What states can you not move to?

You can move to any U.S. state, but some are consistently ranked poorly for quality of life, high cost, specific social laws, or economic challenges, leading people to avoid them, with states like West Virginia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Arkansas, and Illinois often cited due to low well-being, poverty, or high taxes/crime, while states like California and New York see high resident outflows due to extreme costs and taxes.

What is the hardest U.S. state to live in?

There's no single "hardest" state, as it depends on individual priorities, but recent studies often point to New Mexico, Louisiana, and West Virginia as challenging due to high poverty, poor health/education, and crime. Other contenders include Alaska for extreme cost/remoteness and Mississippi, Arkansas, and Oklahoma for overall quality of life issues like low wages and health outcomes, making life tough for different reasons. 

What is the most empty U.S. state?

The most "empty" U.S. state, meaning the one with the lowest population density (fewest people per square mile) and smallest total population, is Alaska, followed closely by Wyoming, Montana, North Dakota, and South Dakota, all known for vast, sparsely populated areas, harsh climates, and limited infrastructure, making them significantly less populated than the national average.
 

Which state do people never leave?

Hawaii has the lowest out-migration rate in the U.S.; Census Bureau research (2022) shows only 15.8% of Hawaii's residents left in a decade, well below the national average.

What is the no. 1 state to live in?

There's no single "No. 1" state, as it depends on priorities, but Massachusetts frequently ranks first in livability studies (like WalletHub's 2025 report) due to strong healthcare, education, and quality of life, while Utah often leads for overall best states (U.S. News) considering economy and opportunity. Other top contenders for overall quality include Idaho, New Jersey, and Wisconsin, balancing factors like affordability, safety, and growth. 

Why You Shouldn't Move to These States

What is the #1 cheapest state to live in?

Below is a detailed breakdown of the ten most affordable states to live in 2025:

• Arkansas. Arkansas continues to be one of the most affordable states in the U.S., especially for those looking to buy property. ...
• Mississippi. ...
• Oklahoma. ...
• New Mexico. ...
• Missouri. ...
• Tennessee. ...
• Michigan. ...
• Texas.

What is the happiest state to live in?

Hawaii consistently ranks as the happiest state in the U.S., praised for high life satisfaction, low financial anxiety, good health, and low depression rates, often followed by states like Maryland and Nebraska in recent analyses by WalletHub. These rankings consider emotional and physical well-being, work environment, and community factors, with Hawaii scoring high on metrics like life expectancy, low unemployment, and high levels of activity. 

What state is paying $10,000 to move there?

Oklahoma. Tulsa Remote is a program designed to help remote workers interested in moving to Oklahoma. It offers $10,000 to anyone who meets the five eligibility criteria below. Once you've applied, select applicants will be interviewed by Tulsa staff in order to learn more about your background and interest in the city ...

What is the unhappiest state in the US?

While rankings vary slightly by year and source, West Virginia and Louisiana consistently appear as the unhappiest states, often swapping the top spot, due to factors like high depression rates, low sleep quality, poor work environments, and safety concerns, according to WalletHub studies and related analyses. Other states frequently listed among the least happy include Arkansas, Alabama, Alaska, and Tennessee.
 

What is the #1 overpopulated state?

The #1 most populated state in the U.S. is California, consistently holding the top spot with nearly 40 million residents, followed by Texas and Florida, though some sources note California's growth is slowing while Texas and Florida are growing faster.
 

What is the most forgotten state in the USA?

Missouri is frequently cited as the most forgotten U.S. state in memory quizzes, often overshadowed by its central location and lack of major coastal recognition, though states like Connecticut, Minnesota, and even populous ones like Massachusetts sometimes appear on lists of least-remembered states, according to data from Sporcle quizzes. 

What is the least popular US state?

The least popular state in the U.S., based on population, is Wyoming, consistently ranking as the least populated with under 600,000 residents, also having the lowest population density and vast open spaces, followed by Vermont and Alaska.
 

What is the #1 crime state in America?

Alaska and New Mexico consistently rank at or near the top for violent crime rates in the U.S., with Alaska often leading in recent data (like 2024 figures from USAFacts and WorldAtlas) when looking at incidents per 100,000 residents, though New Mexico is very close. Other states frequently cited for high violent crime rates include Tennessee, Arkansas, and Louisiana, depending on the specific year and metrics used (violent vs. property crime).
 

What state has the friendliest people?

There's no single "nicest" state, but studies and surveys consistently rank Minnesota, Tennessee, South Carolina, Texas, and Wyoming as having some of the friendliest and most welcoming people, often based on tourist surveys and cultural perceptions like "Minnesota Nice" or Southern hospitality. Other states frequently mentioned for their friendly populations include Indiana, Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, and even Hawaii, noted for its community feel.
 

What is the unhealthiest state to live in?

While rankings vary by study, Louisiana, Mississippi, and West Virginia consistently appear as the most unhealthy U.S. states, often due to high rates of obesity, chronic diseases (like diabetes), substance abuse, poor diet, and mental distress, with Southern states dominating the least healthy lists. 

What state is #1 in quality of life?

There isn't one single answer, as it depends on the ranking organization, but Massachusetts often ranks #1 overall for best states to live due to health/education (WalletHub), while Vermont frequently takes the top spot specifically for Quality of Life (CNBC) for its low crime, good air, and inclusion. Other top contenders include Idaho, New Jersey, Wisconsin, and Minnesota, highlighting strong showings in the Northeast and Midwest for overall livability.
 

What is the least fun state in the US?

Florida and Nevada were also ranked as the top three most fun states, while Rhode Island, Mississippi and West Virginia were ranked as the least fun states. at the University of Maryland, Eastern Shore, told Newsweek.

What is the most depressed state in the USA?

The "saddest" states in the U.S., often indicated by high rates of depression, economic hardship, and poor health outcomes, consistently include West Virginia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Arkansas, and Alabama, alongside others like Oregon, Oklahoma, and Tennessee, though rankings vary slightly by study. These states frequently appear at the top due to factors like poverty, limited access to mental healthcare, chronic diseases, and opioid issues, with West Virginia often cited as the least happy or most depressed overall.
 

What is the cheapest state to live in?

The cheapest state to live in is generally considered to be Mississippi, followed closely by states like Alabama, Oklahoma, Kansas, and West Virginia, due to significantly lower housing costs, affordable groceries, and low overall expenses compared to the national average, with Mississippi often topping lists for its lowest housing and utility costs and favorable tax situation for retirees. 

Where to move to start over with no money?

The Best City to Start a New Life with no Money

Alaska and Colorado are also two of the multiple places that also provide moving incentives in cash, or sometimes land or housing to bring in new people into their communities.

Which states have the best job opportunities?

• Vermont. #1 in Employment. #7 in Best States Overall. ...
• South Dakota. #2 in Employment. #8 in Best States Overall. ...
• Utah. #3 in Employment. #1 in Best States Overall. ...
• Virginia. #4 in Employment. #16 in Best States Overall. ...
• North Dakota. #5 in Employment. ...
• Texas. #6 in Employment. ...
• Connecticut. #7 in Employment. ...
• Oklahoma. #8 in Employment.

What is the most stressful state to live in?

New Mexico tops the list of most stressed states in the U.S. as of 2025, with a stress score of 60.52 out of 100. This ranking considers stress factors related to work, money, family, and health and safety.

What is the #1 happiest country?

Finland is consistently ranked as the happiest country in the world, a title it has held for several years in the annual World Happiness Report, with Denmark, Iceland, Sweden, and the Netherlands typically rounding out the top five. This ranking is based on factors like social support, healthy life expectancy, freedom, generosity, and low corruption, with Finland praised for its strong social welfare, connection to nature, and high quality of life.
 

What is the safest state to live in?

Vermont, Massachusetts and New Hampshire landed at the top of WalletHub's 2025 list, with Texas, Mississippi and Louisiana ranked least safe. WASHINGTON – Wallethub has released its 2025 list of the safest states in the U.S., placing Vermont, Massachusetts and New Hampshire at the top of the list.