# Is the West the poorest part of America? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 15, 2014, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-west-the-poorest-part-of-america/701429 "2014-10-15T19:34:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![protoboard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/fbc32d/32.png) [@protoboard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/protoboard)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2014, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-west-the-poorest-part-of-america/701429/1 "2014-10-15T19:34:34Z")
When you consider the high cost of living, the lack of modern housing and air conditioning, extremely large homeless populations, the poor economy outside of Seattle and the Bay Area and the fact California has more poverty than any state including Mississippi would you say it’s fair to say the West is poorer than the Midwest, South and the Northeast? Portland, Oregon has 65 miles of unpaved streets (!!!) which blows my mind. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2014, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-west-the-poorest-part-of-america/701429/2 "2014-10-15T19:42:01Z")
Deep South, hands down. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2014, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-west-the-poorest-part-of-america/701429/3 "2014-10-15T19:45:23Z")
Have you (the OP) ever been to the West Coast? Poorest parts of the US can be found along the Mississippi river (and 50-100 miles E-W of it) S of Quincy, IL to NOLA, and the Appalachian mountains. While other places are poor (and you can find rich places in these areas), these two geographical regions really take the cake in terms of overall crappiness. ---
**Author:** ![Ulfreida](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ulfreida/32/8014_2.png) [@Ulfreida](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulfreida)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2014, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-west-the-poorest-part-of-america/701429/4 "2014-10-15T19:45:26Z")
Just saw [this NYT map](http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/26/upshot/where-are-the-hardest-places-to-live-in-the-us.html?kwp_0=3747&WT.mc_id=AD-D-E-KEYWEE-SOC-FP-SEPT14NONSALETEST-ROS-0922-1006&WT.mc_ev=click&bicmp=AD&bicmlukp=WT.mc_id&bicmst=1411358400&bicmet=1446872400&abt=0002&abg=0) Essentially, Appalachia is the worst, followed closely by the deep South. ---
**Author:** ![Ulfreida](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ulfreida/32/8014_2.png) [@Ulfreida](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulfreida)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2014, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-west-the-poorest-part-of-america/701429/5 "2014-10-15T19:58:50Z")
> [@protoboard](#): > > When you consider the high cost of living, the lack of modern housing and air conditioning, extremely large homeless populations, the poor economy outside of Seattle and the Bay Area and the fact California has more poverty than any state including Mississippi would you say it’s fair to say the West is poorer than the Midwest, South and the Northeast? > > Portland, Oregon has 65 miles of unpaved streets (!!!) which blows my mind. Most of those Portland streets are graveled roads in upscale suburbia. It’s caused partly by political jurisdictions which haven’t gotten up to speed vis a vis population growth of what were recently rural areas. The city itself? No way. California may have more poor people, but that has to be to some extent a function of just having a whole lot more people period. I don’t know where you get this “lack of modern housing and air conditioning” thing. Never heard that before. The urban areas do have homelessness issues, mostly that is due to the climate (political and otherwise). ---
**Author:** ![dofe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7ba0ec/32.png) [@dofe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dofe)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2014, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-west-the-poorest-part-of-america/701429/6 "2014-10-15T20:09:48Z")
This is the strangest OP I’ve read. California alone (if it were a country) has a big enough economy to rank as the 8th largest economy in the World. And Portland has some unpaved streets, but I can’t imagine anyone who has been there (I lived there for several years) who would consider it “poor.” ---
**Author:** ![Suburban\_Plankton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suburban_plankton/32/219_2.png) [@Suburban\_Plankton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suburban_Plankton)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2014, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-west-the-poorest-part-of-america/701429/7 "2014-10-15T20:13:22Z")
If you go by ‘net income per square mile’, then that’s probably true…at least for the \*vast \*areas of the West which have a population of 0. But in terms of ‘real numbers’, I think you’re looking at the rural Deep South and/or Appalachia. ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2014, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-west-the-poorest-part-of-america/701429/8 "2014-10-15T20:25:48Z")
> [@protoboard](#): > > When you consider the high cost of living, the lack of modern housing and air conditioning, extremely large homeless populations, the poor economy outside of Seattle and the Bay Area 1.) High cost of living - due to intense concentrations of wealth, nice environments and desirable amenities. Does not exist in a vacuum. 2.) “Modern housing” I don’t get. If anything modern housing is too damn prevalent in CA. Mind-numbing tracts of cookie-cutter homes everywhere ;). True, air conditioning really isn’t common where I live. Because we don’t need it - the weather in my microclimate is exceedingly mild. Where it gets hotter, as in a lot of those modern housing tracts inland, central air is common. 3.) Large homeless populations are attracted by nice weather ( see above ) and arguably tolerant communities that have the money to provide services. 4.) Though there are indeed large pockets of poverty throughout the west ( as everywhere ), I’d say there are certainly more economically productive regions than just the Bay Area and Seattle. Los Angeles, San Diego and Portland for example may beg to differ :). ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2014, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-west-the-poorest-part-of-america/701429/9 "2014-10-15T20:33:42Z")
Hey, I was driving around in Vermont yesterday and saw a run-down mobile home. Clearly, then, we can conclude that all of New England is made up of dirt-poor hillbillies! ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2014, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-west-the-poorest-part-of-america/701429/10 "2014-10-15T21:11:50Z")
> [@dofe](#): > > This is the strangest OP I’ve read. California alone (if it were a country) has a big enough economy to rank as the 8th largest economy in the World. . . . [Some sites even say 7th!](http://www.city-data.com/forum/california/2137435-ca-regains-position-7th-largest-economy.html) ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2014, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-west-the-poorest-part-of-america/701429/11 "2014-10-15T22:07:04Z")
I take it the OP has never been to the Delta of northwest Mississippi, the Appalachian counties of eastern Kentucky, or the near-ghost towns of the Great Plains. Even rural Alabama felt better off then the Bootheel area of southeast Missorui. ---
**Author:** ![GreasyJack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/df705f/32.png) [@GreasyJack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreasyJack)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2014, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-west-the-poorest-part-of-america/701429/12 "2014-10-15T23:13:09Z")
In the spirit of pedantism, I’ll point out that the poorest parts of America are _in_ the West. The absolute lowest per capita income counties are on western Indian Reservations and parts of the Texas border region that are practically Mexico. Of course, a whole lot more people live in the poor parts of the South, but they’re technically not _quite_ the poorest of the poor parts of the country. Not that this has anything to do with the OP’s bizarre theories about the West Coast states. ---
**Author:** ![Grestarian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grestarian/32/3227_2.png) [@Grestarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grestarian)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2014, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-west-the-poorest-part-of-america/701429/13 "2014-10-15T23:24:59Z")
> [@Ulfreida](#): > > Just saw [this NYT map](http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/26/upshot/where-are-the-hardest-places-to-live-in-the-us.html?kwp_0=3747&WT.mc_id=AD-D-E-KEYWEE-SOC-FP-SEPT14NONSALETEST-ROS-0922-1006&WT.mc_ev=click&bicmp=AD&bicmlukp=WT.mc_id&bicmst=1411358400&bicmet=1446872400&abt=0002&abg=0) > > Essentially, Appalachia is the worst, followed closely by the deep South. Well, that confirms what I came to speculate. –G. ---
**Author:** ![protoboard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/fbc32d/32.png) [@protoboard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/protoboard)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2014, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-west-the-poorest-part-of-america/701429/14 "2014-10-15T23:44:03Z")
> [@dofe](#): > > This is the strangest OP I’ve read. California alone (if it were a country) has a big enough economy to rank as the 8th largest economy in the World. > > And Portland has some unpaved streets, but I can’t imagine anyone who has been there (I lived there for several years) who would consider it “poor.” Parts of Portland undoubtedly feel poor, don’t you agree? What about 82nd street with all its used car lots and run down apartments? The North and far East of Portland feel very rough in parts and access to transit, the police and yes paved roads are limited. California has a huge economy but it’s also very unequal. ---
**Author:** ![Inna\_Minnit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Inna\_Minnit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inna_Minnit)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2014, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-west-the-poorest-part-of-america/701429/15 "2014-10-16T00:42:39Z")
I live in Oregon. I don’t have AC because I don’t need it. There are maybe two weeks in the year that are in the high 90s to 100s. ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2014, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-west-the-poorest-part-of-america/701429/16 "2014-10-16T00:46:04Z")
> [@protoboard](#): > > Parts of Portland undoubtedly feel poor, don’t you agree? What about 82nd street with all its used car lots and run down apartments? The North and far East of Portland feel very rough in parts and access to transit, the police and yes paved roads are limited. > > California has a huge economy but it’s also very unequal. While the 7-11 on the corner of 82 and Sandy Blvd has a a clientele that makes you hum dueling banjos it is far from crushing poverty.\* I have seen worse in LA, Seattle, St. Louis, and a number of other cities. \*If you are in the area the Cameo Restaurant 1/2 block east of 82nd on Sandy makes a superb breakfast. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c57346/32.png) [@Little\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Pig)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2014, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-west-the-poorest-part-of-america/701429/17 "2014-10-16T01:02:30Z")
Personal Income Per Capita, Mississippi is [dead last.](http://www.census.gov/statab/ranks/rank29.html) And thery’re [last](http://www.americashealthrankings.org/MS)in [a lot](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_Education_in_Mississippi)of [other ways](http://www.statemaster.com/state/ms/Bottom-Rankings)too. ---
**Author:** ![SeaDragonTattoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@SeaDragonTattoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaDragonTattoo)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2014, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-west-the-poorest-part-of-america/701429/18 "2014-10-16T01:31:57Z")
> [@protoboard](#): > > Parts of Portland undoubtedly feel poor, don’t you agree? What about 82nd street with all its used car lots and run down apartments? The North and far East of Portland feel very rough in parts and access to transit, the police and yes paved roads are limited. Sounds like every city in the world. Have you traveled much? ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2014, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-west-the-poorest-part-of-america/701429/19 "2014-10-16T01:44:17Z")
Part of why there are more homeless people in the NW is that the climate is temperate, the drug laws are loosely enforced, there are good baseline social/medical services, and a live and let live attitude. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2014, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-west-the-poorest-part-of-america/701429/20 "2014-10-16T03:24:02Z")
> [@Smeghead](#): > > Hey, I was driving around in Vermont yesterday and saw a run-down mobile home. Clearly, then, we can conclude that all of New England is made up of dirt-poor hillbillies! I live on an unpaved road!! in a perfectly nice middle-upper-middle-class community. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-west-the-poorest-part-of-america/701429.md?page=2)