Join Early Retirement Today
Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Best and Worst Run States in America — An Analysis Of All 50
Old 11-29-2011, 10:37 AM   #1
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
Midpack's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: NC
Posts: 21,206
Best and Worst Run States in America — An Analysis Of All 50

Stumbled on this as part of my research into relocating, thought it might be of interest to others. Top & bottom 3:

1) Wyoming
2) Nebraska
3) North Dakota

48) Michigan
49) Illinois
50) California

See other states for yourself Best and Worst Run States in America — An Analysis Of All 50 - 24/7 Wall St.
Quote:
Methodology
24/7 Wall St. considered data from a number of sources, including Standard & Poor’s, the Bureau of Labor and Statistics, the U.S. Census Bureau, the Tax Foundation, Realty Trac, The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the National Conference of State Legislators. The Bureau of Labor Statistics provided unemployment data, Credit rating agency Standard & Poor’s provided credit ratings for all 50 states. The Tax Foundation provided state debt per capita for the fiscal year 2009. The FBI’s Uniform Crime Report provided violent crime rates by state. Realty Trac provided foreclosure rates. A significant amount of the data we used came from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey. Data from ACS included percentage below the poverty line, high school completion for those 25 and older, median household income, percentage of the population without health insurance and the change in occupied home values from 2006 to 2010. These are the values we used in our survey. Once we reviewed the sources and compiled the final metrics, we ranked each state based on its performance in all the categories.
__________________
No one agrees with other people's opinions; they merely agree with their own opinions -- expressed by somebody else. Sydney Tremayne
Retired Jun 2011 at age 57

Target AA: 50% equity funds / 45% bonds / 5% cash
Target WR: Approx 1.5% Approx 20% SI (secure income, SS only)
Midpack is offline   Reply With Quote
Join the #1 Early Retirement and Financial Independence Forum Today - It's Totally Free!

Are you planning to be financially independent as early as possible so you can live life on your own terms? Discuss successful investing strategies, asset allocation models, tax strategies and other related topics in our online forum community. Our members range from young folks just starting their journey to financial independence, military retirees and even multimillionaires. No matter where you fit in you'll find that Early-Retirement.org is a great community to join. Best of all it's totally FREE!

You are currently viewing our boards as a guest so you have limited access to our community. Please take the time to register and you will gain a lot of great new features including; the ability to participate in discussions, network with our members, see fewer ads, upload photographs, create a retirement blog, send private messages and so much, much more!

Old 11-29-2011, 10:50 AM   #2
Moderator
braumeister's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Flyover country
Posts: 25,201
Looks like the inverse of economy of scale: the higher the population, the less efficiency.
__________________
I thought growing old would take longer.
braumeister is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-29-2011, 10:53 AM   #3
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
JPatrick's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 2,610
Interesting, but really no big surprises. New Mexico having the highest crime rate was somewhat surprising.
JPatrick is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-30-2011, 01:27 PM   #4
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,558
I don't think the list accounts for some states just being lucky or unlucky. For example, is North Dakota actually well run, or is it just the lucky beneficiary of lots of money from the run-up in oil prices?

Likewise, is Michigan actually poorly run, or is it just dealing with its unlucky share of the collapse of the US auto industry? Michigan has a lot of problems, but I don't think of them as self-inflicted in the same way as Illinois, for example.
Hamlet is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-30-2011, 01:33 PM   #5
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
Midpack's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: NC
Posts: 21,206
Quote:
Originally Posted by Hamlet View Post
I don't think the list accounts for some states just being lucky or unlucky. For example, is North Dakota actually well run, or is it just the lucky beneficiary of lots of money from the run-up in oil prices?

Likewise, is Michigan actually poorly run, or is it just dealing with its unlucky share of the collapse of the US auto industry? Michigan has a lot of problems, but I don't think of them as self-inflicted in the same way as Illinois, for example.
I live between MI and IL and it appears to be a toss up as to which is more poorly run. Both have loads of corruption, and both have had lots of job losses. IL is two states BTW, there's Chicago and the rest of IL, two very different worlds...
__________________
No one agrees with other people's opinions; they merely agree with their own opinions -- expressed by somebody else. Sydney Tremayne
Retired Jun 2011 at age 57

Target AA: 50% equity funds / 45% bonds / 5% cash
Target WR: Approx 1.5% Approx 20% SI (secure income, SS only)
Midpack is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-30-2011, 01:53 PM   #6
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
 
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 18,085
I don't know what their scale is based on, but it appears flawed. NJ is a massively dysfunctional place that should be in the bottom 10. CO is a lot better than 4 notches above NJ, based on what I have seen in both states.
__________________
"All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others."

- George Orwell

Ezekiel 23:20
brewer12345 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-30-2011, 01:56 PM   #7
Recycles dryer sheets
IBWino's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 465
California's problems definitely mirror our national difficulties. The policies of the major political parties are dominated by special interests and the party’s extreme factions. Thus, little-to-no common ground can be found to address the major issues until a crisis arises. Even then, the solution usually involves budgetary gimmicks and kicking the can down the road in hopes that the economy will perk up and fix everything.
IBWino is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-30-2011, 01:58 PM   #8
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
ziggy29's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: North Oregon Coast
Posts: 16,483
Quote:
Originally Posted by Hamlet View Post
Likewise, is Michigan actually poorly run, or is it just dealing with its unlucky share of the collapse of the US auto industry?
I think it's both. Frankly I think any state and region that doesn't try to diversify its economy to not be overly dependent on one industry's continued flourishing is poorly managed. I remember how Houston cratered in the mid-1980s with over-dependence on the oil and gas markets when they crashed and oil dropped to $10 a barrel. After that, they diversified their economy and have been pretty stable. Same with Pittsburgh after heavy manufacturing and the steel industry were in decline; Pittsburgh reinvented itself enough to find life after the decline of the Rust Belt. Detroit in particular and Michigan in particular need to find a way to do the same, and learn from the experiences of places like Houston and Pittsburgh.

To the extent there's a "boom" in North Dakota because of the growing oil business there, what will happen to them if we have another oil glut that tanks the market? Will they be the next Houston from the mid 1980s??
__________________
"Hey, for every ten dollars, that's another hour that I have to be in the work place. That's an hour of my life. And my life is a very finite thing. I have only 'x' number of hours left before I'm dead. So how do I want to use these hours of my life? Do I want to use them just spending it on more crap and more stuff, or do I want to start getting a handle on it and using my life more intelligently?" -- Joe Dominguez (1938 - 1997)
ziggy29 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-01-2011, 06:50 AM   #9
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
Midpack's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: NC
Posts: 21,206
Quote:
Originally Posted by IBWino View Post
California's problems definitely mirror our national difficulties. The policies of the major political parties are dominated by special interests and the party’s extreme factions. Thus, little-to-no common ground can be found to address the major issues until a crisis arises. Even then, the solution usually involves budgetary gimmicks and kicking the can down the road in hopes that the economy will perk up and fix everything.
All true - coupled with an electorate that wants, even demands much more from their government than they are willing to pay for. CA residents demonstrated this in countless 'ballot propositions'...other states do the same thing, just less out in the open.
__________________
No one agrees with other people's opinions; they merely agree with their own opinions -- expressed by somebody else. Sydney Tremayne
Retired Jun 2011 at age 57

Target AA: 50% equity funds / 45% bonds / 5% cash
Target WR: Approx 1.5% Approx 20% SI (secure income, SS only)
Midpack is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-01-2011, 07:07 AM   #10
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 1,558
Hmmm - we are going to AZ - and yet the reason they dropped was because of their housing market - hello! Now is the time to buy---definitely. I find interesting how they define whether or not it is well run- a lot of those things they track are not necessarily due to governance. And, the population on this board would be in a very different place from the average citizen wrt some of those stats affecting them and their decision.

Or it could be that I have already succumbed to bias based on my decision ;-)
__________________
Deserat aka Bridget
“We sleep soundly in our beds because rough men stand ready in the night to visit violence on those who would do us harm.”
deserat is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-01-2011, 08:12 AM   #11
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,558
Yup, that's my point. I don't think North Dakota is doing anything exceptional. They just happen to be holding a really good hand right now.

Quote:
Originally Posted by ziggy29 View Post
To the extent there's a "boom" in North Dakota because of the growing oil business there, what will happen to them if we have another oil glut that tanks the market? Will they be the next Houston from the mid 1980s??
Hamlet is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-01-2011, 11:28 AM   #12
gone traveling
 
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: DFW
Posts: 7,586
Quote:
Originally Posted by Hamlet View Post
Yup, that's my point. I don't think North Dakota is doing anything exceptional. They just happen to be holding a really good hand right now.
Yep, and they can't even provide housing for all the migrant workers living there.
eytonxav is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-01-2011, 12:28 PM   #13
Recycles dryer sheets
IBWino's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 465
Quote:
Originally Posted by Midpack View Post
All true - coupled with an electorate that wants, even demands much more from their government than they are willing to pay for. CA residents demonstrated this in countless 'ballot propositions'...other states do the same thing, just less out in the open.
Yes, I agree, and I mostly blame the politicians for this (even though they are selected by the electorate). This may be naive, but I still believe that their job is to lead and make the tough decisions, even if those decisions are unpopular. If they did their job, it wouldn't be necessary to have so many propositions, which are often misguided and corrupted by special interests.
IBWino is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-01-2011, 01:00 PM   #14
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
ziggy29's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: North Oregon Coast
Posts: 16,483
Quote:
Originally Posted by IBWino View Post
Yes, I agree, and I mostly blame the politicians for this (even though they are selected by the electorate). This may be naive, but I still believe that their job is to lead and make the tough decisions, even if those decisions are unpopular. If they did their job, it wouldn't be necessary to have so many propositions, which are often misguided and corrupted by special interests.
I know when I was living in California, I was often critical of our elected "leaders" for unwillingness to lead. This was particularly true in issues related to tax increases. Rarely were they ever willing to go on record as supporting a tax increase, but they were always happy to "punt" and send it to the voters.
__________________
"Hey, for every ten dollars, that's another hour that I have to be in the work place. That's an hour of my life. And my life is a very finite thing. I have only 'x' number of hours left before I'm dead. So how do I want to use these hours of my life? Do I want to use them just spending it on more crap and more stuff, or do I want to start getting a handle on it and using my life more intelligently?" -- Joe Dominguez (1938 - 1997)
ziggy29 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-01-2011, 01:10 PM   #15
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,558
I really think California highlights the danger of drifting away from representative democracy towards direct democracy.

Putting everything to a referendum is not going to give you a good result.

We're learning that the hard way in Minnesota now.

Quote:
Originally Posted by ziggy29 View Post
I know when I was living in California, I was often critical of our elected "leaders" for unwillingness to lead. This was particularly true in issues related to tax increases. Rarely were they ever willing to go on record as supporting a tax increase, but they were always happy to "punt" and send it to the voters.
Hamlet is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-01-2011, 01:37 PM   #16
Recycles dryer sheets
IBWino's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 465
Quote:
Originally Posted by ziggy29 View Post
I know when I was living in California, I was often critical of our elected "leaders" for unwillingness to lead. This was particularly true in issues related to tax increases. Rarely were they ever willing to go on record as supporting a tax increase, but they were always happy to "punt" and send it to the voters.

Yes, and it's difficult to make a case for higher taxes when California already has one of the highest total tax burdens in the U.S. The net result is an endless succession propositions that attempt to tax "someone else" to pay for cherished programs and then restrict the government's ability cut these programs when warranted.
IBWino is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-01-2011, 02:09 PM   #17
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
ziggy29's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: North Oregon Coast
Posts: 16,483
Quote:
Originally Posted by IBWino View Post
Yes, and it's difficult to make a case for higher taxes when California already has one of the highest total tax burdens in the U.S. The net result is an endless succession propositions that attempt to tax "someone else" to pay for cherished programs and then restrict the government's ability cut these programs when warranted.
Actually, even worse than that were the bond measures. That was allowing the voters to give themselves goodies today financed with debt their kids have to pay off. I remember the literature saying "voting yes will not raise your taxes" -- as if the magical money fairy was funding it all.

At least the direct tax increase votes were mostly pay-as-you-go, so those who want it today will have to pay for it today. That's more ethical and moral, IMO, than charging it and letting your kids pay for it.
__________________
"Hey, for every ten dollars, that's another hour that I have to be in the work place. That's an hour of my life. And my life is a very finite thing. I have only 'x' number of hours left before I'm dead. So how do I want to use these hours of my life? Do I want to use them just spending it on more crap and more stuff, or do I want to start getting a handle on it and using my life more intelligently?" -- Joe Dominguez (1938 - 1997)
ziggy29 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-01-2011, 02:30 PM   #18
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
 
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 17,205
Quote:
Originally Posted by ziggy29 View Post
Actually, even worse than that were the bond measures. That was allowing the voters to give themselves goodies today financed with debt their kids have to pay off. I remember the literature saying "voting yes will not raise your taxes" -- as if the magical money fairy was funding it all.

At least the direct tax increase votes were mostly pay-as-you-go, so those who want it today will have to pay for it today. That's more ethical and moral, IMO, than charging it and letting your kids pay for it.

I think it makes a difference in what the bonds are for.... IOW, if they are for waterworks/sewer and they charge a monthly fee to users... then taxes are not likely to increase.... if it is an airport where the landing fees etc. pay for the bonds... again, no tax increase....

But if it is for schools or roads etc. etc. then yes, there is a tax increase coming (or a reduction that should have been made that will now not happen)....
Texas Proud is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-01-2011, 02:46 PM   #19
Recycles dryer sheets
IBWino's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 465
Quote:
Originally Posted by ziggy29 View Post
Actually, even worse than that were the bond measures. That was allowing the voters to give themselves goodies today financed with debt their kids have to pay off. I remember the literature saying "voting yes will not raise your taxes" -- as if the magical money fairy was funding it all.

At least the direct tax increase votes were mostly pay-as-you-go, so those who want it today will have to pay for it today. That's more ethical and moral, IMO, than charging it and letting your kids pay for it.
Yup. I read recently that the percentage of California's budget allocated for debt service has increased from a little over 3% to almost 9% in the past ten years.
IBWino is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-01-2011, 03:31 PM   #20
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
Midpack's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: NC
Posts: 21,206
Quote:
Originally Posted by IBWino View Post
Yes, I agree, and I mostly blame the politicians for this (even though they are selected by the electorate). This may be naive, but I still believe that their job is to lead and make the tough decisions, even if those decisions are unpopular. If they did their job, it wouldn't be necessary to have so many propositions, which are often misguided and corrupted by special interests.
I think the electorate is equally to blame along with politicians and special interests. We've made it nearly impossible for politicians to lead by doing anything except what a very polarized electorate demands, for example (and we wonder why Washington is frozen in their tracks)....


The 75% of people (reportedly) who seem willing to raise everyone's taxes and cut spending across the board aren't making their case as effectively as the far left, far right and their respective special interests.
__________________
No one agrees with other people's opinions; they merely agree with their own opinions -- expressed by somebody else. Sydney Tremayne
Retired Jun 2011 at age 57

Target AA: 50% equity funds / 45% bonds / 5% cash
Target WR: Approx 1.5% Approx 20% SI (secure income, SS only)
Midpack is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


» Quick Links

 
All times are GMT -6. The time now is 09:01 AM.
 
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.