The Deplorable States

As should surprise no one all but one of the states (New Mexico) in CNBC’s list of worst states to live in are Red States:

10. Kentucky
9. (tie) New Mexico
9. (tie) Tennessee
7. Mississippi
6. Indiana
5. Missouri
4. Arkansas
3. Oklahoma
2. Louisiana
1. Alabama

Five of the best overall states for business according to CNBC’s reckoning are also Red States, including one (Tennessee) on the live of worst states in which to live.

17 comments… add one
  • Andy Link

    CNBC seems to really dislike fat people and smokers

  • Janis Gore Link

    Yabbut, we have a great quality of life in Louisiana — lots of good food, music, literature, and laughter. The good life is inexpensive here.

    But you do need to have some living.

  • Janis Gore Link

    Look at these strawberries from Tickfaw. Those flats cost $6 apiece.

  • PD Shaw Link

    Indiana must be pretty bad to be listed twice.

    (Number 3 is Oklahoma)

  • Thanks. Fixed.

  • Guarneri Link

    “Indiana must be pretty bad to be listed twice.”

    Kentucky as well.

    These exercises are always silly, and usually agenda driven. Indianapolis has very little in common with Da Region, the corn fields in between, or southern IN. 100 miles south of the Loop IL is almost indistinguishable from IN. And if you haven’t been to Nashville and it’s surrounds recently you are missing a place to which people are voting with their feet and moving in droves. But it’s not like rural TN. Here in FL you can live in tropical paradise in Naples, Sarasota or the more urban Tampa. In south central FL you live, literally, in a swamp, and the panhandle has to be the trailer park capital of the world. And so it goes.

  • Thanks again. Fixed.

  • steve Link

    Set the metrics you want to get the results you want. These pieces should not be taken too seriously. OTOH, Drew nicely makes the point that the places where you might really want to live in these states are urban. When I lived in Florida I used to tell people that once you left the larger coastal cities, the people in central Florida (and the panhandle) were a totally different culture.

    https://patch.com/tennessee/nashville/how-davidson-county-voted-president

  • Janis Gore Link

    Then you have segregation by politics, steve. You can’t change a culture you’re not a part of.

    I’ve lived in Dallas, Austin, Portland, OR and Manhattan in NYC. I’m a centrist Independent. I’m spoiled enough and old enough to want to live where I’m comfortable. I was comfortable in Concordia Parish, where I was just across the river from the more liberal Natchez. I’m comfortable now in a town of 48,000.

    I know there’s still considerable racism in the south, but it really is getting better.

    And look at this silly satsuma tree. That’s a $15 tree.

  • Janis Gore Link

    Registered the first time as an independent. Can’t remember what year that was, but close to 40 years ago.

  • Guarneri Link

    Of course the downside to coastal cities is that there has been a run on stilts to put the house up on due to global warming. I’m not so worried about the roadways, I kinda liked Venice and Amsterdam.

  • Guarneri Link
  • Gustopher Link

    They have inclusiveness as a factor in the quality of life score, so of course the red states are going to come in low — they pride themselves on a lack of inclusiveness.

  • Janis Gore Link

    Well, Louisiana is chauvinist for sure, but it has little to do with race or sexuality. Louisianans just have a preference for their own culture, including all the goodies I mentioned above.

    Oh, yes, we have our Confederate holdouts and people who still rail about the War of Northern Aggression and beat they Bibles to pulp,
    but anyone who can garden, or play an instrument, or COOK will find acceptance.

  • Janis Gore Link

    LSU has applied to do research on medical marijuana, for instance.

  • Janis Gore Link

    Oh, and interior design. Those big houses don’t keep themselves, you know, and (forgive me NOW) women are just not as good at it.

  • Janis Gore Link

    My Southern Baptist sister-in-law in Natchez has a gay interior designer and her house isn’t that big. Little overdone, to my taste, my I prefer my brother’s work.

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