Wallethub: CA Dominates Ranking of Happiest Cities in Amerca, Fremont #1 (Oakland: rent, violent crime)

[AnythingOutdoors]

All these "best cities" lists are silly. They take a bunch of raw source data (e.g. US Census), then someone makes value judgements on how to interpret the data to pass it off as information, in this case "happiest cities." No one took the time to actually conduct a robust survey of people in these cities... because that would cost too much.

Take for example one slice of the methodology used in this ranking: Under "Community & Environment" there's an "Ideal Weather" component. Well now, what exactly is "Ideal Weather"? For that we have to look at a different WalletHub ranking, then digging into the methodology for this we find that their definition of ideal is: 72F, with winter 45F, spring 65F, summer 80F, and fall 65F. Oh, and almost no precipitation.

Many people will agree that this is ideal, but not everyone. For those that like snow and or snow sports, a 45F winter is depressing. Similarly, some people prefer hotter summers for cruising around on lakes and playing at the beach/river, and a daily high of 80F means much of the day is a bit on the cool side for swimming and water sports. Many people actually enjoy precipitation (I do, to a degree), and even for those who want sunny blue skies all the time, this is nice until you're in extreme drought and fire danger. In other words, this metric is primarily an expression of the author's preferences masquerading as scientific precision. In reality, it's just like someone's opinion.

The methodology for the "Income & Employment" category suffers from a different problem in that it confuses cause and effect. San Francisco ranks #1 in this category which isn't surprising given the high concentration of tech jobs and tech executives in the city. But in the description for this list they write "As this study aims to illustrate, moving to a certain city may help you be more content." Really now, this is ridiculous! Unless you're already in tech, moving to SF is very unlikely to improve your financial situation, and instead will make you much worse off due to the extremely high cost of living. Those who are wealthy in SF would remain wealthy wherever they happen to live. With remote work now more mainstream, many of these folks can even take their high income to other places. In other words living in SF doesn't necessarily mean you will make a higher income (certainly not compared to COL), and therefore moving to SF will not increase this component of happiness for most people, and will probably decrease their happiness (at least as far as money is concerned).

I could keep going, but there's no point. So much of the methodology is flawed that the entire ranking is worthless. I should add, similar lists come out all the time putting Boise, SLC, etc. in the top "best" for a bunch of different things and these are also worthless for the same reasons. There are no "best" places in the general sense. Every person is unique and different, and every person values different things. Those who are happy in SF would probably be miserable in Boise, and vice versa.

[General I80]

Originally Posted by saibot

My thoughts exactly when I saw Anaheim and Garden Grove in the top 25. Those are notorious for being two of the least desirable cities in Orange County, CA.

I was surprised to see Oxnard too

[Racer46]

Originally Posted by General I80

I was surprised to see Oxnard too

Unrealistic lists for sure.

[Moddedintegra56]

Lol fake. No one gets divorced in bay area because you need 2 incomes just to have a place to live. People purposely get into relationships so they can live together.

[AboveTheIce]

Originally Posted by 18Montclair

I suppose this could be because all the unhappy folks have moved or are on the way out. Safe Travels

Anyhow, CA cities in bolded red

Wallethub: 25 Happiest Cities in America, 2022
#1 Fremont, CA
#2 Columbia, MD
#3 San Francisco, CA
#4 San Jose, CA
#5 Irvine, CA
#6 Madison, WI
#7 Seattle, WA
#8 Overland Park, KS
#9 Huntington Beach, CA
#10 San Diego, CA
#11 Fargo, ND
#12 Minneapolis, MN
#13 Bismark, ND
#14 Santa Rosa, CA
#15 Santa Clarita, CA
#16 Oakland, CA
#17 Sioux Falls, SD
#18 Glendale, CA
#19 Scottsdale, AZ
#20 Anaheim, CA
#21 Aurora, CO
#22 Plano, TX
#23 Oxnard, CA
#24 Garden Grove, CA
#25 Chula Vista, CA

Full Ranking:
https://wallethub.com/edu/happiest-places-to-live/32619

Take this one with a 50 pound bag of salt.

Could you imagine living anywhere in California with the tax man, regulation man and super majority thought police attempting to control your life 24-7? Many of these cities listed are full of homeless, gangs, drugs and in my opinion have low QOL outside of 'weather'.

We can talk about 10 other reasons why this list is 'iffy': regulations on small business, Marxist overtones permeating the schools and the teachers unions.

CA (Coastal OC and SD where I'm from) used to be paradise...now it's a giant high priced echo chamber.

[roadwarrior101]

Originally Posted by AboveTheIce

Take this one with a 50 pound bag of salt.

Could you imagine living anywhere in California with the tax man, regulation man and super majority thought police attempting to control your life 24-7? Many of these cities listed are full of homeless, gangs, drugs and in my opinion have low QOL outside of 'weather'.

We can talk about 10 other reasons why this list is 'iffy': regulations on small business, Marxist overtones permeating the schools and the teachers unions.

CA (Coastal OC and SD where I'm from) used to be paradise...now it's a giant high priced echo chamber.

Lots more going for it in CA, aside from weather - job opportunities, outdoor recreation, weekend getaways, educated population, lack of religious dogma everywhere you go, etc.

Not saying that CA is without problems, but it is really overblown. It's quite easy to avoid the areas of high homeless populations and crime, even if you're talking about SF/LA. It is quite sad but it's not as if it impacts most of us on a day to day basis. Taxes are high, but so are salaries if you have the skillset to work in high tech (including stock). I've done the math and found that by and large, I have much more spendable income than I would elsewhere. Sure, you can now earn high salaries in Austin, Seattle, etc. but you have seen the COL has gone up quite high there as well.

As much as conservatives like to bash CA as a liberal wasteland, it is really the capitalistic outcomes there that have driven the high costs and exasperated the problems. Most people that complain on these boards frankly couldn't cut it and like to come up with excuses for their own shortcomings in skillsets.

[Tulemutt]

Originally Posted by AboveTheIce

. Take this one with a 50 pound bag of salt.

Could you imagine living anywhere in California with the tax man, regulation man and super majority thought police attempting to control your life 24-7? Many of these cities listed are full of homeless, gangs, drugs and in my opinion have low QOL outside of 'weather'.

We can talk about 10 other reasons why this list is 'iffy': regulations on small business, Marxist overtones permeating the schools and the teachers unions.

CA (Coastal OC and SD where I'm from) used to be paradise...now it's a giant high priced echo chamber.

Lololol … the “thought police” are the corporate marketeers you and 99% of western civilization’s population have turned your lives over to through your consumerism, especially through your cyber lives. You are *owned*. Lock. Stock. And barrel.

As for the rest of your screed, the same problems exist all across the cities of the nation pretty much.

[AboveTheIce]

Originally Posted by Tulemutt

Lololol … the “thought police” are the corporate marketeers you and 99% of western civilization’s population have turned your lives over to through your consumerism, especially through your cyber lives. You are *owned*. Lock. Stock. And barrel.

As for the rest of your screed, the same problems exist all across the cities of the nation pretty much.

The thought police I refer too are politicians and their sheering supporters (this can be both sides).

I'm a free market capitalist and operate as much as possible outside the system.

There are many states that are multiple times more free the California with less regulation and more in line
with small government and power to the states.

To say otherwise is either ignorance or lies.

[AboveTheIce]

Originally Posted by roadwarrior101

Lots more going for it in CA, aside from weather - job opportunities, outdoor recreation, weekend getaways, educated population, lack of religious dogma everywhere you go, etc.

Not saying that CA is without problems, but it is really overblown. It's quite easy to avoid the areas of high homeless populations and crime, even if you're talking about SF/LA. It is quite sad but it's not as if it impacts most of us on a day to day basis. Taxes are high, but so are salaries if you have the skillset to work in high tech (including stock). I've done the math and found that by and large, I have much more spendable income than I would elsewhere. Sure, you can now earn high salaries in Austin, Seattle, etc. but you have seen the COL has gone up quite high there as well.

As much as conservatives like to bash CA as a liberal wasteland, it is really the capitalistic outcomes there that have driven the high costs and exasperated the problems. Most people that complain on these boards frankly couldn't cut it and like to come up with excuses for their own shortcomings in skillsets.

The crime, unwillingness to prosecute crimes, the paying of gang members not to commit crimes, the mass release of Prisoners (including violent offenders), the open borders (MS 13 included) proves out that California has moved from Liberalism (tolerable) to a far left radical organism that carries a veto proof super majority. This is not city based...its the entire state.

This is only crime and when you factor in Taxes, Regulations, Red Tape, Laws, Restrictions and radical school unions then the madness is only more clear.

My wife works for one of the large Software companies in the Valley (remotely with stock) so I know all about it. They don't come close to offsetting COL in nice neighborhoods with great schools. Subpar sure...but who wants to pay 1 million for a subpar home in a subpar neighborhood.

I have ocean views from my home office and am doing well financially, which is why I see the reality vs. the rose colored glass perspective. The echo chamber in California (politically) is counterproductive and oppressive which is why people like Musk, Rogan, Peter Theil, Oracle, HP, Toyota and others have left.

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by AboveTheIce

The thought police I refer too are politicians and their sheering supporters (this can be both sides).

I'm a free market capitalist and operate as much as possible outside the system.

There are many states that are multiple times more free the California with less regulation and more in line
with small government and power to the states.

To say otherwise is either ignorance or lies.

"Free" to exploit the toiling masses with low wages and as few benefits as possible? "Free" to pollute the environment? "Free" to replace American workers with imported labor who are used to sweatshops?

My, aren't you the patriot!