Only 5 States Rank Higher Than Florida On “Best Places To Live in the U.S.” List
The benefits of living in Florida are no secret. We see the U-Hauls making their way through Tampa area streets every day. There is no state income tax. Shoveling isn’t something we ever have to worry about. Sure our A/C bills are through the roof this month and home and auto insurance costs are out of control. But all in all, it’s a pretty great place to live. However, it looks like there are five better states to settle down in according to a new Wallet Hub study.
They looked at things like what residents can do for fun, good weather, education, safety and job opportunities. So who beat us? Ironically, 4 of the top 5 states are people move FROM to come live here in Florida.
Topping the survey is Massachusetts. They came in at the top spot for education and health. For quality of life and safety, the state came in at #6. As someone who’s lived in Massachusetts for about half of his life, I can tell you there are perks. Boston is a fantastic city, filled with fun places to see a concert, grab a drink and live life… at least for 4 or 5 months out of the year. The rest of the year… not so much.
Coming in at #2 was New Jersey. Seriously? You’d rather live in New Jersey than Florida? You’ll find some decent pizza. But other than that the only thing that comes to mind from my drives through New Jersey is toll booths. Sure you’re close to New York City, but that’s about the only other perk I can think of. Wallet Hub says NJ came in at #1 for safety.
At #3 was New Hampshire. As a guy who grew up in Maine, I can see the appeal. You have Boston nearby but you’re far enough away from the madness and traffic. The economy, safety, education and heath are where New Hampshire scored points.
New Hampshire just edged out #4 New York. But it’s hard to take this survey seriously when you see that New York came in at #1 for quality of life. I love to visit NYC but after 3 or 4 days, I’ve had more than enough. I could never live among the bad smells, congestion, dirty streets and winter cold. But maybe it’s the other cities in New York that helped them reach #4.
Just ahead of Florida? Wyoming! Who moves to Wyoming? The state came in at #4 for safety, but in the middle of the pack on everything else.
As mentioned, Florida came in at #6. What did the researchers like about the Sunshine State? They scored Florida #1 on restaurants per capita and our unemployment rate. For quality of life, Florida came in 5th behind New York, Illinois, Pennsylvania, and… wait for it, California. [Source: Wallet Hub]
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