There are lots of stats to look at and you can rank anything. The article ranks North Dakota as the #1 quality of life state, Iowa #9. Utah and Nebraska join those two in the Top 10 overall. Mississippi and Arkansas join the first two in the Top 10 quality of life list. I've been to all these states and I can't take such high rankings seriously.

People vote with their feet. While tastes and preferences differ, too many states high on the list are places over the years people moved from, not to, or moved away from specifically for reasons like looking for a better quality of life.

All things being equal, you'd better like snow and cold!

The radio announcers "here", in Colorado are saying Colorado was voted #1 in quality of life. Must be another survey,,,,lol This survey says #1 in "economy".

Rather odd list. Massachusetts is also known as "Taxachusetts", and property costs are high over nearly all parts of the state. New Hampshire? Great if one is a renter; very pricey if one owns. No state income or sales tax so the state socks it to those owning real estate to provide the funds for the state budget. Real estate taxes are VERY high there.

One better like cold weather to live in many of these states, and some are also pretty desolate.

Again, a very odd list....

I thought it was a "very"..."very"...odd list! Hence my posting it.....

I'm relieved to hear that. What you've just said as your perspective wasn't at all apparent to me. I tried hard to make my first response much more diplomatic than usual.

Does this mean you're not moving to Iowa, North Dakota, or Nebraska?

lol I expected to hear some surprised "WTF!? lol I've been to most of those states too. WOW! Just .......woooooooooooooow........

I expected more people to chime in. Like.....isn't Alaska on THAT list? Or Wyoming?

It all depends on who is doing the ranking and how they skew it.

The only ranking I actually believe are ones that include actual data. Towns that are the wealthiest, towns with the highest crime rate etc. Those can use actual statistics.

I don’t see a problem with these rankings. The data show what the data show.

I've heard plenty of people moving here. I wish they'd quit! It's cost of living, mild weather, and welcoming people that I hear about. Whatever! Tastes are certainly variable. My tropically raised adopted sister (lived through many monsoon seasons) doesn't like where I live and I would never move where she lives. They've had moose and bear attacks where she lives. She can't handle the humid heat where I live ;) Wherever you lay your head should be #1 on your list.

Nope, nope, nope. All those states have colder winters!

Depending on where you live in Washington, NO cold winters (western half.....eastern half can get pretty chilly)!! And its scenic appeal is darn hard to beat!!

I've just finished an article saying that there is no place in the US where a fully employed worker earning minimum wage can afford to rent a two-bedroom apartment -- using the usual standard of paying no more than 30% of your income for housing. This is even true in Arkansas, where the cheapest housing is located -- because the minimum wage there is so low.

Meanwhile, Trump's appointees are working hard to cut government housing assistance.

gardengal...shhh...it's too overrun here already.

No worries about getting overrun, olychick, other than the continuing tech magnet that's going strong. You have more rainy days than many like. I think the greater Seattle area (including north and south along the Sound) is unique - lots of culture and attractions, it's stunningly beautiful, it's green but it's damp.

I think the PNW is very beautiful but too rainy for me. I enjoyed exploring it on our honeymoon.

Not nearly as damp or rainy as many suspect :-) And even less so in summer, which is very dry. We actually get much less annual rainfall than most locations in the midwest or eastern half of the country.

And Elmer, Washington is one of the fastest growing states in the country in terms of population, at more than double the national average. And many of them are moving here from California!! No, we are not likely to be overrun as there is a lot of open/undeveloped land available but the metropolitan areas along the I-5 corridor are becoming very overcrowded.

What about gray skies? To me that's just as bad as rain. I seem to remember a lot of drizzly days where it didn't rain much but it was overcast all day. We were there in September.

I spent some months while in the military just south of Tacoma and during my career made business trips to the area every few years for days at a time. I think I have a good sense for the weather. I know rainfall is often light or just drizzly. From wikipedia:

"In an average year, at least 0.01 inches (0.25 mm) of precipitation falls on 150 days, more than nearly all U.S. cities east of the Rocky Mountains.[89] It is cloudy 201 days out of the year and partly cloudy 93 days"

That leaves 70 days a year for blue skies. Not nearly enough.

‘Quality of Life’ can mean a lot of things to different people. If we’re talking economic quality and job stability, I might understand these ratings, at least overall.

However, you have to look at other factors. You bloom where you are planted in many respects. I too have visited all of these states, some extensively, and to me there is no place like home. I wouldn’t live in some places in my state if you paid me to move there, but I love the city and area where we do live. And overall the quality of life here is wonderful and we have people moving in here in droves. Industry is thriving and there is lots of activity for young and old. The places around can hardly keep up with infrastructure and school growth.

Fine!! Stay right where you are!! We really don't need any more newcomers to the area :-) But given the rate of population increase, there are plenty of folks who don't seem to mind all the green that our rainy season and overcast days provide. And those of us who DO live here would not care to live anywhere else!!

btw, Buffalo NY, Pittsburgh PA and Cleveland OH are right behind Portland and Seattle with the number of overcast/cloudy days so this is not just a PNW thing. And they all have copious amounts of winter snow, frigid winter temps and high summer humidity.

I don't see any of the cities you mentioned on the "best cities" lists. Most cities have their pluses and minuses. One makes ones own choices about what is best.

Central Ohio is best for us. We have no interest in other places. There is NO ideal location for all people.

Elmer, some people are grateful to have a minimum wage job and a very small place to live. It’s called autistic and living independently without any assistance. Get off of your high horse for once and think in someone else’s shoes.

Did you fall over making that stretch, terilyn? How sad. I can't imagine you really thought that's the segment of society I was referring to. I think you're more clever than that.

I was talking about those with adequate capabilities lacking initiative or personal drive, who don't use the capabilities they have. In those circumstances, life can be tough and normal things unaffordable. People born with disabilities are different and need (and deserve) more hands on guidance and help. Is that news to you?

"Fine!! Stay right where you are!!"

Will do. As Outside suggested, everyone has a home somewhere, it's what's familiar and comfortable. But weather is weather, many home territories have weather that drives people to move.

Buffalo, Cleveland, Pittsburgh? I know people from all those places, they don't live there anymore. Why? Weather and better opportunities elsewhere. I thought Portland had more sunshine and warmer weather than Seattle - are you saying it doesn't?

"Minnesota the State where NOTHING is allowed". I am guessing MN is #2 because we are already regulated TO DEATH. For those mulling the "cold winter"; gotta say, the reason we can handle it is we know there is always a way to get warm!! "You an always put on a sweater but you can only get sooo naked". Summers south would be TORTURE.

"You can always put on a sweater but you can only get sooo naked".

Funny!

We live on top of a hill in the foothills of The Rockies. We get 101 mph wind! All the glass windows start to bow. Outdoor furniture has to be tied down. The walls crack, we've installed expansion joints. People keep trying to hike or drive through our property to get behind our house to the "woods". It comes with a GREAT view, but it has it's pit falls.

"I thought Portland had more sunshine and warmer weather than Seattle - are you saying it doesn't?

They run pretty much neck and neck :-) Portland is actually wetter than Seattle (44" annually, compared to 37") but has slightly fewer overcast days (4 less). It also tends to be somewhat hotter in summer and colder in winter than Seattle, which benefits from a strongly moderating marine influence.

Every climate has its pro's and con's, which impact the people living in them. Right now, what used to be 'normal' weather is no longer the norm all over the world. In addition, billions of people are living in inhospitable climates thanks to electricity -- much of it generated at a cost to their health. Clean water is a concern, not only in third world countries, but in the US.

Hawaii gets a lot of visitors from the Pacific Northwest who are dying for some sun. Lewis and Clark nearly molded to death there. Like all hot and humid places, Hawaii uses toxic pesticides to control bugs, while colder climates benefit from hard freezes.

For those who say summers in the south would be torture, I can only reply that winters in the north would be torture for me. While I wouldn’t want to live in Florida, north Alabama and any area/state around us typically only has about 3 months of humidity to live through. The rest of the year we have great seasonal weather, including mild winters. What Chi said. Every area has it’s pros and cons.

That was definitely an unusual ranking.

I was lucky enough to visit Seattle two years ago and was thrilled with the absolutely beautiful weather we had. We stayed at the Olympic and I was able to spend several days walking around the town and touring the sites and enjoyed many great dinners.

A close friend of mine recently moved to a suburb just outside the city and sent me this article - definitely a chilling read.

https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2015/07/20/the-really-big-one

My area of NJ (near Philadelphia) has hot humid summers but winter isn't particularly evil - some are better than others. It varies - some years there is no recorded snowfall, a few years ago we had a record 80" in one winter. Since I'm retired I don't mind the winters like I did when I commuted to work.

As others have said - every area has pros and cons. And many people I come across like where they are living. Maybe it's just because it's what they know.