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The
Beach Beckons:
Florida,
California, Hawaii Top States Where Americans Want to Live
|
As for cities,
Americans both love and hate The Big Apple
|
New
York, NY – December 2015 / Newsmaker Alert / For the first time since
2001, Florida, our nation’s 27th state, is back on top as Americans’ most
desired habitation destination. When asked where – excluding their current
state – they would most like to live, The Sunshine State is at the top
of the list. Sunshine and waterfront acreage are consistent themes at the
top of this list, with California (2) and Hawaii (3) rounding out the top
three. Turning away from beachfront territories, Colorado (4) and New York
(5) close out the top five states Americans would like to live in.
These
are some of the results of The Harris Poll of 2,232 U.S.
adults surveyed online between November 11 and 16, 2015. Full results of
this study, including data tables, can be found
here.
Despite
some re-ordering, this year’s top five were, for the most part, also top-five
honorees in 2013 (the last time this question was asked); the sole exception
is New York, which edged into the top-five after a sixth place showing
last time around. Texas, meanwhile, drops out of the top five and into
6th place this year.
The
remaining 9 states on the “top 15” list include diverse geographies, though
most do fall within a few general categories:
-
The coasts
are well-represented: Along with Florida, the Carolinas – North (7) and
South (12) – and Georgia cover most of the southeastern United States beachfront.
Meanwhile, Oregon (9) and Washington (14) make for full west coast coverage
(when combined with California);
-
Perhaps
for some it’s not the coast but the warmth which takes precedence, as landlocked-but-sunny
states Arizona (8) and Tennessee (10) also make the list;
-
Hawaii’s
partner in non-contiguity (though its opposite on the size and weather
spectrums), Alaska (11), makes an appearance; and
-
Pennsylvania
(15) represents the mid-Atlantic while rounding out the top 15.
Of course,
many states have both admirers and detractors. California may be 2nd on
the list of states Americans would like to live in, but it also tops the
list of states where Americans would least like to dwell. New York and
Alaska may both be top 15 performers when Americans say where they would
like to live, but they also round out the top three states where Americans
would not want to live (2 and 3, respectively). Mississippi (4) and Texas
(5) complete the top 5 for the dubious list, with Alabama (6), Florida
(7), Illinois (8), Michigan (9) and the District of Columbia (10) completing
the top 10.
Favorite
and Least Favorite Cities
Focusing
in on cities Americans would (and wouldn’t) want to live in, Americans
continue their love/hate relationship with The Big Apple. New York, NY
has topped The Harris Poll’s list of cities where Americans most want to
live (excluding where they live now) for well over a decade, but it has
also topped the list of cities they’d least like to live in since the question
was first asked in 2010.
California
and Florida are well represented among the top 10 most desired cities,
with San Diego, Los Angeles and San Francisco nabbing the 2nd, 4th and
6th spots for the Golden State, while Miami and Orlando bring the 5th and
10th spots home to the Sunshine State.
Denver,
CO (3) fills in the lone gap in the top five, while Honolulu, HI (7); Atlanta,
GA (8) and Seattle, WA (9) fill out the rest of the top 10.
The
top three cities Americans would least want to live in have remained the
same since this question was first asked in 2010, with the aforementioned
New York, NY at the top, followed by Detroit, MI (2) and Los Angeles (3).
Chicago, IL repeats in 4th place, while Dallas, TX (5) rounds out the top
five. Miami, FL (6); San Francisco, CA (7); Houston, TX (8); Washington,
DC (9) and Las Vegas, NV (10) complete this less desirable top 10 list.
To
see other recent Harris Polls, please visit us at TheHarrisPoll.com.
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Harris Polls delivered direct to your inbox? Click
here!
Methodology
This
Harris Poll was conducted online, in English, within the United States
between November 11 and 16, 2015 among 2,232 adults (aged 18 and over).
Figures for age, sex, race/ethnicity, education, region and household income
were weighted where necessary to bring them into line with their actual
proportions in the population. Propensity score weighting was also used
to adjust for respondents’ propensity to be online.
All
sample surveys and polls, whether or not they use probability sampling,
are subject to multiple sources of error which are most often not possible
to quantify or estimate, including sampling error, coverage error, error
associated with nonresponse, error associated with question wording and
response options, and post-survey weighting and adjustments. Therefore,
The
Harris Poll avoids the words “margin of error” as they are misleading.
All that can be calculated are different possible sampling errors with
different probabilities for pure, unweighted, random samples with 100%
response rates. These are only theoretical because no published polls come
close to this ideal.
Respondents
for this survey were selected from among those who have agreed to participate
in Harris Poll surveys. The data have been weighted to reflect the composition
of the adult population. Because the sample is based on those who agreed
to participate in our panel, no estimates of theoretical sampling error
can be calculated.
These
statements conform to the principles of disclosure of the National Council
on Public Polls.
The
results of this Harris Poll may not be used in advertising, marketing or
promotion without the prior written permission of The Harris Poll.
Product
and brand names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective
owners.
About
The Harris Poll®
Begun
in 1963, The Harris Poll is one of the longest running surveys measuring
public opinion in the U.S. and is highly regarded throughout the world.
The nationally representative polls, conducted primarily online, measure
the knowledge, opinions, behaviors and motivations of the general public.
New and trended polls on a wide variety of subjects including politics,
the economy, healthcare, foreign affairs, science and technology, sports
and entertainment, and lifestyles are published weekly. For more information,
or to see other recent polls, please visit our new website, TheHarrisPoll.com.
Press
Contact:
Corporate
Communications
The
Harris Poll
585-272-8400 |
