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The Best Places in USAI have lived in and or visited for at least a week more than 300 cities and lived in eight states in the Unites States and let me tell you that America is a pretty spectacular place, and I’m not just saying that because I was born and raised in the good ole’ US of A. No, I’m saying that because many people all over the world say it as well. There's nothing wrong with settling down or living your entire life in one town, and sometimes I wish I had that mindset. But I don't, and instead I've always wondered what's beyond the horizon. People, places and ideas have always fascinated me. Americans are famously restless, always looking for a better place to live, which I think is a good thing. Knowing how much I've traveled around the U.S., people sometimes ask me where's the best place to live in America, but of course, I can't answer that, since each state is unique and special in its own way, and everyone looks for different things, and at different times in their lives. Heck, I can't even tell you where to go for lunch unless it's in Mid Town Manhattan.The country is changing, I call it "The USA's Evolution" and not "Progress," because lots of what is happening doesn't seem progressive, it's seems regressive. Some parts of the USA are moving forward (West, East) and some parts moving backward. (South) and some relishing in the comfort of its easy going culture (Midwest). For example, my Milwaukee hometown has changed for the better and for the worse depending upon the neighborhood. My old Washington Heights neighborhood in Milwaukee is now the hood and unsafe, but the Milwaukee suburbs are rated by Kiplinger the best for raising a family because of its excellent schools and quality of life. Milwaukee has the Lake Michigan waterfront, its historic downtown, plentiful Universities, Fortune 500 headquarters and hundreds of high quality ethnic neighborhoods that are top in class and rich in culture.There is no single best place because it depends on what you are looking for. If you have no family or friends, and you could live absolutely anywhere, then it depends what kind of weather you like, what your politics are, what kind of work you are looking for. There are so many variables. Some people love the mountains, some the ocean, some the woods, some love snow, some hate rain, some love the city and being able to walk to anything they need, others want to be on acres and acres, and never have to hear their neighbors. As for me, the best place to live in the United States is in a brownstone building in the West Village neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City. I'm assuming price isn't a problem for you, since you haven't mentioned any financial constraints. Go for the $15 million-plus option, which might get you all the floors in a brownstone.This country is so huge and diverse that every state has pretty much every type of living condition from big city to farm/ranch. Personally, first I would decide what sort of weather I liked best, and look at a region that served my needs. Then I would decide what I did, normally, on a daily basis, because I want to LIVE somewhere that meets my daily living needs, knowing that I can go anywhere on vacation if I truly want. My job would be a huge factor, because, for instance, simply choosing a place where you would have a long commute to your job can eat up so much of your time, that your hobbies, family time, etc all suffer in the long run. I would then look at the financials. . . salary vs. cost of living for the things I buy and use, rent or home prices, utilities, property taxes, income taxes, sales taxes, gas, ALL the different fees and taxes I would be paying, because no one really tells the truth on the total tax package that would apply to me, both now, and when I retire. Then, if I have a specific hobby or passion, of course I would look at that too, but remember, hobbies and interests change as you get older, so for most people, choosing a place to live based on their current hobbies and activities they enjoy doing now, may negatively impact their lives in other areas. Otherwise, there are many places in USA to visit but some places to look at like Maui, San Francisco, Orlando, Savannah, Chicago and Charleston. The most fun place to live? Of course, the answer depends on what 'you' consider 'fun'.There is simply no objective answer that says "City X" is the best place to live. People are too different and what appeals to some might bore or even frighten others. Besides, one thing I've learned in my ½ century on the planet: you can be miserable in beautiful places and happy in relative dumps. Such stories might sell magazines but honestly people are too different and this country too diverse to take a one-size fits all approach.East Coast Vs. West Coast LivingIn NY, people love talking about world issues and politics, they are well read, have subscriptions to the New Yorker and The Economist. In LA you are more likely to find In Style magazine lying around and let’s just say politics is not what you typically hear at dinner conversations, it's about weird stuff and what five parties can you hit in one night. While New York tends to be straight laced, LA tends to be outlandish and crazy. For example, in LA Tattoos are acceptable, even on your neck, and pretty much everywhere in California. The more, the better. In New York they are a sign of the under class. In Connecticut where I was raised, tattoos were considered “bad” and something only naughty girls got. In New York you see celebrities all the time and there is nothing to it. Here in LA, we live, eat, and breathe the tabloids and we often see their crazy behavior in front of our eyes at the gym, our workplace, or the beach, before it even hits the silly tabloid mags and blogs. Since it is all around us, it makes us laugh and is a LA normal.When you grow up in the North East, they ask you where you went to school, everyone around you is talking about their education, Harvard, Princeton and MIT being the top level. Having a master’s degree, PhD, MBA is just an extra something to have under your belt. I have found people on the West Coast are not raised with the same educational whip but quite a few still are successful. No one dresses up much in New York. They wear smart casual for business and dates. Only Wall Streeters and Bankers wear suits. Corporate row is filled whale pants, Nantucket reds, green cords with sailor belts, Docksiders with no socks, tassel loafers, bow ties, Vineyard Vines ties, monogrammed shirts, croakies, khakis and navy blazers with hair swept and combed perfectly to the side. In LA they have that homeless look and wear jeans with a T-shirt and some beat up sandals. In LA people are dreamers not work-alcoholics like New Yorkers. People don’t want to work for someone and slave in an office all day. LA is a tech world, the entertainment biz, the travel industry, the fashion madness, and incredible performing arts communities. People on the east coast have one job they sweat over in an extremely competitive world. People on the west coast are more relaxed and have maybe average five, at one time. People are chasing their dream and working where they can to support that dream.In LA, they have a garden growing their own organic food. In NY, they have the deli and health bars. I hated veggies when I lived on the East Coast my entire life. Now I can tell you how to grow a garden and what fruits and vegetables are good for each part of your body and why. Everywhere you go in LA there is a new cleanse you can try or a miracle juice straight from the earth or vegans proclaiming meat, eggs, and milk should not be consumed. The bars on the West Coast have a way different feel than the ones I use to frequent back East in NYC, Boston, and DC where you smash peanuts on the floor, see Irish Catholic boys in their baseball hats, meet everyone with Italian last names, and dance to the juke box, play darts, and pool. These places are packed back at home all the time. People meander from one to the next. The East Coast is more down-to-Earth when it comes to bars. No one is dressing up in heals and the latest trend. Wear your fleece, drive your pick-up truck or your wood paneled car that you have owned for 15 years. No one cares! Living in LA is like living in an altered universe, but if you don’t get out every now and then, you forget the rest of the world is not California or LA. Yes, LA is more materialistic and I drive a new white BMW, but so does everyone else. So I guess I just fit in with the flashy masses in LA.What region of the United States of America is best to live in?That depends on what you want out of life, is it great - high paying jobs, advanced education and social relationships, hunting and fishing, warm weather and cheap taxes, lowest crime rate, lowest cost of living, and best employment development? I would add "Levity" too as you might imagine. Overall, today, that place is Texas. It's very cheap to live there, Texas has got a little bit of everything and there are four major cities with lots of opportunities to choose from and the people seem pretty cool too. You are afraid of Texans and their braggadocio? Believe it, Texans come in all races, education levels, income, and political affiliation. Sure, there is still backwards people there; but I found those same type of people everywhere else in America. Other than Texas, the next best places is on the east coast, all the way from Boston to Miami. I lived in Boston for six months and discovered its full intelligent people, beyond great restaurants, easy to travel around because of their grade A public transportation and it has hundreds of universities. I took Strategic Marketing at the Harvard Business School and loved the academic atmosphere. I guarantee you will meet some great people in Boston from all over the world. I personally think New York was best for me. Between the mountains and lake driven upstate area, and the flamboyant New York City region, New York had everything for me.But if you want to find the U.S. states and regions with the brightest future, look west. Gallup analysis shows that the West North Central, Mountain, and Pacific regions (California and Acadia) are likely to be the best areas to live in 20 years, based on the strong economic, health, and community foundations they are building today. The best place to live in 2032 will have tackled unemployment, financial worry, healthcare costs, obesity, and education challenges. It will be a place where most residents are healthy, optimistic, employed in good jobs they love, and enthusiastic about their communities. But beware of those magazine reports telling the best places in America. I know people who've moved to places that are usually near the bottom of these lists, like Pittsburgh and Cleveland, who've loved it. And I know folks who've moved to places that are usually highly-ranked, like Austin and San Diego, who've hated it and couldn't pack and leave fast enough.As much as I've traveled around this country, I certainly haven't been everywhere, so I can't tell you where the best place in America is. Maybe it's that little town in Tennessee I bypassed back in 1984 while driving the Natchez Trace or that village in Vermont I never quite made it to. So instead of listing what I think are the best and worst places to live in America, I'll do it a little differently and use a mix of criteria, some useful and some inane. Each state has its own personality and quirks and is wonderful in its own way. And everyone has different opinions about America's best places, which I respect. But for what it's worth, and based on the places I have been to, I've listed here my opinions about the best and worst of America:Most Friendly: Many people think the South is the friendliest place in America. I've traveled throughout the South a lot and lived there 18 years and have found most Southerners to be pretty courteous and I believe the concept of "Southern Hospitality" is alive and well. But remember, the "War" isn't over and I have had some bad experiences with overtly gun happy - religiously intolerant people who see the world in shades of gray and grimness while I see it in shades of light. and progress.Overall, I think the friendliest place in the U.S. is the rural Midwest, including Minnesota and Wisconsin but especially the Dakotas, Nebraska and Kansas. While rural Midwesterners have a reputation for being stodgy and behind the times, during my travels through the Midwest (I lived in Minneapolis for 8 months) I didn't meet anyone who wasn't friendly. Not one person. I just wish the winter weather in the Midwest was as warm as the people there. But to be honest with you, I was raised in Milwaukee and maybe have a bias toward the Midwest.Most Interesting: Although Louisiana is pretty interesting, with its endless swamps and its Cajun culture, and California what with its American culture setting ambiance, the most interesting and exciting state to me is New York. I lived there for forty years and, without a doubt, think it has more things to do, history, funky places and a diversity than any other state. It's like a microcosm of the world. The New York Metro region also has more people than any other region which is why I'll never move back. That and the outrageously expensive housing and taxes but I love the mass transit.Most Attractive Women: California has the most attractive women. Maybe it's because looks count for a lot out there. New York is a close second and you can girl watch better there on the crowded streets where tens of thousands walk by in an hour. PEW polls say almost every young person in the USA wants to be in New York for awhile to prove themselves, and they have the international set of women flocking there too. And third is Texas, I don't know what's in the water those flat desert land tracks, but Texas women are incredibly beautiful . . . and very blonde and chicked out in the latest fashions. Sit and watch the parade while sitting in the Dallas airport lounge and they will drive you crazy. The city with the prettiest women is Boston, partly because there are more than 250 colleges and universities there. And no, I'm not a sexist pig.Most Arrogant: Texas, by far. I dealt with Texans and visited there often and think they are a unique breed. Yep, Texans are mighty proud to be from Texas -- and they genuinely feel sorry for anyone not lucky enough to be born there. You see the Lone Star flag everywhere in Texas. Yeah, they're arrogant and will brag about being from Texas, but most of them are pretty friendly and easy-going, and I do admire their state pride and cowboy culture.Most Bigoted: Albeit being the Bible Belt, you can always depend on southerners to take the hard stand against human rights. I guess it goes back to the slavery and Jim Crow that formed their culture. For example, being Christian hasn't softened the right wing into compassion when considering the plight of the refugee children sneaking across our southern border to better their condition or save their lives from predators back in Central America.Most Wacky: Florida is a lovely state but it's just plain weird. There are more strange tourist attractions in Florida, by far, than any other place in America. It's between tourists, criminals and old people in their Crown Victorias driving 10 miles an hour to who owns the state. Florida is a great place to visit, but you wouldn't want to live there -- as opposed to the Midwest, which is a great place to live, but you wouldn't want to visit there. Well, actually I did live in Florida once, so I can affectionately say that it's one wacky, tacky place.Most Snobbish: New England, and especially Massachusetts, with Connecticut being a close second. The aristocracy there doesn't like to associate with people whose ancestors didn't come over on the Mayflower in 1620. Jeez, mine "only" came over in 1848, so I'm a veritable newcomer! Boston is the most snobbish city in America (and has the worst drivers), but despite that, it's also one of the most fascinating cities in the U.S. and a place I truly love. As noted above, Boston also has the most beautiful women in America -- perhaps one reason I love it so much!Most Historic: No question about it, Virginia and Massachusetts. Virginia is one giant Magical History Tour, and you could spend weeks visiting the battlefields and sites here and still not see them all -- I know because I've tried. Virginia is also home to more Presidents (eight, I believe) than any other state. Massachusetts also has a lot of interesting sites and is a great place to visit.Best Summers: California has the best year-round weather of any state but Oregon has the best summers. Oregon summers are ideal with consistently sunny days, pleasant temperatures with very little humidity, and it's not as hot as California. And no bugs. Washington summers aren't too shabby, either.Worst Summers: Anywhere in the Deep South, and the deeper you go, the worse it gets. Can you say "Steam Bath"? Florida wasn't even inhabitable until air-conditioning was invented. Everyone in the South sweats constantly in the summer and if you drive without air-conditioning, be ready to wash out the salt stains from the back of your shirt. It's nasty.Best Winters: Hawaii, of course, but Florida's a close second. That's the reason I moved there during the winter of 1987 -- and then left in May when it started getting hot and sticky. Yeah, I'm a wimp.Worst Winters: Alaska, of course, but North Dakota is a close second. But the winters in Wisconsin and New York where I spent most of my life are very long and bitterly cold. No wonder New York's Upstate population has been dwindling for decades. Every January I think about my friends in Upstate with empathy. But I do miss my Craftsman 36 inch gas powered snow machine, we spent years together fighting two feet of snow every other day. It's kinda generates memories like my first car . . .So... Where is the Best Place to Live?There is an almost perfect correlation between the top ten Christian states (all evangelical) and the top ten most backward states in terms of poverty, illiteracy, income inequality, high Fox News viewership, right-wing political orientation, crime, corruption etc. And they are all southern states . . . Hmm, Mississippi is #1 in Church attendance and number 50 in education, is the poorest state in the country and also the most conservative.The Atlanta metro region is a mixed bag, parts are wealthy and like 'Up Scale - High Culture' and diverse Westchester County in New York, but many parts are in the "Hood" and depressing. Schools are generally poor, there is not mass transit, traffic is beyond terrible, ultra conservative religion and politics drive the culture and are archaic, some counties are modern (Gwinnett) and some are corrupt and backward (Clayton, DeKalb, Fulton) and I would guess the percent of college educated persons is less than 10%.And many whites still fight the War of Northern Aggression! But by guns (they love guns) and by golly, our property taxes are low. But you have to be in a development with an expensive HOA to keep a trailer being built next to yours. New Yorker's already know that you get what you pay for . . . they have everything with a high quality of life and hence the high tax rate, Americans haven't figured that out yet.Then there is good old heathen Northeast where you freeze in the winter and pay high taxes, there just sitting up here being the most literate, least violent, best educated, highest employed, and least religious states in the country. No where in the USA can you find the mountain and lake beauty of upstate New York and only a few miles from Manhattan by mass transit. Ah, but Massachusetts is the fly in that ointment. They have the best schools in the USA, were the first state to allow same-sex marriage (8 years now and they haven't slid off into the ocean), lowest divorce rate in the nation, and is #9 for most Christians. Proof that you don't have to be an ignorant, backwards, ideologue to be a Christian. What does that all indicate?So where would you live in the U.S. if money were no object? Many people might automatically pick New York or San Francisco, maybe New Orleans or Boston Big cities tend to get all the love. They have the most livability where you will meet the most interesting people and have the best stories to tell. Standard criteria for a great place to live includes: the number of restaurants, bars, and museums per capita; the number of colleges, libraries, and professional sports teams; the income, poverty, unemployment, crime, and foreclosure rates; percent of population with bachelor’s degrees, public school performance, park acres per 1,000 residents, and air quality. Greater weighting was placed on recreational amenities such as parks, bars, restaurants, and museums, and on educational attainment, school performance, poverty, and air quality.Retirees want that sensibility about how to live life which is gentle on the human spirit, what's not to love about a town that it is highly walkable, very diverse, has liberal politics, great public transit paired with inconvenient parking so that people actually do take the bus, great restaurants and cultural outlets. Then there is the quietness and intimacy that make even the most bustling city less of an assault on the senses. The dog fountains on the streets, the lush parks, and the way people walk arm in arm.For me, during my life time, and when I was young, it was being raised in Milwaukee (Circa 1937 - 1955) and working in Manhattan and living in Upstate (circa 1967 - 2005). I had the best social and intellectual opportunities, most fun, best friends, and was very successful in the Navy and computer industry.But actually, there are hundreds of great places to live all based on your needs and wants. Thank God we live in the USA where maximum choices are available in every venue you can possibly imagine!The Best - Beauty, Intellectual Freedom, DiversityColorado is an outdoors man’s paradise, with the rivers and the Rockies and the fishing and the skiing and the kayaking and bike trails, etc. Denver is becoming more and more cosmopolitan, while Boulder and Aspen have a hippie gestalt. Its schools and hospitals are solid, if not world class. It recently passed Massachusetts as the skinniest state, so there are tons of opportunities for outdoor exercise. And while I miss the coast, it is truly lovely, once you get west of Denver and rise from the Great Plains into the high Rockies.Northern California is really beautiful. I'm talking about the bay area: San Francisco, Santa Cruz, etc. It’s not at all scary for me unlike LA to me. I don't know if this is the best place to live in the US but I'm going to live there when I go off to college. Another place I would possibly like to live is Portland, Oregon.I've seen images of it on TV a few times and it looks calm. Also I've read various books that take place in Portland and it seems so awesome. There's a bookstore (Powell's Used Bookstore) I want to visit which is located in Portland and a song also mentions it.California of course has everything you could ask for. There’s a reason 45 million people live there. Florida has the great weather and beaches (Hawaii too, of course). The Pacific northwest (Oregon and Washington) have some hip college towns, lovely scenery, and a modern outlook. Portland and Seattle are both good cities to live in.And then, there is Boulder. The Colorado town where everyone is beautiful and not overweight. Everyone runs bikes, skis, swims, climbs, and hikes. The university plays a major role in the cultural and intellectual influence on the town, both for the students and the townsfolk. And yes, folks do sit still long enough to attends lectures, or plays, or concerts. The town has terrific independent bookstores and no matter where you are, you are never more than an arms length away from a coffee shop. Get your caffeine fix, quick.Rural areas such as New Hampshire and Montana are the most libertarians, but they're also quite rural and boring. Washington is pretty high on the libertarian list (not just philosophically, but also in terms of tax policy and the recent liberalization of marijuana), so you may want to consider Seattle since it's considered the city where people are reading constantly. The problem with Seattle though is that people are reserved and not very jovial on the outside, so it'll probably be slow to meet people unless you join a libertarian club or some sort of intellectual club. I've found the people in Arizona to be among the friendliest in the short time that I was there. They are also high on the list for libertarians. I'm a little surprised that Texas wasn't a good fit. What stands out? Too many people talk about sports? In Boulder, the cost of living is high, but then, so are the Rocky Mountains.For the most part, you make your fun wherever you live. I have a close relative who recently went into a tailspin when he chose to leave his small city in northern North Dakota where he had a great group of friends and a nearby lake where he ran his boat.P.S. Money magazine says these are the best places to live.10. Portland, Oregon9. Seattle, Washington8. Sedona, Arizona7. Anchorage6. Las Vegas5. New Orleans4. New York City3. Washington DC2. San Francisco1. MauiSo there we have it. The best state for me to live in — New York (But only if it’s NYC). Pennsylvania comes a close second. I don’t think it’ll be too hard for me to adjust to NYC life — I feel like it’ll be cosmopolitan like London with the urban insanity of Hong Kong, except dirtier. I think I can deal with that. In addition, NYC fits my future career quite nicely, so it’s most probably the most logical place to go to in the US anyway. I should also mention that I’m a HUGE fan of Chicago, but I don’t really know the rest of Illinois too well — I just think it’s one of the three or four GREAT American cities, and I would love to live there. My least favorite state for weather is Florida. The summertime is complete Hell. New Hampshire has bad humidity, like stepping outside into a wall of water. California has extreme heat.

The Best Places in USAThere is no single best place because it depends on what you are looking for. If you have no family or friends, and you could live absolutely anywhere, then it depends what kind of weather you like, what your politics are, what kind of work you are looking for. There are so many variables. Some people love the mountains, some the ocean, some the woods, some love snow, some hate rain, some love the city and being able to walk to anything they need, others want to be on acres and acres, and never have to hear their neighbors. As for me, the best place to live in the United States is in a brownstone building in the West Village neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City. I'm assuming price isn't a problem for you, since you haven't mentioned any financial constraints. Go for the $15 million-plus option, which might get you all the floors in a brownstone.There is simply no objective answer that says "City X" is the best place to live. People are too different and what appeals to some might bore or even frighten others. Besides, one thing I've learned in my ½ century on the planet: you can be miserable in beautiful places and happy in relative dumps. Such stories might sell magazines but honestly people are too different and this country too diverse to take a one-size fits all approach. I've lived and traveled all over the states and there's no accurate answer to this question without knowing what you like and what's important to you. Are you young and single? Old and married? I currently live in an area I wouldn't have imagined myself ever traveling to let alone settling down in, but for me at this moment in my life, there is no where else I'd rather be. New York is simply fantastic for me! I have the city and Upstate, probably one of the most beautiful places in the USA. It's all lakes, mountains and rivers cast in rural small towns tucked in valleys between the high hills. .If I didn't live in Manhattan there are hundreds of other choices. This country is so huge and diverse that every state has pretty much every type of living condition from big city to farm/ranch. Personally, first I would decide what sort of weather I liked best, and look at a region that served my needs. Then I would decide what I did, normally, on a daily basis, because I want to LIVE somewhere that meets my daily living needs, knowing that I can go anywhere on vacation if I truly want. My job would be a huge factor, because, for instance, simply choosing a place where you would have a long commute to your job can eat up so much of your time, that your hobbies, family time, etc all suffer in the long run. I would then look at the financials. . . salary vs. cost of living for the things I buy and use, rent or home prices, utilities, property taxes, income taxes, sales taxes, gas, ALL the different fees and taxes I would be paying, because no one really tells the truth on the total tax package that would apply to me, both now, and when I retire. Then, if I have a specific hobby or passion, of course I would look at that too, but remember, hobbies and interests change as you get older, so for most people, choosing a place to live based on their current hobbies and activities they enjoy doing now, may negatively impact their lives in other areas. Otherwise, there are many places in USA to visit but some places to look at like Maui, San Francisco, Orlando, Savannah, Chicago and Charleston. The most fun place to live? Of course, the answer depends on what 'you' consider 'fun'.If you want to be involved and committed to rebuilding a city, where you can forget about your own self and help others? Then go to Detroit, a town where young and old people are working to undue the decades of damage that was done. Yes, civic commitment can be fun, and the memories of helping others will stay with you. Or how about somewhere else, a town that is both honest and hedonistic; Las Vegas. Why is it honest? Because there is no pretense about what the town wants…it wants your money. Oh, it will show you a good time, and you will get your moneys worth…but they are clear…you gotta pay. The hedonistic part? Well, of course that, too, Las Vegas is America at its most absurd. And you cannot help but laugh. While far away from the Strip and the glitz there are families and schools and churches and people living normal lives, some of those people leave the city to go to Red Rock Canyon and the surrounding region to feel the solitude of the mountains and the desert. The beauty is breathtaking. If you believe in a Creator, a God, then you feel its presence there. For some that walk this land, the presence of a Creator will be felt for the first time.And then, there is Boulder. The Colorado town where no one is not beautiful and not overweight. Everyone runs bikes, skis, swims, climbs, and hikes. The university plays a major role in the cultural and intellectual influence on the town, both for the students and the townsfolk. And yes, folks do sit still long enough to attends lectures, or plays, or concerts. The town has terrific independent bookstores and no matter where you are, you are never more than an arms length away from a coffee shop. Get your caffeine fix, quick.Rural areas such as New Hampshire and Montana are the most libertarians, but they're also quite rural and boring. Washington is pretty high on the libertarian list (not just philosophically, but also in terms of tax policy and the recent liberalization of marijuana), so you may want to consider Seattle since it's considered the city where people are reading constantly. The problem with Seattle though is that people are reserved and not very jovial on the outside, so it'll probably be slow to meet people unless you join a libertarian club or some sort of intellectual club. I've found the people in Arizona to be among the friendliest in the short time that I was there. They are also high on the list for libertarians. I'm a little surprised that Texas wasn't a good fit. What stands out? Too many people talk about sports? In Boulder, the cost of living is high, but then, so are the Rocky Mountains.Northern California is really beautiful. I'm talking about the bay area: San Francisco, Santa Cruz, etc. It’s not at all scary for me unlike LA to me. I don't know if this is the best place to live in the US but I'm going to live there when I go off to college. Another place I would possibly like to live is Portland, Oregon. I've seen images of it on TV a few times and it looks calm. Also I've read various books that take place in Portland and it seems so awesome. There's a bookstore (Powell's Used Bookstore) I want to visit which is located in Portland and a song also mentions it.For the most part, you make your fun wherever you live. I have a close relative who recently went into a tailspin when he chose to leave his small city in northern North Dakota where he had a great group of friends and a nearby lake where he ran his boat.P.S. Money magazine says these are the best places to live.10. Portland, Oregon9. Seattle, Washington8. Sedona, Arizona7. Anchorage6. Las Vegas5. New Orleans4. New York City3. Washington DC2. San Francisco1. MauiWhat region of the United States of America is best to live in?That depends on what you want out of life, is it great - high paying jobs, advanced education and social relationships, hunting and fishing, warm weather and cheap taxes, lowest crime rate, lowest cost of living, and best employment development? I would add "Levity" too as you might imagine. Overall, today, that place is Texas. It's very cheap to live there, Texas has got a little bit of everything and there are four major cities with lots of opportunities to choose from and the people seem pretty cool too. You are afraid of Texans and their braggadocio? Believe it, Texans come in all races, education levels, income, and political affiliation. Sure, there is still backwards people there; but I found those same type of people everywhere else in America. Other than Texas, the next best places is on the east coast, all the way from Boston to Miami. I lived in Boston for six months and discovered its full intelligent people, beyond great restaurants, easy to travel around because of their grade A public transportation and it has hundreds of universities. I took Strategic Marketing at the Harvard Business School and loved the academic atmosphere. I guarantee you will meet some great people in Boston from all over the world. I personally think New York was best for me. Between the mountains and lake driven upstate area, and the flamboyant New York City region, New York had everything for me.But if you want to find the U.S. states and regions with the brightest future, look west. Gallup analysis shows that the West North Central, Mountain, and Pacific regions (California and Acadia) are likely to be the best areas to live in 20 years, based on the strong economic, health, and community foundations they are building today. The best place to live in 2032 will have tackled unemployment, financial worry, healthcare costs, obesity, and education challenges. It will be a place where most residents are healthy, optimistic, employed in good jobs they love, and enthusiastic about their communities. But beware of those magazine reports telling the best places in America. I know people who've moved to places that are usually near the bottom of these lists, like Pittsburgh and Cleveland, who've loved it. And I know folks who've moved to places that are usually highly-ranked, like Austin and San Diego, who've hated it and couldn't pack and leave fast enough.As much as I've traveled around this country, I certainly haven't been everywhere, so I can't tell you where the best place in America is. Maybe it's that little town in Tennessee I bypassed back in 1984 while driving the Natchez Trace or that village in Vermont I never quite made it to. So instead of listing what I think are the best and worst places to live in America, I'll do it a little differently and use a mix of criteria, some useful and some inane. Each state has its own personality and quirks and is wonderful in its own way. And everyone has different opinions about America's best places, which I respect. But for what it's worth, and based on the places I have been to, I've listed here my opinions about the best and worst of America:Most Friendly: Many people think the South is the friendliest place in America. I've traveled throughout the South a lot and lived there 18 years and have found most Southerners to be pretty courteous and I believe the concept of "Southern Hospitality" is alive and well. But remember, the "War" isn't over and I have had some bad experiences with overtly gun happy - religiously intolerant people who see the world in shades of gray and grimness while I see it in shades of light. and progress.Overall, I think the friendliest place in the U.S. is the rural Midwest, including Minnesota and Wisconsin but especially the Dakotas, Nebraska and Kansas. While rural Midwesterners have a reputation for being stodgy and behind the times, during my travels through the Midwest (I lived in Minneapolis for 8 months) I didn't meet anyone who wasn't friendly. Not one person. I just wish the winter weather in the Midwest was as warm as the people there. But to be honest with you, I was raised in Milwaukee and maybe have a bias toward the Midwest.Most Interesting: Although Louisiana is pretty interesting, with its endless swamps and its Cajun culture, and California what with its American culture setting ambiance, the most interesting and exciting state to me is New York. I lived there for forty years and, without a doubt, think it has more things to do, history, funky places and a diversity than any other state. It's like a microcosm of the world. The New York Metro region also has more people than any other region which is why I'll never move back. That and the outrageously expensive housing and taxes but I love the mass transit.Most Attractive Women: California has the most attractive women. Maybe it's because looks count for a lot out there. New York is a close second and you can girl watch better there on the crowded streets where tens of thousands walk by in an hour. PEW polls say almost every young person in the USA wants to be in New York for awhile to prove themselves, and they have the international set of women flocking there too. And third is Texas, I don't know what's in the water those flat desert land tracks, but Texas women are incredibly beautiful . . . and very blonde and chicked out in the latest fashions. Sit and watch the parade while sitting in the Dallas airport lounge and they will drive you crazy. The city with the prettiest women is Boston, partly because there are more than 250 colleges and universities there. And no, I'm not a sexist pig.Most Arrogant: Texas, by far. I dealt with Texans and visited there often and think they are a unique breed. Yep, Texans are mighty proud to be from Texas -- and they genuinely feel sorry for anyone not lucky enough to be born there. You see the Lone Star flag everywhere in Texas. Yeah, they're arrogant and will brag about being from Texas, but most of them are pretty friendly and easy-going, and I do admire their state pride and cowboy culture.Most Bigoted: Albeit being the Bible Belt, you can always depend on southerners to take the hard stand against human rights. I guess it goes back to the slavery and Jim Crow that formed their culture. For example, being Christian hasn't softened the right wing into compassion when considering the plight of the refugee children sneaking across our southern border to better their condition or save their lives from predators back in Central America.Most Wacky: Florida is a lovely state but it's just plain weird. There are more strange tourist attractions in Florida, by far, than any other place in America. It's between tourists, criminals and old people in their Crown Victorias driving 10 miles an hour to who owns the state. Florida is a great place to visit, but you wouldn't want to live there -- as opposed to the Midwest, which is a great place to live, but you wouldn't want to visit there. Well, actually I did live in Florida once, so I can affectionately say that it's one wacky, tacky place.Most Snobbish: New England, and especially Massachusetts, with Connecticut being a close second. The aristocracy there doesn't like to associate with people whose ancestors didn't come over on the Mayflower in 1620. Jeez, mine "only" came over in 1848, so I'm a veritable newcomer! Boston is the most snobbish city in America (and has the worst drivers), but despite that, it's also one of the most fascinating cities in the U.S. and a place I truly love. As noted above, Boston also has the most beautiful women in America -- perhaps one reason I love it so much!Most Historic: No question about it, Virginia and Massachusetts. Virginia is one giant Magical History Tour, and you could spend weeks visiting the battlefields and sites here and still not see them all -- I know because I've tried. Virginia is also home to more Presidents (eight, I believe) than any other state. Massachusetts also has a lot of interesting sites and is a great place to visit.Best Summers: California has the best year-round weather of any state but Oregon has the best summers. Oregon summers are ideal with consistently sunny days, pleasant temperatures with very little humidity, and it's not as hot as California. And no bugs. Washington summers aren't too shabby, either.Worst Summers: Anywhere in the Deep South, and the deeper you go, the worse it gets. Can you say "Steam Bath"? Florida wasn't even inhabitable until air-conditioning was invented. Everyone in the South sweats constantly in the summer and if you drive without air-conditioning, be ready to wash out the salt stains from the back of your shirt. It's nasty.Best Winters: Hawaii, of course, but Florida's a close second. That's the reason I moved there during the winter of 1987 -- and then left in May when it started getting hot and sticky. Yeah, I'm a wimp.Worst Winters: Alaska, of course, but North Dakota is a close second. But the winters in Wisconsin and New York where I spent most of my life are very long and bitterly cold. No wonder New York's Upstate population has been dwindling for decades. Every January I think about my friends in Upstate with empathy. But I do miss my Craftsman 36 inch gas powered snow machine, we spent years together fighting two feet of snow every other day. It's kinda generates memories like my first car . . .