People in AZ are not very happy... (Phoenix, Tucson: 2014, income)

[esiebert7625]

According to this poll (24th), we also have one of the lowest income growths (49) and worst Community, Environment & Recreational Activities Rank (47).

2014′s Most and Least Happy States in America | WalletHub®

Some interesting sub-categories:
People sleep best in SD, WY & CO
People are most depressed in KY, OR & ME
Highest suicide rate is in WY, MT, AK
Highest divorce rate is DC, NV & LA
Least safest states to live in are NV, AK, TN

Overall Utah is the best state to live in.

[stevek64]

oh no, Wallethub.....help!

People can say what they want about AZ but I certainly think we are far from lacking in "Recreational Activities" to get a 47.
And when I see the category "Community, Environment & Recreational Activities Rank" including "weather Ranking", "attractions", "volunteerism", "population growth rate", "safest states to live in" all ranked in one Non sequitur category, I stop and think.....who in the world designs these "surveys"?

[esiebert7625]

I don't know but compared to CO, it does kind of suck here. Sure you could climb that Camelback Hill but doesn't really compare to a 14er. Also the rivers here tend to run dry most of the year so any white water rafting is kind of a bust. What do you see as the big recreationing here, some hiking i guess although hiking in a desert is pretty boring.

[stevek64]

Originally Posted by esiebert7625

I don't know but compared to CO, it does kind of suck here. Sure you could climb that Camelback Hill but doesn't really compare to a 14er. Also the rivers here tend to run dry most of the year so any white water rafting is kind of a bust. What do you see as the big recreationing here, some hiking i guess although hiking in a desert is pretty boring.

Since the "study" was about a state, not a city, given all the different climate zones/terrain/opportunities in AZ from desert to high desert to the worlds largest Ponderosa Pine forest in the world in the Coconino forest, if one is bored of outdoor things to do with lots of variety all within a few hour car drive, I don't think they are looking very hard.

Hiking is one opportunity of course and there are a good deal of state/local parks all around the Phoenix Metro that offer that(White tanks, Estrella's, South Mountain area, Cave Creek Area, Superstition's). And there are lakes that aren't too far from the Phoenix metro including Lake Pleasant, Saguaro Lake, Roosevelt Lake, etc. for boating and swimming.

And all the beautiful national parks and monuments in AZ with hiking/rafting(Grand Canyon certainly a biggie), Sedona, Flagstaff with mountains that peak out at almost 13k such as the San Francisco Peaks which offer skiing at the Snow Ball, Mt Lemmon and all the surrounding mountains in the Tucson area, southeast AZ, etc. The list goes on and on.

[esiebert7625]

That may seem like a lot but if you put it into context with other states it's not all that great. A little ski hill that doesn't get much snow, mountains that are more hills than mountains, some small lakes, a big crack in the ground, etc. Granted each state is some what unique in what it offers as they all have different beauty and geography but I wouldn't rank AZ way up on the recreation list.

I didn't move here for recreation though so it doesn't really matter to me. For me recreation is shooting things and thats pretty much the same in any state.

[PhureeKeeper]

Originally Posted by esiebert7625

I don't know but compared to CO, it does kind of suck here. Sure you could climb that Camelback Hill but doesn't really compare to a 14er. Also the rivers here tend to run dry most of the year so any white water rafting is kind of a bust. What do you see as the big recreationing here, some hiking i guess although hiking in a desert is pretty boring.

I've climbed Kendrick Peak at 10,422 feet in elevation. It was a pretty good hoof for an afternoon.

Arizona has more to offer than say, North Dakota or Nevada - boring flat land and boring desert.
So there ya go. Why so negative, really? Every state has their negatives.

[esiebert7625]

Originally Posted by PhureeKeeper

I've climbed Kendrick Peak at 10,422 feet in elevation. It was a pretty good hoof for an afternoon.

Arizona has more to offer than say, North Dakota or Nevada - boring flat land and boring desert.
So there ya go. Why so negative, really? Every state has their negatives.

For sure, there are many other more boring states, I just don't find AZ all that exciting but hey thats just me and everyone is entitled to their own opinion. But I would definitely rank AZ higher than many other states like most of the midwest (if not all). I guess I have a higher standard after living in CO for many years.

[Catavenger]

Surveys say most people in Arizona don't believe in surveys!
How can hiking be boring when a rattlesnake might pop out at you?

As stevek64 pointed out the survey is about the STATE not a city. For example if you don't like Phoenix you might like Payson or elsewhere in the state.

At any rate if

People are most depressed in KY, OR & ME
Highest suicide rate is in WY, MT, AK

we are much better than those states.

[new2colo]

Originally Posted by esiebert7625

I don't know but compared to CO, it does kind of suck here. Sure you could climb that Camelback Hill but doesn't really compare to a 14er. Also the rivers here tend to run dry most of the year so any white water rafting is kind of a bust. What do you see as the big recreationing here, some hiking i guess although hiking in a desert is pretty boring.

Yep, this isn't Colorado. I'm not sure that anyone who moved here expected to be able to go whitewater rafting. Unlike Denver, you can go hiking within city limits. You can also go to Northern or Eastern Arizona for more Colorado-style hiking.

[esiebert7625]

Originally Posted by Catavenger

Surveys say most people in Arizona don't believe in surveys!
How can hiking be boring when a rattlesnake might pop out at you?

As stevek64 pointed out the survey is about the STATE not a city. For example if you don't like Phoenix you might like Payson or elsewhere in the state.

At any rate if we are much better than those states.

What I found strange was the high depression states weren't the same as the high suicide states.

A bear popping out while hiking is more exciting than a rattlesnake ;-)