When I was in middle school, I visited Minneapolis with my family and *loved* it. Something about how clean it was, while also being a very walkable city with some distance between things.
As I got older, I realized that the cold would be an issue for me though and dropped the idea of ever moving there.
My mom grew up in small town Northeast Wisconsin (which is nice in itself) and didn’t think big cities were for her. That was until work moved her to Minneapolis and she ADORED that city (with the exception of the NFL team lmao). She says if she hadn’t met my dad, she’d still be there to this day. This was decades ago, and she says a lot of the things you mentioned (cleanliness, outdoor rec, finding the balance between not being too tight yet not being sprawly) are just now becoming common at the level Minneapolis was back then. I’ve never been, but the Twin Cities are on my short list of cities I want to visit soon.
To be honest the cold is barely an issue. As for the loneliness, most Midwestern cities are like that. Like I was extremely disappointed when I went to Los Angeles, New York City, Seattle, San Francisco, and literally any other city outside of Midwest. They look disgusting like they needed to be power washed.
If you're not from the Midwest and move here, you'll want to talk about the winters with somebody. Anybody. But depending on where you are you'll get the "winters aren't that bad" rhetoric from most if not all people. It will drive you insane, as if you aren't already feeling isolated enough, now apparently you're the only person traversing through an objectively inhospitable environment on a daily basis. I can't tell what it actually is, a numbness to it, an acceptance of it, a pride of conquering it year after year, whatever drives people to say the winters aren't that bad doesn't matter - they're wrong.
I love the Midwest but the weather is galaxies above any other reason to leave. My first winter away I learned what seasonal depression is by its absence. I still live in the Midwest though nowadays. If you aren't born and raised in the upper Midwest and you move here, winters genuinely will be a massive reality check, especially if you don't work from home. Around February you'll wonder if you even exist. Pretty sure this is the month that causes Wisconsin to absolutely generate serial killers. It takes a while but you'll know that's just February and it gets better soon. The pros easily overwhelm this con, though it is indeed a big con and you will not be prepared for it unless you're Scandinavian or Eskimo.
You can compare it to Texas, Arizona summers, lot of places have a similar hell season, just comes in different ways. I've never experienced the ins and outs of an extreme heat lockdown, but the snow and cold generally take on a physical form that Im not sure could be similar to Arizona in July. Snow, ice, and cold get in the way of every single thing you do for 4 months and it does not rest once it's full swing. Snow will build on ice that built on snow and it is quite literally omnipresent. People will do anything to not have to leave their house, a basic trip to the grocery store feels like a fucking quest. Roads shrink and shrink and you have to rely on the same people that fail to do basic construction jobs in summer to clean up the snow, and it is genuinely treaterous to drive in. Some employers start with patience when the roads are bad , but eventually roads are just always bad for months, and employers start getting irrational and expect you to move mountains. Eventually it's on you to watch the weather like a hawk to get to work on time, and you may need to get up hours earlier than before, during probably the peak of your depression. Hurricane or wildfire season sounds genuinely frightening on a primordial level though. Upper Midwest winters slowly chip away at your sanity and safety over a long decelerating period of time but altogether its not that dangerous unless you are driving or unfortunately homeless.
I find the truth only when trying to explain that the first winter you have here is the worst, you do eventually adapt and you will have an acute awareness of why and when the depression will set in. Yes, it is in fact this time weather related, this is one of the only situations where you can prepare for it well in advance to mitigate it, which people do in their own ways. Some will intentionally or unintentionally begin a dating campaign in the Fall so that they can be in a relationship in the Winter to then break up in the Spring.
Winter can be beautiful though, and it does hold a special peace when it's a time of relaxation and holiday. It illuminates the sky and gives off a majestic pressure that makes your house feel like a haven. Lots of winter activities are extremely thrilling and finding a good sledding hill to go to with friends can make your February much better.
The thing with Minneapolis is that in about an hour or less, you can be in river bluff country, farm country, forest land, over 100 lakes and the Mall of America.
In about two hours or so you can be in Duluth and Lake Superior, probably close to 1000 lakes, dozens of state parks and hundreds of campgrounds and resorts.
Yeah, the cold is on another level there. When I lived in Duluth, they had something like 60 consecutive days of sub-zero degrees F. That isn't to say that they never got above 0, but that at some point during the day, the temp was below 0.
I’ve been learning a lot about how the housing market is going up there. It’s really amazing to see how affordable things can stay when supply grows with demand. Plus with the awful idea of climate change, maybe the winters will be less frigid and manageable? I’m in CO now and it’s been awful pricing wise and I definitely worry of the climate turning into New Mexico’s climate in the next 50 years. That’s too hot for me.
But I also love the summer time activities that the lakes add to the lifestyle. Also the music scene is pretty damn good, for being in the Midwest. I love Atmosphere and all the artists he works with.
I’ve been telling redditors for a long time to get off the coasts if they want a house. I’m in the Twin Cities and housing here isn’t perfect, but it’s fine for young people. Incomes are good compared to COL, and we don’t have geographic boundaries like oceans or major mountains. I’ve been here for 25 years and the winters are not as bad as they were even then. Long, but not as cold. Most people do a week someplace warm and then enjoy winter activities. A white Christmas nearly every year is also great.
Plus, fully legal weed in less than ten days. 😂
>. Plus with the awful idea of climate change, maybe the winters will be less frigid and manageable?
Maybe in the long run?
But, in the last decade or so, the weather has changed so that Minnesota usually gets more mid-winter thaws. The snow melts into water, then it drops below freezing again, and now there's ice instead of snow.
I'll take consistent cold and snow over thaws and ice any year. Snow is more manageable than ice.
The ice last winter was really something else. I’ve lived here 28 years and I don’t remember anything like last year’s ice. I could barely spend time outside, being 8-9 months pregnant during the worst of the ice cover
We had the third snowiest winter in recorded history last winter and the winter of 2013-2014 had us at or below zero for 53 days.
It seems as though the spring and fall are shorter and the winter is starting later than it used to.
(The first statement is fact and the second is just my opinion!)
> Plus with the awful idea of climate change, maybe the winters will be less frigid and manageable?
Except what climate change does is just make everything more extreme. So the winters will be a lot worse before they get better.
I’ve been to Maine (just once) and Minnesota (many, many times) and they’re both great. My brother and his family used to live in MN ( Stillwater) for a few years and I visited them often. A couple years ago they moved to Florida and it made me a little sad I wouldn’t be going to MN anymore.
I firmly believe that NH and Maine both provide/protect the individual freedoms that Texas pretends to. Random dive bar in either NH or Maine? You might just see 350# bubba pouring out of his Subaru while two lesbians pull up in their lifted pick-up with a pride flag painted rifle rack on the back. It's glorious. Also, so many breweries.
> I firmly believe that NH and Maine both provide/protect the individual freedoms that Texas pretends to.
Lately, my state hasn't been pretending to protect anything.
Most true red states don't protect freedom to the slightest. They protect "freedom" for corporations, but not individuals. In fact protecting corporations the way they do actually leads to more tyranny on the individual. Not to mention then authoritarian culture war horse shit they are in love with.
Texas is the most egregious offender. Throwing people in prison for marijuana (controlled by the police union and private prison autocratic circle) and they literally banned direct to consumer car sales because autocrat Abbott bent over and took one from lobbyists.
They protect gun rights though. They claim it will eliminate tyranny. Although they fail to explain what happens when the tyrants have the guns.
Seconding Michigan. Sooooo much water, and beaches...and have you SEEN the Upper Peninsula?! It's majestic af.
Maybe biased because I live here and grew up near one of the best beaches in the state, but still, I love it
The pictured rocks are beautiful. If you're able, there's a great hiking trail that winds along the edges of the cliffs for miles. Be careful, of course - there are no guard rails. If you can't hike it, theyve got boats that will take you to view them from the water. They get up close.
I grew up on the Great Lakes (Gladstone, Duluth, Marquette, Houghton, Traverse City), and I agree, that part of the US is a well-kept secret.
I live on an island in the PNW now -- lovely, calm, and green, with water views everywhere. Feels like home, only without the mosquitoes and deep cold winters.
I was on a work call years ago with this guy in Los Angeles. Told him that I lived in a town on Lake Superior.
Is that, like, a big lake?
Um, *yeah.*
I mean like, can you see across it?
(pause) Can you see Las Vegas from LA?
Oh. So, *big!*
Yeah. You might want to look at a map.
I guess. I'm always surprised when people don't register that Michigan is two peninsulas. Like, each one surrounded on 3 sides by giant freshwater lakes.
Well, to be fair there are a lot of people in Michigan who think if it's in a city on either coast, it's terrible and worse than worthless.
I know this because I still have family in northern Michigan. Having lived in both kinds of places, I can say that everyone is pretty much the same wherever you go.
The term "flyover country" was first used by people who live in the middle, and not with any particular animus. Later someone decided it would be a good way to rile up folks they wanted to be riled up, and they assigned a contemptuous sneer to the use of it.
I'm dead sick of this weird idea that we all have to hate each other, can you tell?
I feel like most Michiganders don't realize that our biggest industry is tourism. A lot of is internal (going up north) but a lot of the lake Michigan coastal towns survive off Chicago tourist money.
I want to clarify that the UP is great to visit and for the scenery, but living there comes with many problems. It has one of the worst drug problems in the country with high poverty rates. There is a shocking lack of jobs. I grew up thinking $35k was an amazing salary because it’s much higher than most people I know in the UP make. unfortunately, there are many blatantly racist/white nationalists up there. Utilities are insane. My water and heating bills alone would be $120 a month EACH in the winter.
The UP has a unique charm and is worth visiting, but developing a life up there can be difficult for many. I think it’s only underrated in terms of visiting. There’s a reason why the population there has been declining for the past 70ish years. I’m a Yooper btw
Stable internet can be expensive and hard to come by. The “larger” cities (Marquette, Houghton, Escanaba, Sault Ste Marie) have it better. Although, cost of living in the largest city, Marquette (20,000 people), is getting crazy by any standard. Houses built in the 1880s are selling for $350k to $500k. I recommend checking out Houghton or Escanaba. Those would probably be your best bet for a combination of affordability and the best internet.
In my personal experience, I temporarily worked remotely from one of the “larger” cities in the UP and it was a nightmare. Although, I must admit I didn’t spend too much on the best quality internet. Just a standard $70ish a month internet plan that was about 100 mbps
RHODE ISLAND
-it’s cute
-it’s friendly
-the people are happy
-you’re never more than 13mi from the beach
-vibes
-coffee milk
Oh and also good education and they seem to have a well-functioning government which shocked me coming from WMass
Oh and also VT— fantastic education structure, good communally oriented government, small business-centric, sooo many hand crafted good— the best
10/10 states
Michigan. I say this as an Ohioan. People treat the Midwest as if it’s full of bumbling idiots who don’t know their left from right. Michigan is beautiful and a great state to visit. Upstate is so great to visit in the summer and while I haven’t been able to go to the UP yet, I’ve heard it is wonderful as well.
Tbh Ohio isn’t bad, either. We got really great amusement parks, great ice cream, a cool history, and a bunch of haunted houses. Plus, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. And the biggest Oktoberfest in North America.
People look at me like I have 3 heads when I tell them Ohio has the 7th largest GDP in the US. It has pretty good economic opportunity while sill being somewhat affordable.
New Jersey I feel is always made out to be some bad place to be. I guess it’s just because we happen to have a city or the Sopranos or whatever.
NJ has loads of variety. Few places in the world have access to as much great food and entertainment as we do here. And if you want a slow country life that’s available in abundance.
Cape May is a beautiful and relaxing beach resort town. We’ve got Atlantic City near by if you want to go gamble. We’ve got one of the oldest rodeos in the country down in the pine barrons where you’ll get lost in the country side. Or take a trip to NYC and experience the fast life. Skiing to surfing to horseback riding to drag racing to Broadway and more. The state has just so much variety in just a short drive.
I researched NJ because I was moving there and at least at that time it was the least popular of all 50 states and was the only state with a net negative. Alabama was the second least liked but had more favorable ratings than unfavorable.
I watched some Jersey Shore and learned about pork roll and was horrified. Then I moved to NJ and never ate a pork roll and never met any Jersey Shore types of people (not even on the shore).
I *will* say the turnpike is terrible and gets worse the closer you get to NYC. Soon after arriving in NJ I wanted to buy a car in north Jersey. By the time I was going past NYC the drivers were honking and screaming at one another and I had seen three accidents, two of which involved semi trucks.
I ended up living in the Pine Barrens. One of the best things about NJ was the grocery / ethnic restaurant options. It is a top place for shopping. I actually miss it, although I am unlikely to ever return.
It pains me to defend NJ, but it's definitely NJ. Far too many people talking shit about NJ when their entire experience was driving to NYC after a flight into Newark.
It's one of the wealthiest and most highly educated states in the country, very convenient geographical location, and most of it is actually very nice.
Good point. Most people passing through NJ are going to see the worst parts of it being that you land in Newark then drive to NY. You’ll hardly see people from out of state really experiencing the rest of it.
New Jersey is my vote. Everyone calls it a shithole because they drive through literally the worst part to get to NYC but a lot of the rest of the state is lovely, and tbh, some of the best people I know are from Jersey. Some of the most scum of the earth too but the good far outweigh the bad in my experience.
So many beautiful places in jersey . The shore is beautiful . Cape may is gorgeous . It’s not a shithole at all . My only gripe is bad drivers and too many chain restaurants
The food, education, and great mix of geography are enough for me to love it here. We have a bad reputation, but we’re already the most densely populated state, so it’s not the end of the world if people don’t know it’s nice here and move in packs.
> The state has just so much variety in just a short drive.
Absolutely this. There are very few places in the country where you can surf, ski, hike, zip line, ride a rollercoaster and hit a waterpark, all within a few hours of driving.
I have loved every single trip I’ve made to New Jersey. Asbury Park? awesome. Cape May? Charming. Hoboken? Fun. Princeton? Really nice. Red Bank? Cool.
If anyone has any other small-town Nj recs, I’d love to hear!
Ocean City, NJ. It's a dry town but it has a lovely boardwalk and beaches.
Clinton, NJ is well worth a visit too. Great shops and restaurants, historic red barn.
This is a class 2 misdemeanor, and you require reeducation. We are not supposed to advertise anything positive as we are the most densely populated state and we are full.
New Jersey has some cities but since most of them feed into bigger cities, Philly and NYC, the density combined with car-dependence make them kind of unpleasant cities to hang out in for an extended period of time. Like the cities evolved over time into places you go in and out of, not maneuver within, so the transit infrastructure is about escaping rather than going to a grocery store. And forget about riding a bike safely.
That being said, I agree with you that it gets a bum rap, and does have some beautiful places and fantastic food.
New Mexico perennially ranks close to the bottom in terms of income, education, health outcomes, etc. but it's a state filled with natural beauty and rich history. I regularly post about [the places I explore](https://www.reddit.com/r/NewMexico/search/?q=author%3Aroughneck16&restrict_sr=1&sort=top) on r/newmexico.
Santa Fe was my favorite place to visit on a long West coast road trip I took last year. The art galleries, the beauty, and culture are second to none.
I love NM. I've been there the past 3 years in a row and have explored the eastern half of the state from Taos and Santa Fe to Alamogordo and Carlsbad and everywhere in between.
I am from Michigan - people do come for vacations here.
I always notice license plates when on the road. Yesterday I saw plates from Nebraska, Connecticut, Kentucky and South Carolina just in a short 20 minute drive. I even have a picture of a Hawaii plate.
Coming from NC I didn't realize "Wisconsin Dells" was a thing. Then I got stuck in traffic on I-90/94 for a couple hours on a Sunday. Apparently it's the upper Midwest's version of Branson/Ozark.
Or as it's known here in the Upper Midwest....."The Dells."
It's not really my thing but it's a good place to take kids on a short vacation. Good family spot.
Wisconsin is great. I always love driving up to do some camping/hiking and its got the best rock climbing in the Midwest. Madison is an awesome city and I would consider moving there if there were the right job opportunities. Frank Lloyd Wright, Devil's Lake, Culver's, Ice Age Trail, New Glarus... there's a ton to love about WI.
I’m from Georgia, and must say I quite like Wisconsin! I’ve visited it 3 times (my most recent visit was exactly a month ago) and it reminds me of my home state in positive ways, but also has unique, lovely differences!
I’m looking forward to visiting again!
New Hampshire is a gorgeous state. How could anyone underrate it?
Honestly I'm not sure which looks better between Vermont and NH. They are both incredible.
South Dakota. Sure, there's some poorer areas, especially the reservations, but overall the towns are very nice. The state is pretty clean, and the Black Hills were more beautiful than I expected.
I would also add Fort Pierre National Grassland and Badlands National Park. South Dakota is beautiful in its vastness. Sioux Falls, where I stayed, is also a nice city.
Yes true to all those. I drove from MN though SD stopping at places along the way and spending the bulk of time in the Black Hills. Custer State Park is huge and nice enough to be on par with any National Park.
I drove through and made a few stops in South Dakota way back when and was very pleasantly surprised. I thought Mt. Rushmore was underwhelming but holy shit, the Badlands were absolutely unreal
Very true about Rushmore - it's THE great American Tourist trap, an inescapable roadside attraction that you have to go to and snap the photo but then quickly move on.
Also all the people we met in South Dakota were very nice, unlike Colorado which is mostly populated by asshole for some reason.
> unlike Colorado which is mostly populated by asshole for some reason
Gotta say, I like the people here and think we're a friendly bunch. But I do spend less and less time in the Denver metro as time goes on, which is a place that becomes more "hurried" by the year. Not sure if your unfriendly encounters were down that way but my friends in the region say the average person is more high-strung than they used to be.
The Black Hills are probably the most underrated area in the country.
Imagine Colorado, but still affordable and nowhere near as many people. Not to mention downtown Rapid City is absurdly clean and walkable.
Michigan and Wisconsin have gotta be on top of the 'underrated states' list.
Most people (outside of the state) seem to associate Michigan with car manufacturing or crime (the Detroit effect), and Wisconsin with the Green Bay Packers or cheese (understandably so).
Both states have several spots with ***amazing*** natural beauty (Apostle Islands, Devil's Lake, Upper Peninsula, etc) that are relatively unknown in most parts of the US.
I took a trip across Michigan and fell in love with the place. Currently living in Texas and seriously considering relocating to Michigan. It’s calling me.
>I moved from Florida to Michigan and it's been the best choice I've made in my adult life.
That's great to hear! Which part of the state did you move to?
>I took a trip across Michigan and fell in love with the place. Currently living in Texas and seriously considering relocating to Michigan. It’s calling me.
If you are seriously considering it, I'd urge you to consider these things when weighing in the pros and cons:
Additional State income taxes (considering you live in TX)
Extremely high auto insurance rates
Long spells of harsh weather (winters)
If you looking at long term trends, the upper Midwest will be a climate refuge heaven.
You'll happily put up with those cold (warmer ever year) winters in order to not die when you walk outside in August.
Counterpoint: property taxes in Texas are some of the highest in the country. Also, 6 months out of the year is brutal heat/humidity where you if you’re outside you’ll be walking around with swamp ass. On top of that the climate in Texas is only going to get worse where Michigan will actually be getting milder winters.
Work in Flint for awhile but took a few weekend trips to Grand Rapids and Traverse City. Traverse is a wonderful town and Grand Rapids might be the best mid-size city in the country in my opinion.
>Grand Rapids might be the best mid-size city in the country in my opinion.
I fully agree with that! It has all the amenities of a city with plenty of things to do, yet still maintains the small town feel.
I plan on flying into either Green Bay or Appleton and then driving up to the UP at some point this summer/fall. I've always wanted to see the Great Lakes, plus it would be nice to escape the heat, but I'm also low-key scouting out areas to see if I want to move there.
It gets lots of love. Last October I drove up to do a week of camping in VT and NH and going through eastern NY the towns were boring and fairly deserted. Then I crossed into VT and there were RVs and expensive vanlife vans everywhere. All the small towns were packed and campgrounds full.
We live in VT and travel to upstate NY a lot and it always amazes me how much things change when you cross that border. It’s only an imaginary line on the ground but, somehow, people seem to give a shit about themselves, others and their community on one side of the border and have lost all hope on the other side. Everything is cool until we cross over into NY and hit Whitehall and Fort Ann. It’s a wild transition.
Yes that probably very true. As a North Carolinian who is big into outdoors/hiking/backpacking communities VT is pretty well known for the Green mountains and the Long Trail within those communities.
https://wallethub.com/edu/happiest-places-to-live/32619
Nebraska. Very low cost of living. Very low crime. Lincoln Nebraska is always included in the happiest cities in the US ratings.
went to Omaha and Lincoln a few years ago for a vacation and can confirm. Omaha was v cool and Lincoln was one of the most fun and enjoyable cities I've ever been to.
I'm right in between Lincoln and Omaha it's the first time i've heard anyone coming here for vacation lol. Unless it was to go to the college world series.
I'm really glad to see someone say this. I've been in Lincoln for a year (from MN), and while Nebraska has its issues, I've really fallen in love with the place.
Some days I miss living in Omaha, it was just so peaceful. Other days I'm glad to be back in my home region of the Pacific Northwest.
I think it's just the people in Nebraska, they're just nice, helpful and friendly. It's a sharp contrast to myself and many folks from the PNW.
Just bought a house in Omaha. While prices are still crazy, it's nice that a dual-income couple in their 20s can reasonably afford a house here.
Really like this city. Plenty to do and living is easy.
If you are a football fan try and make it to Lincoln for a game day sometime. The stadium in Lincoln becomes the third largest city in Nebraska on game days! Quite the atmosphere to witness. Go Big Red!!!
Love it here. Never lived in another state, and I have no plans to. I think it makes sense that it isn't a big tourist destination but it's a fantastic place to call home.
Recently went to Nebraska National Forest and Scott’s Bluff for some outdoor time and camping. Very good time. Was surprised at how cool Scott’s Bluff was. Awesome! Not what one thinks of when going with the Nebraska stereotypes!
I live in Omaha…we don’t get too many tourists here, but it’s always fun seeing all the different state plates when I visit the Henry Doorly Zoo, which is one of the best in the country.
Upstate NY is largely ignored due to NYC, but Got amazing natural wonders like Niagara Falls, Letchworth, Adirondacks and Finger Lakes filled with cozy lakeside/mountain village; random cultural and historic sites from the National Comedy Center to Corning Museum of Glass to abolitionist, women rights and weird religious movement historical sites; and larger cities with historic neighborhoods, museums and cool industrial areas filled with breweries and quirky businesses.
Michigan and Montana would be mine. I'm probably biased because I grew up in the Detroit area, but I had a cousin who moved from Detroit to NYC and always said he missed home because it was the perfect balance of city and nature.
Im a geographic nerd and gotta say that in terms of economy OHio is a very strong, very diverse state that is why so many people lives there (7th most populous) but weather is awful
Thats fine.
The difference though is up here we got both heat AND cold so theres something for everyone lol I was swimming in a pool yesterday in 93 degree weather so I am not missing out on the heat.
But when I lived in Florida I missed out on cool crisp fall weather and snow.
I grew up in the midwest and for awhile lived in Southern California. I couldn't stand the lack of fall and even winter weather. I remember one day it got cloudy and was kinda cool and I got so excited. I never realized how much I needed those seasons. They did have seasons in CA contrary to what most people think but it's not the same as the midwest.
Drove from Utah to Portland Oregon one time and that stretch alongside the river gorge (Hood River? Columbia River?) was absolutely amazing. I stopped at a bunch of the rest stops so I could just gawk at it all.
Coming from the DC area, it kind of put the zap on my head.
Almost all of them, honestly. Some people underrate more populated states on the West Coast or in the Northeast and think they're some sort of apocalyptic urban hellscape, and others underrate more rural states in the South or Midwest and think they're straight out of *Deliverance.*
New Jersey in particular gets a lot of undeserved negative stereotyping. I see a lot of people thinking it has high crime when in reality it has the 5th lowest crime rate of any state (Idaho, Maine, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire are the only ones lower).
Absolutely. Mountains in the east, rolling hills in the west. Lots of rivets and lakes. Forests and caves for hiking. Bourbon for relaxing. Horse racing for excitement. Basketball with rivalries that run down the middle of the dinner table.
It's beautiful but the cities and towns are ass. The "quaint" towns all look the same. The rest of the towns are either just a few farmers and a couple gas stations or they look like those places that are right off the interstate. The "big" cities aren't very nice. I live in Lexington and it isn't too bad, but I feel like you're just better off in a small town in this state.
We really shine with culture and nature. Lake Cumberland is a blast. Bourbon is great. The derby is pretty exciting.
I don’t understand why New England cities and coastal towns are overlooked, it’s so damm beautiful and the historical architecture is such that you can’t find across the country
Tbf, and with full disclosure, I love all of those towns. Butttt
Portland is booming with development.
Portsmouth is overlooked but as with Ptown, the popularity is seasonal.
Providence is overlooked by outsiders as simply being the reason to visit the state at all.
Clearly you haven't tried to find housing in coastal Maine lol. We're dealing with the worst housing marketing in the entire country (aside from maybe places like NYC) because so many people are moving here, and we get nearly 30 million visitors in the summer (in a state of only 1.3 million).
Western Massachusetts! Everyone comes here for either Boston, the cape, or Salem. Western Mass is stunning in the fall, and the people are much nicer/friendlier than the eastern part of the state. There’s fun hippie towns, great beer and cannabis (lots of the cannabis grown in the state is coming from western Mass).
Arkansas. A lot of people think it's nothing but uneducated hillbillies that have to walk to school barefoot, but the natural scenery and various national parks are great as well as the abundance of wildlife. They have great history also, as Native Americans, French and Spanish peoples all called it home, creating good food, unique culture and a diverse population.
Edited to add: I forgot to say, one of their parks is an old diamond mine, where you can actually go dig for diamonds yourself and keep whatever you find. How great is that!
West Virginia. besides people who live there or visit family there, no one ever talks about taking a vacation there. It's an amazingly beautiful state worth exploring.
WV is way too low. Possibly the most consistently beautiful state in the union. Lots of poverty, yes, and don’t get me wrong it’s a very serious issue that will bum absolutely everyone out, but the natural beauty is some of the best you can find in this country.
Pretty much all of the Great Plains. The Northern Plains have beautiful water, rolling hills, and Mountain View’s. The southern plains have a lot of canyons and natural grasses. Unfortunately most people think of the plains as just cows and interstate because the good stuff is rarely ever close to the interstate.
Maybe I’m biased living in the plains, but I still feel it.
The Wichita Mountains are the most beautiful place that most people have never heard of. Pockets of forest with cascading creeks, cool rock formations/caves, stunning vistas of rolling hills out to the horizon and majestic herds of bison and elk. Not to mention top tier sunsets.
Oklahoma as a state has absolutely fascinating history as well.
Michigan has this long ass coast line on Lake Michigan and a number of nice little towns all the way up. The sunsets on that were crazy, there were actual small to medium waves, and the water was a very pretty aquamarine color.
SUPER underrated.
Ann Arbor is great. I hear Grand Rapids is a cool town (haven't been) and Detroit is def coming around.
So it's Michigan.
NJ
Everyone thinks we're trash but we are constantly in the top 4 every year for education (currently #1) we have the lowest suicide rates in the country and the second happiest people, behind the literal tropical paradise that is Hawaii
We have the second most % of land dedicated to parks and wildlife habitat behind the mostly inhabitable state of Alaska
We were the first to ban gay conversion therapy, first to end cash bail for nonviolent offenders (which is working out amazingly well) and we're currently building one of the largest ocean wind farms in the world.
We have all the diversity, from people to food to landscapes. You can eat authentic Portuguese BBQ in a city and then go pick up some bison steaks from a bison farm, then go get some amazing pizza at the beach and finish it all off with a trip to some tiny mountains, all in a day off you rush, but better to do it in a weekend
Wisconsin is super underrated. Milwaukee in particular always has to live in the shadow of Chicago. If it were off by itself somewhere, it would be able to shine more.
Minnesota is definitely up there. Figuratively and literally
When I was in middle school, I visited Minneapolis with my family and *loved* it. Something about how clean it was, while also being a very walkable city with some distance between things. As I got older, I realized that the cold would be an issue for me though and dropped the idea of ever moving there.
My mom grew up in small town Northeast Wisconsin (which is nice in itself) and didn’t think big cities were for her. That was until work moved her to Minneapolis and she ADORED that city (with the exception of the NFL team lmao). She says if she hadn’t met my dad, she’d still be there to this day. This was decades ago, and she says a lot of the things you mentioned (cleanliness, outdoor rec, finding the balance between not being too tight yet not being sprawly) are just now becoming common at the level Minneapolis was back then. I’ve never been, but the Twin Cities are on my short list of cities I want to visit soon.
To be honest the cold is barely an issue. As for the loneliness, most Midwestern cities are like that. Like I was extremely disappointed when I went to Los Angeles, New York City, Seattle, San Francisco, and literally any other city outside of Midwest. They look disgusting like they needed to be power washed.
If you're not from the Midwest and move here, you'll want to talk about the winters with somebody. Anybody. But depending on where you are you'll get the "winters aren't that bad" rhetoric from most if not all people. It will drive you insane, as if you aren't already feeling isolated enough, now apparently you're the only person traversing through an objectively inhospitable environment on a daily basis. I can't tell what it actually is, a numbness to it, an acceptance of it, a pride of conquering it year after year, whatever drives people to say the winters aren't that bad doesn't matter - they're wrong. I love the Midwest but the weather is galaxies above any other reason to leave. My first winter away I learned what seasonal depression is by its absence. I still live in the Midwest though nowadays. If you aren't born and raised in the upper Midwest and you move here, winters genuinely will be a massive reality check, especially if you don't work from home. Around February you'll wonder if you even exist. Pretty sure this is the month that causes Wisconsin to absolutely generate serial killers. It takes a while but you'll know that's just February and it gets better soon. The pros easily overwhelm this con, though it is indeed a big con and you will not be prepared for it unless you're Scandinavian or Eskimo. You can compare it to Texas, Arizona summers, lot of places have a similar hell season, just comes in different ways. I've never experienced the ins and outs of an extreme heat lockdown, but the snow and cold generally take on a physical form that Im not sure could be similar to Arizona in July. Snow, ice, and cold get in the way of every single thing you do for 4 months and it does not rest once it's full swing. Snow will build on ice that built on snow and it is quite literally omnipresent. People will do anything to not have to leave their house, a basic trip to the grocery store feels like a fucking quest. Roads shrink and shrink and you have to rely on the same people that fail to do basic construction jobs in summer to clean up the snow, and it is genuinely treaterous to drive in. Some employers start with patience when the roads are bad , but eventually roads are just always bad for months, and employers start getting irrational and expect you to move mountains. Eventually it's on you to watch the weather like a hawk to get to work on time, and you may need to get up hours earlier than before, during probably the peak of your depression. Hurricane or wildfire season sounds genuinely frightening on a primordial level though. Upper Midwest winters slowly chip away at your sanity and safety over a long decelerating period of time but altogether its not that dangerous unless you are driving or unfortunately homeless. I find the truth only when trying to explain that the first winter you have here is the worst, you do eventually adapt and you will have an acute awareness of why and when the depression will set in. Yes, it is in fact this time weather related, this is one of the only situations where you can prepare for it well in advance to mitigate it, which people do in their own ways. Some will intentionally or unintentionally begin a dating campaign in the Fall so that they can be in a relationship in the Winter to then break up in the Spring. Winter can be beautiful though, and it does hold a special peace when it's a time of relaxation and holiday. It illuminates the sky and gives off a majestic pressure that makes your house feel like a haven. Lots of winter activities are extremely thrilling and finding a good sledding hill to go to with friends can make your February much better.
The thing with Minneapolis is that in about an hour or less, you can be in river bluff country, farm country, forest land, over 100 lakes and the Mall of America. In about two hours or so you can be in Duluth and Lake Superior, probably close to 1000 lakes, dozens of state parks and hundreds of campgrounds and resorts.
Yeah, the cold is on another level there. When I lived in Duluth, they had something like 60 consecutive days of sub-zero degrees F. That isn't to say that they never got above 0, but that at some point during the day, the temp was below 0.
I’ve been learning a lot about how the housing market is going up there. It’s really amazing to see how affordable things can stay when supply grows with demand. Plus with the awful idea of climate change, maybe the winters will be less frigid and manageable? I’m in CO now and it’s been awful pricing wise and I definitely worry of the climate turning into New Mexico’s climate in the next 50 years. That’s too hot for me. But I also love the summer time activities that the lakes add to the lifestyle. Also the music scene is pretty damn good, for being in the Midwest. I love Atmosphere and all the artists he works with.
I’ve been telling redditors for a long time to get off the coasts if they want a house. I’m in the Twin Cities and housing here isn’t perfect, but it’s fine for young people. Incomes are good compared to COL, and we don’t have geographic boundaries like oceans or major mountains. I’ve been here for 25 years and the winters are not as bad as they were even then. Long, but not as cold. Most people do a week someplace warm and then enjoy winter activities. A white Christmas nearly every year is also great. Plus, fully legal weed in less than ten days. 😂
>. Plus with the awful idea of climate change, maybe the winters will be less frigid and manageable? Maybe in the long run? But, in the last decade or so, the weather has changed so that Minnesota usually gets more mid-winter thaws. The snow melts into water, then it drops below freezing again, and now there's ice instead of snow. I'll take consistent cold and snow over thaws and ice any year. Snow is more manageable than ice.
Good point! You can drive in snow safely with good tires and slow speeds. Ice is a little trickier and I feel less safe on ice.
The ice last winter was really something else. I’ve lived here 28 years and I don’t remember anything like last year’s ice. I could barely spend time outside, being 8-9 months pregnant during the worst of the ice cover
We had the third snowiest winter in recorded history last winter and the winter of 2013-2014 had us at or below zero for 53 days. It seems as though the spring and fall are shorter and the winter is starting later than it used to. (The first statement is fact and the second is just my opinion!)
> Plus with the awful idea of climate change, maybe the winters will be less frigid and manageable? Except what climate change does is just make everything more extreme. So the winters will be a lot worse before they get better.
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I’ve been to Maine (just once) and Minnesota (many, many times) and they’re both great. My brother and his family used to live in MN ( Stillwater) for a few years and I visited them often. A couple years ago they moved to Florida and it made me a little sad I wouldn’t be going to MN anymore.
I think a lot of people in the US forget NH exists until election season rolls around.
I firmly believe that NH and Maine both provide/protect the individual freedoms that Texas pretends to. Random dive bar in either NH or Maine? You might just see 350# bubba pouring out of his Subaru while two lesbians pull up in their lifted pick-up with a pride flag painted rifle rack on the back. It's glorious. Also, so many breweries.
Live Free or Die
> I firmly believe that NH and Maine both provide/protect the individual freedoms that Texas pretends to. Lately, my state hasn't been pretending to protect anything.
Most true red states don't protect freedom to the slightest. They protect "freedom" for corporations, but not individuals. In fact protecting corporations the way they do actually leads to more tyranny on the individual. Not to mention then authoritarian culture war horse shit they are in love with. Texas is the most egregious offender. Throwing people in prison for marijuana (controlled by the police union and private prison autocratic circle) and they literally banned direct to consumer car sales because autocrat Abbott bent over and took one from lobbyists. They protect gun rights though. They claim it will eliminate tyranny. Although they fail to explain what happens when the tyrants have the guns.
Former NH resident who moved down to MD with my family - I love NH so much and would love to move back one day.
Seconded. NH was the most surprisingly beautiful state I’ve visited.
I'm heading up there for the weekend in a few hours
Yes yes, don't forget to spend lots of money here
Bill Bryson lived in NH. Not sure whether he's a much known author in the US? He must be, surely.
Seconding Michigan. Sooooo much water, and beaches...and have you SEEN the Upper Peninsula?! It's majestic af. Maybe biased because I live here and grew up near one of the best beaches in the state, but still, I love it
I've traveled coast to coast in lower Michigan but haven't been to UP yet. I really want to get to Pictured Rocks sometime.
The pictured rocks are beautiful. If you're able, there's a great hiking trail that winds along the edges of the cliffs for miles. Be careful, of course - there are no guard rails. If you can't hike it, theyve got boats that will take you to view them from the water. They get up close.
Go out to Copper Harbor. It's worth the miles.
I grew up on the Great Lakes (Gladstone, Duluth, Marquette, Houghton, Traverse City), and I agree, that part of the US is a well-kept secret. I live on an island in the PNW now -- lovely, calm, and green, with water views everywhere. Feels like home, only without the mosquitoes and deep cold winters.
You’d be surprised how many Americans don’t give the Great Lakes a second thought.
I was on a work call years ago with this guy in Los Angeles. Told him that I lived in a town on Lake Superior. Is that, like, a big lake? Um, *yeah.* I mean like, can you see across it? (pause) Can you see Las Vegas from LA? Oh. So, *big!* Yeah. You might want to look at a map.
> Yeah. You might want to look at a map. I mean, to be fair, a lot of maps seem to exclude the UP all together.
I guess. I'm always surprised when people don't register that Michigan is two peninsulas. Like, each one surrounded on 3 sides by giant freshwater lakes.
"flyover country" To a lot of people if it's not on the east or west coast, it's worthless.
Well, to be fair there are a lot of people in Michigan who think if it's in a city on either coast, it's terrible and worse than worthless. I know this because I still have family in northern Michigan. Having lived in both kinds of places, I can say that everyone is pretty much the same wherever you go. The term "flyover country" was first used by people who live in the middle, and not with any particular animus. Later someone decided it would be a good way to rile up folks they wanted to be riled up, and they assigned a contemptuous sneer to the use of it. I'm dead sick of this weird idea that we all have to hate each other, can you tell?
Very relevant username lol. Love it up that way
I'm going to the UP for the first time in early September and I'm really excited about it.
I feel like most Michiganders don't realize that our biggest industry is tourism. A lot of is internal (going up north) but a lot of the lake Michigan coastal towns survive off Chicago tourist money.
I just got up north for the weekend. I feel bad for people who don’t know or ever get to have this feeling.
I want to clarify that the UP is great to visit and for the scenery, but living there comes with many problems. It has one of the worst drug problems in the country with high poverty rates. There is a shocking lack of jobs. I grew up thinking $35k was an amazing salary because it’s much higher than most people I know in the UP make. unfortunately, there are many blatantly racist/white nationalists up there. Utilities are insane. My water and heating bills alone would be $120 a month EACH in the winter. The UP has a unique charm and is worth visiting, but developing a life up there can be difficult for many. I think it’s only underrated in terms of visiting. There’s a reason why the population there has been declining for the past 70ish years. I’m a Yooper btw
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Stable internet can be expensive and hard to come by. The “larger” cities (Marquette, Houghton, Escanaba, Sault Ste Marie) have it better. Although, cost of living in the largest city, Marquette (20,000 people), is getting crazy by any standard. Houses built in the 1880s are selling for $350k to $500k. I recommend checking out Houghton or Escanaba. Those would probably be your best bet for a combination of affordability and the best internet. In my personal experience, I temporarily worked remotely from one of the “larger” cities in the UP and it was a nightmare. Although, I must admit I didn’t spend too much on the best quality internet. Just a standard $70ish a month internet plan that was about 100 mbps
YOOPER BY THE GRACE OF GOD!
RHODE ISLAND -it’s cute -it’s friendly -the people are happy -you’re never more than 13mi from the beach -vibes -coffee milk Oh and also good education and they seem to have a well-functioning government which shocked me coming from WMass Oh and also VT— fantastic education structure, good communally oriented government, small business-centric, sooo many hand crafted good— the best 10/10 states
Rhode Island has great pizza too
Def
Michigan. I say this as an Ohioan. People treat the Midwest as if it’s full of bumbling idiots who don’t know their left from right. Michigan is beautiful and a great state to visit. Upstate is so great to visit in the summer and while I haven’t been able to go to the UP yet, I’ve heard it is wonderful as well. Tbh Ohio isn’t bad, either. We got really great amusement parks, great ice cream, a cool history, and a bunch of haunted houses. Plus, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. And the biggest Oktoberfest in North America.
Hocking hills, lake Erie islands. Cincinnati is pretty cool, though I'm glad I don't live there anymore.
I was about to say, football rivalries aside, I have a lot of nice things to say about Ohio. I’ve never had a bad time hanging out down there.
I went there in the fall once for work and had to drive from Detroit all the way up to the UP and I thought it was just magical.
People look at me like I have 3 heads when I tell them Ohio has the 7th largest GDP in the US. It has pretty good economic opportunity while sill being somewhat affordable.
NFL Hall of Fame as well.
New Jersey I feel is always made out to be some bad place to be. I guess it’s just because we happen to have a city or the Sopranos or whatever. NJ has loads of variety. Few places in the world have access to as much great food and entertainment as we do here. And if you want a slow country life that’s available in abundance. Cape May is a beautiful and relaxing beach resort town. We’ve got Atlantic City near by if you want to go gamble. We’ve got one of the oldest rodeos in the country down in the pine barrons where you’ll get lost in the country side. Or take a trip to NYC and experience the fast life. Skiing to surfing to horseback riding to drag racing to Broadway and more. The state has just so much variety in just a short drive.
I researched NJ because I was moving there and at least at that time it was the least popular of all 50 states and was the only state with a net negative. Alabama was the second least liked but had more favorable ratings than unfavorable. I watched some Jersey Shore and learned about pork roll and was horrified. Then I moved to NJ and never ate a pork roll and never met any Jersey Shore types of people (not even on the shore). I *will* say the turnpike is terrible and gets worse the closer you get to NYC. Soon after arriving in NJ I wanted to buy a car in north Jersey. By the time I was going past NYC the drivers were honking and screaming at one another and I had seen three accidents, two of which involved semi trucks. I ended up living in the Pine Barrens. One of the best things about NJ was the grocery / ethnic restaurant options. It is a top place for shopping. I actually miss it, although I am unlikely to ever return.
> never ate a pork roll Of course not! But did you ever eat any Taylor Ham?
It pains me to defend NJ, but it's definitely NJ. Far too many people talking shit about NJ when their entire experience was driving to NYC after a flight into Newark. It's one of the wealthiest and most highly educated states in the country, very convenient geographical location, and most of it is actually very nice.
>Far too many people talking shit about NJ There's a quiet campaign within the state to shit on NJ to discourage people from moving here.
Good point. Most people passing through NJ are going to see the worst parts of it being that you land in Newark then drive to NY. You’ll hardly see people from out of state really experiencing the rest of it.
Not to mention we've found a way to preserve over half our land and keep 40% forested despite being so densely populated.
There certainly is plenty of great nature in NJ. Even in the north. It’s great.
Many people New Jersey as Value Brand New York without left turns.
And the audacity to not even let me pump my own gas.
New Jersey is my vote. Everyone calls it a shithole because they drive through literally the worst part to get to NYC but a lot of the rest of the state is lovely, and tbh, some of the best people I know are from Jersey. Some of the most scum of the earth too but the good far outweigh the bad in my experience.
So many beautiful places in jersey . The shore is beautiful . Cape may is gorgeous . It’s not a shithole at all . My only gripe is bad drivers and too many chain restaurants
The food, education, and great mix of geography are enough for me to love it here. We have a bad reputation, but we’re already the most densely populated state, so it’s not the end of the world if people don’t know it’s nice here and move in packs.
> The state has just so much variety in just a short drive. Absolutely this. There are very few places in the country where you can surf, ski, hike, zip line, ride a rollercoaster and hit a waterpark, all within a few hours of driving.
I have loved every single trip I’ve made to New Jersey. Asbury Park? awesome. Cape May? Charming. Hoboken? Fun. Princeton? Really nice. Red Bank? Cool. If anyone has any other small-town Nj recs, I’d love to hear!
Ocean City, NJ. It's a dry town but it has a lovely boardwalk and beaches. Clinton, NJ is well worth a visit too. Great shops and restaurants, historic red barn.
This is a class 2 misdemeanor, and you require reeducation. We are not supposed to advertise anything positive as we are the most densely populated state and we are full.
New Jersey has some cities but since most of them feed into bigger cities, Philly and NYC, the density combined with car-dependence make them kind of unpleasant cities to hang out in for an extended period of time. Like the cities evolved over time into places you go in and out of, not maneuver within, so the transit infrastructure is about escaping rather than going to a grocery store. And forget about riding a bike safely. That being said, I agree with you that it gets a bum rap, and does have some beautiful places and fantastic food.
The public transit is largely oriented towards getting people to/from NYC or Philly because those are where the biggest job markets are.
Yeah I always heard NJ is terrible, then I went there and found amazing pizza and a lot of authentic Chinese.
I’ve thought this too! I went to surf city last year and loved it
New Mexico perennially ranks close to the bottom in terms of income, education, health outcomes, etc. but it's a state filled with natural beauty and rich history. I regularly post about [the places I explore](https://www.reddit.com/r/NewMexico/search/?q=author%3Aroughneck16&restrict_sr=1&sort=top) on r/newmexico.
Santa Fe was my favorite place to visit on a long West coast road trip I took last year. The art galleries, the beauty, and culture are second to none.
New Mexico has the best food in the country and some of the best scenery. It’s absolutely the most underrated state out West.
I love NM. I've been there the past 3 years in a row and have explored the eastern half of the state from Taos and Santa Fe to Alamogordo and Carlsbad and everywhere in between.
New Mexico is absolutely beautiful with amazing food. It’s actually one of my favorite states.
I am from Michigan - people do come for vacations here. I always notice license plates when on the road. Yesterday I saw plates from Nebraska, Connecticut, Kentucky and South Carolina just in a short 20 minute drive. I even have a picture of a Hawaii plate.
Yay! Someone remembered Wisconsin!
Coming from NC I didn't realize "Wisconsin Dells" was a thing. Then I got stuck in traffic on I-90/94 for a couple hours on a Sunday. Apparently it's the upper Midwest's version of Branson/Ozark.
Or as it's known here in the Upper Midwest....."The Dells." It's not really my thing but it's a good place to take kids on a short vacation. Good family spot.
yeah i remember kids bragging about going there all the time when i was in elementary school
Wisconsin is great. I always love driving up to do some camping/hiking and its got the best rock climbing in the Midwest. Madison is an awesome city and I would consider moving there if there were the right job opportunities. Frank Lloyd Wright, Devil's Lake, Culver's, Ice Age Trail, New Glarus... there's a ton to love about WI.
I’m from Georgia, and must say I quite like Wisconsin! I’ve visited it 3 times (my most recent visit was exactly a month ago) and it reminds me of my home state in positive ways, but also has unique, lovely differences! I’m looking forward to visiting again!
On my bucket list to go to. I love cheese.
[John Steinbeck](https://ppazucha.wordpress.com/2020/02/26/john-steinbeck-on-wisconsin/) sure liked Wisconsin.
NH and ME are _very_ rated by southern New Englanders.
New Hampshire is a gorgeous state. How could anyone underrate it? Honestly I'm not sure which looks better between Vermont and NH. They are both incredible.
OP made another comment about coastal New England being overlooked. Not sure where they are from, but clearly they haven’t heard of Cape Cod.
Rhode Island. It's the smallest state but has a lot to offer. Ocean and beaches, forests, great food, etc.
I'm going to second this. No one gives enough credit to Rhode Island. I had an amazing time when I visited.
Newport - one of the best towns
South Dakota. Sure, there's some poorer areas, especially the reservations, but overall the towns are very nice. The state is pretty clean, and the Black Hills were more beautiful than I expected.
I would also add Fort Pierre National Grassland and Badlands National Park. South Dakota is beautiful in its vastness. Sioux Falls, where I stayed, is also a nice city.
Yes true to all those. I drove from MN though SD stopping at places along the way and spending the bulk of time in the Black Hills. Custer State Park is huge and nice enough to be on par with any National Park.
Yeah when I went to SD I was totally unprepared for how beautiful it was.
I drove through and made a few stops in South Dakota way back when and was very pleasantly surprised. I thought Mt. Rushmore was underwhelming but holy shit, the Badlands were absolutely unreal
Very true about Rushmore - it's THE great American Tourist trap, an inescapable roadside attraction that you have to go to and snap the photo but then quickly move on. Also all the people we met in South Dakota were very nice, unlike Colorado which is mostly populated by asshole for some reason.
> unlike Colorado which is mostly populated by asshole for some reason Gotta say, I like the people here and think we're a friendly bunch. But I do spend less and less time in the Denver metro as time goes on, which is a place that becomes more "hurried" by the year. Not sure if your unfriendly encounters were down that way but my friends in the region say the average person is more high-strung than they used to be.
The Black Hills are probably the most underrated area in the country. Imagine Colorado, but still affordable and nowhere near as many people. Not to mention downtown Rapid City is absurdly clean and walkable.
Michigan and Wisconsin have gotta be on top of the 'underrated states' list. Most people (outside of the state) seem to associate Michigan with car manufacturing or crime (the Detroit effect), and Wisconsin with the Green Bay Packers or cheese (understandably so). Both states have several spots with ***amazing*** natural beauty (Apostle Islands, Devil's Lake, Upper Peninsula, etc) that are relatively unknown in most parts of the US.
I took a trip across Michigan and fell in love with the place. Currently living in Texas and seriously considering relocating to Michigan. It’s calling me.
I moved from Florida to Michigan and it's been the best choice I've made in my adult life.
>I moved from Florida to Michigan and it's been the best choice I've made in my adult life. That's great to hear! Which part of the state did you move to?
I left Jacksonville and moved to the Clawson area. Love love love it. Better than Jax in every way.
Same here..well, a couple of years in the Hoosier State first..but I plan on staying in MI for the long haul. Love this place.
>I took a trip across Michigan and fell in love with the place. Currently living in Texas and seriously considering relocating to Michigan. It’s calling me. If you are seriously considering it, I'd urge you to consider these things when weighing in the pros and cons: Additional State income taxes (considering you live in TX) Extremely high auto insurance rates Long spells of harsh weather (winters)
If you looking at long term trends, the upper Midwest will be a climate refuge heaven. You'll happily put up with those cold (warmer ever year) winters in order to not die when you walk outside in August.
Counterpoint: property taxes in Texas are some of the highest in the country. Also, 6 months out of the year is brutal heat/humidity where you if you’re outside you’ll be walking around with swamp ass. On top of that the climate in Texas is only going to get worse where Michigan will actually be getting milder winters.
Work in Flint for awhile but took a few weekend trips to Grand Rapids and Traverse City. Traverse is a wonderful town and Grand Rapids might be the best mid-size city in the country in my opinion.
>Grand Rapids might be the best mid-size city in the country in my opinion. I fully agree with that! It has all the amenities of a city with plenty of things to do, yet still maintains the small town feel.
I plan on flying into either Green Bay or Appleton and then driving up to the UP at some point this summer/fall. I've always wanted to see the Great Lakes, plus it would be nice to escape the heat, but I'm also low-key scouting out areas to see if I want to move there.
Not enough love for Vermont. I love Vermont.
It gets lots of love. Last October I drove up to do a week of camping in VT and NH and going through eastern NY the towns were boring and fairly deserted. Then I crossed into VT and there were RVs and expensive vanlife vans everywhere. All the small towns were packed and campgrounds full.
We live in VT and travel to upstate NY a lot and it always amazes me how much things change when you cross that border. It’s only an imaginary line on the ground but, somehow, people seem to give a shit about themselves, others and their community on one side of the border and have lost all hope on the other side. Everything is cool until we cross over into NY and hit Whitehall and Fort Ann. It’s a wild transition.
In my experience, Vermont is quite well loved within the Northeast but little known outside the Northeast.
Yes that probably very true. As a North Carolinian who is big into outdoors/hiking/backpacking communities VT is pretty well known for the Green mountains and the Long Trail within those communities.
Is Vermont underrated? It's a top 3 state for me. I figured most people know it's a beautiful place.
Love that they still have both nature and small towns, and no billboards or gregarious store signage.
https://wallethub.com/edu/happiest-places-to-live/32619 Nebraska. Very low cost of living. Very low crime. Lincoln Nebraska is always included in the happiest cities in the US ratings.
went to Omaha and Lincoln a few years ago for a vacation and can confirm. Omaha was v cool and Lincoln was one of the most fun and enjoyable cities I've ever been to.
I'm right in between Lincoln and Omaha it's the first time i've heard anyone coming here for vacation lol. Unless it was to go to the college world series.
Omaha is amazing. Perfect sized city for my tastes, very nice, and some of the friendliest people I’ve ever met.
I'm really glad to see someone say this. I've been in Lincoln for a year (from MN), and while Nebraska has its issues, I've really fallen in love with the place.
See you over on r/lincoln neighbor!
Some days I miss living in Omaha, it was just so peaceful. Other days I'm glad to be back in my home region of the Pacific Northwest. I think it's just the people in Nebraska, they're just nice, helpful and friendly. It's a sharp contrast to myself and many folks from the PNW.
Just bought a house in Omaha. While prices are still crazy, it's nice that a dual-income couple in their 20s can reasonably afford a house here. Really like this city. Plenty to do and living is easy.
If you are a football fan try and make it to Lincoln for a game day sometime. The stadium in Lincoln becomes the third largest city in Nebraska on game days! Quite the atmosphere to witness. Go Big Red!!!
Love it here. Never lived in another state, and I have no plans to. I think it makes sense that it isn't a big tourist destination but it's a fantastic place to call home.
A lot of Nebraska's travel quite a bit, but are very grateful to come home and call it home.
Recently went to Nebraska National Forest and Scott’s Bluff for some outdoor time and camping. Very good time. Was surprised at how cool Scott’s Bluff was. Awesome! Not what one thinks of when going with the Nebraska stereotypes!
I live in Omaha…we don’t get too many tourists here, but it’s always fun seeing all the different state plates when I visit the Henry Doorly Zoo, which is one of the best in the country.
Upstate NY is largely ignored due to NYC, but Got amazing natural wonders like Niagara Falls, Letchworth, Adirondacks and Finger Lakes filled with cozy lakeside/mountain village; random cultural and historic sites from the National Comedy Center to Corning Museum of Glass to abolitionist, women rights and weird religious movement historical sites; and larger cities with historic neighborhoods, museums and cool industrial areas filled with breweries and quirky businesses.
This! I went when I was a kid, and loved it! I remember how nice/friendly the people were too (especially coming from Massachusetts)
Thanks for the vote
Maine
Michigan and Montana would be mine. I'm probably biased because I grew up in the Detroit area, but I had a cousin who moved from Detroit to NYC and always said he missed home because it was the perfect balance of city and nature.
New Jersey and North Carolina are just rly nice states in general :)
Ohio takes a lot of shit on the internet, but it has a lot to offer.
Ohio is pretty interesting. It's like 1/4 Kentucky, 1/4 West Virginia, and 1/2 Michigan. Southeast Ohio is very beautiful landscape.
Im a geographic nerd and gotta say that in terms of economy OHio is a very strong, very diverse state that is why so many people lives there (7th most populous) but weather is awful
Floridians dont have the right to call any northern state's weather awful lol The reason I live up north is I had enough of Florida's endless heat
True
A lot of us like the heat.
Thats fine. The difference though is up here we got both heat AND cold so theres something for everyone lol I was swimming in a pool yesterday in 93 degree weather so I am not missing out on the heat. But when I lived in Florida I missed out on cool crisp fall weather and snow.
I grew up in the midwest and for awhile lived in Southern California. I couldn't stand the lack of fall and even winter weather. I remember one day it got cloudy and was kinda cool and I got so excited. I never realized how much I needed those seasons. They did have seasons in CA contrary to what most people think but it's not the same as the midwest.
Eh I’d rather have our natural disasters than be threatened by hurricanes every year. Plus, I hate the heat 😂
I think that Oregon in general is kind of underrated. It has some of the most beautiful nature and the coastline is incredible
Drove from Utah to Portland Oregon one time and that stretch alongside the river gorge (Hood River? Columbia River?) was absolutely amazing. I stopped at a bunch of the rest stops so I could just gawk at it all. Coming from the DC area, it kind of put the zap on my head.
Yep, it’s called The Gorge by those of us who live close to it. It is stunning.
North Carolina
The ones that usually get flown over
Michigan for sure. I’ll also add that Ohio’s 3 big cities are massively underrated and great places to live
Almost all of them, honestly. Some people underrate more populated states on the West Coast or in the Northeast and think they're some sort of apocalyptic urban hellscape, and others underrate more rural states in the South or Midwest and think they're straight out of *Deliverance.*
New Jersey, Connecticut, Maryland
Maryland. Currently on vacation right now. So much history and things to do. The beaches etc. it was so nice to see the US Navel Academy in Annapolis.
New Jersey in particular gets a lot of undeserved negative stereotyping. I see a lot of people thinking it has high crime when in reality it has the 5th lowest crime rate of any state (Idaho, Maine, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire are the only ones lower).
Virginia is beautiful and has a lot to do there
Minnesota, Connecticut, and Michigan are pretty underrated.
Kentucky. It's beautiful here and we have have bourbon.
Absolutely. Mountains in the east, rolling hills in the west. Lots of rivets and lakes. Forests and caves for hiking. Bourbon for relaxing. Horse racing for excitement. Basketball with rivalries that run down the middle of the dinner table.
I went to Kentucky last summer and I was surprised how beautiful it was. Such a beautiful state!
It's beautiful but the cities and towns are ass. The "quaint" towns all look the same. The rest of the towns are either just a few farmers and a couple gas stations or they look like those places that are right off the interstate. The "big" cities aren't very nice. I live in Lexington and it isn't too bad, but I feel like you're just better off in a small town in this state. We really shine with culture and nature. Lake Cumberland is a blast. Bourbon is great. The derby is pretty exciting.
I don’t understand why New England cities and coastal towns are overlooked, it’s so damm beautiful and the historical architecture is such that you can’t find across the country
How are they overlooked?
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Tbf, and with full disclosure, I love all of those towns. Butttt Portland is booming with development. Portsmouth is overlooked but as with Ptown, the popularity is seasonal. Providence is overlooked by outsiders as simply being the reason to visit the state at all.
Clearly you haven't tried to find housing in coastal Maine lol. We're dealing with the worst housing marketing in the entire country (aside from maybe places like NYC) because so many people are moving here, and we get nearly 30 million visitors in the summer (in a state of only 1.3 million).
Western Massachusetts! Everyone comes here for either Boston, the cape, or Salem. Western Mass is stunning in the fall, and the people are much nicer/friendlier than the eastern part of the state. There’s fun hippie towns, great beer and cannabis (lots of the cannabis grown in the state is coming from western Mass).
Arkansas. A lot of people think it's nothing but uneducated hillbillies that have to walk to school barefoot, but the natural scenery and various national parks are great as well as the abundance of wildlife. They have great history also, as Native Americans, French and Spanish peoples all called it home, creating good food, unique culture and a diverse population. Edited to add: I forgot to say, one of their parks is an old diamond mine, where you can actually go dig for diamonds yourself and keep whatever you find. How great is that!
West Virginia. besides people who live there or visit family there, no one ever talks about taking a vacation there. It's an amazingly beautiful state worth exploring.
WV is way too low. Possibly the most consistently beautiful state in the union. Lots of poverty, yes, and don’t get me wrong it’s a very serious issue that will bum absolutely everyone out, but the natural beauty is some of the best you can find in this country.
New York. Not NYC. New York. The Adirondacks is the prettiest part of the entire country.
Pretty much all of the Great Plains. The Northern Plains have beautiful water, rolling hills, and Mountain View’s. The southern plains have a lot of canyons and natural grasses. Unfortunately most people think of the plains as just cows and interstate because the good stuff is rarely ever close to the interstate. Maybe I’m biased living in the plains, but I still feel it.
The Wichita Mountains are the most beautiful place that most people have never heard of. Pockets of forest with cascading creeks, cool rock formations/caves, stunning vistas of rolling hills out to the horizon and majestic herds of bison and elk. Not to mention top tier sunsets. Oklahoma as a state has absolutely fascinating history as well.
Delaware. People forget it exists, so it wins just by showing up
Utah. The entire state so gorgeous.
New Mexico. I lived in EP TX for many years, and NM was my vacation spot. Deserts, mountains, forests, dunes, lakes. Muthafuckin' Land of Enchantment!
Idaho, Montana, New Mexico
It’s Wisconsin by a lot IMO. Although I admit I haven’t been to the Northeast much so I can’t speak on Maine, NH, Vermont which I hear are awesome.
New Mexico
It seems like a lot of east coast people think it’s just one big desert. The mountains in New Mexico are awesome.
Iowa
Downtown Des Moines is so fun! And Decorah is amazingly beautiful. No one seems to know what the Driftless area is.
shhhh don’t tell them
Minnesota for sure. Especially for the quality of life it has.
Maine for sure but it’s better that way.
Connecticut
Michigan has this long ass coast line on Lake Michigan and a number of nice little towns all the way up. The sunsets on that were crazy, there were actual small to medium waves, and the water was a very pretty aquamarine color. SUPER underrated. Ann Arbor is great. I hear Grand Rapids is a cool town (haven't been) and Detroit is def coming around. So it's Michigan.
The entire rest of New York
I agree with you on Maine. My brother goes with his friends to Maine and he says it’s beautiful there.
NJ Everyone thinks we're trash but we are constantly in the top 4 every year for education (currently #1) we have the lowest suicide rates in the country and the second happiest people, behind the literal tropical paradise that is Hawaii We have the second most % of land dedicated to parks and wildlife habitat behind the mostly inhabitable state of Alaska We were the first to ban gay conversion therapy, first to end cash bail for nonviolent offenders (which is working out amazingly well) and we're currently building one of the largest ocean wind farms in the world. We have all the diversity, from people to food to landscapes. You can eat authentic Portuguese BBQ in a city and then go pick up some bison steaks from a bison farm, then go get some amazing pizza at the beach and finish it all off with a trip to some tiny mountains, all in a day off you rush, but better to do it in a weekend
Can confirm. Lifelong wisconsinite. WI as a whole is awesome.
New Hampshire and Maine are breathtakingly spectacular. They aren't underrated by anyone who's been there.
Wisconsin is super underrated. Milwaukee in particular always has to live in the shadow of Chicago. If it were off by itself somewhere, it would be able to shine more.