The best- and worst-run states in the US (NE #2 / AZ #47)

[HUSKER 37]

The best- and worst-run states in the US

 

 

 

2. Nebraska

• State debt per capita: $1,407 (4th lowest)
  
• Residents without health insurance: 11.5 percent (14th lowest)
  
• Residents below poverty line: 11.9 percent (tied for 14th lowest)
  
• Unemployment: 4.2 percent (2nd lowest)
  

The state of Nebraska had the 21st lowest revenue per capita in the country in 2009 yet managed to spend more per capita that year than all but seven states. The state has the fourth lowest debt per capita, and it is one of 13 states with a perfect AAA credit rating. Besides being financially sound, Nebraska also has an unemployment rate of 4.2 percent, the second lowest rate in the country. The state also has relatively low poverty, high graduation rates and the seventh lowest rate of foreclosures last month.

[Bradr]

It's pretty amusing that the farther from the two coasts you get, the more responsible the population base seems to become. A look at the top ten:

 

1) Wyoming

2) Nebraska

3) North Dakota

4) Minnesota

5) Iowa

6) Utah

9) Kansas

10) South Dakota

[Nebula]

Yeah, I don't find this all that encouraging. We (Nebraska) have the fourth lowest dept per capita in the nation, and yet we still sit at a debt rate of $1,407 per head. Yikes.

[Hingle McCringleberry]

I wonder where the debt number comes from. Some of the info is from 2009 (not a banner year for us) and other data seems very current. I know some numbers take a long time to come out, and this may have some bearing on our high debt numbers.

 

I know it doesn't mean we out of debt, but the state is running in the black as of October....

[Nebula]

I wonder where the debt number comes from. Some of the info is from 2009 (not a banner year for us) and other data seems very current. I know some numbers take a long time to come out, and this may have some bearing on our high debt numbers.

 

I know it doesn't mean we out of debt, but the state is running in the black as of October....

That's a good point. It's always folly to blindly accept random statistics as solid fact.

[Blaze1up]

Funny how the south is always bottom of the barrel in many categories.

[Excel]

It's pretty amusing that the farther from the two coasts you get, the more responsible the population base seems to become. A look at the top ten:

 

1) Wyoming

2) Nebraska

3) North Dakota

4) Minnesota

5) Iowa

6) Utah

9) Kansas

10) South Dakota

Haha I thought that as well.

 

Maybe because we have fewer jobs that are prone to "bubbles" and fewer bullsh#t outlets to blow money on.

[Sub-Husker]

7. Socialist Sepublic of Vermont

> State debt per capita: $5,514 (9th highest)

> Pct. without health insurance: 8% (3rd lowest)

> Pct. below poverty line: 11.7% (13th lowest)

> Unemployment: 5.8% (5th lowest)

Vermont does extremely well in a number of areas considered for this list. Residents are highly educated. It has the second lowest rate of violent crime in the country. It has the third lowest percentage of uninsured residents. However, the state has saddled its citizens with debt. Vermont’s debt per capita is more than $5,500, which is the ninth highest in the country.

 

State Motto: Don't Jersey Vermont

[Sub-Husker]

It's pretty amusing that the farther from the two coasts you get, the more responsible the population base seems to become.

 

Or perhaps their lower population density and a lower cost of land have something to do with it more significantly than "a responsible population".

[krc1995]

why isn't the Governor of Wyoming a front runner for a presidental nomination? The governor of Louisiana is widely regarded as having a shot at the White Hourse at some point down the road. Why? Louisiana is consistantly in the bottom 5

[It'sNotAFakeID]

why isn't the Governor of Wyoming a front runner for a presidental nomination? The governor of Louisiana is widely regarded as having a shot at the White Hourse at some point down the road. Why? Louisiana is consistantly in the bottom 5

 

Only idiots can run our country.

[huKSer]

why isn't the Governor of Wyoming a front runner for a presidental nomination? The governor of Louisiana is widely regarded as having a shot at the White Hourse at some point down the road. Why? Louisiana is consistantly in the bottom 5

 

Only idiots can run our country.

Does that mean I am over qualified?

[NUance]

why isn't the Governor of Wyoming a front runner for a presidental nomination? The governor of Louisiana is widely regarded as having a shot at the White Hourse at some point down the road. Why? Louisiana is consistantly in the bottom 5

Now that you mention it, in the last 50 years we've had a couple California governors (#50--worst state), a Georgia governor (#32), a couple of Texans (#25), an Arkansas governor (#35), and now a senator from Illinois (#49). Nobody from a state even close to the top of the list. Funny that.

[Excel]

Well there's more to running the nation than these few areas but I agree with the sentiment.

[The Dude]

why isn't the Governor of Wyoming a front runner for a presidental nomination? The governor of Louisiana is widely regarded as having a shot at the White Hourse at some point down the road. Why? Louisiana is consistantly in the bottom 5

Because you only do stuff if you're the Governor of a huge population state like California, New York, Texas, ect. In Wyoming and Nebraska it's more of a title. Kinda like Carl Pelini being our defensive coordinator.