CNBC got folks fired up when it came out with its top 10 worst states to live and work in. Texas, a state with a population of almost 30 million, came in as the worst state.
I've been to Austin and Houston a dozen times for work. They are fine cities with some mighty fine steaks. There is no state income tax too, which is sweet! But I really didn't get to see much of each city given I was meeting clients at their offices or taking them out for dinners.
For those of you who live in Texas or have lived in Texas, is Texas really that bad? I know the humidity is oppressive and property taxes are some of the highest in the nation. Could all those people migrating to Texas during the pandemic for a lower-cost lifestyle really be regretting their decisions today?
On social media, Texans usually like to bash Californians for its weather, politics, taxes, cost of living, and lifestyle. But here we have an independent third party bashing Texas! So what gives?
For the record, I've never bashed any city or state before. I've just shared my thoughts about living on the East Coast and West Coast based on my experiences. And my preference is toward west coast living after spending more than 10 years on each side.
Top 10 Worst States To Live And Work
Here are the top 10 worst states to live and work for according to CNBC:
- Texas
- Oklahoma
- Louisiana
- South Carolina and Alabama (tie)
- —
- Missouri
- Indiana
- Tennessee
- Arkansas
- Florida
Commonalities Of The 10 Worst States To Live And Work
Here are three commonalities amongst the 10 states that stood out immediately.
1) The hottest temperature states
For six months a year, it's damn hot in states such as Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and Arkansas. However, Arizona, a state that averaged over 100 degrees F for 30 days this summer, is conspicuously missing. So is New Mexico. Therefore, extreme heat is not the only variable for a state to be considered one of the worst.
Personally, I would prefer to live in a state that doesn't get above 85 degrees and doesn't have a lot of humidity. My ideal temperature range is between a low of 65 to a high of 81 degrees.
2) Worst states are all Republican (red) states
Below are the results of the 2020 U.S. presidential election by state. Blue voted majority Democrat, Red voted majority Republican. What are the chances that all 10 of the worst states in America are majority Republican states? This seems implausible since the country is split roughly 50/50.
3) Poorer states measured by average household income
The final commonality I notice about the worst states to live and work is lower household income. According to World Population Review, below are the 11 states with the lowest mean (average) household income.
- Mississippi – $65,156
- West Virginia – $65,332
- Arkansas – $69,357
- New Mexico – $70,241 (not in the top 10 worst states)
- Alabama – $71,964
- Kentucky – $72,318 (not in the top 10 worst states)
- Louisiana – $73,759
- Oklahoma – $74,195
- South Carolina – $76,390
- Montana – $76,834 ( (not in the top 10 worst states)
- Tennessee – $76,900
Here's where the other states on the top 10 worst states to live and work are ranked by mean household income.
15) Missouri – $78,200
24) Florida – $83,000
33) Texas – $89,500
Given Texas is at #33, its mean household income is pretty good. In fact, it ranks in the top half of all states. So perhaps money isn't the biggest variable to be ranked the worst state either.
What's also interesting is that Dallas and Houston residents have high expectations for how high of a net worth is needed to feel wealthy. Perhaps the worse the lifestyle, the more money is required to feel happy.
Criteria Used For Ranking The Worst States
I think most of us will agree that experiencing 90+-degree heat for months on end is suboptimal. In addition, the majority of us would probably prefer to earn a higher household income. After all, according to one survey, those who make over $500,000 experienced ultimate happiness!
But it's also safe to say the vast majority of people who live in Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, South Carolina, Alabama, Missouri, Indiana, Tennessee, Arkansas, and Florida disagree vehemently that they live in the worst states!
Hence, it's worth understanding the criteria that went into CNBC's analysis, as well as its potential bias.
This is what CNBC has to say about its ranking methodology.
We consider multiple quality of life factors, including crime rates, environmental quality, and health care. We also look at the quality and availability of childcare, which is one of the most important factors in getting parents back into the workforce.
Casting the widest possible net for workers means not turning anyone away. So we consider inclusiveness in state laws by measuring protections against discrimination, as well as voting rights. And with surveys showing a substantial percentage of women considering abortion restrictions when making a choice of where to live in the wake of the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade, reproductive rights are part of this year’s equation as well.
Some states are putting out the welcome mat to attract the biggest, happiest, and most diverse workforce — America’s Best States to Live and Work In. These are not those states. By the numbers, these are America’s worst states to live and work in for 2023.
Finally, CNBC's global headquarters is in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey. It also has a big office at 30 Rockefeller Plaza, Building 620 New York, New York 10112. Both New York and New Jersey are Blue states. As a result, it's hard to see CNBC ever insulting these two states.
We Can't Live In Every State, So It's Hard To Be Totally Objective
Best and worst states rankings are always interesting because they make us question our very livelihoods. Given Americans are free to live in any state they want, we might get offended when our state is ranked poorly.
Perception matters in terms of attracting work talent, funding, property values, and demographics. Heck, I’m kind of offended that Texas is ranked last because I have a number of private real estate investments in the state!
Even if we were able to live in every state in America, our experiences are different because of who we are and at what stage of life we're in at the time.
At least with the worst states to live and work in, the incomes required to afford a typical home are also the lowest.
My Experience Living In Virginia, New York, California
My life in Virginia was ho-hum as a high schooler, but got better as a college student. New York was a blast in my 20s, but I was too tired from working every day to enjoy it fully.
When I finally came to San Francisco, California in 2001, I felt like I had finally found a city to call home. The job opportunities and pay were great and so was the lifestyle. I still remember my first year here snowboarding in three feet of powder in Lake Tahoe on a Saturday and playing tennis with my shirt off in 70 degree weather on a Sunday.
The annual World Happiness Report is also biased. Isn't it interesting how all the editors of the World Happiness Report are from the world's happiest countries? Yet, not one of the smartest countries in the world, as measured by IQ, ranks even in the top 30 countries in the world!
You would think, if people were so smart, they'd be able to get jobs in one of the 30 happier countries in the world to improve their lifestyles. This tells me humans will always be biased for their lived experiences, no matter how many “objective” criteria there are.
If the media organization ranking the worst states was based in Texas, you had better believe Texas would do better!
I'm Still Going With Hawaii As The Best State
As the son of a Hawaiian father, I've been visiting Hawaii since 1977. After living in Virginia, New York, and California for 32 years, I dare say the quality of life is much better in Hawaii. I've also visited about 30 other states.
However, career opportunities are much harder to come by in Hawaii. Similar jobs on the mainland US often pay 40% – 60% less so it's harder to make a lot of money in Hawaii. Meanwhile, the cost of food and shelter is much higher. Therefore, Hawaii may be in the bottom quartile for work opportunities.
For folks ages 45 and above, or who've accumulated a comfortable enough amount of wealth, Hawaii is my favorite state. I will absolutely retire in Hawaii once our kids go off to college. Before then, we plan to spend winters and summers in Hawaii during school break.
Make A Change If You Don't Like Where You Live
The best and worst states to live and work are subjective measurements with no absolute truths. It's kind of like Harvard University measuring Personal scores by race.
I'm sure there are plenty of people in Texas making good money and having great lifestyles. Just as I'm sure there are plenty of people who are struggling to get by in Vermont, CNBC's best-rated state.
If you dislike your state, find a way to move. Apply online for jobs in a new state. If money is tight, hop on a Greyhound bus and visit another state on your next vacation. The more we see of America, the more we can appreciate our great country.
Let's not get distracted by which state is better than another opinions. Instead, let's go out and explore more!
Reader Questions
Do you agree with the worst states in America to live and work? Why or why not? For those of you who live in Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, etc, please share some great things about your state! Do you think CNBC is biased against Republican majority states?
Related posts:
The Unhappiest Cities In America Based On A New Wealth Realty Ratio
States With No Estate Tax Or Inheritance Tax
States That Don't Tax Social Security Benefits
Invest In Real Estate More Surgically
Although Texas may be considered the worst state to live and work according to CNBC, it's one of the best states to buy real estate. After mortgage rates rose since 2022, Texas home prices fell. As a result, there are better bargains.
Texas is home to leading companies and is attracting a tremendous amount of migration. No state income taxes and more affordable housing are big draws. Demographic trends to Texas and other Sunbelt states may last for decades due to technology and work-from-home.
To invest in Sunbelt real estate, check out Fundrise. Fundrise offers funds that mainly invest in residential and industrial properties in the Sunbelt, where valuations are lower and yields are higher. The firm manages over $3 billion in assets for over 400,000 investors looking to diversify and earn more passive income.
Another great private real estate investing platform is Crowdstreet. Crowdstreet offers accredited investors individual deals run by sponsors that have been pre-vetted for strong track records. Many of their deals are in 18-hour cities where there is potentially greater upside due to higher growth rates. You can build your own select real estate portfolio with CrowdStreet.
I've personally invested $954,000 in private real estate since 2016 to diversify my holdings, take advantage of demographic shifts toward lower-cost areas of the country, and earn more passive income. We're in a multi-decade trend of relocating to the Sunbelt region thanks to technology.
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San Francisco is great
I agree! There’s always so much to do that. It’s very hard to leave San Francisco. NBA All-Star weekend was here and I was at the All-Star game Sunday night. So fun!
Of course, there are also problems like homelessness and drugs. I’m hopeful our new mayor will help clean these problems up.
I am a big fan of the climate of Hawaii but if the fires have taught us anything, it’s that nobody is free from ecological catastrophe. God bless the poor people of Maui.
True. Very sad. The FS newsletter readership participated in a signed Buy This Not That book giveaway fundraiser and raised $43,000+ for the Maui Strong Fund and UW Disaster Relief Fund.
Fight on!
I wouldn’t advise moving to Texas. It’s going downhill, fast.
Texas is a large and diverse place which has within it almost every major climate type. The people are generally considered to be friendly. You can go to a bar in Houston and meet people from the UK, Africa, Saudi, Kazakhstan, even some of the hottest Iranian women imaginable.
But, the political powers have gone full southern baptist. Even for most republicans it’s just kind of like “why do these people keep doubling down and ostracizing so many?”.
Thousands and thousands of illegal aliens walk into the state every single day; with full complicity from the federal government. The RGV is turning red. I don’t understand what democrats think they’re doing. These people don’t vote for pretending boys are girls. Not even a little bit. They are family driven catholics with conservative values.
Californians are overwhelming the real estate market. Most of them move for the right reason; which is to say that they wanted their kids to be able to attend school and do so without a mask.
School districts in major cities are turning into ultra-progressive dumpster fires.
Texas will likely come out economically strong with high earners and corporate relocations, a population boom, once the kinks work out. But, it’s becoming more unpredictable all the time. Land prices have tripled in three years. I don’t understand why NYC thinks their problem is large when the illegal population they’ve received is only equal to one month, on a light month, to what border states deal with all the every month.
And to ignore the crime that comes with cartels infiltrating your borders is totally crazy. Violence on par with ISIS is regular within miles on both sides of the southern border. Life long ranchers constantly find dead bodies now. Something which was rare in the past.
Actually, it was only one article that was the source I cited for all of the information in the post above regarding the 10 states with the overall highest crime rates, the highest rates of murder and assault and the list of the overall least healthy states in terms of mental health.
Let me try posting the source article again here. The first site I cited (LOL! I know!) was for the states with the highest rates of murder and assault, five of the top ten states are on CNBC’s list of Worst States to Live and Work. . . .
https://www.innerbody.com/how-do-states-rank-in-crimes-against-persons
Live in Gilbert AZ. I can deal with the summers as I’ve lived here for awhile. A pool definitely helps! Head north to the mountains also for cooler temps. Lots of great small mountain towns with golf, hiking, outdoor activities. Snow and skiing in winter. Housing has gotten expensive just like almost everywhere and a lot of California plates moving in. A big reason why I think AZ turned Blue. We have the biggest independent group of voters in the country I believe. A lot of natives here are telling new residents don’t Cali our AZ. Jobs everywhere also as a lot of companies are moving here.
Trust the media or trust the richest man in the world… decision decisions
What state do you live in and what do you prefer?
I saw this article yesterday. . . .
“10 States With the Highest Crime Rate Reveal the Most Dangerous Places in America”
Five of the 10 states are also on CNBC’s list of Worst States to Live and Work.
1. Nevada
2. New Mexico
3. Arkansas
4. Tennessee
5. Alaska
6. Alabama
7. South Carolina
8. North Dakota
9. Texas
10. South Dakota
The article above referenced another article with the top ten states for various types of crime. On these lists five of the top 10 states were on CNBC’s list of Worst States to Live and Work.
Two in particular I want to point out. One has 12 states.
The first, are states with the highest rates of murder and assault, five of the top ten states are on CNBC’s list of Worst States to Live and Work. . . .
Arkansas
New Mexico
Tennessee
Nevada
Alabama
South Carolina
Louisiana
Delaware
North Dakota
Michigan
The second are the top 12 states with the highest prevalence of mental illness.
That 8 of the top 12 least healthy states in terms of mental health are in the CNBC’s list of Worst States to Live and Work in isn’t a coincidence to me either. . . .
“States near the top of Mental Health America’s list of the overall least healthy states in terms of mental health include:
1. Georgia
2. South Carolina
3. Texas
4. Florida
5. Kentucky
6. Mississippi
7. Tennessee
8. Arkansas
9. Indiana
10. Alabama
11. Louisiana
12. Oklahoma ”
“The likelihood that an individual will be involved in a crime strongly correlates with the quality of parenting they received. Key factors related to this include attachment, supervision, and discipline, as well as the modeling of deviant behavior. Other factors that increase a person’s risk of criminal activity include poor school performance, delinquent peers, alcohol consumption, and illicit drug use.⁴”
[4] Weatherburn, D. (2001). What Causes Crime? NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research.
How Do States Rank in Crimes Against Persons?
How Do States Rank in Crimes Against Persons?
Using FBI data on violent crimes, we found the least and most dangerous U.S. states for personal safety.
These two articles I think add more context to how CNBC’s list came to be inhabited by the states in their list of the worst states to live and work in. I highly suggest you read both articles I cited to get an deeper understanding of how the statistics were gathered and a more detailed understanding of the criteria used to build the lists of states.
Sam’s article with the CNBC list of states that were rated the worst to work and live in was also built from an objective criterion applied to all 50 states. If you can’t handle that, the crime statistics objectively used to build the lists in the two articles I have posted will probably not appeal to your subjective conclusions either.
Sam, Whenever I post I always cite the articles I pull quotes or passages from yet they are all missing from this post above. What gives?
Not sure. Maybe there is a spam filter that blocks out certain links. I get hundreds of spammer commenters a day with links. What is the source you refer to.
I saw the CNBC list too, and I think it must be politically motivated. Every state on the list is politically conservative, and I’ve had very positive experiences living in or spending significant time in a few of those states.
Texas may not be the worst state to live and work in, but it is definitely in the top 20 worst states.
The U.S. cities the most people have moved out of since Jan 2023 according to USPS:
7. Dallas, TX
6. Miami
5. Austin, TX
4. New York City
3. Los Angeles
2. Chicago
1. Houston, TX
LA and NY seem obvious due to a higher population than the other cities. Interesting to see so many Texas cities on here.
CNBC may spew whatever nonsense they want, yet the reality is different according to the Census Bureau and Smart Asset. People making over $200K are moving in droves to following states (7/10 are in the south and 4/6 are on their worst list): 1. Florida, 2. Texas, 3. North Carolina, 4.Arizona, 5. South Carolina, 6. Tennessee, 7. Nevada, 8. Idaho, 9. Colorado, 10. Utah. The places most people are interested in leaving according to Redfin are 1. San Francisco, 2. New York, 3. Los Angeles, 4. Washington DC, 5. Chicago.
Smart asset? What the hell company is that? Nobody has heard of that startup.
California and New York are two of the most populous states. Of course the absolute numbers for migration are also going to be the largest.
SmartAsset is a financial technology company and publisher of personal finance articles. Every year they rank states where people move to and where they come from. Here it is for your edification.
https://www.cnbc.com/2023/07/29/households-earning-200000-dollars-or-more-are-flocking-to-the-south.html
San Francisco is not the largest city in the US but has the largest number of people trying to flee. I will leave that up to you to figure out why.
“CNBC may spew whatever nonsense they want, . . .”
Click bait. Excerpt from an article just published:
“New York and California saw a mass exodus of people during the pandemic. That trend hasn’t cooled down as the cost-of-living stays high.
Those two states lost the most high-earning residents in 2021.
On the flip side, Florida and Texas led the list of states of people earning at least $200,000 per year (before taxes).
“There’s a correlation between cost of living and migration. High-income earners tend to have more flexibility for how and where they operate,” said an economic analyst at SmartAsset.”
So why would the wealthy, who have more discretion in where they move, migrate to the worst states?
Could be due to the fact that California and New York have a higher number of absolute residents who earn $200,000 or more a year.
Also, if you have children, it’s more difficult to raise a family and save for retirement earning $200,00+ a year. This is the household income group with the most angst.
The vast majority of people I know who left San Francisco, for example, did not feel they comfortably could afford to live in San Francisco.
What city and state do you live in? And how’s it going there? I hope more commentators can share their backgrounds. Thanks.
Related: Why families need to earn $300,000 to live a middle-class lifestyle in expensive coastal cities today
Honestly. I’m from Florida and have lived in Los Angeles the last 4 years. I live in a decent area of LA and it’s still the worst place I’ve ever lived or visited (23 year military – still active) in my entire life. Everywhere I go I see trash, tents, graffiti…bums try to intimidate me for my money at gas stations and in front of Targets. Theft is so unreal it’s unbelievable. I was recently at a neighborhood Walmart (grocery store) and a couple low lifes where taking there cart straight to bags and left without paying. A man said to the attendant, “do you see this!” and the attendant said, “I don’t care.” On top of all this, the Cali environment is going downhill. Most of the forest’s are burnt down and the lakes are getting crazy algae blooms. I recently took a drive up to Shaver Lake and the entire forest as far as I could see was reduced to nubs. I can’t see how the article is does not have some political motivation to it. It’s really a shame it’s coming down to this. Financial articles should be non-biased and produce facts versus opinion.
Sam, you censor comments just like the woke tech companies and mainstream media, just because you don’t like the opinions. Is that who you are? Thought you were different.
Which comment Vincent? You’re free to comment as you wish, so long as it is respectful. But if you include links, it will be caught in a spam filter bc I get over 500 spam comments a post.
What is it you want to share about the state you live in and the worst states according to CNBC? I always welcome thoughtful opinions where we can learn from each other.
Tell us about yourself too.
The “Places Rated Almanac” was last published in 2007. The book rated 379 places based on ambience, housing, jobs, crime, transportation, education, health care, recreation, and climate. I bought every new edition to evaluate location of practice opportunities from 1985 to 2000. My questions based on PRA information left many realtors speechless. The current articles rating a state are useless. Example try to find the Maryland maximum pension/SS exclusion $34,300 for each 65 year old resident.
We live in Easton Maryland between Chesapeake Bay and Atlantic Ocean. Easton is in top ten for per capita millionaires in America. The town has everything. We are retired since late 2015. Renting 3 months in Terra Vista Florida, 3 months in Vista Waikoloa Hawaii, travel to other locations 3 months and Easton for gardening season. Travel ended March 2020 with scamdemic. We returned to Waikoloa in 2022 for 2 months and booked 2 months late Fall 2023 for scuba at 70. The practice of renting in different locations is powerful, fun and freeing. Most people want to buy in a new location. During past travels average monthly rent for 1700 sqft house or 1300 sqft condo, Terra Vista 2k, Vista Waikoloa 4k now 7k and Malta 3k. Enjoy the weekend ! Steve
I grew up in Austin and went to college in Indiana. l lived in Massachusetts a couple years, tried California, and ultimately decided to settle in East Texas (Nacogdoches).
Yes, summers in Texas can get hot—but it does cool down in the evenings where I’m at. You can do a lot outside in the summer, whereas in New England and Indiana, I was more limited to outdoor activity for several months out of the year. I still spend several weeks of the year visiting the Bay Area, during the summers, but the chilly weather makes the stay a little uncomfortable and the crime has gotten worse and worse with each year.
Sometimes I think about moving out of Texas again—perhaps for a much higher-paying job—but then I remember how small my mortgage is here. Living in a small, college town makes for a much calmer pace of life, and folks in the community are friendly and thoughtful. Lots of natural beauty here, too. Overall, my quality of life is better than it’s ever been.
Come to the Bay Area in late August, September, October, and early November. It’s when the weather in SF is regularly 68-80 and not humid.
Glad you’re enjoying East Texas!
Sam, the first time I visited San Fran was in mid-August. I was shocked that my hotel room at The Rex didn’t have an air conditioner. How could such a hip hotel like The Rex have air-conditioning! I mean it was August and hot during the day. Then we got to the evening and I came to understand why. The temps went from the 80s to the low 50s. A unique experience for me. Totally consistent for San Fran.
I just came back from a hike in Glen Canyon with my wife and son and it was foggy and 62 degrees! Welcome to SF.
I’m looking forward to Fall, when our real summer begins.
I think in part a lot of it has to do with how you grew up because I have the exact opposite opinion. I grew up in Michigan and lived for 5 years in SW Georgia. In the winter I can still get out and about even in the cold with the proper use of clothing. But you can only take off so many layers. Yes I could and still did run at 6am in GA, but I couldn’t do much during what I consider the best part of the day.
I get your emails so I’m responding via email vs “in the comments section”. I’m unsure what you truly want a woman to tell you? What does lifestyle mean? A place that is desirable. Well, what is considered desirable and by whom? Is it marketed as desirable like trying to make people believe you have to have a $15,000 purse to be somebody? Or does desirable mean that people are kind, helpful and not clambering over one another to try to be the next influencer? I have lived in Austin since 1986. I grew up and travelled all over the world and I felt more at home in Austin, Texas because it was a mesh of so many different people from everywhere but with a friendly feel. We could quit talking about work after work and enjoy company and a good and inexpensive meal.
Today, I’m not sure and avoid Austin. The people I know from living here are the same but the city has a pretentious feel now and it’s probably because of the influencers and the things being built that are more in line with consumption to look wealthy vs. a feeling of belonging together and creating great memories of things that matter. Much of the trees and surroundings are replaced with high rises, traffic and congestion. Looking modern makes everything seem soulless. There seems to be a lot more to do now but it is all increasing more expensive and the gratification of getting into town, parking and paying for a meal (that you could make better at home via a YouTube video) is well….disheartening.
Where else would I live? I’m not sure. Is it hot? Very much so. So are many places around the globe now.
I am rather glad Austin is now a worst place to live because perhaps less people will move here but now the concrete has been laid and it’s a near impossible task to chip away that empty veneer to bring back the greenery and essence of beauty that was…
Articles like this aren’t worth your time Sam or the time of readers.
Anybody can come up with a list of worst states based on which states they want to rank worst. I could come up with a list based on high taxes and the worst states would all be liberal. I could come up with a list of worst states based on high crime and decaying cities and all would be liberal.
If you want to present a list, use one that has a more balanced approach to its’ evaluation methodology.
Sure, feel free to come up with your list and the reasons why based on your more balanced methodology.
Where do you live and what makes your state great? What are some of the best states and the worst days you lived in before and why?
As the end of the day, more perspectives are better. Lifestyle is very important for many readers. Seeing the views of others is great.
We moved to Texas (Houston) 10 years ago as my company was expanding to O&G, if you want to move to O&G industry Houston is it. Austin is Tech and Dallas is Industirals / Manufacturing ( Toyota, ABB, …).
Good: its good place to raise family with all the things big city life brings, Houston is super large city you are 1h from Houston in Houston. Traffic is horrible, but not LA horrible. Lots of choices for fine dining not just BBQ here. Top schools and universities in state: STEM – UT Austin , A&M, Rice Univ all top ranked schools in STEM.
Very very diverse I can speak for Houston, you will meet people from all over the world, that leads to even better food as they open restaurants. Bad with Houston is cyclical city, O&G is not an industry for the faint of heart, while rest of America has not seen a real recession since 2008 – Houston has seen 2014-17 2020-22 and they are brutal where top cop pansies: EXXO, CVX, Baker, Schllumber… lay off 30-40% of work force ( it becomes taxing even if you are not effected). So working it pays almost as good as tech but axe is always sharp in this industry. Houston has diversified but O&G is still main industry, healthcare is growing but it does not provide transferability of skills from Engineering.
Austin is a smaller town by comparison and it’s over growing itself too fast I am not sure how it will turn out in next 5 years as this shift has accelerated a lot in last 3 years.
Texas has a lot of opportunities but today cost of living is rising, all these California transplants come and buy homes cash as 1M$ home seems cheap I am not sure they know that Prop Taxes here will rise with property value so in some areas 3% tax going from 1M to 1.5M if not fearful can be (pun intended TAXING).
I believe its a good place but weather is brutal we have 100F weather since May till end of Sep, you are not able to do things outside (unless you are practicing for a DAKAR run) and no it does not cool at night.
Texas electric grid is very bad shape I expect to have lots and lots of brown outs especially if we have cold winters as in 2021.
Non Political point: Lots of guns in Texas do not honk, or put your middle finger out here in traffic (good mannered will save your life).
I lived in NY, Georgia (state not the country) and few countries France, Norway, UK they all have their own charms so does Texas.
Please keep in mind Texas is as large as Europe almost so you should not pay attention to articles about state if you think of moving look at the city as Dallas to Houston is 5H and they are very very different, San Antoni is very different from all…etc.
Great recap! Thanks! Knives do seem sharp in the O&G industry.
“Austin is a smaller town by comparison and it’s over growing itself too fast I am not sure how it will turn out in next 5 years as this shift has accelerated a lot in last 3 years.” Home prices are supposedly down 11%, the most in the nation, as supply surges. So perhaps this will slow inbound.
“Lots of guns in Texas do not honk, or put your middle finger out here in traffic (good mannered will save your life).
” Any upside I did not think about. Yes, best not to piss people off as you never know.
I personally think this list is pretty suspect. I moved to the Nashville area in TN a decade ago and I absolutely love it. Nashville is a really hot area right now with lots of growth and industries moving in. TN of course, does include some poorer areas like Memphis and Appalachia. I live in Williamson County, just south of Nashville, which is one of the 10 wealthiest counties in the nation….without the crazy high cost of living some of the other areas have. I personally like it warmer having moved here from a northern *cold* state. I’m sure that those who like things “blue” don’t like some of the “redness” of TN….I do agree that Hawaii is lovely, but I always wonder if I’d get stir crazy living on an island?!?
This morning I saw this article. Every day I’m seeing articles like this.
While the lost business is a drop in the bucket of the multi-billion-dollar travel industry in South Florida, it is the latest example of how politics touches tourism.
WLRN 91.3 FM | By Tom Hudson
Published July 29, 2023 at 5:00 AM EDT
“Broward County has lost out on about $20 million of conventions and conferences as organizers point to the political climate in Florida. It’s the latest example of how politics touches tourism.
It was supposed to bring hundreds of people to Fort Lauderdale over Labor Day weekend, totaling thousands of hotel nights. Instead, a festival celebrating rivalries among Historically Black Colleges and Universities hosted by radio personality Tom Joyner canceled.
It is one of a handful of events, conferences and conventions that had been considering coming to South Florida but have opted to stay away. Organizers blame a combination of state policies, the political climate in Florida and travel advisories issued by civil rights groups.
Broward County’s tourism marketing agency said the lost business tops $20 million and counting, spread over the next three years.
The latest group to steer clear of gathering in Florida is Alpha Phi Alpha, the oldest African American intercollegiate fraternity. Its 2025 convention had been scheduled to be held in Orlando. Instead, the group announced this week it was relocating the event outside of Florida “due to Gov. Ron DeSantis’ harmful, racist, and insensitive policies against the Black community.” [This convention was worth 4.6 million]
Last week, the Florida Department of Education approved African American history standards that generated controversy. One middle school benchmark reads, “instruction includes how slaves developed skills, which, in some instances, could be applied for their personnel benefit.”
An education group decided against bringing its 2024 conference to Broward “due to concerns about what the governor is doing in education/schools.” That business was worth $1.8 million. A trade group of independent toy makers and stores won’t bring its 2026 convention to the new hotel being built at the Fort Lauderdale Convention Center because of the “unfriendly political environment in Florida as it relates to many” of its members. That gathering was valued at $13.5 million.
Deidre Everdij, owns COTC Events in Cooper City, estimates she has lost about $750,000 of business thanks to five clients opting out of bringing their corporate events to the region.
Hotel demand in Broward County is up just 1% this year through early July compared to a year ago, though hotels are making more money for each room available. The industry says more places open for travel post-COVID-19 and Florida fatigue by tourists have sapped some strength from the market.
“We’re not seeing the demand or the trend that we had hoped we would be seeing. And we believe that it is in part due to things that are happening at the state level,” said Ritter [Stacy Ritter is the CEO of Visit Lauderdale].
She has pledged to continue accounting for the business leaving Florida because of politics. But what she nor anyone cannot account for is if convention planners choose to ignore Florida altogether.
“We’ve heard from a number of [event planners] that Florida is not getting a request for proposals from these people. So, we don’t even know what we don’t have the opportunity to bid on that we might have won because Florida’s off the table.”
Ricci [Peter Ricci, Director of the Hospitality and Tourism Management Program at FAU] is looking for groups explicitly coming to Florida because of the political climate but he hasn’t come across them.
“I want to hear what we’re picking up. That’s where I’m just truly confounded,” he said. “I’m just lost because nobody comes to me and says, ‘Hey, we just booked this group because they really support Florida’s politics.’ ”
https://wusfnews.wusf.usf.edu/economy-business/2023-07-29/florida-politics-too-hot-business-visitors
The same thing is, as I said in an earlier post, going to happen with industry when interstate and international corporations consider where to open factories and North American Headquarters. Their concerns with be in regard to whether they can attract the widest swath of workers, especially educated workers, to states that are denying rights and choices to Americans.
This is where politics affects economics.
Hi Sam. Just curious, how do you consider which media sources or study to quote in your blog posts? This one seemed biased so either you were unaware or uninformed. I have great respect for your knowledge so was surprised to see the Financial Samurai quoting a media source or study without perhaps doing further due diligence. I acknowledge we are biased to some degree but we should try to minimize to maximize our credibility and we can even learn something new in the process. Was your objective to simply spark controversy to maximize response (clicks)?
Did the analysis of the three commonalities and the section on the Criteria Used For Ranking The Worst states not suffice? I also talk about the potential bias with CNBC based in NJ/NY and the impossibility of being completely objective.
What more would you like me to say to do more due diligence? I’ve asked for reader feedback as well as part of my due diligence, and I’d love yours. Getting feedback is how we get informed.
If you did not read to the end of the post, any suggestions on how to make my posts more clear? thanks
You have incredible patience. It’s obvious Rhauer didn’t read the entire post.
People nowadays just read headlines and lack the ability to get through more than a few paragraphs. The mass media knows this and knows how to whip the uneducated public into a frenzy.
Keep up the good analysis! Texas is too hot for me. As a woman, I don’t want Texans controlling my body either. No state taxes is nice, but living free is nicer.
Rhauer, with respect, read the entire post. It addresses all your questions. And if you read the entire post and still feel this way, then the articles here may be too difficult for you to understand.
Jack. Try not to be too insulting and critical of others. It shows your lack of overall intelligence.
The fact that Mississippi is not on the list is sus.
LOL. True. It’s all clickbait for entertainment purposes only including this hahaha. All in good fun I say. However, bad cities to live in is definitely something to consider very carefully. Where I live the police are so understaffed it’s now an emergency. It’s rather alarming.
Could be #11-15 on the list.
Their methodology seems suspect.
I lived in Houston for 5 years and owned a property we developed there for 12 years. I LOVED living there and I’m a native Californian. I disliked the property tax system in TX. But I otherwise enjoyed the ability to get things done there efficiently. Weather isn’t great, but we had a pool and used it April through October. I lived there with my same sex spouse and never had any issues with people not being kind to us. Living in any state is what you make it. Your own attitude will likely dictate your experience anywhere.
That’s great to hear! What did you guys do while in Houston for work?
I am (and was at that time too) a voice over talent and have been lucky enough to make a living doing that. The reason we moved to Houston is because my brother and I wanted to build a small mobile home park. We couldn’t get it done in California as we didn’t have millions to work with. Getting a project like that going was much easier in Texas. We lived in a forested suburb called Kingwood and it had miles and miles of bike trails that connected the little sub communities of Kingwood. Yes, it’s hot there but if you accept and just make yourself be outside, you can get accustomed to it. While in Texas we created the mobile home park, got our real estate licenses, opened a donut shop, and bought another mobile home park (both of which we since sold). That period of Time was an adventure and I loved every minute of it. Texas is a ‘can-do’ kind of place.
CNBC… pfftt.
Having not just visited but lived in Red & Blue states, here’s my 2 bits.
1-Texas: East TX is humid, hot in the summer, wet, wet, wet then back to pure hellish hot n humid. West TX; dry-ish hot, wind and if you’re in the panhandle cold snow and wind in the winter. South TX is hot, humid and with the occasional hurricane. Always the risk of tornados. If you don’t live in a metro area, salary is fairly low. The metro’s are quite liberal, rural is more conservative. Prop taxes have doubled. What “used” to be considered high ie 2400 a year now is at least 4500. Friends have places that they’ve sold because its now over 10k for them. Yes Austin is weird, traffic is horrible. DFW, money money, money and traffic. Houston, the LA of Tx. Lubbock, please, armpit of the panhandle. As a side note, I was born in TX, have a Texan pride but nope, I’m done with it. Hill country is a nice area but still has its problems.
2-Louisiana: From my short experience it just sucks. I had friends that stated, they didn’t want to be anywhere else. I stayed primarily between Shreve and Bossier, an occasional trip down to Alexandria. Hot, cold, ice, tornados, poverty, high cost… Just say NO. I really can’t say anything nice about it…
3-Oklahoma: Tulsa area was a nice change for a while. At the time I hated paying state tax but I was much younger and making my way. There was $$ to be made and didn’t have to many problems. What I got tired of was the taxes, tolls, educational environment for my new family. I’ve visited again a couple of times to see friends and it seemed that lifestyle was not progressing. Yes there’s hunting and fishing, decent car scene but it just never felt like a place I’d stay long.
I have not lived in any of the others listed. Visited, yes. I did like the parts of FL I saw. Primarily on the west side. Other places actually lived, WA / CO / NM. Blue states.
I do not have a political association because I believe they’re two sides of the same coin. Its something for us “little” people to be divided on. But I do lean more conservative.
By far, the most enjoyable has been CO. The state is fairly liberal and I don’t agree with their policies but, I look at it as quality of life. 3 seasons are great. Winter is so-so. Boulder and Denver could disappear and would not be missed. Homeless/poverty is really bad. Roads are in horrible disrepair. Pueblo is a crime ridden place that really needs help. Polis the putz, please. He considers himself a libertarian.. I don’t care for him. Ready to see some new blood come into office.
WA: having lived in the NE portion I can only speak to that. High taxes but nice area. Winter’s were long.
NM: well… It has a beauty but all I ever saw was poverty-ish. Hot like AZ. I don’t miss it but I still like to go back once in a while to see the desert.
Anyways, your experiences will be different than mine. There’s no “perfect” place. So do with my comment as you will.
Native Texan here and recently moved back after living/working in the US and overseas. With a stint in Hawaii which we loved because Hawaii, plus the pace, the water, and the way people easy let you merge on the highway. Have found things to love and be annoyed by in every place we’ve lived.
We now live in the Hill Country of TX between Austin and San Antonio. We chose this area because it’s lovely, people are friendly, fun outdoor and indoor options abound, and tends to be cooler as its a hilly, treed area. Love both cities but Austin traffic is more difficult. For now. Yes, our area is hot in July/August but I’ll take that over too cold any day. I’m miserable if the weather gets below 45 on the regular.
No state tax but higher property taxes than in some states. Those roads and schools don’t pay for themselves. Rocket Mortgage puts Texas 45 out of 51 highest. But you can manage tax liability by managing size/type/location of your house.
The contrarian part of me wants to agree, yes, Texas is awful. Don’t move here :)
Sam-
For many years you’ve said you want to move out to Hawaii, and it’s your favorite state for people 45 and over (you) who have accumulated a comfortable enough amount of wealth (also you).
But last I checked you can’t move to hawaii when your kids go to college, because you’ve previously decided to live in the same time zone as your adult children.
https://www.financialsamurai.com/having-absurd-dreams-is-ok/
Given how often you’ve expressed your desire to live in Hawaii, and given you will most likely have to live in mainland U.S. when your adult children go to college, have jobs. Perhaps you should just go ahead a move now so your family can be in the same time zone?
I’ve tried, but it’s too hard now bc my son enjoys his school. This also means my daughter immediately gets in as a sibling. I missed the kindergarten application process for my son a couple years ago, but that’s partly due to Covid, and not wanting to fly.
We’re in the same time zone now, so no need to move. It’s about being in the same time zone as they go to college or graduate college. We are flexible to move then.
I still love San Francisco, and all the opportunities and friends. I’ve made here. The compromise is to start going to Hawaii for two months a year starting next year and then travel abroad for two months a year for language immersion.