California Has Worst Quality Of Life In The U.S., According To New Study

Year-round sun, good beaches, good tacos, recreational marijuana; what's not to love about California? A lot, apparently, according to a new study by U.S. News. California just got ranked the worst in the country for quality of life, coming in last right behind New Jersey and Indiana.

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The study ranked the quality of life of residents of every state in the county, taking into account factors such as "air quality, pollution, voter participation, social support and more," according to U.S. News.

 

Well, if pollution is on the list, that might have something to do with it. Have you ever been stuck in L.A. rush hour traffic? We have, and our lungs didn't feel the greatest.

 

However, the study also judged states on their infrastructure, health care, education, economy, opportunity, and crime. It seems California rated poorly among these too. a 2017 Harvard University report notes that one-third of renters in the Los Angeles area spend at least half of their income on housing. Homelessness has also surged in California by as much as 75% in the last six years, another factor that contributes to California's low ranking.

 

There's no doubt that California is one of the most expensive states to live in in the United States. However, the study also looked at social interaction in each state as well. In a blurb accompanying the results, U.S. News wrote, "a person's quality of life is largely a result of their interactions with those around them." It seems, here in California, our interactions don't rate.

 

The results weren't all bad for The Golden State. California ranked 11th for health care, 4th for economy and 28th for crime and corrections. Overall, the state ranked no. 32 which makes its quality of life rating that much harder to swallow.

 

So, which states took home the gold? According to the study, the state with the best quality of life was North Dakota, followed by Minnesota and Wisconsin. Overall, Iowa took the top spot.

 

Not included in the study was each state's accessibility to marijuana. Now, here's a category California can truly shine in. We may not have distinguishable seasons, (or even water for that matter), but with the legalization of recreational weed in California now in full effect, we find it hard to believe the quality of life is that bad here in The Golden State.