Best State Capitols to Live in

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Sentry18

Sentry18

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Hmmm. Most of the top tanking capitols are in the Midwest.


https://www.gobankingrates.com/investing/real-estate/best-worst-state-capitals-to-live-in/

Best State Capitals
GOBankingRates analyzed all 50 state capitals using the following criteria:

  • Violent crime rate and property crime rate per 1,000 residents
  • Median home list price and median rent
  • Annual cost of necessities
  • School district score
  • Unemployment rate of the population between ages 20 and 64, plus the percentage of the population living below the poverty line
  • The median household income, all sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2017 American Community Survey
The factors were scored, summed up and then ranked from best to worst for each state capital.

The best state capitals often feature a solid median household income, low poverty and unemployment rates, a low cost of necessities, affordable rent and homes and usually a good grade for school districts.
Click to expand...

The BEST

1. Bismark, ND
2. Pierre, SD
3. Montpelier, VT
4. Boise, ID
5. Jefferson City, MO
6. Lincoln, NE
7. Raleigh, NC
8. Cheyenne, WY
9. Frankfort, KY
10. Annapolis, MD
11. Juneau, AK
12. Helena, MT

The WORST

50. Hartford, CT
49. Richmond, VA
48. Trenton, NJ
47. Boston, MA
46. Baton Rouge, LA
45. Providence, RI
44. Atlanta, GA
43. Jackson, MS
42. Harrisburg, PA
41. Tallahassee, FL
40. Lansing, MI
39. Charleston, WV
38. Salt Lake City, UT
 
Sentry18 said:
Hmmm. Most of the top tanking capitols are in the Midwest.

https://www.gobankingrates.com/investing/real-estate/best-worst-state-capitals-to-live-in/

The BEST

1. Bismark, ND
2. Pierre, SD
3. Montpelier, VT
4. Boise, ID
5. Jefferson City, MO
6. Lincoln, NE
7. Raleigh, NC
8. Cheyenne, WY
9. Frankfort, KY
10. Annapolis, MD
11. Juneau, AK
12. Helena, MT

The WORST

50. Hartford, CT
49. Richmond, VA
48. Trenton, NJ
47. Boston, MA
46. Baton Rouge, LA
45. Providence, RI
44. Atlanta, GA
43. Jackson, MS
42. Harrisburg, PA
41. Tallahassee, FL
40. Lansing, MI
39. Charleston, WV
38. Salt Lake City, UT
Click to expand...
Of the worst, I have only been in Boston. I can see that.

Of the best, I have been in a few. One of my thoughts is that if the cities are rated as the best or worst, then the surrounding area must also reflect that same rating. If you think of Bismarck, ND, then people in the area around Bismarck would also have more integrity, collectively, than say the area around Hartford, CT. Also, if you were to have to escape the city, you probably wouldn't have to go as far to be safer, if that was even an issue.

Part of it has to do with what it takes to survive in the areas. It is hard to be homeless in Bismarck, ND in the winter time, especially during blizzards and storms. It was -20 degrees commonly for weeks on end when I lived in North Dakota. Is there crime? Yes! Are there drugs and druggies there? I am sure there are. I know a good family who had to send their son off to rehab.
 
Sentry18 said:
Hmmm. Most of the top tanking capitols are in the Midwest.


https://www.gobankingrates.com/investing/real-estate/best-worst-state-capitals-to-live-in/



The BEST

1. Bismark, ND
2. Pierre, SD
3. Montpelier, VT
4. Boise, ID
5. Jefferson City, MO
6. Lincoln, NE
7. Raleigh, NC
8. Cheyenne, WY
9. Frankfort, KY
10. Annapolis, MD
11. Juneau, AK
12. Helena, MT

The WORST

50. Hartford, CT
49. Richmond, VA
48. Trenton, NJ
47. Boston, MA
46. Baton Rouge, LA
45. Providence, RI
44. Atlanta, GA
43. Jackson, MS
42. Harrisburg, PA
41. Tallahassee, FL
40. Lansing, MI
39. Charleston, WV
38. Salt Lake City, UT
Click to expand...

I can't believe Miami or Detroit isn't on the worst list.
 
Sparky_D said:
Well, they obviously didn't take ilicit drug use and homelessness into consideration, otherwise my state's capitol would have been WAY lower on the list...
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Actually it is the drug use and wild parties that factor highly into the rankings along with all the young skirts falling all over the legislators. Annapolis? How can anywhere in MD make it into the top ten of anything? I'd have to come up with 60 States because there wouldn't be any capitols on my top ten places to live.
 
I have been to several of the capitols on the top 15 list. Of them all I would only really consider living in Cheyenne, WY or Helena, MT. Maybe the two Dakotas. Capitols are like college towns, full of politics and SJW's.
 
snappy1 said:
I've spent a couple of summers in Pierre, SD and 7 summers in Cheyenne, WY. love both places... in the summer. not so sure about winter! I've never even been to any of the worst capitols and hope not to ever be there!
Click to expand...
I am curious what you did there in the summers? Pierre is on the Missouri River, and I know that South Dakota has its share of mosquitoes and wind.
 
Weedygarden said:
I am curious what you did there in the summers? Pierre is on the Missouri River, and I know that South Dakota has its share of mosquitoes and wind.
Click to expand...
Pierre was our first summer rv-ing and I didn't know that I was a born waitress yet so I cleaned rooms at a Holiday Inn. There sure were mosquitoes and biting flies too! Experienced our first straight line wind on the way there from TX. There was a great parade and rodeo on 4th of July in Fort Pierre! Such a small town for a Capitol!
 
snappy1 said:
Pierre was our first summer rv-ing and I didn't know that I was a born waitress yet so I cleaned rooms at a Holiday Inn. There sure were mosquitoes and biting flies too! Experienced our first straight line wind on the way there from TX. There was a great parade and rodeo on 4th of July in Fort Pierre! Such a small town for a Capitol!
Click to expand...

Pierre is the 8th largest city/town in South Dakota. Current population is 13, 980. It is one of the places that people go, to go shopping from at least 50 miles away, sometimes further. I do know that it doesn't have much in the way of shopping, as is true of many places in S.D.

I believe that Ft. Pierre has the Casey Tibbs rodeo on the 4th of July. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casey_Tibbs He was born and lived in the area, and probably has lots of relatives still in the area.
 
Bacpacker said:
I've haven't had the pleasure of being in SD yet, so I'm not the best judge of that state by any means. 14K population is smaller than the town I live near. I think I could get by around there. LOL
Click to expand...
And it is one of the larger ones! Many people do not like South Dakota because it is sparse and desolate.
 
If you're looking for a place with lots of jobs, reasonably affordable housing, good education system and low crime, Des Moines should be very, VERY high on your list. But it's not the most exciting place in the world...and of course, Iowa winters suck...
 
Sentry18 said:
I have been to several of the capitols on the top 15 list. Of them all I would only really consider living in Cheyenne, WY or Helena, MT. Maybe the two Dakotas. Capitols are like college towns, full of politics and SJW's.
Click to expand...

I've been to Cheyenne, WY but I'd prefer to live at Yellowstone.
 
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