Texas , this is why people come.

 

[GrayHare]

Of Nebraska, "Despite the less than generous UI system, however, just 3.0% of the state's labor force was unemployed over the course of 2015, the second lowest jobless rate of all states."

Despite?