Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I have traveled all regions of the U.S. extensively and have come to the conclusion that the Northeast is hands down the best region in the country, followed by the South, then the West, then the Midwest. I used to be a hater, but now I believe that it is the "hardest region to beat." Here's why...
1. It's well established and fully developed. The infrastructure is by far the best in the nation. It's comprehensive and complete, with the most public transportation options, and the most interstate highways available between cities, and the best airport travel options. The electric and communications network is very intricate, although natural gas is still in development. Growth is now at a manageable level, because the region has reached maturity, and I think that's a good thing. In other words, self actualization has been achieved for the region. Other areas, such as California and the South still feel like they are under development and expansion is occurring.
2. It has a complete megalopolis. The 400-mile stretch between Boston and Washington is completely developed, with numerous cities and suburbs in between, offering an unparalleled amount of amenities, infrastructure and business activity. There are several other megalopolises in development elsewhere in the nation, but they're no where near the same league as this Boston-to-Washington one. Southern CA is still far behind, and other ones, such as the Piedmont and Texas Triangle are still growing and have a very long way to go.
3. It has three world class cities. New York, Philadelphia and Boston. And they're all easily drivable (or passenger trained) between each other. And they are truly world class, global cities that have a unique feel to each, with tons of American history, culture and unbelievable architecture.
4. It has plenty of untouched, rural land. Despite being a heavily populated region, there is still LOTS of rural open space available in all nine states.
5. It has the best of all four seasons. It features a real winter, complete with snow, a fully transitional spring and fall, and a full 3-month summer that's plenty of heat and humidity for swimming in the pool and going to the beach. Any seasonal sport or activity can be done here. Autumn is the best in the nation and offers extremely vibrant colors, as well as the spring colors. Oh, and snowstorms aren't as bad as some people make them out to be. We may not like all four seasons as a personal preference, but the weather pattern NEVER gets boring or old.
6. The scenery is simply beautiful. Mountains, beaches, wetlands, rolling hills, plains, lakes, and plenty of greenery makes the region feel very full of life. Compare that with the Midwest, which is flat and boring. Or the West, which is dry and brown looking....yuck! The coast of Maine is stunning, as well as the Adirondack and Berkshire mountain chains. The forest is also the deciduous type...with bright leafy green leaves; not the drab dark green you would find in northern CA, for example.
7. Healthcare and education is the best. None of the northeastern states rank high with obesity levels, and all of them rank high with educational attainment! The northeast is home to the best performing universities in the nation and exhibit the highest standards in learning curriculum (e.g., Harvard, Yale, NYU, MIT, etc.). All types of healthcare facilities are available within a reasonable drive wherever you live, unless you're in a very remote area.
8. The food, entertainment and cultural options are the best. You are always within driving or walking distance of excellent restaurants of all sorts of cultures and ethnicities. The performing arts are present in all cities as well. It's just the norm. And the #1 rated grocery store in the nation - Wegman's - is headquartered and has locations in NY, PA and NJ.
9.The job market and economy is relatively stable and strong. Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, Connecticut and Pennsylvania have lower unemployment rates than most other states in the rest of the nation. And the housing market wasn't hit as hard as the rest of the nation, which is great for home owners. And the jobs definitely pay the highest in the country!
10. A truly progressive, "live and let live" mentality and political climate. No one really cares about which church you attend, who you sleep with in your bedroom, what you do with your fetus or anything of that nature. For example, five of the nine states that legalized gay marriage are located in the Northeast, and a long time ago at that. It's sad, that the rest of the nation is still debating such a no-brainer issue as this. The radio station air space is not overrun by religious broadcasts, either. And you won't see those tacky huge crucifixes on the side of the highway, either. The people are also real and say what they mean, and they're not nearly as fake as southern CA people can be. It's a "cut to the chase; no BS, Donald Trump mentality."
11. It's old school and hip at the same time. The region has preserved its history very well, with plenty of beautiful old construction buildings and homes, while also offering plenty of new construction as well. It's also hip, because many celebrities live there and it just doesn't feel "backwards" in any way whatsoever. It's a good blend.
12. The zoning appears natural and real. There is no where in the Northeast where you will find boring grid street patterns that go for miles and miles with no end (except NYC). All of the neighborhoods, towns, roadways and development look as if they were developed naturally over time. In the rest of the nation, too many cities appear as if they were carefully planned, giving them a boring design and layout, which makes the place feel sterile and bland. The saddest part is that all of those "planned" cities still have HORRIBLE traffic! And the housing in the Northeast is just full of character and finesse. Not overdone with boring, cheaply built tract housing all over the place. And chain restaurants and fast food are kept to a minimum.
13. Crime rates are very low. With the exception of certain cities here and there (e.g., Hartford, Newark, Camden, etc.), the vast majority of towns, and even some cities, have safe, low crime rates.
So now I understand why the cost of living is so high in the Northeast. It's about supply and demand. You get what you pay for. The rest of the nation is still experiencing growth and development, which results in boring looking cities, neighborhood developments, mediocre school systems, boring weather that stays the same all year round, and high crime rates in more cities and towns, with less culture and economic might.
I love the Northeast too. I often think to myself there aren't too many places south or west of where I live now that I'd want to move to. You are also right about the education and health care (even though cities in other regions have highly regarded schools and hospitals too) and I love how established our region is. The climate is to much liking in the Northeast too as while it does get hot and cold, it's rarely to the extreme the Midwest usually gets in both and we also largely missed the drought issues that plagued them this summer too. I know here in Western PA, many farmers did very well this season becuase of high crop prices from the drought and much of the crops here were considered in good or excellent condition.
Best region? I think that's too bold of a statement. Wonderful region that feels like home for me though. I feel like the northeast is arguably the most hated/stereotyped region by the rest of the US (maybe tied with the deep south) and rarely gets praise as a cohesive region overall unless referring to higher education. It really does have a lot to offer and has a rich character that just feels "tight knight" to me.
I like my home and all but the Best Maybe not. Second I think many of the things of the mentioned you said could be tied in with the factor we have been along longer then the rest of the country i.e 13 original colonies and some parts of the nation i.e California were a part of other nations before.
People who live in the PNW think thats the best region, the people of the midwest say the same thing. Here in the south we think our region is the best, point is every region sees itself as the best place to live. What is best depends on the person individually, if your a liberal youll like the PNW or the northeast. If your conservative and religious then youll find the south to be a great place. Ifo you like cold weather youll like the northeast, warm weather lovers enjoy the southeast and southwest. No one region is the best, that is a matter for each person to decide for themselves.
Yeah, the northeast kinda is to America what the Paris area is to France or Greater London is to England. A very powerful region, very populated, with rather cold and humid weather, a big world-class city (NYC only, Boston and Philly are not WORLD class, but important cities in the US), good infrastructure (subways, high-speed trains ...).
It is a traditional megalopolis of the West.
But is it the best region to live in the US ? Well it is not for everybody. Great for an urban life, but I think the region is not beautiful at all, it really is like Paris or London, if you take away NYC (Manhattan), there's pretty much nothing to see or visit.
When people from foreign countries go to the Northeast, most of them only visit Manhattan.
Whereas SoCal has much more to offer tourists than just a 30 sq mile island.
I'm a bit exaggerating since some people might visit Boston or DC also but I think I made my point.
Mixed feelings on this... it's a bit of an exaggeration to say that it's the best region, but it certainly is a good region.
Regarding the same-sex marriage laws, 6 out of the 9 states, or 7 if you include Maryland (I personally would, but I'm not going into this whole debate over again), have passed laws to allow it (not 5, although from your standpoint it's likely a good thing).
Yeah, the northeast kinda is to America what the Paris area is to France or Greater London is to England. A very powerful region, very populated, with rather cold and humid weather, a big world-class city (NYC only, Boston and Philly are not WORLD class, but important cities in the US), good infrastructure (subways, high-speed trains ...).
It is a traditional megalopolis of the West.
But is it the best region to live in the US ? Well it is not for everybody. Great for an urban life, but I think the region is not beautiful at all, it really is like Paris or London, if you take away NYC (Manhattan), there's pretty much nothing to see or visit.
When people from foreign countries go to the Northeast, most of them only visit Manhattan.
Whereas SoCal has much more to offer tourists than just a 30 sq mile island.
I'm a bit exaggerating since some people might visit Boston or DC also but I think I made my point.
So off base. There is far more to the northeast than Manhattan or Boston or DC. There is far more lifestyle options than "the urban life". No natural beauty? The rocky New England coast? The Adirondacks, Thousand Islands, and Finger Lakes of Upstate NY? Niagara Falls? All of these natural attractions attract millions of travelers every year; including those from abroad. So no; the small island of Manhattan is not the only place in the northeast where people travel.
I personally think that there is no "Best" region of the US and what makes the country great is that there is such a great variety of regions. I don't think there is a "worst" region of the US either; an accolade you seem to be unfairly applying to the Northeast.
I guess it's down to perspective. As a foreigner, I was much more comfortable in the northeast than the southeast. I think it's best I don't venture outside theme parks if I go down there again. I enjoyed the landscape and cityscapes and the weather and the people. Southeast, I think we mutually dislike each other. No harsh words spoken. Just intensely uncomfortable.
I grew up in the northeast, (Philly area) lived/stayed in VT, NJ, DE and a few other places up there.
If it was the 80's, Id agree, but post-development plague, I couldn't wait to leave. I miss the higher salaries, but between the aforementioned development and some other negative intangibles, I couldn't wait to leave. In all fairness, that can be said for the whole east coast though . The homogenization of the I-95 corridor sort of expands the negativity's of the NE up and down the coast
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
