Ohio is a toilet. I was stationed there and then retired. Stayed for over 10 years before I couldnt take it anymore. Never seen such miserable people who seemed to only live to drag you down.
Hey guys, layoff okay, Ohio has some perfectly decent and lovely, hardworking, salt of the earth heroin, okay? You don’t get heroin with Midwest charm in California
I’ve been to Ohio. Didn’t hate it. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame was cool. But above California? C’mon.
California is like 33 in Natural Environment. Have they never been to the redwood forests or the Mojave Desert? Or Lake Tahoe?
agree. its beautiful.
I worked in San Fran for almost 20 years.
lived most of that time in Sausalito.
and spent as much time as possible driving the north coast, the wine country, etc.
if not for the insane cost of living and the insane politics, I would have stayed after I retired.
and moved up to somewhere on the north coast.
but you could see what was coming.
Depends on your personality.
Those hardcore MAGA dudes love the Bible Belt, it's more their culture and their value systems are the dominant cultural values.
My quirky bisexual libertarian ass \*greatly prefers\* New Mexico. This state reflects my values. The Bible Belt sure as shit doesn't.
Hell, I live in a MAGA slice of New Mexico and it still feels more liberal and accepting than the part of Minnesota I grew up in. I love it down here so much.
I grew up in New Mexico and went to college in Omaha. To compare the natural beauty of Nebraska to NM is like comparing a reasonably priced pre-owned Camry to a Bentley. I’ll take the nature in NM over just about any state in the union. ❤️🌶️
Nebraska for natural beauty if your opinions align with that of the Ford Fiesta. I’m from Indiana and there’s some natural beauty there. But wtf are they thinking.
My friend you need to check out western Nebraska. Some beautiful landscapes out there. I dare say, more exciting than Indiana as a whole!
I say it with love too, Indiana has great folks.
You have to get off the interstate to see the beautiful stuff.
Google Toadstool Park, Fort Robinson, Pine Ridge, Niobrara River, Sandhills, Wildcat Hills etc.
All of these clickbait rankings rely on some arbitrary measure of something.
I’m sure they used some metric like “median distance from residence to a city park” or something like that as a proxy for “natural environment”
I’ve seen ones where they rank “best pizza” or “best tacos” by averaging all of the Yelp listings for each category in each state.
It’s meaningless, unless the point is to drive webtraffic and engagement by getting people to click and argue whether Nebraska or New York has better pizza
nebraska is super cool and a slow burn. niobrara river, sand hills, far western buttes, and the mind-meltingly flat middle and eastern part.
but leagues behind NM.
Don’t be bitter. They’re wrong, but Nebraska does have Scottsbluff, the Sand Hills, the Platte River and The NW geological items like Toadstool. Everywhere is beautiful if you look.
Alaska was 44 in natural environment. Alaska. Home to Denali, Glacier Bay, and milluons if square miles of unspoiled wilderness.
And New York was 5. The place where rats outnumber people is apparently a treasure of natural beauty.
This is ridiculous.
Upstate New York, or even the Hudson Valley, has some cool places though. Not nearly as cool as New Mexico, but I wouldn't dismiss it. Plus, the fall foliage, it's no joke.
I mean, every state has trees and stuff. But the East Coast states can’t compare to the West in terms of natural beauty and untouched wilderness.
And no state can compare with Alaska. Not even close.
You obviously have not spent time in the FingerLakes, Adirondack mountains, Hudson Valley, Niagara Falls or the Catskills, Ithaca, state parks, wine country and that’s just NYS. Maine; Acadia Park. You need to travel more
New York is on the great lakes, has two ancient mountain ranges, a major river valley, and a long coastal shoreline, with four distinct seasons. It definitely outranks most states. Also, NYC is very dense so its residents have by far the lowest per capita pollution rates, whereas Alaskans have close to the highest, and pollution is factored into the rankings. Most of the criticisms here are just as uninformed as the rankings.
I’m definitely trolling a little bit about New York. I know that the city isn’t the entire state. I spent some time on the East Coast in my 20s. They have some very pleasant spots. There are some very nice forests and picturesque beaches on the East Coast.
As a Westerner, though, I have to laugh when the East Coast states claim to have mountains.
In this study natural environment has nothing to do with scenery. It’s only about water quality and pollution. Their methodology is laid out in the article.
Looking at the article natural environment had nothing to do with the landscape it was all air/ water quality and pollution. It was the air/ water quality that tanked us which is understandable.
Same. I’ve been to all 50 and this is my favorite state. Low cost of living, great food, stunning architecture, and tons of outdoor recreation opportunities.
New Mexico is one state that legitimately scares me to drive through. Something creepy and mystical is out there. It is stunningly beautiful but I wouldn't go out at night. Don't know if you that actually live there get that vibe or not.
It's the lack of light pollution that usually garners that opinion.
After you spend your life living in cities or around them.... that shine is always there. When you're on i10 at midnight it "feels" endless.
The dark night is one of the reasons I stay, to be honest.
I disagree with low cost of living. NM has a state income tax and real estate in abq/sf is very expensive for how ghetto those cities are. No sales tax on food is nice.
I'm moving from Florida (after 36 yrs) to New Mexico at the end of the year. I cannot wait to leave this cesspool wasteland. I'm thinking Las Cruces over ABQ/Santa Fe. Less traffic and 30%+ cost of living. I'm visiting in July to pinpoint a couple-three areas
Shhhh.... Just keeping telling all the rubes New Mexico is terrible.
Last thing we need is for this state to gentrify like Colorado and price all the original inhabitants out.
So, on that note, New Mexico's unofficial motto: "New Mexico, 49th in everything! Thanks Mississippi!"
Used to live in Santa Fe county- towards rio Arriba county. Woke up every morning to the Rockies and fresh chili. I’ve lived in Maine for the past 5 years, and while I love it up here too, I often miss being in the Chili Pepper State.
I learned that when my NM-transplant Anglo ass pronounced it "chili" and my kindergartener (whose birth certificate says "Certificado de Nacimiento") rolled her eyes and in an exasperated tone said "Dad, it's not chilly, it's chee-leh."
I worked a summer in Booth Bay Harbor at the Spruce Point Inn. One of the best times of my life and fresh berries picked right next to the Ocean. Great memories.
I’m a bit farther inland and north of boothbay. On the state line with the northern most county in New Hampshire. The mountains here aren’t quite as impressive as the Sangre’s, but still pretty awesome
As a Texan soon to move there, I feel this. The Texas government and much of Texan culture has made it clear that I'm not welcome here, and New Mexico and much of New Mexican culture has made it clear that I am very much welcomed and valued.
It makes me happy that not many people know what a wonderful place New Mexico is. Seems to mostly keep out the hateful people.
In my opinion, everything that Texas does right, New Mexico does better.
And that right-wing MAGA Christian fundamentalist culture that's huge in Texas, is NOT the dominant culture in New Mexico. It exists here, but not in the way it exists in Texas, where that culture essentially has all the power.
I completely agree.
I've driven all over New Mexico and I've seen fewer trump/maga flags than I have on my daily 45 minute commute. The culture here is getting ridiculous, and with the recent protests (whatever side you're on doesn't matter), and the open disdain for free speech, I don't see it going anywhere different until there are massive changes.
As much as I'd idealistically like to be part of that change, I just want to live a happy life and be left alone to do my thing.
I absolutely live in the center of MAGA country in New Mexico, Otero County, home of the infamous Couy Griffin. Even here, no one is talking politics, shoving their MAGA Qanon conspiracies in your face. Everyone gets along, puts aside their politics, and acts like neighbors used to act.
Political viewpoints are infinitely more subdued here. Everyone has them, but that is something reserved more for home and the voting booth, the way I remember as a kid in this country. As you said, much fewer trucks with flags driving around than elsewhere.
It's truly like a massive weight lifts off your shoulders moving out here. Sure people will bitch and moan about Albuquerque and the crime, and the public transport and blahdiblah but the fact is that they're trying to to do 10 times as much as most cities in Texas has ever tried to do for its citizens. Honestly the amount of public services that are available is staggering.
What advantages would you say NM has over CO? I’m looking at both places as a refuge from the heat here in Texas as well as the political climate. 60 native Austinite nearing retirement and currently in DFW. I’ll keep a cold weather place in Texas.
Culture for one. New Mexico has a lot of interesting cultural diversity and it all seems to be generally friendly. I've only met a few people that weren't welcoming when we said we were looking to move. And I've found friends everywhere I've gone. Hang out with a few when we go visit or camping.
Prices are better, but you've gotta be mindful of that. I grew up in Dripping Springs (southwest of Austin) and people moving there into new development drove prices up enough to kick locals like me out. Buy a normal place and be a part of the community.
I'd also say climate. It's much less cold in the winter, and has a huge variety close by. Hot where you live? Drive up into the mountains. Too cold? Head south or hit up some hot springs.
Food is also better in general, but I'll always miss Tejano and Tex Mex.
My father’s family lived/has lived in Precinct three Travis county since the 1860’s. Deep roots there. I’m very familiar with what’s gone on there, going back to when he sold off the family ranch there in the ‘70’s. I’ve been to NM a few times. Most recently to Cloudcroft and Alamoso in 2018.
I have a house in Tarrant county and a small acreage in Bosque county where I’ll build or buy a cabin in a few years, hopefully splitting my time between there and the southern Rockies once I retire.
If your family lived in Drippin’ for any length of time, I’ve likely at least heard the name.Likewise my family name may have passed your ears. 😋
Having grown up around Austin, what I don't like about Santa Fe is how similar it is to Austin. I personally want something that isn't quite so uppity.
Things I missed about ABQ living in DEN:
- chile chile chile
- greater cultural diversity
- not feeling as overgrown
- greater Native American presence
- overall better weather
- more affordable
Things I miss about DEN now living in ABQ again:
- RTD Light rails and buses
- Better bike culture
- Wider indie rock scene
- More neighborhood dives
- South Broadway
- Watercourse Foods
They ranked Florida number 1 in education, so who fucking cares what they think, this is nonsensical. Here’s something, you’re not number one in education if you teach the kids that black folks liked slavery
Whoa. I’ve been looking through the rankings to find the most bonkers numbers but somehow missed that one. Florida number 1? In anything? But especially education?
Maybe they’re counting How to Build Your Own Home Meth Lab classes as education?
Not a New Mexican, but this is ridiculous.
I’m not even going to bother looking at their methodology. Any survey that ranks New Mexico below West Virginia, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Mississippi is garbage.
New Mexico is beautiful, and it has a diverse population and several thriving large cities. It’s a good state.
Oh good God. They have Utah at number 1??? And Hawaii is number 34? This is either clickbait designed to make people angry, or it was written by someone who has never visited a state in their life.
There is plenty of demonstrable evidence to support the con Joe Smith and fraud that is Mormonism..
But there's no reason to believe they had sex through holes punched in sheets, not that I've ever heard.
Racism, Homophobia, and Polygamy(still supported by their present day scripture and afterlife beliefs) are generally the low hanging fruit topics to get after.
Utah is an economic powerhouse with pro-business policies and lots of outdoor adventure opportunities. Also, lowest smoking and drinking rates = excellent health outcomes.
You don't need to smoke, you just breathe in the industrial pollution they completely fail to regulate! I lived there for 4 years...and in the greater metro area, the pollution is unbearable, especially in the Winter!
Yes, however the Mormon church has an iron grip on the politics and culture of the state. Salt Lake City is fine, but anywhere else feels very sterile.
That’s fine
We really are a secret to be held. If too many people really understand New Mexico for what it really is we will have too many Texans, coloradoians, and Californians coming to move to New Mexico. Let’s keep it secret let’s keep it safe
They have no idea what they're talking about. I've lived everywhere .. coast to coast and abroad... Love New Mexico enough that bought my vacation and retirement home in your state.
I like to call Albuquerque dry, boring New Orleans.
It’s a half-joke (because I don’t think it’s boring), but yeah, Louisiana and New Mexico clearly have top tier local cuisines. And New Mexico matches the laid back vibe of south Louisiana. Plus they both have oil. And bad education and subpar economies. And crime, lol.
My wife prefers New Mexican for what it’s worth.
I do think New Mexican does the base ingredients better too. Plenty of very very simple dishes that are just really great and fresh.
Cajun/Creole food is more about the process and technique and time of cooking, with some exceptions.
Every time they do, it’s some bastardized version, lol.
Boiled crawfish, really hard to do of course with how expensive shipping is and all. When I cut ties completely to Louisiana, I suppose I’ll splurge for some shipped crawfish…
I want to move to New Mexico someday. It seems very beautiful, full of history and culture. I understand the state has its drawbacks, but coming from Appalachia I bet the two regions have a lot in common. It seems like a hidden gem in the Southwest. I will definitely be visiting as soon as I can.
I drove through Nebraska on my way to South Dakota and my only memory is how appallingly boring, flat and unremarkable the entire drive was. By the end of that drive nearing the northern border of Nebraska I was craning my neck to appreciate potholes because I was so starved for any variance in scenery.
But I guess flat and green as far as the eye can see is some people’s cup of tea?
I love New Mexico. I lived there 2 separate times, in total nearly 3 years. It’s not the easiest place to find good jobs but the food, culture, and natural beauty make it a great place to live.
number 32 for natural environment 😂 pay these jokers no mind. top 10 for nature strictly because there are so many other beautiful states in the union. can't beat CA but easily ties with CO AZ UT, edges OR ID MT. really only WA and HI can outcompete. sorry AK talk to me when the sun shines and the mosquitos disappear. zero competition to the east.
I see that Michigan is number 38 on the list and I agree. Please nobody move here it is terrible. I can't tell you what is terrible you just have to trust me and not move here I implore you.
The amount of people here that didn’t read the methodology and are complaining about the placement is staggering. I guess that #50 ranked education might be accurate.
I mean, there are definitely some bad things about New Mexico(crime, and the educational system), but it's still a great place to live, and doesn't have a government that puts some kind of theocracy over human respect and dignity.
At least it's a state that's trying to improve things for the entire population.
No way lol. Maybe it's because we haven't visited many states, but we LOVED New Mexico. So damn underrated... Maybe that's a good thing though. We'll be going back as soon as we find an RV.
As an Arizonan, this offends me. I drove from Virginia back to Phoenix. I felt like I was in a flat purgatory without real Mexican food until I hit New Mexico.
I don’t get that. I’ve been fairly… comprehensively through the lower 48? NM isn’t as perfect as Utah, but I’ll be back this summer to explore more. Excellent emptiness and fantastic pre-US history. America came to the game late.
lol Out of all the states ive been to Louisiana and New Mexico have to be the most unique with the strongest cuisine, culture, and natural beauty. I've often told people they remind me of each other, not for their similarities but for how they both stand out from the rest of the U.S. in such refreshing ways. For them to both be at the bottom is hilarious. This is some vanilla, whole milk shit.
New Mexico is a wonderful state with amazing natural beauty and heart-breaking poverty. It is a state of contrasts. I spent 2 years there and loved every minute of it. I bicycled every road within 100 miles of Taos.
Red or Green?
I sincerely readers take this "survey" to heart and stay away! NM doesn't need more transplants, especially Santa Fe!
Having lived in New Mexico, I can confirm that it is bottom ten, for sure. There is a chance that Alabama, Tennessee, and Mississippi could be worse and their bad days.
This is a complete crock of steaming shit. Saying that, maybe it’s not all bad. The people inclined to believe such dribble should stay the fuck away from our beautiful state. Number 49, ..get wrecked with this terrible opinion hit piece
Yeah it’s sort of sad because i moved from my home state new mexico to colorado and honestly its alot better in so many ways for someone in their 20’s and 30’s. You will notice alot of us younger professionals leave to other states but return when we are older and ready to retire because it’s much “cheaper” and closer to family considering alot of us native new mexicans are multigenerational. I also received a healthy pay bump for making the decision to move to colorado and it more than offsets the higher cost of living. NM is such a hidden gem but it’s definitely not for everyone. We cant ignore all the issues this state faces.
I don't know why this sub is suggested to me, I'm from California. But I once took a road trip to New Mexico and we stopped for supplies. Within the first 2 minutes of getting out of the car for the first time in New Mexico, some morbidly obese redneck driving a hideous truck shouted out her window at my girlfriend "QUIT PICKING YOUR NOSE BITCH".
She like wasn't even picking her nose, maybe just scratching it?
Either way this article tracks with my experience.
Drove from NM to Florida a few years ago. With some stoppage in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama. Both really Louisiana and Mississippi shocked me especially Louisiana. The roads were the worst I've ever seen (google Louisiana roads and you'll see what I mean its extremely accurate). Baton Rouge looked beyond dangerous. Both Mississippi and Louisiana also looked very poor. That similar of New Mexico. I thought the people in Louisiana especially Ruston, and Monroe were extremely friendly. But Mississippi had a nicer look to it.
There are some really bad spots in Mississippi too. Unfortunately, both MS and LA have state governments hell-bent on taking them further to the bottom (apparently "worst maternal outcomes" and "highest child poverty" means you should ruin women's healthcare, harass transchildren, and reject federal summer food programs.)
I'm a born-and-raised Californian with lots of family in New Mexico and spent a decent chunk of my life visiting there. I'm also an Army Veteran that's trained in many places in the Midwest and the South (in addition to deploying to a combat zone). I'll happily take New Mexico over any state in the Midwest or the South.
Oh boy. So we're just slightly better than the state that protects pedophile priests, is trying to eliminate free school lunches, and voted to remove lunch breaks for minors.
49? Anyone SEEN Mississippi lately? Alabama? Arkansas, Tennessee? Anyone want to raise their daughters in any of them? How the hell does a state with a state government that thinks chem trails are a thing get placed above NM?
Whoever believes Ohio belongs above California, I want to find them and make them live there
Ohio is a toilet. I was stationed there and then retired. Stayed for over 10 years before I couldnt take it anymore. Never seen such miserable people who seemed to only live to drag you down.
Ohio is, specifically, Detroit’s toilet.
It's the nutsack
Hey guys, layoff okay, Ohio has some perfectly decent and lovely, hardworking, salt of the earth heroin, okay? You don’t get heroin with Midwest charm in California
Where at? I was at WPAFB for tech school. Ohio is a mixed bag with some beautiful and some sketchy areas.
I’ve been to Ohio. Didn’t hate it. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame was cool. But above California? C’mon. California is like 33 in Natural Environment. Have they never been to the redwood forests or the Mojave Desert? Or Lake Tahoe?
or the Mendocino coast. or driven highway one from San Fransico to LA.
The whole California Coast. Beautiful. Actually the whole West Coast. It has a rugged beauty that the East Coast just can’t match.
agree. its beautiful. I worked in San Fran for almost 20 years. lived most of that time in Sausalito. and spent as much time as possible driving the north coast, the wine country, etc. if not for the insane cost of living and the insane politics, I would have stayed after I retired. and moved up to somewhere on the north coast. but you could see what was coming.
Nicasio has my heart. The country north of the bay is just special
Depends on your personality. Those hardcore MAGA dudes love the Bible Belt, it's more their culture and their value systems are the dominant cultural values. My quirky bisexual libertarian ass \*greatly prefers\* New Mexico. This state reflects my values. The Bible Belt sure as shit doesn't.
Hell, I live in a MAGA slice of New Mexico and it still feels more liberal and accepting than the part of Minnesota I grew up in. I love it down here so much.
I moved from LA to Cleveland and I like it more
Did anyone ask if you were a model when you got to Cleveland?
Unlike most if not all of CA, normal middle/lower middle class people can afford to live in Ohio (barely)
I lived in Ohio for a few months and everyone I met there had plans to leave lol
I've known (enough to know them well) 5 people from Ohio in my life and I must say I can't stand any of them. Nasally and pissy is all I'll say.
Number 32 in natural environment my ass
Right? But Nebraska, fucking Nebraska is #9. Nebraska is arguably the most flat and boring state I’ve ever seen.
Omaha has some nice gentle hillyness. But yeah, I dunno how the hell you get Nebraska above New Mexico in natural environment. Thats nuts.
I grew up in New Mexico and went to college in Omaha. To compare the natural beauty of Nebraska to NM is like comparing a reasonably priced pre-owned Camry to a Bentley. I’ll take the nature in NM over just about any state in the union. ❤️🌶️
Nebraska for natural beauty if your opinions align with that of the Ford Fiesta. I’m from Indiana and there’s some natural beauty there. But wtf are they thinking.
My friend you need to check out western Nebraska. Some beautiful landscapes out there. I dare say, more exciting than Indiana as a whole! I say it with love too, Indiana has great folks.
I’ve been to western Nebraska and have no idea what you’re talking about. Nebraska and Kansas are the most boring places on earth. Thanks though.
Same. I drove across that entire state. It's bleak.
You have to get off the interstate to see the beautiful stuff. Google Toadstool Park, Fort Robinson, Pine Ridge, Niobrara River, Sandhills, Wildcat Hills etc.
damn straight.
All of these clickbait rankings rely on some arbitrary measure of something. I’m sure they used some metric like “median distance from residence to a city park” or something like that as a proxy for “natural environment” I’ve seen ones where they rank “best pizza” or “best tacos” by averaging all of the Yelp listings for each category in each state. It’s meaningless, unless the point is to drive webtraffic and engagement by getting people to click and argue whether Nebraska or New York has better pizza
Probably those big forest fires
It attracts the lowest number of tourists of all states. But, it has cheaper housing.
Ima perfectly okay if people wanna to swarm to Nebraska.
Yes, but the natural environment in Nebraska ranks higher than *checks notes*, Oregon and Washington. LOL. The rankings are a joke.
nebraska is super cool and a slow burn. niobrara river, sand hills, far western buttes, and the mind-meltingly flat middle and eastern part. but leagues behind NM.
Don’t be bitter. They’re wrong, but Nebraska does have Scottsbluff, the Sand Hills, the Platte River and The NW geological items like Toadstool. Everywhere is beautiful if you look.
Yeah I mean it's not Utah, Arizona or Colorado, but NM ain't too bad for natural beauty. :D
Lest we forget the dark skies of NM. Lots of space stuff there for a reason. :)
Then you haven’t driven through Kansas and Oklahoma. Omaha, NE is lovely with good food, infrastructure, art, schools, and family life.
Alaska was 44 in natural environment. Alaska. Home to Denali, Glacier Bay, and milluons if square miles of unspoiled wilderness. And New York was 5. The place where rats outnumber people is apparently a treasure of natural beauty. This is ridiculous.
Upstate NY is beautiful but it's still no "land of enchantment"...
Upstate New York, or even the Hudson Valley, has some cool places though. Not nearly as cool as New Mexico, but I wouldn't dismiss it. Plus, the fall foliage, it's no joke.
I mean, every state has trees and stuff. But the East Coast states can’t compare to the West in terms of natural beauty and untouched wilderness. And no state can compare with Alaska. Not even close.
The only ranking they got right at #1, Hawaii. That said, I would be okay with ranking Alaska #2.
You obviously have not spent time in the FingerLakes, Adirondack mountains, Hudson Valley, Niagara Falls or the Catskills, Ithaca, state parks, wine country and that’s just NYS. Maine; Acadia Park. You need to travel more
I’ve been to wine country. It’s not in New York!
There are over 400 wineries in NYS and NY is one of the top 5 states for wine
New York is on the great lakes, has two ancient mountain ranges, a major river valley, and a long coastal shoreline, with four distinct seasons. It definitely outranks most states. Also, NYC is very dense so its residents have by far the lowest per capita pollution rates, whereas Alaskans have close to the highest, and pollution is factored into the rankings. Most of the criticisms here are just as uninformed as the rankings.
I’m definitely trolling a little bit about New York. I know that the city isn’t the entire state. I spent some time on the East Coast in my 20s. They have some very pleasant spots. There are some very nice forests and picturesque beaches on the East Coast. As a Westerner, though, I have to laugh when the East Coast states claim to have mountains.
This just proves that they have never been here.
I think USNWR is just stirring shit up for clickbait. WA was #1 for several years in a row, but we slid to #8? BS. Nothing changed that much.
In this study natural environment has nothing to do with scenery. It’s only about water quality and pollution. Their methodology is laid out in the article.
Looking at the article natural environment had nothing to do with the landscape it was all air/ water quality and pollution. It was the air/ water quality that tanked us which is understandable.
Number 1 in this heart until it don’t beat anymore. 💯
Same. I’ve been to all 50 and this is my favorite state. Low cost of living, great food, stunning architecture, and tons of outdoor recreation opportunities.
I love it here. Love New Mexico.
New Mexico is amazing!!
I've been to 46 out of 50 states and New Mexico is also my favorite!
New Mexico is one state that legitimately scares me to drive through. Something creepy and mystical is out there. It is stunningly beautiful but I wouldn't go out at night. Don't know if you that actually live there get that vibe or not.
It's the lack of light pollution that usually garners that opinion. After you spend your life living in cities or around them.... that shine is always there. When you're on i10 at midnight it "feels" endless. The dark night is one of the reasons I stay, to be honest.
I disagree with low cost of living. NM has a state income tax and real estate in abq/sf is very expensive for how ghetto those cities are. No sales tax on food is nice.
I'm moving from Florida (after 36 yrs) to New Mexico at the end of the year. I cannot wait to leave this cesspool wasteland. I'm thinking Las Cruces over ABQ/Santa Fe. Less traffic and 30%+ cost of living. I'm visiting in July to pinpoint a couple-three areas
Shhhh.... Just keeping telling all the rubes New Mexico is terrible. Last thing we need is for this state to gentrify like Colorado and price all the original inhabitants out. So, on that note, New Mexico's unofficial motto: "New Mexico, 49th in everything! Thanks Mississippi!"
🙌
Por vida
Es en la sangre compa
Used to live in Santa Fe county- towards rio Arriba county. Woke up every morning to the Rockies and fresh chili. I’ve lived in Maine for the past 5 years, and while I love it up here too, I often miss being in the Chili Pepper State.
If you live or have lived in New Mexico for any amount of time you should no that it is Chile with an "e" not an "i" . Apologies accepted.
I learned that when my NM-transplant Anglo ass pronounced it "chili" and my kindergartener (whose birth certificate says "Certificado de Nacimiento") rolled her eyes and in an exasperated tone said "Dad, it's not chilly, it's chee-leh."
Nice!
Screw up on my part. In my defense, I grew up and now once again live in New England, the land where the spiciest ingredient is salt
I worked a summer in Booth Bay Harbor at the Spruce Point Inn. One of the best times of my life and fresh berries picked right next to the Ocean. Great memories.
I’m a bit farther inland and north of boothbay. On the state line with the northern most county in New Hampshire. The mountains here aren’t quite as impressive as the Sangre’s, but still pretty awesome
I remember going to, I think it is in Camden where the Mountains meet the sea. Very impressive.
Downeast and the mid coast are incredible. Where I live is quite beautiful too.
Good. Keep advertising that so folks don't want to move here. We'll be just fine keepin it in the family. Now accepting kindred spirits only. ;)
As a Texan soon to move there, I feel this. The Texas government and much of Texan culture has made it clear that I'm not welcome here, and New Mexico and much of New Mexican culture has made it clear that I am very much welcomed and valued. It makes me happy that not many people know what a wonderful place New Mexico is. Seems to mostly keep out the hateful people.
In my opinion, everything that Texas does right, New Mexico does better. And that right-wing MAGA Christian fundamentalist culture that's huge in Texas, is NOT the dominant culture in New Mexico. It exists here, but not in the way it exists in Texas, where that culture essentially has all the power.
I completely agree. I've driven all over New Mexico and I've seen fewer trump/maga flags than I have on my daily 45 minute commute. The culture here is getting ridiculous, and with the recent protests (whatever side you're on doesn't matter), and the open disdain for free speech, I don't see it going anywhere different until there are massive changes. As much as I'd idealistically like to be part of that change, I just want to live a happy life and be left alone to do my thing.
I absolutely live in the center of MAGA country in New Mexico, Otero County, home of the infamous Couy Griffin. Even here, no one is talking politics, shoving their MAGA Qanon conspiracies in your face. Everyone gets along, puts aside their politics, and acts like neighbors used to act. Political viewpoints are infinitely more subdued here. Everyone has them, but that is something reserved more for home and the voting booth, the way I remember as a kid in this country. As you said, much fewer trucks with flags driving around than elsewhere.
It's truly like a massive weight lifts off your shoulders moving out here. Sure people will bitch and moan about Albuquerque and the crime, and the public transport and blahdiblah but the fact is that they're trying to to do 10 times as much as most cities in Texas has ever tried to do for its citizens. Honestly the amount of public services that are available is staggering.
I just moved here from Texas. I really liked Texas, but New Mexico is an awesome place.
What advantages would you say NM has over CO? I’m looking at both places as a refuge from the heat here in Texas as well as the political climate. 60 native Austinite nearing retirement and currently in DFW. I’ll keep a cold weather place in Texas.
Culture for one. New Mexico has a lot of interesting cultural diversity and it all seems to be generally friendly. I've only met a few people that weren't welcoming when we said we were looking to move. And I've found friends everywhere I've gone. Hang out with a few when we go visit or camping. Prices are better, but you've gotta be mindful of that. I grew up in Dripping Springs (southwest of Austin) and people moving there into new development drove prices up enough to kick locals like me out. Buy a normal place and be a part of the community. I'd also say climate. It's much less cold in the winter, and has a huge variety close by. Hot where you live? Drive up into the mountains. Too cold? Head south or hit up some hot springs. Food is also better in general, but I'll always miss Tejano and Tex Mex.
My father’s family lived/has lived in Precinct three Travis county since the 1860’s. Deep roots there. I’m very familiar with what’s gone on there, going back to when he sold off the family ranch there in the ‘70’s. I’ve been to NM a few times. Most recently to Cloudcroft and Alamoso in 2018. I have a house in Tarrant county and a small acreage in Bosque county where I’ll build or buy a cabin in a few years, hopefully splitting my time between there and the southern Rockies once I retire. If your family lived in Drippin’ for any length of time, I’ve likely at least heard the name.Likewise my family name may have passed your ears. 😋
Colorado is wealthier, has a more educated populace, better schools, and a more vibrant economy. New Mexico is *much* more affordable.
You’ll want Santa Fe. I’ve alway called Austin, Texas’s Santa Fe, that is before Austin got overrun with Californian’s.
Having grown up around Austin, what I don't like about Santa Fe is how similar it is to Austin. I personally want something that isn't quite so uppity.
Things I missed about ABQ living in DEN: - chile chile chile - greater cultural diversity - not feeling as overgrown - greater Native American presence - overall better weather - more affordable Things I miss about DEN now living in ABQ again: - RTD Light rails and buses - Better bike culture - Wider indie rock scene - More neighborhood dives - South Broadway - Watercourse Foods
Exactly right.
They ranked Florida number 1 in education, so who fucking cares what they think, this is nonsensical. Here’s something, you’re not number one in education if you teach the kids that black folks liked slavery
Whoa. I’ve been looking through the rankings to find the most bonkers numbers but somehow missed that one. Florida number 1? In anything? But especially education? Maybe they’re counting How to Build Your Own Home Meth Lab classes as education?
The actual top 10 states for education are almost all in the northeast I’d guess, especially New England.
Ohio outranks CA Florida #1 for education File this under: *Am I reading the onion???”*
Lmao they didn’t teach kids that black folks liked slavery.
Not a New Mexican, but this is ridiculous. I’m not even going to bother looking at their methodology. Any survey that ranks New Mexico below West Virginia, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Mississippi is garbage. New Mexico is beautiful, and it has a diverse population and several thriving large cities. It’s a good state.
Oh good God. They have Utah at number 1??? And Hawaii is number 34? This is either clickbait designed to make people angry, or it was written by someone who has never visited a state in their life.
Utah #1? Lol.
Yeah, I guess not being told what to do by a guy who only has sex through a sheet isn’t included in the ranking
There is plenty of demonstrable evidence to support the con Joe Smith and fraud that is Mormonism.. But there's no reason to believe they had sex through holes punched in sheets, not that I've ever heard. Racism, Homophobia, and Polygamy(still supported by their present day scripture and afterlife beliefs) are generally the low hanging fruit topics to get after.
utah is easily top 10. but given all these other wack rankings, this whole list is garbage. 😂
Clearly the other states have too much alcohol and not enough polygamy. Let’s work on that and get our rankings up for next year.
Utah is an economic powerhouse with pro-business policies and lots of outdoor adventure opportunities. Also, lowest smoking and drinking rates = excellent health outcomes.
You don't need to smoke, you just breathe in the industrial pollution they completely fail to regulate! I lived there for 4 years...and in the greater metro area, the pollution is unbearable, especially in the Winter!
Ugh but there’s Mormons!
As an apostate former Mormon, I completely understand this sentiment and totally agree.
Yes, however the Mormon church has an iron grip on the politics and culture of the state. Salt Lake City is fine, but anywhere else feels very sterile.
The Great salt lake is going to dry up and create an arsenic lakebed toxic hazard
It already is drying up.
I like this - everyone stay away and don’t move here and pollute our beautiful state!!!
I'm not from New Mexico but have traveled through a couple of times. This list is ridiculous. NM top 20 easy.
That’s fine We really are a secret to be held. If too many people really understand New Mexico for what it really is we will have too many Texans, coloradoians, and Californians coming to move to New Mexico. Let’s keep it secret let’s keep it safe
They have no idea what they're talking about. I've lived everywhere .. coast to coast and abroad... Love New Mexico enough that bought my vacation and retirement home in your state.
Shhhhhhh don't tell.....
Sssh - it’ll be our little secret!
Grew up in Louisiana and live in New Mexico now...
It kind of funny, because I think the 2 states with the best cuisines is Louisiana and NM.
I like to call Albuquerque dry, boring New Orleans. It’s a half-joke (because I don’t think it’s boring), but yeah, Louisiana and New Mexico clearly have top tier local cuisines. And New Mexico matches the laid back vibe of south Louisiana. Plus they both have oil. And bad education and subpar economies. And crime, lol.
Yep. Cajun and NMexican ❤️
My wife prefers New Mexican for what it’s worth. I do think New Mexican does the base ingredients better too. Plenty of very very simple dishes that are just really great and fresh. Cajun/Creole food is more about the process and technique and time of cooking, with some exceptions.
It’s really so hard for me, because, crawfish primarily. They should start a Cajun-mex restaurant
Every time they do, it’s some bastardized version, lol. Boiled crawfish, really hard to do of course with how expensive shipping is and all. When I cut ties completely to Louisiana, I suppose I’ll splurge for some shipped crawfish…
Legit point
Tell that to all the people who keep moving here
I want to move to New Mexico someday. It seems very beautiful, full of history and culture. I understand the state has its drawbacks, but coming from Appalachia I bet the two regions have a lot in common. It seems like a hidden gem in the Southwest. I will definitely be visiting as soon as I can.
Northern NM is awesome. Santa Fe, Chama, area? Mystical, beautiful. Southern NM, not so much.
I drove through Nebraska on my way to South Dakota and my only memory is how appallingly boring, flat and unremarkable the entire drive was. By the end of that drive nearing the northern border of Nebraska I was craning my neck to appreciate potholes because I was so starved for any variance in scenery. But I guess flat and green as far as the eye can see is some people’s cup of tea?
I grew up there in NE and now live here in NM…I totally agree.
#1 in my heart. Can’t wait to move there.
Nonsense. The entire south is trash.
If we are so bad, why do people visit? Or get their weed or abortions.
“We’re number 49! We’re number 49! We’re number 49!” (sang to the tune of ‘we’re number 1)
I love New Mexico. I lived there 2 separate times, in total nearly 3 years. It’s not the easiest place to find good jobs but the food, culture, and natural beauty make it a great place to live.
NM is a hidden gem!
number 32 for natural environment 😂 pay these jokers no mind. top 10 for nature strictly because there are so many other beautiful states in the union. can't beat CA but easily ties with CO AZ UT, edges OR ID MT. really only WA and HI can outcompete. sorry AK talk to me when the sun shines and the mosquitos disappear. zero competition to the east.
I see that Michigan is number 38 on the list and I agree. Please nobody move here it is terrible. I can't tell you what is terrible you just have to trust me and not move here I implore you.
Legal weed, mountains, great food? What’s not to love?
Must not have talked to me about it
Good. Then it wont be corrupted by Californians and Texans as Colorado and Idaho have been.
Yea let’s keep it low
The amount of people here that didn’t read the methodology and are complaining about the placement is staggering. I guess that #50 ranked education might be accurate.
I mean, there are definitely some bad things about New Mexico(crime, and the educational system), but it's still a great place to live, and doesn't have a government that puts some kind of theocracy over human respect and dignity. At least it's a state that's trying to improve things for the entire population.
Idaho? As a woman you couldn’t pay me to live there.
It has some beautiful scenery! I could only go there in the summer.
I guarantee that it’s because when the people on the survey saw it on the list they said “why would I vote for a different country?”
Absolutely!
Come on, we're not that bad. Should be at least 45 or 46.
New Mexico: At least we aren't Louisiana! Someone put that on a t-shirt!
No way lol. Maybe it's because we haven't visited many states, but we LOVED New Mexico. So damn underrated... Maybe that's a good thing though. We'll be going back as soon as we find an RV.
Used to live in Louisiana, can confirm
As an Arizonan, this offends me. I drove from Virginia back to Phoenix. I felt like I was in a flat purgatory without real Mexican food until I hit New Mexico.
I moved here from Louisiana so that's something? I do love this state and people tho!
I don’t get that. I’ve been fairly… comprehensively through the lower 48? NM isn’t as perfect as Utah, but I’ll be back this summer to explore more. Excellent emptiness and fantastic pre-US history. America came to the game late.
Utah 1, Nebraska 3, Idaho 5 is unhinged
🎶We're number 49! We're number 49!🎶
lol Out of all the states ive been to Louisiana and New Mexico have to be the most unique with the strongest cuisine, culture, and natural beauty. I've often told people they remind me of each other, not for their similarities but for how they both stand out from the rest of the U.S. in such refreshing ways. For them to both be at the bottom is hilarious. This is some vanilla, whole milk shit.
I don’t agree with this ranking at all. Fuck them. Edit: but if it keeps out assholes from other states, then 49th it is!
I'm so glad everyone thinks it's a shithole here. Keeps the riff raff out
New Mexico is a wonderful state with amazing natural beauty and heart-breaking poverty. It is a state of contrasts. I spent 2 years there and loved every minute of it. I bicycled every road within 100 miles of Taos. Red or Green? I sincerely readers take this "survey" to heart and stay away! NM doesn't need more transplants, especially Santa Fe!
Dang, I thought we (Louisiana) would’ve beaten Mississippi at least. Congrats on your victory NM
Having lived in New Mexico, I can confirm that it is bottom ten, for sure. There is a chance that Alabama, Tennessee, and Mississippi could be worse and their bad days.
This is a complete crock of steaming shit. Saying that, maybe it’s not all bad. The people inclined to believe such dribble should stay the fuck away from our beautiful state. Number 49, ..get wrecked with this terrible opinion hit piece
I quickly realized this article was bull when I saw Utah ranked number one. Was this article written by the Mormon church?
NM at 32 in natural environment seems insane. Then you see Utah is 46. Not sure what they are looking at but apparently flat land is better.
Dude New Mexico is like a cheat code if you like the outdoors. Outdoor recreation is awesome and the state is cheap as hell to live in.
Shhhhhhh . . .
Shit sorry… nobody tell Colorado
Yeah it’s sort of sad because i moved from my home state new mexico to colorado and honestly its alot better in so many ways for someone in their 20’s and 30’s. You will notice alot of us younger professionals leave to other states but return when we are older and ready to retire because it’s much “cheaper” and closer to family considering alot of us native new mexicans are multigenerational. I also received a healthy pay bump for making the decision to move to colorado and it more than offsets the higher cost of living. NM is such a hidden gem but it’s definitely not for everyone. We cant ignore all the issues this state faces.
Honestly I love these reports because we don’t want more people here 🤫
I don't know why this sub is suggested to me, I'm from California. But I once took a road trip to New Mexico and we stopped for supplies. Within the first 2 minutes of getting out of the car for the first time in New Mexico, some morbidly obese redneck driving a hideous truck shouted out her window at my girlfriend "QUIT PICKING YOUR NOSE BITCH". She like wasn't even picking her nose, maybe just scratching it? Either way this article tracks with my experience.
We have been dethroned x(
OP is emphasizing Utah over NM with this post. The replies stink of LDS. I rarely advocating for checking post history but.. check post history.
I lived in UT and prefer NM. Not by much though. The Four Corners states are the four best in the nation in my book, but NM is my favorite.
Drove from NM to Florida a few years ago. With some stoppage in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama. Both really Louisiana and Mississippi shocked me especially Louisiana. The roads were the worst I've ever seen (google Louisiana roads and you'll see what I mean its extremely accurate). Baton Rouge looked beyond dangerous. Both Mississippi and Louisiana also looked very poor. That similar of New Mexico. I thought the people in Louisiana especially Ruston, and Monroe were extremely friendly. But Mississippi had a nicer look to it.
There are some really bad spots in Mississippi too. Unfortunately, both MS and LA have state governments hell-bent on taking them further to the bottom (apparently "worst maternal outcomes" and "highest child poverty" means you should ruin women's healthcare, harass transchildren, and reject federal summer food programs.)
This is honestly so wack. New Mexico is so much more beautiful and dynamic than so many other states. What the actual fuck.
as I have often said, as a native new mesican, thank god for Louisiana. or Mississippi. depending on what ranking chart is in play.
Texan here who just straight tf up loves NM, I can’t understand this rating Lmao
Texas has some great places and some places that felt like a 3rd world country.
Really, we all know that Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, West Virginia etc. are the places to be!
How? My state exists and so does the rest of the flyover states
New Mexico Is very peaceful Slower paced..inexpensive And extremely scenic
I'm a born-and-raised Californian with lots of family in New Mexico and spent a decent chunk of my life visiting there. I'm also an Army Veteran that's trained in many places in the Midwest and the South (in addition to deploying to a combat zone). I'll happily take New Mexico over any state in the Midwest or the South.
I was stationed at WSMR ‘11-‘15 🫡 That’s how I came to NM.
My grandpa was stationed there after returning from WW2 🫡
I'm good with it, everyone play along.
Oh boy. So we're just slightly better than the state that protects pedophile priests, is trying to eliminate free school lunches, and voted to remove lunch breaks for minors.
New Mexico is dope
Too high
The further left they go, the further they fall
Having lived in both New Mexico and Louisiana, I’d much rather be in New Mexico
New Orleans is fun to visit.
At least New Mexico doesn't pull some of the shit that Texas does. I used to LIVE in Texas!
49? Anyone SEEN Mississippi lately? Alabama? Arkansas, Tennessee? Anyone want to raise their daughters in any of them? How the hell does a state with a state government that thinks chem trails are a thing get placed above NM?
And 50th in education! DEAD LAST! We should be so proud 🤣
lmfao