Repost -Best Place in the USA to Prepare For Collapse

This is a Repost from the informative blog "The Economic Collapse"
Source: http://theeconomiccollapseblog.com/archives/what-is-the-best-place-to-live-in-the-united-states-to-prepare-for-the-coming-economic-collapse



Another Opinion


Stay Away From Population Centers!


Bark's Picks:

Good States: E. WA, ID, MT, WY, CO, N. AZ, N. NM, E. TN, E. KY, W. NC, VT, N. NH, ME, N. WI, E. OR

States To avoid at all costs: NY, NJ, MA, CA, IL, MD, OH, WV, FL, SC, VA, CT, RI, DE, UT, MS, AL, MI, LA

The remaining states are a toss up. Pick a "Hippy Haven", but not in a state that is too conservative or liberal. Look for the independent minded college towns where there are farmers markets and local growing. Here is a good guide: http://www.hippy.com/havens.htm

and by sales of local food: http://1x57.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/farmers-markets-US-map-region-county-direct-to-consumer-sales.jpg (that does not mean move to Massachusetts b/c they have a lot of markets. The nanny state is big there, so you will have to factor that in when choosing a place to live.

Here is the article:
What Is The Best Place To Live In The United States To Prepare For The Coming Economic Collapse?


What is the best place to live in the United States? I get asked that question all the time. My answer can be summed up in two words: it depends. The truth is that the answer is going to be different for each person. All of us have different goals and different needs. If you have a very strong network of family and friends where you live right now, you might want to think twice before moving hundreds or thousands of miles away. If you have a great job where you live right now, you might want to hold on to it. You should not just assume that you are going to be able to pick up and move to another part of the country and be able to get a similar job right away. The United States is in the midst of a very serious economic decline right now, and wherever you live you are going to have to provide for your family. Just because you move somewhere new does not mean that you are going to leave your problems behind. In fact, you might find that they moved right along with you. With all that being said, the reality is that there are some places in the U.S. that are going to be much more desirable than others when the economy totally falls apart. For example, during a total economic collapse it will not be good to be living in a large city or in a densely populated area. Just think about what happened in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. If the entire nation is going through something like that, you don't want to have hundreds of thousands of close neighbors at that point. So when thinking about where you want to be when everything falls apart, population density should be a major factor. But there are other factors as well and no area of the United States is perfect.

If you live in or near a major city right now, that is okay. Most Americans do. Even if you have limited financial resources at the moment, you can start developing a plan that will get you where you eventually want to go. If you want to move to another part of the country you can start applying for jobs out there. You can also be working hard to develop a business that would enable you to move. Perhaps you have friends or family in more isolated areas that would allow you to stay with them during an economic collapse.

Those that possess more financial resources could start thinking about getting a second home in a location that is more rural.

The key is to come up with a plan and to be working towards accomplishing that plan.

If you don't have a plan yet, hopefully the following information will give you something to think about. Not all areas of the United States are equal, and all of them do have problems.

The following are some thoughts about the best place to live in the United States....

The Northeast

A major problem with the Northeast is that it is EXTREMELY crowded. Yes, there are some rural areas, but the overall population density of the region is so high that it would be really hard to go unnoticed for long in the event of a major economic collapse. There is also a lot of government control, high taxes and heavy handed police presence there.

Another thing that is not great about the Northeast is that so much of the population lives near the coast. As we saw in Japan recently, living near a coastline is not necessarily a good thing. While it is likely safer to live along the east coast then the west coast, the truth is that there is an inherent level of insecurity when it comes to living in coastal areas. You never know when the next hurricane, oil spill or tsunami is going to strike.

Also, the Northeast is really quite cold. So staying warm and growing your own food would be more difficult than in some other areas of the country.

The Mid-Atlantic

The Mid-Atlantic is one of the most beautiful areas of the nation. Unfortunately, it suffers from many of the same problems that the Northeast does.

The Mid-Atlantic has a very high population density. For example, the area around Washington D.C. is pretty much all suburbs for 50 miles in all directions.

The weather is nicer than in the Northeast and there are some less dense areas once you get south of Washington D.C.

If you think that the Mid-Atlantic might be for you, you might want to check out North Carolina or South Carolina. The people tend to get friendlier the further south you go and there are definitely some areas that could potentially work.

Florida

Florida is generally not going to be a place that you want to be during an economic collapse. The housing market has absolutely collapsed down there and the crime rate is already very high with gangs controlling many areas. It is also very densely populated. Florida also puts the most people in prison for petty crimes.

The weather is very nice down in Florida, but one big thing that you need to consider when it comes to Florida is the fact that it is very flat and most of Florida is just barely above sea level. In fact, quite a bit of Florida is actually below sea level.

In addition, hurricanes are always a major threat in Florida. It is a beautiful state, but there is a lot of risk to living down there. If you are going to move there look into Jackson or Nassau Counties.

The Southeast

The Southeast has really taken a pounding over the last few years. First it was Hurricane Katrina, and then it was the BP oil spill and then it was the tornadoes of 2011.

There is a lot of poverty in that area of the country. There is also a lot of crime.

There are a lot of great people who live down in the Southeast, but if you do not know your way around it can be a very difficult place to move to.

The Mid-South

One of my favorite places east of the Mississippi River are the mountains along the Tennessee/North Carolina border. If you must be in the eastern half of the United States, that is not a bad choice especially Asheville, NC or Greenville, SC.

Where you do not want to be is anywhere near the New Madrid fault zone. The New Madrid fault zone covers portions of Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, Arkansas, Kentucky, Tennessee and Mississippi. The biggest earthquakes in the history of the United States were caused by the New Madrid fault. Many are convinced that we are going to see an absolutely catastrophic earthquake along the New Madrid fault at some point.

So if you want to live in the Mid-South, it is highly recommended that you stay far away from the New Madrid fault zone.

The Upper Midwest

The Upper Midwest was once one of the great manufacturing regions of the world, but now much of it is known as the "rust belt".

Formerly great manufacturing cities such as Detroit are now absolute hellholes. Tens of thousands of our factories and millions of our jobs have been shipped overseas.

There are some really great people (including some good friends of this column) that live up there, but the truth is that the region is really cold and unemployment is rampant.

The Upper Midwest is an area that people want to get out of. It is probably not a great place to move to.

However, if you do need a job, one place to look is a little bit west of there. Thanks to an abundance of natural resources, unemployment in North Dakota and South Dakota is very low. If you really need a job you might want to look into those two states.

The Southwest

In the Southwest there are a whole lot of freedom-loving Americans, the weather is very warm and there is a lot of space to get lost.

However, the Southwest is also very dry and in many areas there is not a lot of water. Mega Droughts and huge wildfires are quite common and will be increasing in intensity.

In addition, illegal immigration / Gangs are rampant and there is a constant personal security threat.

If you are familiar with that area of the country it is not a bad choice, but if you do not know what you are doing it could end up being disastrous for you.

The Great Plains

As long as you are far enough away from the New Madrid fault, the Great Plains is not a bad choice.

It is very, very flat out there, and it can be quite windy, but the good news is that you should be able to grow your own food.

In addition, the population density is generally very low in most areas.

One big negative, as we have seen recently, is huge deadly tornadoes. The United States experiences more tornadoes that anywhere else in the world, and "tornado alley" generally gets the worst of it.

The West Coast

During an economic collapse, the West Coast is not a place that you will really want to be. Just take a look at the state of California already. It is an economic nightmare.

Millions of people have left California over the past couple of decades. The millions of people that have left have been replaced mostly with illegal aliens. CA is also the biggest police state in the USA.

Oregon is better, although they have very high taxes and they are experiencing huge economic problems right now as well.

The best area along the West Coast is the Seattle area, but you won't want to be anywhere near a major population center when things totally fall apart.

Also, the West Coast lies along the "Ring of Fire". Considering what just happened in Japan and what has been happening in other areas along the Ring of Fire lately, the West Coast is not an area that a lot of people are recommending.

The Northwest

Large numbers of freedom-loving Americans have been moving to the states of Montana, Idaho and Wyoming. You can also throw eastern Washington and eastern Oregon into this category as well.

It gets really cold up in the Northwest, but not as cold as the Upper Midwest. There are lots of rivers, streams and lakes and in certain areas there is plenty of rain.

The population density is very low in most areas and there is an abundance of wildlife. Housing prices are reasonable and in many areas you can grow your own food.

The Northwest is one of the favorite areas of the United States for preppers. It is far from perfect, but it does have a lot of advantages.

Alaska And Hawaii

Neither Alaska or Hawaii is recommended. Alaska lies along the "Ring of Fire" and it is very, very cold. Also, almost everything has to be either shipped or flown into Alaska. In the event of a real economic collapse, supplies to Alaska could be cut off and shortages could develop very quickly.

Hawaii has a huge population and it does not have a lot of room unless you live on Lanai (Molokai). Like Alaska, most supplies have to be either shipped in or flown in. And one really bad tsunami could pretty much wipe Hawaii out.

But once again, there is no "right answer". There are areas of just about every U.S. state that could potentially work well during a major economic collapse.

When assessing where "the best place to live in the United States" is, it is important to examine your own personal factors. What will work for me and for my family will not necessarily work for you and your family.

So what do all of you think about this list? Which area of the country do you think is best for those Americans who are seeking to prepare themselves for the coming economic collapse?

Here is another author's opinion of the best and worst:

how survival-friendly is your location? Have you thought of relocating or are you determined to stay put? Do you live in a state where survival in hard times will be easy or impossible? Joel Skousen’s book Strategic Relocation has some of the answers to those questions and may be able to help you assess the security of your current location.

I’ll have a review of his book coming up this week but wanted to highlight ten states he ranks as the best and worst for survive-ability. He bases his assessments on a number of factors:

• Climate
  
• Population density
  
• Cost of living index
  
• Food Production
  
• Health environment
  
• Traffic
  
• Politics
  
• Taxes
  
• Corruption and Crime
  
• Gun Liberty
  
• Homeschooling Liberty
  
• Military Targets & Nuclear Power Plants
  

One thing I always keep in mind is that no location is perfect, and no matter where you live, there’s such a thing as dumb luck, or the hand of God. Just ask the people in Joplin, Missouri, whose homes remained completely intact while those of their neighbors were devastated. Just because a family lives in one of the Top 5 states, doesn’t mean they can kick back, relax, and ignore signs of coming turmoil. Likewise, residents of one of the Bottom 5 states, may be well prepared enough to mitigate some of the disadvantages.

Take a look at the five states Skousen regards as the best for survival.

TOP 5 STATES:

#1 Utah – Low population density, except in Salt Lake City area. Utah has a below average cost of living and good food production potential, although irrigation is usually required. It has good water quality, average tax rates and low property taxes. It’s crime rate and government corruption levels are moderate, and it’s rated as a very friendly-gun state. Homeschooling in Utah is easy as it has no homeschooling regulations. There are only a few military targets. Overall, there are a lot of areas that are very suitable for survival retreats and numerous small towns that are also good locations. The 50% of Mormon (LDS) population means that more people here are preparedness minded than anywhere else in the country. Survival type products are easy to find, and a lot of LDS resources are open to non-members. (Too much religious control for me)

#2 Idaho – Idaho offers a low cost of living and low population density. The food production potential is average with irrigation being required in most parts of the state. There is good water quality, low levels of pollution, but higher than average taxes. You’ll find a low crime rate here with very friendly gun laws. Homeschoolers won’t have to deal with any regulations, and overall the state as a very high Personal Liberty rating. Many people here are preparedness minded, the state is more conservative than most, and there are numerous locations for good survival retreats or residential areas suitable for survival-minded families.

#3 Montana – A classic survivalist state with very low population density. It has a moderate cost of living, excellent water quality, low taxes, and a moderate crime rate. It ranks high in gun liberty and has very low homeschooling regulations. However near Great Falls there is a the largest Minuteman missile base in the country, which makes it a primary target for hundreds of warheads. Stay away from that area and you have a state that rates high in personal freedom and has plenty of room to spread out and explore.

#4 Washington — As long as you avoid the Seattle area and give it a very wide berth, there’s a lot about the state to make it very survive-able. As a state, it has an average population density and cost of living index. Most of the state has a nice growing season of 150-210 days per year and the water quality is good. It has moderately good gun laws but more homeschooling regulation than many other states. One nice feature is that it has no income tax.

#5 Colorado – Joel Skousen gives Colorado 4 stars in spite of some significant, primary military targets near Denver and Colorado Springs, and, he claims, “secret” military bases. Outside Denver, there’s a below average population density, average cost of lving in the state, and depending on where you live, you have either a below average growing season or a very nice one with 180 days or so. Colorado offers below average taxes and a low crime rate. Denver has restrictive gun laws but other parts of the state are gun-friendly.



And now, for the states that have the worst rankings.

BOTTOM 5 STATES:

#50 Hawaii – Great vacation destination but a horrible place to be if the s ever hits the fan. As an island, most necessities have to be shipped in, including fuel and most food. Cost of living is very high, the soil is fairly poor for general farming, and depending on which side of an island you live on, you could get too much or too little rainfall. Hawaii is the 5^th highest in state taxes and property taxes and has a very high level of corruption in government and in the police department. There are strict gun laws and it’s home to several primary military targets. Additionally, there are plenty of racial tensions here. If tourism should ever die, the entire state would collapse in just about every sense of the word.

#49 Florida – High population density overall. Florida averages 45 tornadoes a year, plus its fair share of hurricanes. Food production potential is good, but only for a few specific crops, not for general farming. It has higher than average water pollution, and some areas have high air pollution. Additionally, it has a very high crime rate. Skousen describes it as one big trap zone. There are multiple military targets, and some areas will be impossible to evacuate without a fast boat. Without electricity the climate is very difficult to live in. (North Florida around Ocala is not bad)

#48 Rhode Island – Rhode Island has a very high population density, high cost of living, and restrictive laws when it comes to personal liberty. For example, strict building permits are required, there’s highly centralized planning, restrictive gun laws with a 7 day waiting period for making a purchase, and homeschooling is highly regulated. Because the state is so small, there really is nowhere safe to hunker down or use as a survival location. There are numerous lakes and creeks to cross, making evacuations potentially dangerous or impossible. Rhode Island also has heavy traffic and high taxes.

#47 Massachusetts – Very high population density and the 14^th worst traffic in the country. Massachusetts has a high cost of living, very high violent crime rate, and restrictive gun laws. Homeschooling is highly regulated and there are high levels of corruption at the state and local levels.

#46 New Jersey – New Jersey has a high population density, very high cost of living, and heavy handed state and local governments. Building permits are required for everything. Skousen reports, “Some localities even require a permit to replace kitchen appliances.” There are red light cameras, high levels of surface water pollution, heavy traffic problems, and the highest tax burden of any state. Additionally, there is very high corruption in government and stringent gun laws. ( I would rate New Jersey as THE worst, followed by Massachusetts)



Are you ready to pack up and move from your state? Before putting up that For Sale sign, assess your own circumstances and, very importantly, the connections you have. Moving to a so-called “survival friendly” state will mean getting to know neighbors all over again and, likely, being far away from your closest friends and family members. When I think of moving to the ideal survival retreat, I know my kids would grow up not knowing their cousins, and I would watch my parents grow old without having me nearby to lend support. No matter where you live, there are trade-offs.

The Top 5 or Bottom 5 may not tell the whole story. Do your own research and consultt multiple sources if you’re thinking of either moving or establishing a location as a survival retreat.

Yet Another Opinion:

By Be Informed

First of all the best places to retreat to in the United States must have a good water source and some form of reliable food, these are an absolute must if you considering surviving the end of civilization as you know it. If you are considering only job opportunities and bettering yourself financially then Texas is for you, or if you can stand the cold then North Dakota is the most stable place for work of the 50 states.

At least for me I would not consider areas east of the Mississippi River to be places to find retreats for. If someone was to consider these areas I would definitely suggest the mountains towards the North Carolina west. Other areas along the Appalachians are too close to areas that are high risk to the above mentioned parameters. The West is still the best place for retreats. I highly recommend getting the book from Sunset called Western Garden Book that shows zones in much detail in the western states that growing season, temperatures, what will grow, and an excellent list of plants, trees, garden vegetables, flowers and where they will grow, just a wonderful book to have.

For the people concerned about having a year round supply of food of all kinds and plentiful clean water and elevation then the northern part of the big island of Hawaii at least 5000 feet up. This is a place that practically everything will grow and there is more available food that is within reasonable distance at sea level. This fits all the categories expect for a safe seismic zone, or taxes, it is expensive to get land there, and Hawaii is an strategic location in case of war.

California has a lot of nearly or all year round growing, but earthquakes are always a problem and the state is vastly overpopulated and going to be a problem in times of unrest. The taxes are awful, and the pollution in many places is horrible. The laws are not nearly as free as most of the other states, a suffocating feeling of the law system is a good description of CA laws. If someone wants to make it through the bad times in the state, probably the best places minus the earthquakes are north of San Francisco along the coast, at a couple of miles from the coast. The mountains east of San Diego are much more isolated than the mountains to the north, and much warmer than the Sierras. Even Catalina Island would be an okay choice because it is 25 miles off the coast and upwind from any problems with Southern California. The deserts areas are isolated but not reliable for water and food as any oasis types are loaded with population.

Nevada has no taxes and is isolated in many spots and not as dry as people think in the elevated spots, but difficult to grow food because of the limited frost free days. Southern Nevada is actually too hot to grow a lot of food during the summer months.

Oregon has belts of high production growing areas and has water, but as the Sunset book shows it is not as widespread as thought for long season growing. It is a place that is highly forested and a good place to hide.

Washington is a what people call the hippie place to be and survivalist would fit in quite well and be accepted and has good food production and water like Oregon. Washington though is much further north and much colder than Oregon unless you live by the coast. Both Oregon and Washington are in dangerous zones for tremendous earthquakes but as long as someone is not close enough to the coast, earthquakes should not really be a factor. Dense forest to hide and get away from problems is a big plus.

Idaho is quite cold and the growing season is not very long. A state of survivalists and a strong feeling of anti-society and heavy forests is something that draws survival minded people.

Montana is big sky country and is known as one of the free states. The growing season is very minimal and one has to make other plans for obtaining food. Also something to think about is many ICBM missiles are stationed here and is a huge target if the U.S. was in war with China or Russia.

Wyoming has very friendly people and no state income tax and plenty of opportunity, especially in the natural gas fields of the east. The most heavily armed state there is, don’t call it the cowboy state for nothing. Very limited growing season, and the winters are brutal with sharp wind that makes it feel that much colder. Southeastern part of the state has some of the most advanced missiles there are and a first strike target in World War 3.

Colorado is a place that someone can disappear in the mountains and never be found, but survival there is another story. Living at 10000 feet or so during the summer is easy, during the winter takes a true survivalist. Colorado gets heavy snow and not easy to get around after SHTF.

Utah is one of the most prepared states there is for the end times, but if you are not of the faith there you might have trouble being accepted. Very difficult to grow food there for more than 150 days. Dry and desert like in many places. There are extremely high tectonic regions in the state.

Arizona is a state that has many problems and a high population for the area. If someone was to choose this state the eastern part would probably be the best bet.

New Mexico is probably one of the best places to go to as long as you stay a distance from the Mexico border. New Mexico has many places to hide. A lot more water sources that people realize. A growing season that is much longer than the other northern mountain states. Caves that are actually not too cold and damp that someone could stay in for extended periods of time. The taxes are not too bad. As rated for pollution one of the cleanest areas in the states. No real danger of extreme earthquakes. Like most wilderness areas has many predator animals but not as many as states like Idaho or other deep forest areas. Altitude, but not terrible cold weather. One of the semi free states. People are not as nice as the midwest or other areas but okay to get along with.

If I was to choose any area in the United States I would choose southern to central New Mexico as a good place to attempt to retreat to. Hawaii if I knew that the island was not going to blow up from a volcano and was not going to be attacked by China or someone. If I could stand the cold and have enough stored food I would choose Wyoming or Idaho or even northeastern Nevada. It all depends on the situation someone is trying to survive from.

For world war go to where the weather patterns will drop the least amount of radiation, upwind of targets. Or where the air is constantly raising and spreading out and away which is not the U.S., but about 10 degrees or 700 miles north or south of the equator.

For total breakdown of society get as isolated as possible, there are plenty of areas for this but water and food is the real issue here and being able to stay as warm or cool as possible.

For a plague breakout someone should consider areas as dry and cool as possible for most outbreaks. Mountains are where people were taken for centuries to try to cure or lessen the symptoms of diseases.

There are microclimates of places all over the country and books like the Sunset Western Garden Book will give people a good idea of at least the climate where they would pan to go to in the western areas. Actually climate is one of the most important reasons for people moving to somewhere, California is the example behind this. One thing that many people do also is to actually go somewhere and just know it is the right place to be, this might work for you.

Here is the opinion of Michael from: http://endoftheamericandream.com
http://theeconomiccollapseblog.com/archives/what-is-the-best-place-to-live-in-america-pros-and-cons-for-all-50-states

If you could live in any state in America, where would you go?  
During troubled times like these, what is the best place in the United
States to live?  A lot of people are asking these kinds of questions
these days.  Our economy is on the verge of collapse, natural disasters
are becoming more frequent and more intense, the U.S. population is
becoming angrier and more frustrated by the day, our government has
become incredibly oppressive and controlling, war could break out at any
time and evidence that society is breaking down is all around us.
As our world becomes increasingly unstable, many families are
considering moving somewhere else.  But what areas are best and what
areas should be avoided?  Is there really a "best place to live" in
America?  Well, the truth is that each family is facing a different set
of circumstances.  If you have a great support system where you live, it
can be really tough to pick up and move 3000 miles away from that
support system.  If you have a great job where you live now, it can be
really tough to move some place where there may be no job at all for
you.  But without a doubt there are some areas of the country that will
be far better off than others in the event of a major economic
collapse.  This article will take a look at each of the 50 U.S. states
and will list some of the pros and cons for moving to each one.
Not all of the factors listed below will be important to you, and a
few have even been thrown in for humor.  But if you are thinking of
moving in the near future hopefully this list will give you some food
for thought.

A few years ago when my wife and I were living near Washington D.C.
we knew that we wanted a change and we went through this kind of a
process.  We literally evaluated areas from coast to coast.  In the end,
we found a place that is absolutely perfect for us.  But different
things are important to different people.

And if I gave your particular state a low rating, please don't think
that I am trashing the entire state or all of the people who live there.

For example, there are some absolutely wonderful people that live in
the state of California, and there are some areas of California that I
would not mind visiting at all.  But for the times that are coming I am
convinced that it is going to be a really bad place to live.

Not that I have all the answers either.  Hopefully this article can
get some debates started, and hopefully those debates will help people
that are thinking of moving to another state to be more informed.

The following are some pros and cons for all 50 states....




Pros: warm weather, southern hospitality, relatively low population density

Cons: hurricanes, tornadoes, crime, not enough jobs, multiple nuclear power plants, rampant poverty

Overall Rating: C+




Pros: great fishing, lots of empty space, low population density, great for rugged individualists

Cons: very high cost of living, earthquakes, volcanoes, extremely
cold, short growing season, too much snow, potentially cut off from
supplies from the lower 48 states during an emergency situation

Overall Rating: B




Pros: warm weather

Cons: illegal immigration, wildfires, return of dust bowl conditions, not enough jobs, not enough rain, multiple nuclear power plants, crime, gang violence, Phoenix

Overall Rating: D+




Pros: southern hospitality, warm weather, Ozark National Forest

Cons: tornadoes, Clintons, New Madrid fault zone, multiple nuclear power plants, crime, rampant poverty

Overall Rating: C




Pros: Disneyland, warm weather, Malibu

Cons: high taxes, Jerry Brown, earthquakes, mudslides, wildfires,
gang violence, crime, traffic, rampant poverty, insane politicians,
ridiculous regulations, bad schools, political correctness, illegal
immigration, not enough jobs, air pollution, multiple nuclear power
plants, possible tsunami threat along the coast, Los Angeles, San
Francisco, Oakland, Stockton, Sacramento, huge drug problem, high
population density, the state government is broke, many more reasons to
leave California right here

Overall Rating: F




Pros: Rocky Mountains, Colorado Springs

Cons: wildfires, illegal immigration, short growing season, not enough rain, too much snow, huge drug problem

Overall Rating: B




Pros: beautiful homes

Cons: high taxes, insane politicians, ridiculous regulations,
political correctness, short growing season, multiple nuclear power
plants, high population density

Overall Rating: C-




Pros: good fishing

Cons: Joe Biden, political correctness, ridiculous regulations, insane politicians, crime, high population density

Overall Rating: D




Pros: University of Florida Gators, oranges, low taxes, southern
hospitality, Disneyworld, Gainesville, warm weather, beautiful beaches,
Daytona

Cons: hurricanes, most of the state is barely above sea level, high
population density, not enough jobs, multiple nuclear power plants,
crime, gang violence, illegal immigration

Overall Rating: C




Pros: peaches, southern hospitality, warm weather

Cons: not enough jobs, multiple nuclear power plants, crime, gang violence, flesh eating disease, Atlanta

Overall Rating: B-




Pros: awesome beaches, warm weather, great vacation destination

Cons: vulnerable to tsunamis, very high cost of living, volcanoes, traffic, high population density, high taxes

Overall Rating: C-




Pros: awesome people live there, great potatoes, low population
density, high concentration of liberty-minded individuals, low crime,
Sandpoint, Coeur d'Alene, north Idaho has plenty of water compared to
the rest of the interior West, beautiful scenery

Cons: cold in the winter, wildfires, short growing season, not enough jobs

Overall Rating: A




Pros: once you get away from Chicago things are not quite so bad

Cons: Barack Obama, drought, New Madrid fault zone, high population
density, political correctness, ridiculous regulations, insane
politicians, crime, gang violence, Chicago, East St. Louis, not enough
jobs, multiple nuclear power plants, mob robberies, the state government
is drowning in debt

Overall Rating: D-




Pros: it is in better shape than Illinois, good farming, high Amish population

Cons: drought, tornadoes, the city of Gary, relatively high population density, near the New Madrid fault zone, a "rust belt" state

Overall Rating: C-




Pros: low population density, low crime, good farming

Cons: drought, tornadoes, cold in the winter, multiple nuclear power plants, too much snow, very flat

Overall Rating: B-




Pros: low population density, low crime, good farming

Cons: drought, tornadoes, return of dust bowl conditions, very flat

Overall Rating: B




Pros: southern hospitality, great horses, Lexington

Cons: New Madrid fault zone, not enough jobs, rampant poverty, Louisville

Overall Rating: C




Pros: southern hospitality, warm weather

Cons: hurricanes, New Orleans, not enough jobs, tornadoes, multiple
nuclear power plants, oil spills, crime, gang violence, rampant poverty

Overall Rating: D




Pros: low population density, low crime, polite people

Cons: extremely cold, short growing season, political correctness, ridiculous regulations, insane politicians, too much snow

Overall Rating: B-




Pros: the Washington Redskins play there

Cons: Baltimore, borders Washington D.C., high population density,
really bad traffic, political correctness, ridiculous regulations,
insane politicians, multiple nuclear power plants, crime, gang violence

Overall Rating: C-




Pros: beautiful homes

Cons: high taxes, political correctness, ridiculous regulations,
insane politicians, high population density, short growing season,
almost everything is illegal in Massachusetts

Overall Rating: D+




Pros: once you get away from Detroit and Flint things get better

Cons: Detroit,
Flint, Dearborn, extremely cold, short growing season, political
correctness, ridiculous regulations, insane politicians, not enough
jobs, multiple nuclear power plants, too much snow, a "rust belt" state

Overall Rating: D-




Pros: land of 10,000 lakes

Cons: extremely cold, short growing season, multiple nuclear power plants, too much snow, high taxes

Overall Rating: C




Pros: southern hospitality, relatively low population density, warm weather

Cons: hurricanes, tornadoes, not enough jobs, rampant poverty, crime

Overall Rating: C+




Pros: good farming, Branson

Cons: drought, tornadoes, New Madrid fault zone, not enough jobs, crime

Overall Rating: C




Pros: low population density, low taxes, high concentration of liberty-minded individuals, Missoula, Kalispell

Cons: extremely cold in the winter, wildfires, short growing season,
not enough rain, near Yellowstone super volcano, rampant poverty, too
much snow

Overall Rating: B+




Pros: low population density, good farming

Cons: tornadoes, drought, multiple nuclear power plants, cold in the winter, very flat

Overall Rating: B




Pros: low population density, lots of empty space, low taxes, warm weather

Cons: Harry Reid, Las Vegas, Reno,
not enough water, not enough rain, wildfires, hard to grow food, not
enough jobs, crime, gang violence, huge drug problem, Yucca Mountain

Overall Rating: D+




Pros: low crime, beautiful homes

Cons: extremely cold, short growing season, political correctness, ridiculous regulations, insane politicians, too much snow

Overall Rating: C




Pros: anyone got something?

Cons: high population density, Camden, Newark, not enough jobs,
multiple nuclear power plants, Atlantic City, crime, gang violence

Overall Rating: D-




Pros: low population density, warm weather

Cons: illegal immigration, wildfires, return of dust bowl conditions, not enough jobs, not enough rain, crime, gang violence, huge drug problem

Overall Rating: C-




Pros: the entire state is not like New York City

Cons: New York City, Mayor Bloomberg, high taxes, cold in the winter,
high population density, political correctness, ridiculous regulations,
insane politicians, not enough jobs, multiple nuclear power plants, the
"too big to fail" banks

Overall Rating: D




Pros: southern hospitality, warm weather, Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Cons: hurricanes, not enough jobs, multiple nuclear power plants

Overall Rating: B




Pros: low crime, lots of oil-related jobs, low population density

Cons: extremely cold, short growing season, too much snow

Overall Rating: B




Pros: the Cincinnati Reds, the Pro Football Hall of Fame, high Amish population

Cons: not enough jobs, cold in the winter, multiple nuclear power plants, high population density, Toledo, Cleveland, a "rust belt" state

Overall Rating: C




Pros: warm weather, good farming

Cons: drought, tornadoes, wildfires, return of dust bowl conditions, not enough rain, crime, Oklahoma City, rampant poverty

Overall Rating: C




Pros: tremendous natural beauty

Cons: high taxes, Portland, political correctness, ridiculous
regulations, insane politicians, not enough jobs, huge drug problem,
possible tsunami threat along the coast

Overall Rating: C-




Pros: high Amish population

Cons: high population density, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, not enough jobs, multiple nuclear power plants, a "rust belt" state

Overall Rating: C




Pros: so small that most people don't notice their problems

Cons: the state is flat broke,
short growing season, political correctness, ridiculous regulations,
insane politicians, not enough jobs, high population density

Overall Rating: D+




Pros: southern hospitality, warm weather, Myrtle Beach

Cons: hurricanes, not enough jobs, multiple nuclear power plants, crime, gang violence, rampant poverty

Overall Rating: B




Pros: low population density, fun tourist traps, the Badlands, Mount Rushmore

Cons: extremely cold, short growing season, very flat, too much snow

Overall Rating: B




Pros: Nashville, Michael W. Smith, southern hospitality, warm weather, Gatlinburg

Cons: Memphis, New Madrid fault zone, multiple nuclear power plants, crime, gang violence, rampant poverty

Overall Rating: B-




Pros: low taxes, warm weather, Austin

Cons: drought, illegal immigration, tornadoes, wildfires, West Nile Virus, the Dallas Cowboys, return of dust bowl conditions, speed traps, not enough rain, multiple nuclear power plants, George W. Bush, crime

Overall Rating: B-




Pros: beautiful mountains, low crime, low population density

Cons: cold in the winter, wildfires, Salt Lake City, short growing season, not enough rain, illegal to collect rain

Overall Rating: B-




Pros: low crime, beautiful homes

Cons: cold in the winter, insane politicians, ridiculous regulations,
short growing season, political correctness, not enough jobs, too much
snow

Overall Rating: C




Pros: the University of Virginia, southern hospitality, Charlottesville

Cons: borders Washington D.C., high population density, multiple nuclear power plants, Richmond, really bad traffic in northern Virginia

Overall Rating: B-




Pros: the eastern half of the state is quite nice and much different from the coast

Cons: way too much rain along the coast, volcanoes, wildfires, insane
politicians, ridiculous regulations, political correctness, not enough
jobs, possible tsunami threat along the coast, Seattle

Overall Rating: C




Pros: beautiful mountains

Cons: not enough jobs, rampant poverty

Overall Rating: B




Pros: cheese, the Green Bay Packers

Cons: extremely cold, short growing season, multiple nuclear power plants, too much snow,

Overall Rating: B-




Pros: low population density, lots of empty space, low taxes

Cons: extremely cold, too windy, too flat, wildfires, short growing season, not enough rain, Yellowstone super volcano

Overall Rating: B-

What do you think of these rankings?

What do you think is the best place to live in America?

Do you have any additional pros and cons that should be added to this list?

There are always pros and cons to any location, but the most important thing is access to drinking water.  Another thing to keep in mind is that a lot of the popular locations will also have a large influx of refugees coming from all parts of the country.

  I noticed that my home state of Indiana received a C-, but there was no mention of the overpopulation of deer.  There a great food source, and it seems like every time I take a drive I either see one chilling on the side of the road, or see a dead one on the side of the street.  It's also an agricultural state, we produce tons of corn and other crops.

In regards to population density, I've read a lot of material that says if you can survive the first few weeks of a collapse, your chances of survival increase dramatically.  The people who panic will probably end up taking each other out.  You just need to have enough food to last months to weeks, fresh water supply, some weapons for defense as a last resort and the ability to produce your own food (non gmo seeds-will also become a type of currency) fishing poles, hunting bows, even slinghots to kill small game like rabbits and birds, Gold and Silver (they have been used as currency since beginning of time.)


But most importantly I feel we need to spread the word and  try to avoid a collapse.  That's why forums like this are great outlets to get the word out.

great post!