Why North Dakota May Be the Best State in the Country to Live In

Yahoo!Finance ^ | 03/31/2011 | Carla Fried

[Silentgypsy]

While many states are confronting severe budget shortfalls and dragging economies, North Dakota has a different sort of problem. It's stuck deciding how best to deal with a budget surplus. Yes, a surplus. North Dakota's balance sheet is so strong it recently reduced individual income taxes and property taxes by a combined $400 million, and is debating further cuts.

[magslinger]

Great lakes, good times!

[mcshot]

And snow doesn’t fall it flies by horizontally and makes drifts called “snirt”. Loved the hunting, fishing and hot schnapps though.

[the lastbestlady]

That’s for sure!

[napscoordinator]

I could never deal with their winters. I am sure a nice place but way too cold and snowy. Money is nice but not the end all be all.

[napscoordinator]

I live on Maui and it is already climbing to 80 degrees for today. Match that to the temp in N.Dakota today and I say, the difference in taxes is not that important to me. Aloha

You my FRiend do live in paradise. I am so glad that a FREEPER is enjoying their life. It is nice to see.

[gigster]

My brother is a surveyor, and is in the Williston area right now. He sees future plans for development and there is a lot coming.
The housing shortage is real. Not enough housing for the oil crews, and certainly no housing for housing construction crews.

[9YearLurker]

Hey, NH doesn’t have a state income tax (or sales tax) to reduce.

[Tax-chick]

Given the choice of hot vs. cold, I will choose hot.

If it's 100 degrees outside, and you'd like your house to be 80, that's a 20-degree adjustment. If it's -20 degrees outside, and you'd like your house to be 60, that's an 80-degree adjustment.

[MattinNJ]

That makes the story more amazing. You had the inner fortitude to say "The heck with it, I am staying here"

Good for you. I find myself saying "One day, I will leave Joisey"

Do me a favor. Tomorrow, go to an outdoor cafe, order yourself a nice cheeseburger and a brew, put your feet up, and bask in the weather and appreciate your decision instead of just being used to it. Let me know how awesome that feeling is. Perhaps it will inspire me to get off my butt, and get out of here.

[fish hawk]

Your thinking is right on. I go on and on every day just enjoying my life here and once in awhile, actually quite often I stop and look around and say, thank you Lord for bringing me to this island paradise. In my 42 years here on Maui I have never once been sorry for moving here.

[PA Engineer]

Too fracking cold.

There are only two seasons. July and Winter!