Texas tops list of worst places to live and work in America

[YGIFS 19449]

I can't read the rankings list, what with all the illegals going through my yard and the mass crime and violence.  

I'd get outta here but the fucking fake train hasn't been fake built yet with my real money.

[utee94 15742]

18 minutes ago, YGIFS said:

I can't read the rankings list, what with all the illegals going through my yard and the mass crime and violence.  

I'd get outta here but the fucking fake train hasn't been fake built yet with my real money.

Joke's on you-- the fake train is as real-built as it's ever gonna be, with your real money.  

[Chewbacca 7727]

3 hours ago, crash_davis said:

New US News Best Places to Live list is out. It reaffirms the original CNBC premise. Dallas, Houston, and Beaumont are neck and neck for which is shittier.

 

https://realestate.usnews.com/places/rankings/best-places-to-live

https://www.statesman.com/story/news/state/2024/06/10/texas-cites-u-s-news-top-150-best-places-to-live-list/74017525007/

Top 10

1. Naples, FL
2. Boise, ID
3. Colorado Springs, CO
4. Greenville, SC
5. Charlotte, NC
6. Raleigh, NC
7. Huntsville, AL
8. Virginia Beach, VA
9. Austin, TX
10. Boulder, CO

Texas cities

48. McAllen

62. El Paso

77. Corpus Christi

87. Brownsville

89. San Antonio

95. Dallas

97. Houston

99. Beaumont

107. Killeen

Seeing CO Springs that high seems off to me.  I'd probably put Ft. Collins in there and have the Springs lower.

[Brew 3044]

2 hours ago, troph said:

To me it breaks down like this:

1. Cooler temps than Texas = good, and even it it’s hotter there then locals are used to it’s not my historical memory of what it used to be like that is impacted. So net win. 

2. any rural destination is likely going to be at least locally red. Parts of Colorado, sierra nevadas in California, mountain towns in Oregon and Washington, all can have red majorities. So to me I may just have to deal with some of that. What you want though are near 50/50 splits so it’s not like Idaho country with red and batshit red and I’ll shoot your face off militia red.

3. So I’m leaning toward picking a blue state, rural area, near mountains. I’ll deal with the red local politics if I have to. But I’ll be part of why that state is stubbornly blue. Right now it’s Colorado, but Oregon and Washington are in play. New Mexico to a lesser extent. All blue states, mountains and Colorado has more blue local politics in the towns we’d like to live close to. 
 

so the only thing TN lacks is the state blue part. I think it hits 1 and 2. NC may end up blue eventually. NM and even mountain parts of AZ are interesting. NM in the populous mountain spots are pretty blue I think. Though going west water becomes an issue.  Never thought about northeast GA but that’s blue ridge territory, probably redAF but the state is probably turning blue and staying blue.  Question on a lot of those areas is how red is the local red.

Georgia itself isn’t turning blue, Atlanta is what keeps it split since 60%+ of the people in Georgia live in the Atlanta metro area. The Blue Ridge area is very hard red. 

As far as TN goes, stay far, far away if you are concerned with politics. With the number of people moving in, TN will be about as red as it gets outside of Nashville/Memphis. We’re 75/25 at the state level even though the two metro areas above make up 45% or so of the population. They have gerrymandered those districts enough to where it can be 75/25 at the state house level even though presidential elections lean 60/40 with 3 counties going blue.

[troph 24548]

2 minutes ago, Brew said:

Georgia itself isn’t turning blue, Atlanta is what keeps it split since 60%+ of the people in Georgia live in the Atlanta metro area. The Blue Ridge area is very hard red. 

As far as TN goes, stay far, far away if you are concerned with politics. With the number of people moving in, TN will be about as red as it gets outside of Nashville/Memphis. We’re 75/25 at the state level even though the two metro areas above make up 45% or so of the population. They have gerrymandered those districts enough to where it can be 75/25 at the state house level even though presidential elections lean 60/40 with 3 counties going blue.

Something is happening in GA. it's not as red as its neighbors.

But yeah, finding purple or just light red rural spots is going to be a challenge.  and the blue spots in rural areas are usually stupid expensive.

[troph 24548]

mountain locations that aren't red:

 

New England?

Asheville NC, what's that other spot in NC?

None in the rest of Appalachia.

None in the Ozarks.

None in Utah.

WY/ID not really except Jackson Hole. Ha.

Far West Texas.

As I mentioned earlier - it's really Colorado, New Mexico, parts of Oregon and Washington. Montana I guess. And looks like parts of the Sierras.

Affordable? meh, none of those are going to be very affordable.

Edited June 10 by troph

[Brew 3044]

The other mountain spot in NC looks to be where Boone is which is the home of Appalachian State. I don’t know that I would have pegged it as blue, but it is a really nice, small town in the mountains. It’s not cheap by any stretch.

[troph 24548]

Mountains in Mexico or Costa Rica it is. 

[Dbeasy 14953]

20 minutes ago, troph said:

mountain locations that aren't red:

 

New England?

Asheville NC, what's that other spot in NC?

None in the rest of Appalachia.

None in the Ozarks.

None in Utah.

WY/ID not really except Jackson Hole. Ha.

Far West Texas.

As I mentioned earlier - it's really Colorado, New Mexico, parts of Oregon and Washington. Montana I guess. And looks like parts of the Sierras.

Affordable? meh, none of those are going to be very affordable.

Several years ago before the Orange Cheeto made the political situation in this country almost intolerable, I had friends looking where to live in the country based upon political beliefs alignment. At the time, I thought that was crazy. Now it is almost necessary. Things have gotten that bad. Just give me the location with a bunch of moderates with great social programs and responsible spending that is consistent with fair opportunities and I’ll be happy. Which postage size stamp of the country is that?

[closetohumping 17380]

5 minutes ago, Dbeasy said:

Several years ago before the Orange Cheeto made the political situation in this country almost intolerable, I had friends looking where to live in the country based upon political beliefs alignment. At the time, I thought that was crazy. Now it is almost necessary. Things have gotten that bad. Just give me the location with a bunch of moderates with great social programs and responsible spending that is consistent with fair opportunities and I’ll be happy. Which postage size stamp of the country is that?

IMO, you described Orange County, CA

[YGIFS 19449]

What the fuck does Nebraska need with that many counties (93)?  Does every family in the Cornhusker state get their own county, or what?  

You see those headlines, "This candidate won a record number of counties nationwide".  Well yeah, that's easy to do when some of those states have more counties than they have people.  

[closetohumping 17380]

4 minutes ago, BeardIP said:

Crazy expensive though right?

I remember looking into it once and you'd have to live in like a Santa Ana craphole 3/2 to be in driving range of a beach and an office building you would want to work at, and still pay $1mm+ 

True.  TBH you couldn't pay me enough to live in Santa Ana, not with a family.  

 

Santa Ana, under 1 mil

Edited June 10 by closetohumping

[troph 24548]

nah man it's spacious and convenient.

[troph 24548]

I just fucked up my redfin algos for you assholes, but we should all go in on this one:

 

https://www.redfin.com/CO/Aspen/1330-W-Buttermilk-Rd-81611/home/132013514

 

problem solved, you're welcome. now let's party like everything in the world is alright!

Edited June 10 by troph

[closetohumping 17380]

7 minutes ago, BeardIP said:

3 bdrm, 1.5 bathroom and at 1100 Sqft and looks like a hovel and probably needs a ton of work for $996k. Wow, where do I sign? lol

You gotta work with me here man.  Have  you heard of Riverside?

[InkaUtexas 25426]

8 minutes ago, troph said:

I just fucked up my redfin algos for you assholes, but we should all go in on this one:

 

https://www.redfin.com/CO/Aspen/1330-W-Buttermilk-Rd-81611/home/132013514

 

problem solved, you're welcome. now let's party like everything in the world is alright!

I will be your landscaper.

[F250 28659]

17 minutes ago, closetohumping said:

True.  TBH you couldn't pay me enough to live in Santa Ana, not with a family.  

 

Santa Ana, under 1 mil

Reminds me of the time I considered accepting a job in Redwood City and couldn't find anything nearby over 1200 sq ft for under a million that was worth buying.

[closetohumping 17380]

4 minutes ago, BeardIP said:

Until you've actually looked into it, the Texan mind cannot comprehend the sacrifices to creature comforts that has to happen to do the Texas->California move. Everything, especially real estate/homes are much more expensive (and crappy) and you have to pay everything with even less of a net paycheck after taxes if you are a W2 schlub.

That's why you hear so much of the California-> Texas and how they feel like newfound millionaires, the inverse of the Beverly Hillbillies.

I know you know, but for those who haven't actually cost modeled out a move to a place like California, it might be eye-opening to do so. Especially with a young family.

Yes. 
1. when my Texas relatives and friends visit  they snicker at the size of my house.  Then o take them to the beach, big bear,etc and they get it

2 when Texans lament “how expensive it’s gotten” I get it. But you can get a mansion in pearland for 500k. I just showed you what 1 mil in the hood in California gets. 

[troph 24548]

The arguments of how costly it would be to move to CA or CO are noteworthy but ultimately unpersuasive for anyone who enjoys the outdoors.  Weekend entertainment? $20 of additional flies in my fly box and hike to 10,000 ft or higher and catch brookies, nap by an alpine lake and go home and sleep well 10 hours later. I don’t need the big house for that.  I don’t need expensive dinners out for that. When the time comes we will make the trade, my only issue is I don’t want the winters in the mountains. 

[Rex Kramer 1297]

5 hours ago, crash_davis said:

New US News Best Places to Live list is out. It reaffirms the original CNBC premise. Dallas, Houston, and Beaumont are neck and neck for which is shittier.

 

https://realestate.usnews.com/places/rankings/best-places-to-live

https://www.statesman.com/story/news/state/2024/06/10/texas-cites-u-s-news-top-150-best-places-to-live-list/74017525007/

Top 10

1. Naples, FL
2. Boise, ID
3. Colorado Springs, CO
4. Greenville, SC
5. Charlotte, NC
6. Raleigh, NC
7. Huntsville, AL
8. Virginia Beach, VA
9. Austin, TX
10. Boulder, CO

Texas cities

48. McAllen

62. El Paso

77. Corpus Christi

87. Brownsville

89. San Antonio

95. Dallas

97. Houston

99. Beaumont

107. Killeen

Dallas rocks. lol on all those Texas cities above. 

[F250 28659]

13 minutes ago, closetohumping said:

when my Texas relatives and friends visit  they snicker at the size of my house.  Then o take them to the beach, big bear,etc and they get it

I have a friend in California with this attitude. He says the access to all of the natural environments in California is worth the reduced living space.

[closetohumping 17380]

1 minute ago, F250 said:

I have a friend in California with this attitude. He says the access to all of the natural environments in California is worth the reduced living space.

the high temp in my location is lower than the low of any of the major Texas cities.  

[Frank Drebin 5625]

Just now, troph said:

The arguments of how costly it would be to move to CA or CO are noteworthy but ultimately unpersuasive for anyone who enjoys the outdoors.  Weekend entertainment? $20 of additional flies in my fly box and hike to 10,000 ft or higher and catch brookies, nap by an alpine lake and go home and sleep well 10 hours later. I don’t need the big house for that.  I don’t need expensive dinners out for that. When the time comes we will make the trade, my only issue is I don’t want the winters in the mountains. 

You don't like to ski?  I love both winters and summers in mountains.  The muddy part of late spring is when you want to bail.  I agree with you about costs.  Most of the shit I like to do in the mountains does not cost much.  Fishing, hiking, skiing (season pass is cheap per day if you ski a lot), public hunting, rafting.  I often buy second hand gear that is gently used (Replay Sports in Aspen is a treasure -- billionaires around there get rid of good shit cheap).  And I have all the hunting stuff I need for a lifetime.

We bought a place in Whitefish.  I am moving there when my kids finish school in a few years.  Will spend time back home in Texas during the fall, mainly.  Probably just stay at the ranch and won't keep a place in the city.  As much as you guys dislike the state politics in Texas, I feel the same about blue big city politics anywhere.  When a friend of ours was gunned down at McDonalds last month by some asshole just released on bail for aggravated assault, that did it for me.  Harris County is deteriorating, IMO.  I have lived here all my life outside of college and law school.  The shit I see day after day around my "nice" neighborhood disgusts me.  It is going to get worse, not better.

[Frank Drebin 5625]

4 minutes ago, F250 said:

I have a friend in California with this attitude. He says the access to all of the natural environments in California is worth the reduced living space.

You need less indoor space when the weather outside is so nice.  No need to be inside when it's 70 with no humidity.

[closetohumping 17380]

5 minutes ago, Frank Drebin said:

You need less indoor space when the weather outside is so nice.  No need to be inside when it's 70 with no humidity.

It's a crime to be indoors if it's great weather.  Get outside

[We’reTexas 1467]

45 minutes ago, BeardIP said:

Until you've actually looked into it, the Texan mind cannot comprehend the sacrifices to creature comforts that has to happen to do the Texas->California move. Everything, especially real estate/homes are much more expensive (and crappy) and you have to pay everything with even less of a net paycheck after taxes if you are a W2 schlub.

That's why you hear so much of the California-> Texas and how they feel like newfound millionaires, the inverse of the Beverly Hillbillies.

I know you know, but for those who haven't actually cost modeled out a move to a place like California, it might be eye-opening to do so. Especially with a young family.

It’s quite mind-boggling, and I say this as someone who actually made the move. A lot of it is just how cheap Texas is relative to the rest of the country, but I’ve been here a decade now and the cost still blows my mind (particularly the RWC area).

edit: check out r/BayAreaRealEstate, weirdest fucking sub on that site. 

Edited June 10 by We’reTexas

[TKthunder2 4975]

1 hour ago, YGIFS said:

What the fuck does Nebraska need with that many counties (93)?  Does every family in the Cornhusker state get their own county, or what?  

You see those headlines, "This candidate won a record number of counties nationwide".  Well yeah, that's easy to do when some of those states have more counties than they have people.  

Silently laughs as I sit in the Denver airport on my way to…

[F250 28659]

40 minutes ago, BeardIP said:

I know you know, but for those who haven't actually cost modeled out a move to a place like California, it might be eye-opening to do so. Especially with a young family.

Having a young family is definitely a problem. At the time, my kids were young and I have four kids. No way we were squeezing six people into a two bedroom 1200 sq ft house it would have been an extreme reduction in space. Our nearest neighbor's house is a couple of football fields away. No way I could ever afford to replicate that kind of living space  in California.

I wanted California nature but...

[YGIFS 19449]

Only in the nice parts of California.  

Do some of you bros even Bakersfield?  Bigger than Arlington, TX.  About as exciting.  And even cheaper to live.  

South of Stockton to Santa Clarita all east of IH-5.  South of IH-10 to Mexico (save for the coastal cities).  And then that corner NE chunk by Nevada.  It's cheaper than most Texas suburbs in terms of real estate.  If you don't mind horrific schools and being surrounded by fucking morons.  

[DaggerHorns 3057]

3 hours ago, utee94 said:

Joke's on you-- the fake train is as real-built as it's ever gonna be, with your real money.  

It’s not fake. You can already buy tickets.

New Train

[troph 24548]

Yeah family in 1200 square feet is tough, we did it growing up in just under 1500 square feet. Would not want again.

[YGIFS 19449]

8 minutes ago, BeardIP said:

It’s all porn and meth about 50 miles east of the coast it seems. Cth can confirm for us if that’s true.

To be fair, also some wine-colored meth and wine-genre porn.  And some trees.  

Edited June 10 by YGIFS

[closetohumping 17380]

54 minutes ago, BeardIP said:

It’s all porn and meth about 50 miles east of the coast it seems. Cth can confirm for us if that’s true.

 

But I will say Riverside is hot as fuck and yes, inland is sketchy.  May as well be in Texas. 

 

Not sure if Bakersfield or Stockton are actually cheaper than Arlington though. 

50 minutes ago, troph said:

Yeah family in 1200 square feet is tough, we did it growing up in just under 1500 square feet. Would not want again.

People do it, but why, if you don't have to?  6 people in that place i posted should be against the law.

[YGIFS 19449]

Top google hit shows both Bakersfield and Arlington median rent is ~1,400/mo.  YMMV.  I was surprised to see Stockton at close to $1,700/mo.  It's an even bigger shithole but I guess closer to civilization.  

When I lived in the East Bay many years ago, I went out there a few times to meet up with a chick I met closer to me.  She was pretty, intelligent, well-mannered, well-spoken, clothes/makeup, decent car, etc.  Then I drove over to her neighborhood in Stockton and I felt like Jerry Seinfeld with the quote, "Well, good luck with all that..."  I didn't where was 

[Samson's Wig 3168]

4 hours ago, troph said:

mountain locations that aren't red:

 

New England?

Asheville NC, what's that other spot in NC?

None in the rest of Appalachia.

None in the Ozarks.

None in Utah.

WY/ID not really except Jackson Hole. Ha.

Far West Texas.

As I mentioned earlier - it's really Colorado, New Mexico, parts of Oregon and Washington. Montana I guess. And looks like parts of the Sierras.

Affordable? meh, none of those are going to be very affordable.

Speaking from experience.  Do not fall for the New Mexico trap.

[Hate 20102]

Will all you people bitching about Texas hurry up and move somewhere else? Thanks in advance.

[YGIFS 19449]

Just realized after Texas and Georgia (biggest state in the Continental and biggest state East of the Mississippi and two very large populations have the most counties.....makes sense).  But then Kentucky, Missouri, and Kansas are next.  Iowa and Tennessee are also Top 10.  That would help explain the "You have to win the most counties mentality bullshit, or he won the most counties argument" I've been hearing more and more of as of late.  Makes sense.  

I would have thought it'd be a Pareto Principle thing where 80% of Americans lived in 20% of the counties, and I know the Electoral Map like the back of my hand, but never really paid much attention to the county lines until recently when it became this weird badge of honor.  It would seem Pareto does not actually apply here.  

There's about 3,000 counties in the nation (plus the parishes of LA and boroughs of Alaska).  So I wonder how many live in the Top 600 counties then?  

Of the 5 levels of government I interact with regularly---Federal, State of Texas (everything from DPS to RRC), Travis County, City of Austin, and my ISD board/admin.  My County government is about the only one that actually has some semblance of sanity, FWIW.  Everything else from D.C. to the Capitol Complex to City Hall is fucking insane.  

Edited June 11 by YGIFS

[F250 28659]

3 hours ago, troph said:

I don’t need expensive dinners out for that. When the time comes we will make the trade, my only issue is I don’t want the winters in the mountains. 

I've been snow skiing many times in my life but only once did I ever do a ski trip for a full week. We rented a place for 7 days in Breckenridge during January. On day six, I discovered that I couldn't do cold weather for more than five days before I start getting irritated with the cold.

I definitely require sunlight and warm weather all year round just not the kind that comes with the Texas heat dome four month hell scape.

[troph 24548]

48 minutes ago, Samson's Wig said:

Speaking from experience.  Do not fall for the New Mexico trap.

Do tell…

[troph 24548]

24 minutes ago, F250 said:

I've been snow skiing many times in my life but only once did I ever do a ski trip for a full week. We rented a place for 7 days in Breckenridge during January. On day six, I discovered that I couldn't do cold weather for more than five days before I start getting irritated with the cold.

I definitely require sunlight and warm weather all year round just not the kind that comes with the Texas heat dome four month hell scape.

I’ll lose 5-10 pounds just hiking and riding bikes as the standard “what are we doing tonight or this weekend” when we go up to CO for July. When we go skiing I need to line up therapy sessions by the 4th day I’m so crazy. 
 

Excluding vacation I’d rank my ideal as:

Fla Keys or Caribbean Islands Jan and Feb

Austin March through June 15

Colorado  June 16 - October 5

Austin October 6 - December 31

I’ll die trying to make it happen.

Edited June 11 by troph

[troph 24548]

Btw tonight in the west part Travis county has been incredible. 

[InkaUtexas 25426]

it is a nice evening. Light breeze, had a small shower. I will take it.

[troph 24548]

6 minutes ago, InkaUtexas said:

it is a nice evening. Light breeze, had a small shower. I will take it.

Average June high is supposed to be 91 and low 71. No heat dome it’s great.

[Sawbonz 27375]

1 minute ago, troph said:

Average June high is supposed to be 91 and low 71. No heat dome it’s great.

[Gil Bang 25865]

4 hours ago, F250 said:

I have a friend in California with this attitude. He says the access to all of the natural environments in California is worth the reduced living space.

 

4 hours ago, Frank Drebin said:

You need less indoor space when the weather outside is so nice.  No need to be inside when it's 70 with no humidity.

That's what I tell all my buyers that come from elsewhere.

The GF is from Miami.  We are often at her sister's house in Coral Gables.  It's a decent size house, but it gets pretty small when you cannot go outside due to heat, humidity, and skeeters.

Here at our place (North San Diego County) we have a 15x20 breezeway between the main house and the guest house.  In the summertime, we eat dinner there almost every night.  We are there every afternoon (adjacent to the pool).  I've got a nice TV hung there, a beer fridge, nice furniture, a ceiling fan, etc.   It's our favorite room in the house, and it's not in the house.

In the winter/fall, I'm there watching football every saturday and Sunday.  sure, I turn on the propane heater now and again, but it's still comfortable. 

[4th&Five 41457]

My FIL recently told my wife we’ll be inheriting their north county house someday, so I have that to look forward to. 

[TwiceHorn 31184]

I understand Santa Carla is great.

Spoiler

Except for all the damn vampires.

 

[Gil Bang 25865]

9 minutes ago, 4th&Five said:

My FIL recently told my wife we’ll be inheriting their north county house someday, so I have that to look forward to. 

if you want that to happen sooner rather than later, I know a guy. 

[troph 24548]

30 minutes ago, Gil Bang said:

if you want that to happen sooner rather than later, I know a guy. 

Funny we are watching hitman tonight. She’s a smoke show and honestly Ron is pretty fucking alright too.

55 minutes ago, Sawbonz said:

Siri told me.

[Gil Bang 25865]

Just now, troph said:

Funny we are watching hitman tonight. She’s a smoke show and honestly Ron is pretty fucking alright too.

the GF and I rarely agree on movies.  We started this and liked it,a and she fell asleep.  So, we'll finish when she gets back from this work trip.

 

Meanwhile, I'm watching "Run Silent Run Deep".   Which is why we rarely agree on movies.  But c'mon...Clark Gable, Burt Lancaster, Don Rickles, etc.