What is the worst state in the United States?

You left out a lot of terrible states

No Alabama? No Georgia? No South Carolina?

R2 Is there really any difference between Mississippi and Alabama?

GEORGIA. I'm watching the Ahmaud Arbery trial now.

Followed closely by shithole TEXAS, of course.

Mississippi sucks - more than 1/3 of the people are black but due to gerrymandering and voter suppression only white Republicans get elected

I would rank Minnesota above most shithole southern states

You left off Texas.

Ohio’s working to make the list.

How'd you forget Alabama??

Indiana wins for above the Mason-Dixon line. There’s nothing redeemable except a few state parks, and those could be annexed to a better state.

OP’s focus was “white” states.

R7 I'm a native Texan, so I'm biased. But, Texas has everything- trees, desert, beaches, mountains, and four major cities with a population over one million. Texas is a major economic hub, both domestically and internationally (Houston alone fits this bill).

I left Alabama off because it is a better state than Mississippi. Or, you could say they are the exact same. Ergo, a vote for one goes to the other.

Illinois would be on the list if it was not for Chicago. Otherwise, it is just Indiana 2.0

Kentucky also takes way more than it gives.

Arkansas, 48th in Education nationwide, is where Hillary Clinton passed The Bar after flunking out in another state. Was it a coincidence that her husband was Governor at the time?

The Dakotas and Minnesota.

Texas, Georgia, Missouri, Alabama, MS, MN., AZ, etc etc

Hello?

Tie between Montucky and Idabama.

[quote]Texas has everything

Except voting and abortion rights and a working power grid.

OP- Sorry but Texas is well into FLYOVERSTAN territory

Being a 'flyover' state is an underestimated virtue.

I voted Mississippi. High rates of poverty, racism, low life expectancy, natural disasters, low educational level, etc.

Minnesota shouldn't be on your list.

If replace that with Oklahoma or Kansas.

I don't think any state is wholly awful, but there are parts that are abysmally bad: San Francisco in California, Manhattan in New York, the stretch on I-15 from Provo to Ogden in Utah, the entirety of I-95 in South Carolina, all hellish places I hope to never see again.

Iowa is just boring.

Why, R23? It's a shitty place. It's better than North Dakota, but only by a bit. South Dakota is also horrible, but has beautiful scenery going for it.

Delaware isn't awful, it's just boring. It's got some coastline at least.

New York or New Jersey.

^that’s absurd

Maryland .. DC suburbs are OK… Outside of that it’s total redneck white trash

New Mexico should be included, on principle.

[Just kidding at r31; I love New Mexico]

Alabama edges out Mississippi because it has Birmingham (UAB has a respected medical school) and Gulf Shores. Mississippi has some cool cultural pockets, but it is mostly grinding poverty and ranks low in so many metrics. It looks like a third world country in many places with banana republic politicians to match.

Indiana is pretty bad. Just go drive around lake michigan, nice views in WI, IL, garbage steel factories spewing their trash into the lake, Gary and bad roads in IN then all is better in MI. Its the very definition of drive-over to get to Michigan.

I'm from Texas too, OP. The main cities are fine but the shit connective tissue around those cities are devoid of humanity.

If you compare lowest GDP per capita, along with lowest life expectancy rates, over the past 10 years, it's always Mississippi & West Virginia vying for 1st place. With Arkansas & Alabama trailing closely behind. I'd give the title to West Virginia as it also has the 3rd lowest number of clear sky days.

Technically TX can escape the flyover status because it has a coast. When I think of flyover I think of landlocked.

You need an ocean coast, honey. Otherwise, the entire Midwest is going to claim to be coastal due to the Great Lakes. As for the Gulf Coast, are you gonna say Alabama and Miiiisssspp are not flyover?

Kentucky is a shithole, mainly because they keep sending Moscow Mitch and Ayn Rand Paul back to the Senate repeatedly.

Just say the Confederacy (except Florida).

It has always been my firm belief that Delaware doesn't exist. Who knows anybody from Delaware? And it's just bots and sock puppets that will post and CLAIM they're from Delaware. It's a hoax, I tell you! A HOAX!

I consider them southern coastal states, honey. You don't have to agree so unwad your panties.

I worked with someone who was transferred to the Delaware office. We never saw or heard from him again. Just saying.

Of course they are coastal. The question is does that mean they’re not flyover. It does not.

Delaware has Rehoboth and Dewey Beaches. Other than that, there's not too much going on there.

Minneshota.

And I stated that's your opinion. I don't agree.

To me, flyover means the only way is to fly, drive or take a train through. If you can get there by ship, it's not "flyover".

Minnesota does NOT belong on this list OP. R28 NY and NJ both have fantastic areas R30 All of Maryland is full of trashy assholes. The dc suburbs are less rednecky and wealthier but still full of angry hostile trash. R32 New Mexico is gorgeous.

^spoken like someone who lives in flyoverland.

To me, flyoverland means everything between the Appalachians and the Sierra Nevada. I live there and hate the term, but that's how I interpret it.

I voted for West Virginia. It is the least-educated state and also has the lowest life expectancy for men and women. They aren't dead last when it comes to poverty, but close. And that POS Manchin seals the deal for me.

Can't believe no one has mentioned shithole LOUISIANA. Poverty, ignorance, and Biblical flooding every time you turn around. And don't tell me about New Orleans - that's another shithole!

I've been to Indiana a couple of times and it's pretty damn bleak

I can't think of a state that has no redeeming features. Even North Dakota is a fascinating place if you are interested in Native American history and culture.

I think the tragic thing about the US is that it actually is so amazingly beautiful - and so many of us seem to be unable to admit or appreciate it.

Mississippi might come close, but evidently it is still a seat of blues culture with great music and food. And the Natchez Trace is pretty goddam awesome.

What's wrong with Kentucky, Delaware, Minnesota? Aren't Oklahoma, Texas, Alaska way worse?

Delaware isn't especially offensive in my opinion. Just extraordinarily dull. The beaches are okay.

Why not Maryland? Baltimore is one of the most dangerous, violent cities in the USA. Also, why not Michigan? Detroit is the worst city in the USA. Most dangerous and violent city in US and one of the most dangerous cities in the world.

Mississippi is like the land that time forgot

If we didn’t have darling New Orleans, Louisiana would totally be America’s very own banana republic. Sad, poor, racially divided. Alabama with an upgraded hard drive.

R60 You mean if we didn't have the French Quarter actually, the rest of NOLA needs to wash into the Mississippi River.

Another vote for Mississippi…I think Alabama is worse though.

[quote]I voted Mississippi. High rates of poverty, racism, low life expectancy, natural disasters, low educational level, etc.

And moist air.

Well, I am in Mississippi. I can’t argue with all that’s bad here. We have that horrible blob fish for a governor, and yes there is much poverty and racism. I just don’t think we are the worst southern state. I live in the area that’s one of the fastest growing places in the country. We have excellent hospitals and the economy is robust. My house is worth three times what I paid for it. Culturally and artistically we beat the other states around us. Trust me, I know parts of this state are shitholes, but overall, I still wouldn’t live in any other southern state.

Arkansas has some truly beautiful scenery, but like Alabama, it’s just so boring and forgettable. I can’t imagine living in either. Louisiana is corrupt and dangerous as hell. Tennessee is KKK heaven and we all know how crazy Florida is.

My vote for worst is Missouri. Downtown St. Louis is sort of cool, but I’ve been to a lot of other parts of the state and I just get bad vibes. I’m always glad to leave when I’m there.

Are you in Gulfport, R64?

Minnesota should not be on the list. Swap it with Oklahoma.

Years ago I was in Delaware for a job interview. It seemed like a large parking lot, very flat. Nothing stood out.

I also vaguely remember that the personal secretary of one governor became governor after him. She was a grandmother. I chalked it up to the fact that no one wanted to be governor of Delaware.

First: take a big stripe out o fthe middle: North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, expand it to the east with Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Missouri, Arkansas; then skip a bit to the west for a donut hole effect by subtracting Idaho and Utah. Then knock out from the extremeity states: Florida, and Alaska.

The United 35 States, with 14 red and 1 blue state kicked out. It's a start.

Minnesota is beautiful. Minneapolis is a cool city. Summers are filled with camping in hardwood forests, lake houses, kayaking, boating, lake swimming. fishing, canoeing and winters offer XC skiing, snowshoeing, fishing, and ice skating. All with affordable housing, Minnesota-nice people, a robust economy, and easy access to another beautiful state - Wisconsin. Take MN off your list OP!

Mississippi/Alabama/Georgia/Florida for the win due to the alligators, extreme weather, and alligators.

I've noticed Kansas, Nebraska and Oklahoma almost never get mentioned on these threads because they're so boring people forget they even exist.

I'll second Missouri. I had to live there for a few years and it had bad juju. People were insular and uninterested in anything outside their little corner of the world.

Wyoming

[quote] Florida for the win due to the alligators

I grew up in Florida. What amazes me now is that as children, we used to go swimming all the time in the local lakes, with alligators hanging nearby. We didn't think anything of it!

Wisconsin and Minnesota can stay. They have a long history of progressive politics.

We should all be encouraging Texas to secede. That’s really all we need.

OP: please remove Colorado from your “okay” list.

Housing is extremely unaffordable and it’s so hot and dry you might as well live in Phoenix. Winters are harsh. The I-70 corridor is awful. Air pollution in the Denver basin is equal to the SLC and Phoenix basins. Plus we have constant wildfires. Plus we have Lauren Boebert.

As a life-long Coloradoan who’s lived all over this state since the 70s, I’d now rather now live in Omaha/Santa Fe than Denver metro.

What are some good things about Mississippi? Is it very scenic? Are their historical mansions or plantations? Is it very green and lush? I've never heard anything about it other than the bad things that have already been mentioned.

That little town featured Hometown, Laurel, seems quite charming.

Have driven through Mississippi several times. The only time we stopped was to visit Vicksburg National Military Park, honoring the Civil War siege; that was cool.

The Mississippi Capitol, Jackson, can be skipped, but Natchez, Oxford, and Ocean Springs are all worth visiting. There are lots of other charming things in little towns around the state. I definitely live in a red/Trump area, but I’ve made good friendships with people who live here and think like me. There is a growing segment of Democrat/liberal people here, but I’m not fooling myself that we will ever be the majority. Do I wish I’d moved away when I was younger? Sure. But I liked, and still like, my job, house, and friends. I also stayed here to take care of my parents. They are both gone now, and I do think about moving somewhere else whenever I can retire.

Is Ocean Springs the coastal town with the amazing oak-lined streets? I recall driving through when I was a small child and being mesmerized by how huge and fairy-tale-like the trees were.

Also, before 2016, I never felt this huge division between people in Mississippi. Trump really brought out the hate and ugliness in people. I *still* pass about 3 or 4 Trump yard signs on my way to work each morning.

Hawaii. Hate that shit hole. Also, California, New York and Washington.

I bet you just LOVE Florida, though, don't you, R83.

Oklahoma seems boring an ugly. Am I right?

The Oklahoma City National Memorial is very worth a visit, beautiful and deeply moving.

Most people in Oklahoma are friendly though.

Every single county in Oklahoma voted for Trump. I just couldn't.

And people are fleeing California in droves every month because it's so wonderful there?

[quote]Most people in Oklahoma are friendly though.

Get a fucking dog already.

Americans are frever seduced by "friendliness" which is in fact fake friendliness of the most insincere sort.

[quote]Detroit is the worst city in the USA. Most dangerous and violent city in US and one of the most dangerous cities in the world.

What is going on with Detroit?

A few years ago there was so much press about a Detroit renaissance. Big investments, people moving in and opening businesses.

Has it all been for naught?

Only the Republicants, R89. It’s a good thing.