# List the Top 5 states you would live in **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 13, 2013, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/list-the-top-5-states-you-would-live-in/666167 "2013-08-13T23:50:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Southern\_Yankee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/southern_yankee/32/2800_2.png) [@Southern\_Yankee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Southern_Yankee)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2013, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/list-the-top-5-states-you-would-live-in/666167/1 "2013-08-13T23:50:19Z")
American Dopers (or those of you who might like to live here,) if money/employment was not an obstacle, which 5 states would you choose to make your home? I’ll start: New York California Florida North Carolina (current residence) Louisiana ---
**Author:** ![Dusty\_Rose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ba8739/32.png) [@Dusty\_Rose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dusty_Rose)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2013, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/list-the-top-5-states-you-would-live-in/666167/2 "2013-08-14T00:04:29Z")
Michigan - will always be “home” to me Tennessee - current location Georgia Florida Virginia ---
**Author:** ![OttoDaFe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ottodafe/32/356_2.png) [@OttoDaFe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OttoDaFe)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2013, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/list-the-top-5-states-you-would-live-in/666167/3 "2013-08-14T00:06:20Z")
Washington (current) Montana Alaska Colorado New Mexico ---
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2013, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/list-the-top-5-states-you-would-live-in/666167/4 "2013-08-14T00:07:38Z")
Bliss followed by Oblivion but Im stuck in Confusion ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2013, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/list-the-top-5-states-you-would-live-in/666167/5 "2013-08-14T00:07:59Z")
Massachusetts Connecticut Vermont New York Washington State ---
**Author:** ![rsat3acr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a3d4f5/32.png) [@rsat3acr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rsat3acr)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2013, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/list-the-top-5-states-you-would-live-in/666167/6 "2013-08-14T00:11:14Z")
Texas Arizona New Mexico ---
**Author:** ![rsat3acr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a3d4f5/32.png) [@rsat3acr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rsat3acr)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2013, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/list-the-top-5-states-you-would-live-in/666167/7 "2013-08-14T00:12:33Z")
damn laptop. Washington California ---
**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:** [August 14, 2013, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/list-the-top-5-states-you-would-live-in/666167/8 "2013-08-14T00:23:23Z")
California Oregon Washington Alaska Colorado I really see no compelling reason to leave the West Coast. If I had to, I could deal with living in the Rockies. Alaska is just so ‘different’ that I think it would be almost like living in another country. Plus, it’s technically on the West Coast. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2013, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/list-the-top-5-states-you-would-live-in/666167/9 "2013-08-14T00:30:08Z")
My home state, California, pretty much has it all for me, but the runners up would include Utah, Florida, Hawaii, and Colorado. ---
**Author:** ![drewtwo99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2013, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/list-the-top-5-states-you-would-live-in/666167/10 "2013-08-14T00:34:27Z")
> [@blondebear](#): > > My home state, California, pretty much has it all for me, but the runners up would include Utah, Florida, Hawaii, and Colorado. California, _Utah_, Florida, Hawaii, and Colorado… one of these things is not like the other… as far as my list goes: Texas East Texas South Texas West Texas Austin ---
**Author:** ![Fluke54](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ac8455/32.png) [@Fluke54](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fluke54)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2013, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/list-the-top-5-states-you-would-live-in/666167/11 "2013-08-14T00:41:33Z")
All five of my choices would be anywhere in Texas. ---
**Author:** ![Sudden\_Kestrel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecd19e/32.png) [@Sudden\_Kestrel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sudden_Kestrel)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2013, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/list-the-top-5-states-you-would-live-in/666167/12 "2013-08-14T00:47:03Z")
[ol] [li]Minnesota (home).[/li][li]Wisconsin (northern).[/li][li]Montana (western).[/li][li]Michigan (upper).[/li][li]Canada ;), but since Canada isn’t eligible, Washington.[/li][/ol] Alaska just misses the cut because of its high cost of living. ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2013, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/list-the-top-5-states-you-would-live-in/666167/13 "2013-08-14T00:49:44Z")
About two years ago I compiled a list states that are above the median for educational attainment and life expectancy and below the median in crime. I came up with CT, ME, MA, MN, NH, VT, and NJ. All of them sound fine, except New Jersey of course. I’ll add Colorado to my top five even if it didn’t quite make the educational attainment cut in the data I was using. My top five: New Hampshire Alaska Minnesota Maine Colorado Massachusetts, Vermont, Connecticut, Hawaii, and Washington state are not far behind. ---
**Author:** ![Dusty\_Rose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ba8739/32.png) [@Dusty\_Rose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dusty_Rose)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2013, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/list-the-top-5-states-you-would-live-in/666167/14 "2013-08-14T00:52:28Z")
Hawaii! I forgot about Hawaii! :smack: I’d officially like to boot Virginia and replace it with Hawaii. ---
**Author:** ![Desert\_Nomad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desert_nomad/32/177_2.png) [@Desert\_Nomad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Desert_Nomad)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2013, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/list-the-top-5-states-you-would-live-in/666167/15 "2013-08-14T00:53:44Z")
Nevada (home) Washington South Dakota (only in the western part of the state) Utah Oregon Bottom line: no income tax in my top three and in the West. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2013, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/list-the-top-5-states-you-would-live-in/666167/16 "2013-08-14T01:02:40Z")
> [@drewtwo99](#): > > California, _Utah_, Florida, Hawaii, and Colorado… > > one of these things is not like the other… Utah has some of the best natural beauty and outdoor recreational opportunities you’ll find anywhere. Some people might have issues with Mormons, but in my many visits to the Beehive State I have found good people there. I once told my friends, and it’s mostly true: I think I could be happy working in a burger joint and living in Springdale the rest of my days. ---
**Author:** ![weef](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d6d6ee/32.png) [@weef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/weef)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2013, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/list-the-top-5-states-you-would-live-in/666167/17 "2013-08-14T01:11:58Z")
1 - 4 = Texas! 5 = Arizona. ---
**Author:** ![dogbutler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dogbutler/32/428_2.png) [@dogbutler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dogbutler)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2013, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/list-the-top-5-states-you-would-live-in/666167/18 "2013-08-14T01:15:49Z")
1. Florida(Key West) 2. North Carolina(current location) 3. Georgia 4. California(Northern) 5. Wisconsin ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2013, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/list-the-top-5-states-you-would-live-in/666167/19 "2013-08-14T01:22:15Z")
## NY VT CO Then it gets a lot harder. Any other place in the Rockies is either too hot or too provincial. And I can barely stand the Southern Tier of NY, and PA is like the Southern Tier only moreso both geographically and culturally. But I guess the fourth would be PA because of Philly. I guess I don’t have a fifth\*. Any other place I actively avoid, or would only want to visit there, or haven’t been to enough to make up my mind. Can I choose England? I’ve never been there but it looks pretty. - I prefer wine. ---
**Author:** ![slm2955](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c6cbf5/32.png) [@slm2955](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slm2955)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2013, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/list-the-top-5-states-you-would-live-in/666167/20 "2013-08-14T01:24:36Z")
> [@Desert\_Nomad](#): > > Nevada (home) > Washington > South Dakota (only in the western part of the state) > Utah > Oregon > > Bottom line: no income tax in my top three and in the West. +1 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/list-the-top-5-states-you-would-live-in/666167.md?page=2)