New York has moved rapidly up the list of Americans' favourite states to no.5, according to the Harris Poll - but it may struggle to climb higher as the top 4 are unchanged from last year with California first and then Florida, Hawaii and Colorado.
For the seventh year running, respondents were asked which state they would most like to live in apart from their own - a full table of the top 15 since 1997 is shown below.
California, despite financial trouble and the likelihood of a recall election for its governor, prevents Florida from regaining its top spot - while Hawaii retains its third place notwithstanding a decline in tourism and a high cost-of-living (it's surely gained from the Lilo and Stitch effect? - Ed. ).
Apart from New York, the main winners are:
Rank Now | RANK IN | |||||||
1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | ||
1 | California | 3 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
2 | Florida | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
3 | Hawaii | 7 | =7 | =9 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
4 | Colorado | 4 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
5 | New York | * | =15 | * | =10 | 8 | 8 | 5 |
6 | Arizona | 2 | 5 | 6 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
7 | Texas | 10 | =7 | 5 | =10 | 12 | 14 | 7 |
8 | NCarolina | 6 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 5 | 8 |
9 | Virginia | 14 | 11 | =9 | =8 | =14 | =12 | 9 |
10 | Washington | 8 | 12 | 8 | 6 | 5 | 9 | 10 |
11 | Oregon | 9 | 9 | 15 | 14 | 9 | 10 | 11 |
12 | Nevada | * | * | * | * | * | * | 12 |
13 | Montana | * | * | 7 | =10 | 11 | 11 | 13 |
14 | Georgia | 11 | 14 | 12 | =8 | 13 | 15 | 14 |
15 | Alaska | 15 | 15 | =9 | 13 | =14 | =12 | 15 |
All articles 2006-23 written and edited by Mel Crowther and/or Nick Thomas unless otherwise stated.
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