America’s love-hate relationship with California echoes in this poll
**How Divided Are America’s Feelings About California? A Curious Poll Reveals All**
A recent poll of 1,000 American adults, conducted for Clever Real Estate, offers fascinating insight into the nation’s love-hate relationship with the Golden State. The survey asked respondents to rate various traits of all 50 states, revealing some surprising and sometimes conflicting opinions about California.
**Most and Least Desirable States**
One of the more intriguing parts of the survey asked participants to rank states by desirability—both most and least desirable. When it came to the most desirable states, California ranked No. 2, just behind Florida. Rounding out the top five were Hawaii, Texas, and New York — all known for their strong economies and popular vacation spots. States with the lowest desirability scores included Mississippi, Kansas, and Nebraska.
However, when asked to name the least desirable states, California surprisingly took the top spot. It was followed by Alabama, New York, Alaska, and Florida. States receiving the lowest “least desirable” scores (meaning they were considered more desirable) included North Carolina, New Hampshire, and Montana.
**Affordability Rankings**
The poll also examined affordability from two perspectives: where Americans would relocate with an unlimited budget, and where those financially struggling might move.
With an unlimited budget, California ranked No. 3 for relocation desirability, trailing only Hawaii and Florida. The states with the lowest rankings in this category were Iowa, Nebraska, and Kansas.
On the other hand, for those on tighter budgets, California ranked 42nd — unsurprising given the state’s notoriously high cost of living. Top bargains for financially constrained movers were Alabama, Arkansas, and West Virginia, while the least affordable states were Massachusetts, Hawaii, and New Jersey.
**Other Interesting Grades**
California didn’t fare well as a “most underrated” state, landing a lowly No. 43 ranking. States that scored well here tended to have smaller populations, with Vermont, Wyoming, and Maine at the top. The lowest ranks in this category included Mississippi, New York, and Louisiana, which displayed no clear common theme.
Participants also weighed in on states’ “boring” factor — a descriptor open to interpretation as either dull or peaceful. California landed in the middle at No. 29. The most boring states were Iowa, Idaho, and Wyoming; the least boring were Hawaii, North Carolina, and Massachusetts.
Lastly, the survey looked at which states were considered to have the quirkiest residents. California topped this list, followed by Alaska, New York, Utah, and Oregon. States ranked least quirky included North Carolina, South Carolina, and Maryland.
**Final Thoughts: Extreme Ratings for California**
California received some of the most divergent ratings among all states. Six of its rankings placed within the top or bottom 10 across the seven survey questions — tying it with North Carolina for the most extreme scores.
Other states with similarly polarized opinions (five extreme rankings) included Florida, New York, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and North Dakota.
All in all, the poll illustrates just how divided America’s feelings are about California — a state admired for its desirability and quirks, yet also criticized for affordability issues and polarized perceptions.
https://www.mercurynews.com/2025/09/19/americas-love-hate-relationship-with-california-echoes-in-this-poll/
