The states with the worst quality of life all have 2 things in common... REPUBLICANS and Fundagelical Christians. The Bible belt is a toilet!
These are the 10 states with the worst quality of life.
10. Georgia
> Employment rate: 64.7% (10th lowest)
> Household disposable income per capita: $26,426 (13th lowest)
> Homicide rate: 5.7 per 100,000 (13th highest)
> Voter turnout: 61.9% (tied-22nd lowest)
Georgia residents have among the worst quality of life, based on the nine well-being factors measured. The state fared particularly poorly on the OECD’s jobs metric, as more than 9% of working-age adults were unemployed last year, among the highest rates nationwide. The high unemployment rate may be due, in part, to poor educational attainment rates -- as was the case with a majority of the states with the worst quality of life. Less than 85% of Georgia's workforce had at least a high school diploma in 2013, among the lowest rates in the country. Many Georgians also struggled with poverty, as 19% of the state’s population lived below the poverty line last year, versus 15.8% of all Americans.
New Mexico Governor Susana Martinez
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- Born: Jul 14, 1959
- Birth State: Texas
- Party: Republican
- Spouse: Chuck Franco
- Family: Married; one child
- School(s): University of Texas at El Paso; University of Oklahoma College of Law
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> Employment rate: 63.8% (7th lowest)
> Household disposable income per capita: $25,183 (7th lowest)
> Homicide rate: 6.7 per 100,000 (4th highest)
> Voter turnout: 61.6% (19th lowest)
New Mexico is bigger than many European countries. Yet, its population hovers around just 2 million because it has large portions of virtually uninhabitable terrain. A low population density likely partly explains the state’s poor infrastructure. For example, only 54% of households had broadband Internet last year, less than in all but one other state. New Mexico residents were also not particularly wealthy, compared with other Americans. An average New Mexican had slightly more than $25,000 in disposable income in 2013, among the lowest in the country. And nearly 21% of the population lived in poverty that year, second only to Mississippi.
Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal
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- Born: Jun 10, 1971
- Birth State: Louisiana
- Party: Republican
- Spouse: Supriya Jindal
- Family: Married Supriya Jindal; three children
- School(s): Brown University; Oxford University
- National Office(s) Served: Representative
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> Employment rate: 62.3% (3rd lowest)
> Household disposable income per capita: $28,418 (24th lowest)
> Homicide rate: 10.9 per 100,000 (the highest)
> Voter turnout: 66.3% (14th highest)
A typical Louisiana resident is expected to live less than 76 years, a lower life expectancy than in all but three other states. Many Louisiana communities are also quite dangerous. There were nearly 11 murders per 100,000 people in the state in 2013, the highest homicide rate nationwide and in the worst 10% of all OECD regions. Nearly 20% of the population lived in poverty in 2013, more than in all but two other states. Louisiana boasts a highly productive natural gas industry, with more than 3,000 trillion BTUs produced in 2012, more than any other state except for Texas. However, this also exposes the state’s economy to fluctuations in energy prices.
South Carolina Governor Nikki R. Haley
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- Office Dates: Jan 12, 2011 -
Address: 1205 Pendleton Street
Columbia, SC 29201
Phone: 803/734-2100
Fax: 803/734-5167
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- Born: Jan 20, 1972
- Birth State: South Carolina
- Party: Republican
- Spouse: Michael Haley
- Family: Married Michael Haley; two children
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> Employment rate: 62.5% (4th lowest)
> Household disposable income per capita: $25,055 (6th lowest)
> Homicide rate: 6.5 per 100,000 (6th highest)
> Voter turnout: 64.7% (18th highest)
South Carolina residents earned considerably less than other Americans. Households had $25,055 in disposable income per capita last year, among the lowest income levels nationwide. It also tends to be more difficult to find a job in the state than elsewhere in the nation, as South Carolina was one of only a few states with an unemployment rate greater than 9% last year. And like all of the states with the worst quality of life, South Carolina residents were far more likely to live in poverty than most Americans. While 15.8% of Americans lived in poverty in 2013, 18.6% did so in South Carolina, more than in all but a handful of other states.
Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin
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- Born: Dec 09, 1954
- Birth State: Missouri
- Party: Republican
- Spouse: Wade Christensen
- Family: Married Wade Christensen; six children
- School(s): Oklahoma State University
- National Office(s) Served: Representative
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> Employment rate: 67.9% (22nd lowest)
> Household disposable income per capita: $27,384 (19th lowest)
> Homicide rate: 5.5 per 100,000 (14th highest)
> Voter turnout: 62.4% (3rd lowest)
While some of the states with the worst quality of life reported exceptionally high voter turnout rates, Oklahoma residents were among the nation’s least likely to make it to the ballot box. Less than 53% of eligible Oklahomans voted last year, worse than in all but two other states. This also placed Oklahoma in the bottom 16% of OECD regions for civic engagement. It may be difficult for many residents to stay engaged with politics, as high-speed Internet access was somewhat of a luxury in the state. Less than 60% of households had broadband Internet access as of last year, among the lowest rates in the country.
Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam
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- Office Dates: Jan 15, 2011 -
Address: Tennessee State Capitol
Nashville, TN 37243-0001
Phone: 615/741-2001
Fax: 615/532-9711
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- Born: Aug 23, 1958
- Birth State: Tennessee
- Party: Republican
- Spouse: Crissy Haslam
- Family: Married
- School(s): Emory University
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> Employment rate: 66.5% (17th lowest)
> Household disposable income per capita: $27,734 (20th lowest)
> Homicide rate: 5.9 per 100,000 (10th highest)
> Voter turnout: 55.7% (6th lowest)
With a voter turnout rate of just 55.7%, Tennessee had among the lowest levels of political engagement in the country. Like most other states with low voter turnout, less than 60% of Tennessee’s population had access to broadband Internet. Such poor access to services was common among the states with the worst quality of life. Also, just 85% of Tennessee workers had completed at least high school as of last year, worse than in many states. However, Tennessee has made substantial efforts to improve statewide education levels. Most notably, state officials recently approved an initiative to make all Tennessee community colleges tuition free, the only state in the U.S. to do so.
> Employment rate: 60.5% (the lowest)
> Household disposable income per capita: $25,199 (8th lowest)
> Homicide rate: 3.9 per 100,000 (22nd lowest)
> Voter turnout: 47.8% (the lowest)
West Virginia received nearly the worst score in the U.S. for the health of its residents. The mortality rate was 10.5 deaths per 1,000 people, a higher rate than in all but two other state. Additionally, nearly 19% of the state’s population lived in poverty last year, well above a national poverty rate of 15.8%, and one of the highest rates nationwide. West Virginians were also the least likely to engage in politics, as less than 48% of eligible residents chose to vote last year, less than in any other state. While West Virginia’s homicide rate of 3.9 murders per 100,000 state residents was better than the homicide rate of many other states, it was still in the worst 20% of OECD regions.
Arkansas Governor Mike Beebe
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- Born: Dec 28, 1946
- Birth State: Arkansas
- Party: Democrat
- Spouse: Ginger Beebe
- Family: Married Ginger Beebe; three children
- School(s): Arkansas State University; University of Arkansas at Fayetteville
- Military Service: Army
Since taking office, Beebe has made improving education, expanding Arkansas’s economy and cutting taxes his top priorities. Under Beebe’s leadership, Arkansas was one of only four states to enter the past two fiscal years without a projected budget shortfall.
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> Employment rate: 65.1% (12th lowest)
> Household disposable income per capita: $24,150 (3rd lowest)
> Homicide rate: 5.3 per 100,000 (15th highest)
> Voter turnout: 53.3% (4th lowest)
Like a majority of the states with the worst quality of life, Arkansas residents were relatively poor compared to other Americans. Per capita household disposable income was less than $25,000 last year, nearly the lowest in the nation. Also, nearly one in five state residents lived below the poverty line in 2013, more than in all but three other states. Perhaps due in part to financial burdens, many residents did not participate in politics. Just 53.3% of eligible state residents chose to vote last year, nearly the lowest voter turnout rate nationwide. Arkansas voters may turn out in greater force this election season, as the state’s popular long-time Democratic governor is set to step down due to term limits.
Alabama Governor Robert Bentley
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- Born: Feb 03, 1943
- Birth State: Alabama
- Party: Republican
- Spouse: Martha "Dianne" Jones Bentley
- Family: Married Dianne Jones, four children
- School(s): University of Alabama
- Physician/Dentist
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> Employment rate: 62.7% (5th lowest)
> Household disposable income per capita: $25,584 (10th lowest)
> Homicide rate: 6.4 per 100,000 (8th highest)
> Voter turnout: 61.9% (tied-22nd lowest)
Alabama was one of just a few states to adopt additional requirements for voter registration earlier this year, and these requirements' impact on voter turnout remains to be seen. With nearly 62% of eligible residents voting last year, Alabama's voter turnout was considerably better than several other states on this list. In terms of access to services, the state was rated nearly the worst, as just 56% of the population had access to broadband Internet last year, less than in all but two other states. Also, like many of the states with the worst quality of life, Alabama residents struggled with poverty. Nearly 19% of people lived in poverty in 2013, versus a national poverty rate of 15.8%.
Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant
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- Office Dates: Jan 10, 2012 -
Address: P.O. Box 139
Jackson, MS 39205
Phone: 601/359-3150
Fax: 601/359-3741
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- Born: Dec 09, 1954
- Birth State: Mississippi
- Party: Republican
- Spouse: Deborah Bryant
- Family: Married Deborah Bryant; two children
- School(s): Hinds Community College, University of Southern Mississippi, Mississippi College
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> Employment rate: 61.6% (2nd lowest)
> Household disposable income per capita: $23,957 (2nd lowest)
> Homicide rate: 7.3 per 100,000 (2nd highest)
> Voter turnout: 74.5% (the highest)
Mississippi had the worst quality of life in the nation. With the exception of civic engagement -- nearly three-quarters of eligible residents voted during the last general election, by far the highest rate nationwide -- the state fared very poorly in nearly every OECD measure. Less than 82% of Mississippi’s workforce had completed at least high school as of 2013, lower than in every state except for Texas. Low educational attainment rates likely make it more difficult for unemployed residents to find a job. Nearly 9.5% of workers in the state were unemployed last year, among the highest rates in the country. Residents also struggled with poverty as 24% of Mississippians lived in poverty in 2013, the highest rate nationwide. Similarly, crime was a problem as there were 7.3 murders per 100,000 residents, the second-highest homicide rate in the country.
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