10 best and worst states to make a living (unemployed, college)

[Highpointer]

Originally Posted by The Analog Man

But Louisiana while it may have a low COL, is not doing so poorly thanks to the Natural Gas, Oil, and petrochemical industries. Although Politics could change that at any given time.

Originally Posted by hdwell

Thank you. People overlook that about Louisiana and think we all sit on the porch collecting government checks. There are plenty of JOBS here. All a person needs is to get up off his lazy ***.

I would be happy to move to Louisiana to work in the natural gas, oil, or petrochemical industries. Jobs like that are not available in significant numbers in Arizona where I am currently living.

[Innotech]

Louisiana isnt just about petrochemical industry anymore. It has a fast growing film industry, high tech industry, Medical industry, construction industry, and is diversifying even further into new fields that were previously rare here. It is actually becoming a very progressive state.

[brent6969]

Originally Posted by 205

Because his liberal pride was hurt by seeing a study that dared to place trashy Southern states (in his mind) and a swing state Ohio above holy meccas of leftie goodness California, Vermont, etc. If you haven't learned by now, the South must always be put at the bottom of all lists by default. I'm not sure why he decided to throw Ohio under the bus too. Notice how Georgia and Tennessee don't dare belong in the top 10 while other Southern states not in the bottom 10 are put there in place of California, Vermont, Hawaii, etc. It's almost comical how this board tows the stereotypical line even in the face of a study based on objective data.

AMEN, brother.............

[ram2]

Originally Posted by Innotech

wages are low in Louisiana but the cost of living is extremely low as well.

I would say the same about West Virginia. My father was able to buy a big house there on a modest income due to low cost of living.

Originally Posted by jbcmh81

Why would you put Ohio near the bottom? COL is relatively low, wages are nowhere near the bottom, unemployment in the 3-Cs is lower than the national average, etc.

I heard the economy in Ohio is still doing very badly and that the wages are too low. I also saw a city-data thread before where many people said Ohio does not offer good(or enough) employment opportunities like the way the states I put in my top 10 do.

Originally Posted by 205

Because his liberal pride was hurt by seeing a study that dared to place trashy Southern states (in his mind) and a swing state Ohio above holy meccas of leftie goodness California, Vermont, etc. If you haven't learned by now, the South must always be put at the bottom of all lists by default. I'm not sure why he decided to throw Ohio under the bus too. Notice how Georgia and Tennessee don't dare belong in the top 10 while other Southern states not in the bottom 10 are put there in place of California, Vermont, Hawaii, etc. It's almost comical how this board tows the stereotypical line even in the face of a study based on objective data.

Are you serious?

I had Texas in my top 10 for best states to make a living/career etc. and Texas is a southern state and I agreed with the website link with that. I also had North Carolina in my top 10 which is also a southern state and that website link did not even have North Carolina in my top 10.

So there you go. I proved your statement inaccurate.

Originally Posted by

Wow, I am surprised nobody else commented on this thread. I thought there would be many more posts for this thread.
That list you showed me from Moneyrates does show some great factors for what generally makes a state being a better place to make a living/career than other states. However, I think there are still some other factors involved.

Out of the 10 states they have in the top 10 for making a living/career, I agree with 6 of them(Illinois, Texas, Massachusetts, Washington, Colorado, Minnesota)

Out of the 10 states they have in the bottom 10 for making a living/career I agree with 4 of them(West Virginia, Mississippi, Montana, South Carolina)

For the top 10, I would replace 4 of them(Delaware, Tennessee, Virginia and Georgia) and put in New York, California, Pennsylvania, and North Carolina in the top 10 instead.

For the bottom I would replace 6 of them(California, Maine, Hawaii, Vermont, Rhode Island, and Oregon) and put in Nevada, Kentucky, Arkansas, Ohio, Alabama, and Louisiana for the bottom 10 instead.

[Highpointer]

Originally Posted by Innotech

Louisiana isnt just about petrochemical industry anymore. It has a fast growing film industry, high tech industry, Medical industry, construction industry, and is diversifying even further into new fields that were previously rare here. It is actually becoming a very progressive state.

Thanks for your feedback about Louisiana. I would go anywhere to secure a good job. Sometimes one has to try a new place to live in order to upgrade their quality of life.

[Omahahonors]

I know Nebraska does very well in thanks to Omaha.

Omaha is annually one of the top ten highest standard of living within the United States. most of the time in the top 3.

[James420]

Originally Posted by downtown1

Are you living in one of these best/worst states? What's your opinion about this report published by MoneyRates?

"..Based on that analysis, where are the best and worst places to make a living?

The best, according to MoneyRates, is ...

1. Illinois: The adjusted average income is $41,987, thanks to reasonably high average wages, relatively low state income taxes and a reasonable cost of living.
2. Washington (state): The cost of living is higher than average, but so is the average wage and the state imposes no income tax. Adjusted average income: $41,456.
3. Texas: Also benefits from no state income tax. Adjusted average income: $41,427
4. Virginia: $41,120
5. Delaware: $39,105
6. Massachusetts: $38,665
7. Georgia: $38,228
8. Tennessee: $38,038
9. Colorado: $38,020
10. Minnesota: $37,721

Where are the worst states to make a living?

1. Hawaii: $22,108
2. Maine: $29,159
3. Montana: $29,496
4. California: $29,772
5. Vermont: $29,986
6. Oregon: $30,343
7. Rhode Island: $30,612
8. Mississippi: $30,953
9. West Virginia: 31,357
10. South Carolina: $31,636

___

"

best-worst-states-make-living-moneywatch: Personal Finance News from Yahoo! Finance

I can't comment on states that I haven't been too but Delaware is a fine place to make a living, northern Delaware has some of the most prestigious and expensive private schools in the country. Lower Delaware has great beach towns like Dewey and Lewes. Middletown, DE has been one of the fastest growing areas in the mid atlantic/south/northeast(disclaimer as to not start an argument for the region Delaware is in, since no one really cares in Delaware anyway) for about 10 years. We have no sales tax plus really low property taxes. I would keep Delaware where it is on the list.

[Drewcifer]

The thing that works to the advantage of Minnesota, and especially the Twin Cities is that it has the same pay scale as the cities on the coasts but a Midwestern cost of living. It is a good combination. The northern part of the state is somewhat depressed though.