Yeah, I'd have to agree. I've stayed in Little Rock and can't say it's a place I'd want to live. It's like a mini mini metropolis. Some of the conveniences and all of the crime/problems. Hot Springs I've never been to. Have you ever been to Eureka Springs? That area is bizarre. I go to the Fort Smith/Alma/Van Buren area a lot. I love that area just for the drive. That drive up 540 to Fayetteville was awe-inspiring the first time I took it - mostly because I lived in the flat areas of Houston and Dallas most of my life.
I'm late to the thread but this must be posted. <iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/8HE71dRtADA" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> loved it all carry on
I grew up wanting to move to California, so don't really buy your theory. Was excited when I moved there, was impressed with beautiful and diverse landscape. However huge pockets of the state are depressing, dirty, crowded and not worse the cost of living. I can certainly see why in the past would move there, but having lived in Sacramento, San Francisco and Los Angeles, I can tell you that the people just suck.
The southern states don't quite make the cut because they have culture and history. You can still go to a legit Blues club throughout the South, plus there's Faulkner, Percy, and a huge number of really good writers. And BBQ. Kansas has my vote. Pretty much the western 15/16ths is just a bunch of extremely white people living in a flat, barren, desolate landscape with straight roads. They've denuded all the native vegetation of the prairie and are pumping the aquifers dry. It will be a dust bowl again soon. There's no culture. Heck, there are barely gas stations and when you stop at one you can only open one car door at a time because if you open two, the wind will suck everything out of your car and send it to Oklahoma.
Not true at all. It's a great place to live too. If you want to b**** about the weather, then don't live in the north. But if you're man enough to handle the winters, then you shouldn't have any reason to not love Chicago. (btw this isn't at you, I'm just saying in general).
When it comes down to it you'd rather live in a poorly run paradise than live than a well run wilderness. On the California bashing thing, it does have problems under the hood. That certainly adds a frustration level. But you'd rather stick around and hope it fixes itself, instead of going to bland South Dakota. Its like more money more problems, most people will take the more money with the risk of the problems.
The weather in Chicago is great 3 of the 4 seasons. The main problem is that the taxes are the worst in the nation, the cost of living is obscene and the geography lacks the beauty of California, Texas, etc.
A lot of it depends on what you want as well. If you want lots of land, farming, ranching or hunting, you will avoid places like Chicago or California like the plague.
Cost of living is much worse in some of the other bigger cities... especially cali cities like San Fran, LA, San Jose, and San Diego. They're all worse in that regard. Beauty yes, it's not as good, definitely. Sales tax is pretty high here, you're right on that. I'm not sure on property tax as I don't own a home, but compared to Texas I'm sure it's a lot worse.
allow me to offer my opinion- I think it's all personal perspective. I, personally don't see it your way, having lived in CA for 5 years. I was miserable for three years but it certainly wasn't the people or the location- it was me. I finally adapted and it turns out my quality of life is much better now. I just don't see the trash and the gangs and the rudeness that you see. I refuse to see things that way. again, allow me to ask- are you living in these places with no other options? is it a job or a relationship that keeps you in places you don't want to live in? I'm more in line with mcmark in this thread. there's no reason to find negative things about all the places in USA , because there are a billion other great things about every single little nook in this country of ours.
If you asked this question outside of Texas, you would probably get a lot of respondents to answer "Texas". Not that I agree of course. I don't really have a "worst" state in mind. Every place has its benefits and drawbacks. Figuring out which matches best with what's important to you is all one really needs to do. I will say this.....North Dakota is awfully flat.... (but has a ton of oil and jobs right now so...)
The flip side is they ain't got no housing, so people are paying out the ass for trailer lots. Worked with a bunch of West Texas guys at my previous job and they say you can't really develop or build infrastructure in that situation because the holes either dry up or prices go down so low so quickly they have to fire everyone.
This. There are parts of Arkansas which really shocked me with the level of poverty people live in. Rows and rows of shacks outlined with dirt roads. Looked like those "housings" you see in those adopt a kid from a third world country commercials.
What about the areas where the wealth is in the millions and billions? This is like saying Texas must suck because I read about/saw gunfights and run down housing in the 3rd Ward. lol.
