The States With The BEST and WORST Geography
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 19 ก.ย. 2024
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Is it fair to rank states based on geography? I don't know, but I did it anyways! And not only is it a ranking, but I tried to make this as OBJECTIVE as possible. Which means creating a methodology, using data, running analyses and pouring through the results to create something that would actually be considered... kinda good!
In this video, we'll run through every single state and how it performed with special focus on the top 5 states and the bottom 5 states. I also dive into how I came to these conclusions and where you can read more if you're curious about the underlying data.
MOST IMPORTANT: This is all for entertainment. There's no such thing as a true "best geography."
--
Stock footage and music is acquired from www.storyblocks.com and videvo.net. If you think there's been an error in using a video clip, please contact me.
Animation support provided by DH Designs (needahittman.com)
Video editing support provided by Kat Olsen
Research and GIS support by Maika Munske
This has been a production of Sound Bight Media (soundbight.com)
Congrats to Mississippi for #34. Finally a list you're not #50 on.
haha
Feel this with Oklahoma at #29 😂😂
I literally just thought this about Alabama, finallly in the top 25, at number 25. lol
Could be #1 in names
I feel like Florida's climate is not that great because Florida is a hot humid Swampy flat and crowded state.
Hawaii at 33 must be a joke
@@danjclaude tiny isolated island chain that lies on active volcanic ground. If that thing were to rely solely on its own it wouldnt be so great.
@@ldelgg Well, since we are talking geography, why not get a boost for he one thing that got Hawaii gobbled up by the USA - the SPECTACULAR location militarily. Hawaii allows us naval and air force forward location wrt Asia. There is a large supportive population, too - the military bases aren't the SOLE occupants of the islands. From a military POV, the Hawaiin Islands are so strategically located, we really couldn't ask for more.
Hawaii has the best geography on the planet
Clearly he's never been. Especially the big island.
@@boxsterman77 snowy mountains, high desert, unique beaches, rainforests, exposed lava pools, subtropical dry forests, montane forests, grasslands, fertile agriculture, periglacial zones. I mean Jesus Christ. 4/5 koppen climate groups and 10/14 subgroups on one island alone!
Texas over Washington??????????
I lived in both of those State (for a long time). WA is the winner by miles!
@@coachbronco Same here, Agreed
Oregon is gonna Oregon
So, if the only metric is beauty, it's no contest. However, Texas has a lot more land that is both suitable for agriculture and human habitation.
Suitable is subjective
Some of us prefer colder climate. It feels like you penalized states for that.
100% agree, climate is such a subjective thing! He should’ve at least explained how he ranked it.
Also him saying Washington has no warm climates is a bit misleading. Tri-Cities in the SE part of the state has an avg high of 91F in July, and winters are relatively mild with an avg low of 29.6F in January. It has a hardiness zone of 7b and anual average of 55.1F. On top of that only getting 7.87 inches of rain per year, with only 77.2 precipitation days, 1.8 of which are snowy. Also nearby, Walla-Walla has the hot summer Mediterranean climate classification of Csa, same as Sacramento and LA (although on the colder borderline area)
I thought the same. Heat is terrible...
@@davidhall6625 Yeah, Vermont being 43 made that clear. It’s a beautiful state with lots to do outdoors, and it lost to Oklahoma and Texas…
Yes! I'd far rather deal with cold than with heat. Could not possibly live in FL. Most of the southern and desert states are a big NO from me (although I loved visiting the southwest). MA resident here; I thought it was a bit too low, but, I can understand that the NE states' small sizes meant their landscape was less varied, and they have fewer large metro regions. But some of the states that beat out MA really hurt.
@@gryphonvert if New England was a single state I think it would rank very high, even by the metrics in the video.
Florida? Disgustingly hot and humid and flat as a pancake? Ugh. No thanks.
For Real Though!
As a central FL resident, I can attest to hating the weather. November through February are nice, but that's it. However, you would be surprised by several areas around inland Florida that are anything but flat. You have to go outside of the more popular places to find it all, but it's out there! The extensive coastline, plus the Everglades basin, really brings down our average elevation.
That's what I was thinking. I've been there many times visiting relatives that live there, on vacation and on business trips, and it's just a big sand bar separating the Gulf of Mexico from the Atlantic. Aside from its extensive coastline, there's nothing going for it. If you move there, buy mosquito netting to go over your bed is all I'll say.
They are also in the top 20 in agriculture, 4th largest GDP, 14th largest GDP in the world, 2nd longest coastline (for trade), NASA, The theme park capital of the world and they have plenty of fresh water.
Florida is a great place to visit during the late fall thru early spring months, but the other half of the year is terrible.
Utah being at #32 is such a joke when Florida and Texas are in the top 5. Tell me with a straight face that fucking florida and texas have better geography than utah, colorado, and alaska lmfao
I don't mind the low Utah ranking but having Wyoming ahead of it is just unacceptable! 😂
The people who voted are ignorant to America’s geography. Utah is top 5 for sure… of the lower 48 probably only California surpasses it
As for Texas… boring as hell geography
@ZanlexGaming
I Love Utah!
I don't know why anyone would put it lower than the 10th spot
If you’re a Tree Hugger, you knew California would be number 1. 😂 I mean, it’s a miracle that both species of trees thought to be the oldest (non-clonal) (Pinus Longaeva ‘Methuselah’ Tree) and largest (Sequoiadendron Giganteum ‘Giant Sequoia’ Tree) in the world would be in the same country, let alone the same state. A true testament to California’s geographic diversity and having a little bit of everything. Redwoods and Bristlecones are national treasures. 🌲🌳
Not to mention the 1200+ year old trees in Monterey/Big Sur area that look like huge bonsai trees.
Joshua tree
Cali also has the hottest place on earth. Death Valley..
@@RP-16 Death Valley less than 100 miles from the tallest peak in the lower 48 states. That's diversity.
As someone who has visited all 50 states, with at least 2 separate visits to each state, the first thing I thought was, “California has to be #1 by a large margin.”
Here's my top 3: I'm Canadian (but lived in DC for college purposes for 5 years, worked in Texas for 5 summers, and had my horse boarded in Washington State for 12 years). I have been to 46 States (excluding Hawaii, Alaska, Florida, and ND) My rank is #1 in California (spent at least 5 months long for 3 years in a row esp at SD, plus frequent visitors to the Monterey-SLO area), #2 Washington State (Bellingham influenced my choice the most after spending my time n B'ham for 12 years from next door via BC. Ironically, during my 12th year, I came to sense that Bellingham is the greatest mid-size town in the nation). #3 has to be Oregon as it has the greatest oceansides. I love the NWP area plus BC. California is my vacation zone for life. FYI, I came from the East Coast on both sides of countries (Canada and the US)
As North Carolinian, you don’t know the pride I feel for my state to be ranked #5 on this random arbitrary list.
@@DrTreAllDay I feel you 😂😂😂
@@DrTreAllDay same lol I was hoping it was in the top 5. I live in Western NC and I love it over here. Quiet, not congested and good weather most of the time
I live in Minnesota and most of my extended family lives in Wisconsin. As the older family members have pushed into retirement, we have spent a lot of time in Florida trying to escape the worst of the winters. In the last couple of years, they have discovered North Carolina and are quickly falling in love with the state. It has the warmer temperatures and seaside beaches that they like, but it also has the kind of forest cover that we love in the Northwoods. Unlike Florida, they also have good healthcare. Add in the fact that there is a good-sized tech industry, I would definitely consider a move to North Carolina.
Western NC is truly amazing. Asheville is one of my favorite places. I lived in Knoxville for awhile and would go there all the time.
NC has traditionally been a very under-rated state, which is why I was surprised at how much I liked it there, but I hate to say - it wouldn't make my top ten on this list. The people are great and it certainly would be on my top 10 states to live, but not top 10 geographically. California deserved to be #1 on this list, but if I had the choice to live in NC or CA, I'd choose NC hands down - and I was born and raised in CA.
Geoff's pissing everyone off with this one
Turn off fixed news and go outside.
@@michaeladkins6 You good?
How in the heck did Mississippi get ranked above vermont, NH, and Hawaii?
Beats me!
Probably because its more self sustaining (and better climate for the most part). Having cool mountains or exuberant forests only does so much when you dont have a lot of productive land. And mississippi doesn’t lack in forests and natural beauty either
@@ldelgg No way MS has better climate than HI.
@@fjp3305 thats why i said for the most part. Though what hawaii excells on climate it lacks even more in self sustainance, its a small isolated chain of volcanic islands that depends a _lot_ on the mainland us for almost everything
You are right that is just stupid. I have been to Mississippi and have relatives in Vermont. It was said once that if the US was explored from the West all of New England would be a National Park. All of New England is far superior to Mississippi.
I am very pleased that the PNW did very well. I have trucked all over this country, and while each state has its own beauty and attractions, the PNW is hard to beat.
#31 - Wyoming: With Yellowstone, the first national park in the world, and one of the most geologically active locations on Earth sitting atop a supervolcano caldera.
#32 - Utah: With the Mighty Five national parks, gearing up to host the Winter Olympics for the second time, the Bonneville Salt Flats, and the largest saltwater lake in the Western Hemisphere.
#33 - Hawaii: Consistently ranked in the top three most beautiful states, ranked #1 for natural environment, and the closest thing we have to Paradise in the U.S.
#2 - Texas?!
This isn’t absurd. It’s obscene.
Put your big boy pants on Andrew.
I think you’re confused. This video is not about the most beautiful geography
@@TrexJerk8 I think, perhaps, that I might not be confused. I used the term "beautiful" a grand total of one time in reference to Hawaii, and I didn't claim that the video was "about the most beautiful geography." The video itself claims to be about the States with the "best" and "worst" geography. In the video description, the author said that he attempted to be as "objective as possible," but then conceded that, "There is no such thing as a true 'best geography.'" Further, on his Substack page where he described his methodology, his first sentence states that "Figuring out the 'best geography' ... is an effort in futility." Regardless, his first listed criterion for best geography is "Natural Features" and his last is "Climate." Given all of that, I stand by my assertion that listing Texas as the State with the 2nd best geography, while Wyoming, Utah, and Hawaii come in at 31st through 33rd respectively-given the realities of their geographies, and for the reasons that I stated-is absurd by any rational, subjective, or objective measures. It's so absurd, in fact, that I can't take the video seriously. Tellingly, the author reveals that, "MOST IMPORTANT: This is all for entertainment." Well, "are you not entertained?" No. No I am not entertained. Nor am I confused. I think.
I agree. Utah and Hawaii should be way higher just based on climate and nature alone.
@@andrewjosepholson geography can also mean human infrastructure and ease of commerce, which he sort of mentioned in the beginning.
Lake Mead is not a natural feature. But I do love much of Nevada's rugged barrenness.
I never realized how beautiful Nevada was until I got off the major highways.
The basin it sits in is, and it would just be part of the Colorado river then, so it counts.
Plus, Nevada has more mountain ranges than any other state!
If only they got sufficient rainfall to support large scale life.
@@filrabat1965 You mean like bighorn sheep, mountain lion, burros? They have those!
Wait a minute! Vermont has worse geography than New Jersey?? Clearly, there's something wrong with the metrics in these rankings.
yeah....VT is beautiful....NJ is....NJ
Any top 10 without Colorado is laughable 😂
No access to the ocean
I think he said agricuture was one of the things for the ranking, personally I wouldn't put Idaho so high but this ranking is based on certain metrics
@@adityavikramrajawat Eastern Colorado is basically Kansas, so they have a ton of agriculture.
FACTS.
You make some very interesting points as to why Colorado should be in the top 10.
If you 10,000 people, you'd be the only one to rank Illinois better than Hawaii.
Hawaii as a whole yea but it's all spread out as far as any difference in view aside from MTN jungle / ocean / highway / City. Gotta island hop to c a farm. Mad crowded in most areas now days to.
@@TheRagingPlatypus I'd rank Ilinois over Hawaii, Hawaii is the most overrated state imo and the worst I've been to so far.
Illinois is much more geographically safe than hawaii. The latter lies literally on a series of VOLCANOES and is also small and isolated from the rest of the U.S. as Geoff said, this isnt much about natural beauty but just self sufficiency and quality of life
if you 10,000 people? What does the mean?
@@boxsterman77 I think it's obvious...If you asked...
Dude, you've got Oklahoma above Hawaii? Seriously?
I like the IDEA for this video, but the rankings are terrible. Illinois over Maine and New Hampshire for "geography" is laughable. Two are beautifully rugged. One is boringly flat.
A lot of our state is flat, yes. But look up photos of the Driftless Area, Shawnee Forest, and bluffs over the Mississippi and Illinois rivers. We've got scenery. And have you seen a sunset on the plains? It can look like God dragged a paint brush across the sky.
@@jefff7287 you gotta think in terms of how the gepgrahy helps the state have its influence etc. if illinois were a country it would be much more influential and self sufficient than vermont and new hampshire judging by geography alone.
As a native Nevadan, I almost spit out my coffee when I heard Nevada was last ha. Nevada has many truly impressive mountain ranges such as the Ruby or Toiyabe Mountains, glacially cut valleys and waterfalls in said mountain ranges, extremely vast landscapes, insane Paleozoic geology, cool western ghost towns from the 1800s, hot springs everywhere, large playas that stretch for tens of miles (Burning Man anyone?). The landscape is so vast and seems barren at first so I get why people glaze over it, but when you start looking and get off the interstates, you notice there are Easter eggs everywhere. As for water, you got us there. There are creeks that come off that mountain ranges and tiny rivers like the Humboldt or Walker, but overall not much flowing surface water. However, the large basins between the ranges are very deep with basin fill sediments and house significant untouched aquifers. They don't call it the Great Basin for no reason. Also for any history buffs, read about John C Freemont's 1843-1844 expedition of the area. Wild stuff.
Not reading your paragraph, but, people really need to realize that deserts are not barren wastelands with nothing of interest
I don't understand why "habitation" is a factor at all. Having Florida in the top 5 is ridiculous and makes no sense at all. I can't think of a more boring state. 😅
This has to be one of the worst lists ever produced. You claim it’s all data driven but really don’t dive into how that data is analyzed and carved up. Any sentient being who has been across this country knows that flat, featureless land should have the worst geography. Hawaii at 33?! Texas at 2?! A complete joke. Texas, Louisiana, Iowa, Kansas, Oklahoma, Nebraska, the Dakotas, should be at the bottom of this list. I really lost a lot of respect for this channel after this abomination of a video. Top 10 geography should be: California, Washington, Oregon, Colorado, Arizona, Utah, Hawaii, Alaska, Michigan, North Carolina. Places that have very little variance in their geography should be near the bottom.
You're comment should be pinned. This ranking makes no sense, would have been better to just be completely subjective than use arbitrary stats that aren't even explained
Geography got to be California.
California is no.1 in geography and nutty people.
@@MisteryMan2000 Nah, Idaho and Florida are #1 in nutty people and it isn't even close.
Every state is full of nuts.
@@Joe-Przybranowski There's FAR more in Idaho.
No way. Deserts and forest fires, lack of drinkable water.
Also…Texas & Florida in the top 5 is diabolical 😂
@@misteriknow2069 I agree, and I was raised in Florida, and lived 5 years in Texas.
Those two states can survive on their own, unlike other states in the union.
@@Daniel-ii6kf LMAO give either state 10 years without FEMA to bail them out and they are fucked.
Yeah, both way too hot for human habitation.
@@bbl69420 give your state 10 years without Texas and you’d be fucked
It pains me to see Michigan at 22. We have mountains (in the north, sure, yes, still counts), GREAT lakes, dunes, beach towns, big industrial cities, forests galore, farmland, rivers, and streams. How did Missouri beat us?!
Ozarks i guess
I feel your pain but flying under the radar at 22 is exactly what keeps it quiet and perfect 🤫
How is Wisconsin at 12???
@@CampDanimal This is fair and right. Touche compadre
Michigan should be much higher. So should West Virginia. Florida is way too high on the list. Granted I have only been to a little over half the states, mostly east coast and Midwest except for California, Arizona and Hawaii. But I would rank Florida as the second most boring state geographically only ahead of Indiana. As for climate it might be the absolute worst.
Even by using statistics, I don't see how Oregon and Washington aren't like, right next to each other? They're almost the same state. Texas and Florida being top 5 is also hilarious and Oregon not being top 5 is equally hilarious.
Also how I felt with Wisconsin being 10 slots ahead of Michigan
@@ztl2505Michigan's rating was criminal. Mackinac Island and the Upper Peninsula are beautiful. Of course there are other parts of the state that are dull, but Florida? Really? Florida is the most full state I have ever driven through. Ok, second most, Indiana takes tops on my dullness list 😂😂
I think the problem is that he's using population as one of the metrics. That's the only way TX and FL get in the top 5 I'm guessing
@@anycoveryoulike7510 He just rates hot states over cold ones. As the migration in the US has shown the last 70 years people are moving from cold states to hot ones more then the other way round. What he DOESN'T take into account by talking about geography that without AIR CONDITIONING there would be MUCH less people living in hot states. So valuing them over the cold states so much is a little bit UNNATURAL and that doesn't fit to geography.
Oregon and North Carolina literally both got the same score at 8.4, Oregon truly got shafted.
Can’t wait for Canada’s provinces 🔥🔥
Being a small state in the NE I a disadvantage for geography...except Vermont, NH and Maine.
Don't worry, this was the most ridiculous ratings of States I've ever seen in my life. I've lived in Florida and California, both undesirable completely in my opinion. And it doesn't matter where you're at. California's got a lot of natural beauty especially up North but anywhere near a city is trash. Plus the politics are terrible
Never lived but have been to New York and New York City as well as upstate New York and buffalo and I'm not any more impressed with it than I am things to do in my own state, yes it's significantly higher than in my state. What is so geographically interesting about New York State seriously?
This is going to sound crazy to someone who's never been here but I live in Ohio and it has everything. I would never leave here to go live in another state again.
@@mrmitchell11 As a person who was born and raised in CA (and got the hell out of there as soon as I could) and has 2 of my 5 brothers born in Ohio and a lot of family in Ohio, I agree that CA should be #1in geography, but nearly at the bottom in places to raise a family.
Bottom 3, Top 3, and a music montage for the middle 4.
@@mrmitchell11I live in NY, western end of the state by Buffalo. Believe me there is plenty to complain about in this state, but in terms of nature and geography it's way better than people think. Two of the five great lakes, the finger lakes, the Adirondacks and Catskills, Niagara Falls, it's actually pretty great in that regard. I go to PA and OH quite a bit being so close to both states. I actually love Ohio for a lot of reasons, low taxes, lots of things to do, etc, but geographically Ohio is pretty boring. Driven across the state many times and yes, it's not as bad as driving across Indiana, but it's pretty flat and featureless going across I-90. Now granted I have only ventured south towards Columbus and Cincinnati a couple times and it does get a bit more interesting, but northern Ohio is pretty boring geographically. Same is true about Erie and Niagara counties in New York, but they seem to be the exception. The rest of the state is quite geographically diverse.
This is so flawed lol. EDIT: huge mistake found. Geoff claims Texas has thousands of lakes in a comparison to Minnesota. Texas has only man-made lakes (with the one area on the east border being contested) so this is an absolutely wild thing to think you can say about Texas. MAN MADE.
Anyways, Alaska and California and Florida and Washington seems pretty OP.
I see where you’re coming from, but don’t man-made lakes still count as lakes? Anyways, I agree that this list is pretty flawed…
KLAN Made
@@Unicornsnot9 They shouldn't count as lakes because if humans never existed then those lakes wouldn't be there.
Oregon is also OP. I don't know how it's not in the top 5 right next to washington. They're basically the same state.
Texas wouldn't even be in my top 10. There are a few noteworthy places, but mostly nothing to see.
You kind of gave NH the shaft on this one. I for one don't know how Texas can rate so high on the list. I've been there and there isn't anything all that special about it other than being huge.
yeah, NH is beautiful
I think every New Englander would assume our states would be near the top as they for education, wealth, and health
Yeah we moved from Texas to Utah and the drive through the pan handle on I 40 is so depressing and boring. California has a lot more to offer in terms of natural beauty.
@@thepointsnorth yeah, and even aside from the human factors, our geography is way way more interesting than a ton of other states. It just depends on what data is chosen....I would rank hills and water sources much higher than this ranking apparently.
Well Said!!!!
I once drove through Kansas and was surprised by how flat it was compared to the mountains in Colorado. It’s fascinating how geography can change so much from state to state! This ranking made me curious about how other states compare.
As someone who has roadtripped through much of the US, this list is garbage and not a good metric of which states have stunning geography and which do not. Get your info elsewhere, best of luck!
Knew CA would be #1
Nevada last?
Pshaw.
It's empty wildness is a plus not a negative.
And how the hell is Wyoming 31?
I don't think we value the same things.
Florida??
It should be like 46 or lower.
Sheesh
@@Joe-Przybranowski no shot Nevada is better than florida 💀
As an Oregonian, I'm both glad we made the top 50, but also a little sad that we only ranked #6 (tho honestly, can't argue with Washington State ranking higher than us or California either).
I've never been to Oregon but I expected it to be ranked pretty high judging by what I have seen of it just on television and such. A friend of a friend moved to Bend (ha, that rhymes) recently and sometime I would like to get out there. I was glad to see my home state of New York make the top 10. People who have never been here think the whole state is new York City. It's far from it both literally and figuratively. Lot of great nature up state. And if you live where I do, NYC is further away than Indianapolis, so as you can imagine it's a lot different here than NYC.
Oregon is truly a gorgeous state. Lived there for almost 8 years myself. My brother’s family lives there.-California resident
I am glad to see that Wisconsin ,Minnesota and Michaigan fared so well using your methodology.
All three are beautiful states with large cities and a variety of topographies....hardwood forests, pine forests, lakes, Great Lakes rocky shoreline, major rivers with huge bluffs, grasslands, large cities such as Detroit, Minneapolis-St Paul and Milwaukee, a variety of agriculture and a large Native American population. Besides that, these three states combined have a huge economic impact, Imagine what a powerful state if Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan were combined? Minnesconchigan?
Northern Wisconsin is so tranquil... especially nea Lake Superior. Duluth is a reason for Minnesota to exist.
Wisconsin over Michigan is a crime lol
What did you expect with Flint and the weather in the UP 🥴
Madison over Lansing any day of the year.
(glares at both in Illinois)
This listing is a major fail. Based on these rankings you obviously consider unbearably hot and humid weather to be temperate. How else can so many dull Gulf Coast states be ranked so high?
Even with your methodology in mind, I am surprised that none of the Top 5 states have access to the Great Lakes. I would rank New York State much higher with access to both the lakes and the Atlantic. In my opinon the list is too much about the "enjoyability of life" and the landscapes ... but are sunny beaches and national parks that important if you're lacking water, building an economy or fighting a war?
Instead of national parks I would prioritize num of Tornadoes, Hurricanes, hot days, cold days, gloomy days and adaptability in general.
Not sure I really understand how if Nevada is dead last, Arizona can be all the way up at #16 by the same metrics.
Because Arizona has more diversity (flag vs PHX vs Tucson) but he gave nature a 2.7 which is insane
Geoff, I ALWAYS enjoy your videos. I ABSOLUTELY loved this one especially. I was born and raised in Washington (#3) and I have lived in North Carolina (#5) for over fifty years (I wasn't born here, but I got here as quick as I could!) I understand how you came by your rankings, and of course I couldn't DISagree more with most of them. The quick tour through the 40 middle ranks brought me to tears because of the shear stunning beauty of this incredible country. No other country in the world could compete with us on geography alone. Keep making these awesome videos, my friend, and thank you so much.
I’m not shocked, but am just happy it’s been confirmed that Michigan has beat out Ohio.
I’m going crazy that Vermont and New Hampshire are ranked lower than so many Midwest states.
Classic geography by Geoff video that leaves everyone shaking their heads in complete disbelief and not in a good way.
From south Florida here. The heat index is over 105 degrees for six months of the year. It's flat and crowded and it all looks the same, mile after mile after mile. Real estate is expensive, but wages are low. We have hurricanes, high crime and giant flying CockAroaches. I think your methodology is deeply flawed.
Hawaii?! Below Alabama?! Lived in both, hands down Hawaii wins.
Hawaii isnt as self sufficient. If they were to rely on their geography alone they would be pretty much screwed. I think this was more the point of his ranking
Best Top Gear episode ever was when the guys drove through rural Alabama with graffiti on their cars that said "Hillary for President", "Country and Western is Rubbish", and "I'm Bi" and they almost got killed 😂
😆 I think I saw that episode. It was pretty funny!
I would put Kansas below Nevada. Nevada has Lake Tahoe (portion), mountain ranges, Valley of Fire. But Kansas?
LOL nope. I’ve had to drive through Nevada many times across the entire state when I was in college going to/back, and it is the ugliest, most dead, depressing state I’ve ever been into.
@@wbae1340 Do to the sheer size of Nevada it can become homogeneous in landscape but it is still far more interesting than Kansas.
@@stakknation123 no, it’s literally just yellow death. You can’t get more ugly than battle mountain, Nevada.
As soon as my state got ranked above Hawaii & Utah, I couldn’t complain 😂
@@realdreamerschangetheworld7470 what’s your state?
I was shocked that Hawaii, Montana, Utah, and Colorado were ranked so low, and OK and TX were ranked so high.
@@MisteryMan2000 This list is terrible. Oklahoma is fucking garbage. Texas is absolute swamp ass garbage outside of the citties, but I thought this was about geography? Also Hawaii or Montana not being top 4 is insane to me.
Florida is a hell hole! Ahead of Utah? This list is ridiculous.
Yeah alot of drawbacks like hurricanes, humidity, insects, reptiles, etc... etc... but my guess is it has something to do with the miles and miles of awesome beaches. From about November thru April you'd be hard pressed to find a more desirable place to be in the US.
@@lk29392 Beaches are boring.
Utah is brown and desolate!
Florida is ass. I have no interest in ever going there again. My friend lives near Tampa and I visited him in 2011. He's been asking me to come back and I just keep coming up with excuses not to go 😂
@@UWish0430 the southern half - yes (although there are 5 national parks tucked away in there) - but the northern half is much more alpine mountains and green.
When Nevada was listed as last I knew this list would be crap. I was correct.
Sorry the truth is hard
As a native Californian living in Washington, I cannot find fault with your ranking.
Same here, but Oregon not being in the top 5 is crazy.
@@MisteryMan2000 - Yeah, that one was a bit of a question mark.
The desert topography hate for Nevada was shocking. The ancient magma flows that formed literal mountains to the salt flats. Nevada is insanely rich in unique geographical areas. I would never live there though. 🤣
How are Vermont and New Hampshire so low?
Maryland needs to be up there with the Chesapeake Bay and the mountains. Maryland is called America in miniature
Baltimo is kalled *rat citay*
@@UHaulShorts think you might a got confused with nyc
Well, then, Virginia is Maryland X 10.
We have the bay, 10X better farmland, 10X better mountains, and 10X better unspoiled wildernes.
@@bluespeedrail7731
Dat 2
@@rickrudd
No Truckstops on i-66
As a Texan, I will say that the reason our interstate highways go through boring areas is because the infrastructure is cheaper and easier to maintain. We could put it right through the coolest areas but I guess the state wanted to go with easy and Cheap. But if you get off the freeways and go to the hill country, you will see some interesting unique scenery.
So you're saying states with a lot of big cities have BETTER geography? Take away all the manmade stuff and all you have are giant parking lots. Vast empty fields with almost nothing going on. Plus cities are the source of almost all pollution, and are inherently ugly except from dramatic helicopter photos. I'd have reversed the number in that category (i.e. a 1.8 becomes a 3.2 and vice versa. Curious where the rankings would end up if you counted population AGAINST good geography instead of for it. Human Habitation ruins geography.
Actually Wyoming had more points than Nevada
Texas with almost a perfect weather score is insane. Hail and thunderstorms every day during spring, in summer you can’t even go out side its too hot
Georgia not making at least the top 20 was a shocker.
@@Carsia that's what I said 😔
yeah, this list isn't all that....GA's mountains are quite nice
@@jefff7287 mountains, beaches, Atlanta, the world’s busiest airport, agriculture. We even have our own mini Grand Canyon here. We deserved better! 😂
@@Carsia oh I've actually been to that canyon (and I'm a northerner)...cool place!
@@Carsia I live in Georgia and don't find it particularly interestingly
I'm not surprised to see California in the number 1 spot. I always tell people "California has a little bit of everything." As an arizona resident, I'm a bit biased. I love this state so much. A lot of natural beauty and diverse climates. You can drive 2 hours in arizona and go from 100 degrees to 40 degrees.
I actually did that on a vacation I took to Arizona years back. A bit more than 2 hours but drove Phoenix to Flagstaff. It was 105 in Phoenix and when we got to Flagstaff it was snowing 😂
Texas should be 20 something not 2nd
No
I'm Texan born and raised, AND I absolutely agree!!
Yea no way Texas is 2…. No way in hell
@@sonny7050 this gotta be political
Both Texas and Florida can survive on their own. Unlike most states in the union.
Great video, thank you for including your methodology ❤
And also adding that personal preferences and choices are subjective!
all the 5 worst has to be the plains states.
People just voted for their state. Admittedly California should be the winner because with the criteria provided CA does very well.
Good God though, Texas as #2 ?!?! Like you observed, it's ugly. Even the coast is ugly.
I may seem weird I live in Wa but I think that UTAH is beyond the pale.. so much there and the colors are out of this world. .. . IMHO
I could make a comment on the position of probably 25 states, but not enough room. The idea that Nevada is as low as it is, that New York is as high as it is, that Virginia outranks Colorado, that Utah (with 5 national parks) is as low as it is, that New Jersey is as high as it is, etc, etc, etc, blows my mind. Given the formula used, I suspect everything goes where they ended up. There is something wrong with the formula, though. The population habitability factor is weighted too high. Many people live where they live because of factors having nothing whatsoever to do with geography. Many people live where they do simply because the don't know anything else, and an unknown can be uncomfortable in a life decision. I grew up in CT, schooled in NY, lived as an adult in VA, MD, CA and WA. Siblings live in IN and OH. I have driven coast to coast 8 times and each time a different way. I have spent time (more than just driving through) 40 states. I know the states I have called out, above.
I would have thought natural disasters and climate resiliency would be factored into the human habitation score. Data is available on federal climate mapping sites now
Exactly. When it comes to natural disasters, TX and FL should be at the bottom, and states like CO should be at the top. I know this list was based on objective criteria like habitability but I still think there’s a lot wrong with it.
I would have thought Michigan would be ranked higher too for this reason @@xxpsychicmindxx
Florida: "You'd be hard pressed to find a place with better weather." ...? 🤔 Sure, if you're comfortable with high temperatures combined with high humidity which, personally, is the worst possible combination.
For my money, the top 5 would be: 5) Colorado 4) Hawaii 3) Oregon 2) Washington 1) California.
I think Alaska deserves more recognition. Having Texas at #2 seems too high. Texan cities are amazing, but the geography doesn’t compare to the west coast.
I’m happy to see both my home state of Florida, and Washington my state of residence in the top 5!
Connecticut really is a victim of just being New York suburbs huh?
Connecticut is blessed. It’s New England, not New York. But it’s close to NYC.
Not surprised to see Michigan ranked #22. We're always in the middle of the pack when it comes to these rankings, but at least we're ranked higher than Ohio. 😁
Ohio and Michigan still hate one another
Answer - British Columbia
If Canadian provinces were part of this list, absolutely
Agreed
Yuppier, 16 years under my belt.
Pure Michigan, lakes, lakes, lakes everywhere. If you love lake life, there’s no state better. My 2nd choice is CA (home away from home). The only reason they aren’t #1 in my mind is the amount of natural disasters. Fire risk is high everywhere and though earthquakes aren’t a huge concern in my mind, they do add to the risk of living there. Beauty is hard to beat though.
as someone who lives in north carolina, id rather be in any other weather. humidity and heat aren't a great combo
This list made little sense, some of these states like Mississippi and Arkansas should not be anywhere near the top half
Alabama?? New Mexico?
This list is merely a demonstration of people's ignorance. I agree Idaho is top ten. But the surrounding states as low as #33??? Ain't no way.
I don't like your score weighting. Hawaii has the second best Geography and it was mid pack
Nice video! I would suggest incorporating natural hazards into the list if you are interested in future expansions. As a meteorologist, I can see adding those hazards would really shake up (pun intended) the list. Let me know if you ever want to work on such a project.
I personally find this list pretty objective, inclusive and overall satisfactory. And yes, we live in California :)
False ….very flawed
My top ten states overall
1. California
2. Arizona
3. Colorado
4. Florida
5. Texas
6. Georgia
7. Washington
8. Pennsylvania
9. Ohio
10. North Carolina
I would not have included Human Habitation. And I would have given Topography more weight than Climate. Personally, although I don't live in that state, I would have ranked Utah as the number one state for geography. Like you, I was disappointed that Nevada came in last, since that is where I live! At least Missouri, where I grew up, got a fairly decent ranking.
As a Texan myself, I’m surprised Texas was that high. While it is a gorgeous state, the majority of it is private land so there’s not many places to just go out and enjoy the land. I’d really like to see the PNW someday
Asinine. No other way to put it.
Storrs, Connecticut was named the least likely place in America to be hit with a natural disaster. No tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes, mudslides, floods, forest fires, etc. It’s also home to the University of Connecticut.
I'd pretty much agree. Virginia belongs right there with North Carolina (the two greenest states), except it is a lot hotter, a lot colder, and without the outer banks. I'd score habitation as a minus, not a plus. If natural disasters were scored, California would drop 25 places.
If weird residents were calculated in the rankings, CA would've dropped to dead last.
@@MisteryMan2000 Not sure about that- there's a reason there's a meme about "Florida Man" doing crazy things.
I was honestly surprised that Utah and Colorado weren’t higher on the list, especially Utah, as I’m discovering, seems to be geographically amazing no matter where you go in that state.
Maine worse tha. MISSISSIPPI? Are you sniffing glue?
I think habituation really flips a lot of states to be more positive than some would otherwise give them, thinking about people who would rather not live in or near large cities.
I came to this realization when I saw Vermont and New Hampshire near the bottom of the list.
I think the series would be interesting as a version two with “habituation” including things like cost of living, unemployment levels, and state public school ranking in addition to population density. California would quickly fall out of the top five and the rankings of Midwest states would likely go up even higher.
I have no real expectations of who would float to the top, but I do think habituation needs more visibility into what’s factored into it.
California number 1 makes sense the rest is pretty bad here.... Incredibly flawed... Off the top of my head the rankings of Maine and Hawaii were a joke
Shocked by Vermont ,West Virginia and Hawaii ranked in the bottom half.
I'm thinking of moving to Minneapolis. Decent sized metro area. Nearby outdoors. Good sized population of tech people. Hmm??
Where are you moving from? What kind of situation are you looking for? I have lived in the Twin Cities Metro for over thirty years now. My basic philosophy is that Minnesota has a lot to offer the right person, but you have to be willing to adapt to the cold climate.
I was so flabbergasted by this video, I pulled my car off the side of the road to type a response. It's unimaginable how Hawaii wasn't listed in the top 2, with several of the tallest peaks on the planet, active volcanoes, The Grand Canyon of the Pacific, 750 miles of breathtaking coastline, rainforests, desserts, lava tubes, agriculture producing coffee beans, tropical flowers, fruits, and rainbow eucalyptus trees, 100 waterfalls, 8 independent climate zones, 9 national parks, home to 578 endangered/threatened species, perfect weather year round, and home to a former royal monarchy. Overlooking these stellar facts makes your ranking unacceptable. I'm a native Southerner, so I appreciate the accolades regarding Florida, Texas, and NC, but they're truly subpar in comparison to Hawaii.
At first I thought your list was compiled due to a poll, and figured it must be a popularity contest with the results. But when you explained your methodology, I can see where you arrived at your results. I still think some of the results aren't that great if we're talking about the 3 main buckets of Natural features, Human habitation, and Climate. Also, possibly some of the weights may need to be readjusted. But I'm fine with the overall methodology.
I do believe that every state has its own beauty. That said, of course i disagree with the rankings! 😂
Normalizing things down to the states size is kind of contradictory. Since a states size is a key component to it’s physical geography that should have been taken into account I think.
Wow that was awesome my heart was pumping🤣...I am a native New Yorker which was ranked 7th however, I have relocated to North Carolina been here 10 months now ranked 5th which was incredible. I enjoyed this so much... Win win for me both my states in the top 10!
As a New Englander I disagree with ranking most of these states in the bottom half. Okay, sure, they are small with small populations. But beauty wise they are better than most. Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont and even Massachusetts have beauty around every corner. Rolling hills, lakes, rivers, endless trees, quaint small towns and cities, covered bridges, wonderful sea coasts... Come on! They deserve better than 1.7 or 2.0. Pound for pound, square mile for square mile I'd easily compare New England to any other state or region and it would come out on top.
I agree with you, and sadly so do the real estate prices there; my dream would be Massachusetts.
This was a terrible list.
Connecticut’s geography really is awful ;-;
Man my feelings got hurt when I saw Connecticut right away. I’ve lived in 4 states Florida NY South Carolina and I like CT the most. Yes it’s small but it’s sandwiched between two metro areas of Boston and NYC. I will say it is very expensive to live here but I have lots to do here and feel safe
yeah, as a MA resident I'm with you....I think this list is highly flawed.
Totally agree. I have lived in CT for 12 years, and find it very beautiful and pleasant, including in terms of the 4 season weather. FL number 4? What a joke! I would agree with CA as number one though.
@@fredericperrin3279 I lived in Florida for 18 years best thing I did was move to Connecticut. Florida is so hot you can’t go outside most of the year. I live along the coast so I enjoy the Long Island sound. Great place only bad thing I have to say is you need a high income
North Dakota being that low is no surprise. We've all seen the show Fargo lol
I thought Tennessee should've been at least in the top 10. Its 3 Grand Division are like no other in the USA.
Texas at #2! I've been living here for 8 years, idk if they are #2 for geography
Michigan at #22 is WILD.
It has 4/5 Great Lakes.
I was shocked as well. I was looking for Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota, and when Michigan came at #22 I went back and assumed I missed WI.
Like, I love living in WI (way better than the other states I've lived) but really, the only things that makes it significantly different than the other two are the glacier moraines and Driftless region (which is mostly shared with MN anyway). Otherwise it feels like both MI and MN should beat out WI.
I guess WI winters are slightly warmer on average so higher habitability I guess? And safer from Canadian Invasion? 😂