The Ten Best (and Worst) Places to Make a Living: 2017 Edition

I just read this article about the best and worst states to make a living in 2017.  

 To create the ranking, MoneyRates factored in elements like median salary, state tax rates, cost of living and unemployment rate. It used data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and Tax Foundation, a nonprofit think tank, among other sources. 
   The top ten states to make a living in 2017 are listed below.  1. Washington  2. Minnesota  3. Illinois  4. Texas  5. Colorado  6. Wyoming  7. Virginia  8. Ohio  9. Michigan  10. Kansas  It is interesting to point out that a majority of these states are not on the Pacific or Atlantic coast.  The article also included the top ten list of worst states to make a living in 2017.  1. Hawaii  2. California  3. Montana  4. West Virginia  5. Vermont  6. Oregon  7. South Carolina  8. Maine  9. New York  10. Mississippi  Obviously cost of living is a major factor when creating this list and it seems like the best states to make a living are the flyover states.  Would you prefer to live in a place where there is a lower cost of living (ex. Kansas) or a place where there is a higher cost of living if you had the same salary(ex. $100k) in both places (ex. New York)? Where would you live is cost was not an issue?
56 Comments
 

Hawaii may be worst, but even being a bartender in Hawaii has to be a great gig. I mean, you're in Hawaii.

"If you always put limits on everything you do, physical or anything else, it will spread into your work and into your life. There are no limits. There are only plateaus, and you must not stay there, you must go beyond them." - Bruce Lee
 

Except for the fact that it is probable that the bartender would have nearly no savings. Classic example of cost of living vs. quality of life. I think if a person was homeless or a hippie then being in Hawaii would be better then being in Kansas, for example.

 

You can make Mainland money living in Hawaii. Maybe not Wall St DE Shaw bonus money but decent small hedge fund money. Depends on your situation. Friend of mine does trading for a small SF based hedge fund in Hawaii (wakes up really early though). Evolution Capital has a Honolulu office. Some Big Tech teams allow for remote working. Hawaii could be a place you live. Upper level exec jobs could be good. Still a pay cut from comparable positions elsewhere but you won't be suffering from poverty. In fact, you can live pretty well. If your spouse works for the airlines, free trips off island.

You get to follow all your favorite sports teams on TV and adopt the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors as your 2nd favorite college football team. What's not to love?

Agreed though that tourism based economies tend to be hard places to make a living due to capital flows and lower skilled employment. My fear is Hawaii becomes like Venice Italy (once a real city now a tourism Disneyland and second home playground).

Anyways there is a different culture there so best you adapt. If you are too type A, you won't last long.

Have compassion as well as ambition and you’ll go far in life. I am interested in digital immortality. Check out my blog at digitalimmortality.com
 

Yeah, but have you ever been outside of the tourist areas in Hawaii? When I was in Oahu, the quality of life in the "suburban" areas seemed very questionable. Some parts were okay, but most was sketchy af.

Plus I've heard that there is still a big "divide" (if you know what I mean) between the native people and whites from the continental US.

 
"Click OK to Continue" Yeah, but have you ever been outside of the tourist areas in Hawaii? When I was in Oahu, the quality of life in the "suburban" areas seemed very questionable. Some parts were okay, but most was sketchy af.

Plus I've heard that there is still a big "divide" (if you know what I mean) between the native people and whites from the continental US.

"Have I ever been outside the tourist areas?" Yes, I know what I'm talking about. Haha. I'm the guy who's going to have "son of Hawaii" on my tombstone.

Have compassion as well as ambition and you’ll go far in life. I am interested in digital immortality. Check out my blog at digitalimmortality.com
 

I agree with you that the quality of life in Hawaii can be good if you can afford it. Still, generally, the cost of living in Hawaii is expensive.

 

It isn't that bad when you take wind out of the equation. This does allow one to buy an ice house and live on a lake during the winter. Big discount in terms of rent. You then can party with some homeless meth heads. Just make sure you don't shit in the same hole you fish from.

Only two sources I trust, Glenn Beck and singing woodland creatures.
 
"Kamchowder"The top ten states to make a living in 2017 are listed below.

The article also included the top ten list of worst states to make a living in 2017.

Today's lesson in spurious correlation: maximum state income tax rates.

State - State Income Tax Rate (Pct.) 1. Washington - 0 2. Minnesota - 9.9 3. Illinois - 3.8 4. Texas - 0 5. Colorado - 4.6 6. Wyoming - 0 7. Virginia - 5.8 8. Ohio - 5.0 9. Michigan - 4.3 10. Kansas - 4.6

Average of top rates in the ten best states to make a living is 3.8% (with MN being a massive outlier) and average of minimum rates is much lower at 2.3%.

State - State Income Tax Rate (Pct.) 1. Hawaii - 8.3 2. California - 13.3 3. Montana - 6.9 4. West Virginia - 6.5 5. Vermont - 9.0 6. Oregon - 9.9 7. South Carolina - 7.0 8. Maine - 10.2 9. New York - 8.8 10. Mississippi - 5.0

The average maximum rate of the ten worst states clocks in at 8.5%.

It's almost like in deciding where to live and work people would rather have less of the income they earn taken away from them.

Disclaimer: yes, I know there are a multitude of factors and this is only one. However, it is an important one, and breeds a virtuous cycle that bolsters the other factors (unemployment, salary, cost of living, etc.)

 

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