The Fifty States from Worst to Best: Part Two

In a previous article, The Tiger Times began its state rankings with states 50-26.  Here is the finale, states 25-1. Using criteria such as location, climate, culture, cities, diversity, and much more, we formed a list ranking the fifty states. Here are the top twenty-five states in the American union.

25. Kentucky–With big college towns in Lexington and Louisville, Kentucky is filled with sports. Not only are they the home of a few elite colleges but the Kentucky Derby as well.

24. Illinois–Chicago is the main reason this state is in the top half. It is one of the finest cities in America and brings with it a cool, unique culture. There are many sports teams, a couple of good Big Ten schools, and some tremendous famous food, like their deep dish pizza. The only thing holding this state back is, what else is even in Illinois?

23. Ohio–Ohio’s most popular city is Cleveland, which does not come with very promising sports teams. Even with all the moves the Browns made in free agency, there is still a lot to work on before the beginning of the season. The Cavaliers have been nothing since LeBron left, currently with the third worst record in the NBA. The Indians have shown signs of being good but have yet to do anything.

22. Alabama–Alabama is ranked highly for their great college football culture. The Alabama versus Auburn rivalry is maybe the best in the sport. It is the heart of the SEC and is rooted strongly in its southern traditions, a respectable trait.

21. Oregon–Oregon is most known for its diverse landscape of forests, beaches, farms, and mountains, as well as its great colleges. The University of Oregon and Oregon State University help push Oregon to the top half of the list.

20. Washington–This ranks one spot higher than its neighbor to the south because of Seattle. It is a huge, unique, innovative city that just edges out Portland. The culture overall is a passionate one. The rainy climate may hurt it a bit, but ultimately Washington is a top 20 state.

19. Missouri–With large cities like Kansas City and St. Louis, it’s hard not to be in the top twenty. Both cities also bring in big sports teams. The Chiefs have a very promising future with Mahomes as quarterback. The Cardinals are not what they used to be, but they stay average in the ranks as of now. The Royals just won the World Series in 2015 but don’t even show up in the Playoffs anymore.

18. North Carolina–Although the inferior Carolina, the Tarheel state still has many positive aspects. Charlotte is a nice city, there are plenty of pretty beaches to vacation at and, maybe the best part is the rivalry between their three biggest colleges: Duke, UNC. and NC State.

17. Minnesota–Bordered by Canada and the largest Great Lake, Lake Superior, Minnesota is the home of Minneapolis and Saint Paul, known as the “Twin Cities.” With both cities comes a variety of art and culture.

16. Maine–The northernmost state in the contiguous United States is up so high because of its nice, friendly culture. They love their seafood and their snow. Everything in Maine is aesthetically pleasing with quaint towns and different, but very nice cities in Portland and Bangor. There is not much that stands out about Maine, but there is nothing truly negative either.

15. Maryland–Filled with a long line of beaches, Maryland is a top tourist attraction for many reasons. The U.S. Naval Academy is located in Annapolis, the state capitol, and the largest city, Baltimore, is filled with sports teams, history, and diverse culture. Ocean City is filled with beaches where many high school kids go to celebrate “Senior Week,” as well as the Chesapeake Bay for a more relaxing experience.

14. Louisiana–The Bayou state is in the top fifteen because of its unique culture, New Orleans, and its passion for their college, LSU. New Orleans is a fantastic city known for a fun-loving, amazing culture. The food is great, the city is fun, the sports are beloved, and overall, Louisiana is a great state.

13. South Carolina–The state needs to have a lot of attributes to be the “better” Carolina. Even with North Carolina being home to the pro sports teams, South Carolina still has better features. Starting with the climate, it is similar, but South Carolina is hard to beat. History fills South Carolina land from the Civil War, with the opening shots being fired off here.

12. Colorado–There is not much wrong with Colorado at all. The breathtaking Rocky Mountains make this state famous and for good reason. Denver is also a phenomenal city with a good sports fan base. The climate may hold this state back, as it is fairly cold. Colorado, overall, is a state with no real weaknesses outside its cold climate.

11. Georgia–From beaches, farmlands, and mountains to large cities, Georgia has it all. Atlanta, which is the state capital, brings in sports and diverse culture. Georgia is also the host of the Masters, which take place in Augusta.

10. Michigan–The motor city is a bit better than its cold counterpart in Colorado for a few reasons. First, the city of Detroit is immense and brings a passionate sports fan base as well as a proud culture. The weather is cold, but the Great Lakes are a marvel to visit. In addition, Michigan is home to two prestigious colleges that make the state even better. The rivalry between Michigan St. in East Lansing and the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor is a huge part of why Michigan cracks the top ten.

9. Tennessee–Nashville, the state capital, is known as the heart of country music, and Memphis, located in the far southwest region of the state, brings in musical features like Elvis Presley’s Graceland, so Tennessee is filled with music all around the state. With the music comes sports and popular cities, landing Tennessee in the top ten.

8. Arizona–This state is excellent. The climate may be hot, but you can forget about that when looking at the city of Phoenix. It is beautiful. Arizonians are proud and love their state. Beautiful sightseeing like the Grand Canyon only adds to the appeal of Arizona, the eighth best state in the United States.

7. Hawaii–Even with the city being absolutely beautiful, Hawaii still lands in the lower half of the top ten. Being isolated from the rest of the U.S., Hawaii is like it’s own country. The beaches are top U.S. beaches, and their weather is some of the best in the country. The only downfalls that come with this spectacular state is the chance of many natural disasters, as well as the fact that many sports teams do not come out of Hawaii.

6. Massachusetts–The sports fans here are spoiled. They have seen their city win 12 championships. Boston is turning into the city of champions, and the passion of their fans is obvious. The state is not only known for Boston but also for the tremendous universities in the state. MIT, Boston University, and Harvard are just a few of the many prestigious colleges in this New England state.

5. Texas–The slogan “Everything’s bigger in Texas” is basically true. The state in general is just bigger than most, being recorded as the second largest state in area and population. In this big state are many large cities, including Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, and Austin. Even with the Dallas Cowboys being a terrible team to be called the home team, there are many other sports teams filling up the cities to make it a great state for sports.

4. Pennsylvania–The Keystone state is a phenomenal overall state. It offers a climate where you experience all four seasons. Two great cities, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, have their own unique culture and fan bases. State College is a great cultural center in the middle of the state, and, overall, PA is a very solid state.

3. Florida–There are endless amounts of  opportunities when visiting Florida. The coast is filled with beaches that reach hundreds of miles, and the large, beautiful cities light up the state. Miami is known for its Latin-American influenced culture and its nightlife, especially South Beach. Miami seems to be the perfect location for a vacation with no kids, but Orlando may be the best family-friendly city in America. Being home to Walt Disney World brings in families from all over the world to enjoy the fun, magical experience.

2. New York–Not quite number one, but it sure is a close second. The biggest city in the U.S. is a marvel to be in and to look at from afar with a breathtaking skyline. As great as New York City is, the state of New York is so much more than the city. Upstate, there are fantastic views from various mountains and other opportunities to enjoy the outdoors. New York is a phenomenal state with a little bit of everything, earning the second spot on our list.  

1. California–The best state in the United States! California has amazing cities, plural. Los Angeles, San Diego, and the Bay Area are just a few amazing areas and cities that California has to offer. The beaches are nice, and the weather is sublime. There is a ton of diversity in California as well. Southern California is the hot, beachy areas that Cali is known for; Northern California is the bay area and a different scene from SoCal. California is a great sports state and packed with stars. Overall, this decision was not the hardest to come by; California is the best state in the country!