Over the past two years, a staggering 1.6 million Californians have made the decision to leave their home state and start afresh elsewhere. With this in mind, I wanted to lend a helping hand in their search for a new place to call home. Hence, I embarked on my very own “Leaving California” journey, a series of seven columns ranking the potential of other states for those ex-Californians looking for a fresh start.
To ensure accuracy, objectivity, and a comprehensive overview of all possibilities, I painstakingly analyzed a plethora of data spanning state economies, demographics, health, climate, and politics. Examining factors such as costs, wellness, jobs, fun, culture, and safety, I compiled an ultimate scorecard. To minimize any potential mistakes, I also consulted various other “best state” rankings.
So, what did I discover? When considering all aspects, the top state for Californians leaving their home state turned out to be New Hampshire. Boasting three top-five grades across the seven rankings assessed, it stood out as the most promising destination. Following closely behind were Utah, Minnesota, Idaho, and Washington.
On the other end of the spectrum, Mississippi ranked as the top state to avoid, with four grades in the bottom five. Arkansas, Louisiana, Alabama, and New Mexico were also among the states that ranked poorly.
Interestingly, some states that are typically popular destinations for Californians, such as Florida and Texas, received middling grades in the composite scorecard. Florida placed 17th, while Texas came in 28th. Oregon (26th), Arizona (27th), and Nevada (34th) also didn’t fare as well as expected.
- EXODUS SLOWDOWN?: While California exits decreased by 3%, arrivals increased by 10%. READ HERE!
As you digest the scorecard, it’s crucial to remember that individuals have varying needs and preferences. These rankings provide a broad overview and are based on medians, averages, and indexes that cater to the “typical” Californian. Nevertheless, who exactly is the “typical” Californian? That’s for you to decide.
The Methodology
This relocation scorecard is a culmination of my previous rankings of the 49 other states. These 2023 rankings assessed the pros and cons of each state as potential relocation destinations for Californians.
Here’s a breakdown of the findings from those rankings:
Best bargain: Where would your money stretch the furthest, taking into account income and the cost of living? The top states for affordability were Colorado, Minnesota, New Hampshire, Illinois, and Utah. On the other hand, Hawaii, Mississippi, Arkansas, New Mexico, and Maine ranked as the least affordable.
Healthiest: Which states offer the best medical services and overall wellness? Topping the list were Massachusetts, Hawaii, Minnesota, New Jersey, and Maryland, while West Virginia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Oklahoma ranked as the least healthy states.
Best job market: For those seeking employment, which states offer the best opportunities for a solid paycheck? Nevada, Utah, Idaho, Arizona, and Texas emerged as the top states for job seekers, while Connecticut, Rhode Island, Michigan, Ohio, and West Virginia lagged behind.
Most fun: Which states provide the perfect balance of indoor entertainment and outdoor activities? Florida claimed the top spot for fun, followed by Hawaii, Massachusetts, Colorado, and Minnesota. Indiana, Alabama, West Virginia, Kansas, and Kentucky were ranked at the bottom for leisure options.
- AFFORDABILITY: Who can afford to live in California? Find out HERE!
Best culture: Which states offer an alternative to the California culture? South Dakota, North Dakota, Tennessee, Oklahoma, and Idaho were deemed to have the best alternatives, while New York, Connecticut, New Jersey, Massachusetts, and Illinois ranked poorly.
Safest: Where can you feel most secure from crime, climate risks, and accidents? Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, and Rhode Island topped the list of the safest states, while Louisiana, Arkansas, South Carolina, Mississippi, and Oklahoma were ranked as the least safe.
Other “best” rankings: As an additional check, I reviewed other “best state” rankings. The composite “best of the best” rankings concluded that the top states were New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Minnesota. Conversely, Louisiana, Mississippi, Arkansas, New Mexico, and Alabama ranked at the bottom.
Key Takeaways
Remember, scorecard creators are human too.
Any “best state” scorecard, no matter how thorough, is bound to contain some bias. The choice of data and the application of mathematical models can inadvertently sway the final results. Let’s compare my relocation rankings with the composite grades from other similar scorecards.
Four states received the same grades in both sets of rankings, including the top-ranked New Hampshire. Other states with minimal deviation include Nebraska, Oregon, and West Virginia. However, for 14 states, there was a significant difference of 10 places or more between the two rankings.
My rankings were generally more favorable towards Utah, Idaho, Maryland, South Dakota, North Carolina, Georgia, Arizona, and Texas when compared to the composite rankings. Conversely, I was harsher on Vermont, Maine, Connecticut, New York, Delaware, and Ohio.
Why the discrepancy? Well, it seems that I favored states that offered a strong contrast to the California vibe.
However, it’s crucial to remember that I had a specific goal in mind – to find the best state for departing Californians.
Jonathan Lansner is the business columnist for the Southern California News Group. He can be reached at [email protected]
Denial of responsibility! Vigour Times is an automatic aggregator of Global media. In each content, the hyperlink to the primary source is specified. All trademarks belong to their rightful owners, and all materials to their authors. For any complaint, please reach us at – [email protected]. We will take necessary action within 24 hours.
