Discovering a `fun' state can be tricky endeavor
There's no shortage of fun in California, so relocating to a place with nearly as many leisure options is no easy task.
As a public service — not to mention highlighting an economic lesson or two — my trusty spreadsheet created “fun” grades for each state to help anyone contemplating an out-of-state move.
Now, if you're in a hurry for the rankings, my math recommends moving to Florida, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Colorado or Minnesota.
That's the overall conclusion of a scorecard derived from eight measures of fun. How do states outside of California compare on benchmarks, including how much is invested in recreation, what's the level of leisurely resources, how tasty is the food and how fine is the weather?
Please note that any state-bystate scorecard is a rough estimate of the ranking's target. Results will suggest the winners and losers for a hypothetical but typical household.
Caveats noted, the study says fun-seekers looking to become ex-Californians should avoid Indiana, Alabama, West Virginia, Kansas and Kentucky.
Oh, and other popular spots that have been havens for Golden State departees?
Texas ranked No. 28 for fun, Arizona 12th, Nevada, eighth and Idaho seventh.
The details
Relocation is often more than a pragmatic hunt based on economic factors. So, the availability of recreational opportunities should be part of any search for a new hometown outside of California.
Let's peek under the hood of these rankings to reveal some of the variances among the states when it comes to their “fun” factor.
To see where local cash flows to fun, we considered how much of household budgets go toward recreational goods and services. The biggest spenders, based on Bureau of Economic Analysis numbers, are in Utah, Washington and Alaska. Smallest expenditures? West Virginia, Mississippi, and New Mexico. California would rank 12th if it was included.
FOLLOW THE MONEY >>
STAFFING >> Great recreational options require a significant workforce. States with the most people employed in leisure and hospitality businesses, on a relative scale, are a solid hint of places where recreation is plentiful.
Federal job statistics tell us the highest concentrations of workers providing fun are in Nevada, Hawaii and Wyoming. Fewest? Iowa, Minnesota and Washington. California would rank No. 23, in this math.