Connecticut is the Best State in America, Here’s How You Know

In my line of work I am inundated in studies and state vs.state statistics.

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When it comes to these things you need to take all of them with a grain of salt. Where did they collect the data? Who gathered it? Is there money to be made? You have to account for all of these questions before digesting this information, and then make an educated decision about how it impacts the result.

These studies, polls and rankings usually amount to nothing, they are just fun to play around with. What these studies lack is gut instincts and emotion and I'm overflowing with those so I'm taking a crack at it. I think I have figured out the actual math. I have what I believe to be the most compelling case for Connecticut being the best state in the nation.

I think you add the "cons" of a place, come up with a total and then push that right next to the reality of how many people want to live here. Let's start with some indisputable issues with Connecticut, the two biggest negative marks I believe.

• The Cost of Living
• The Weather

I personally like the seasons but even people like me, will inevitably complain about the weather at some point. Let us call the weather a "con." The cost of living is universally offensive from the bottom of the pay-scale, all the way to the top. You cannot find one CT resident who believes we spend a fair amount of money to live here.

The cost of living and the weather are two of the biggest factors people cite when talking about living somewhere. An article in Best Places ranks these two factors in the Top 10 and so does every other magazine that publishes obvious brain nuggets.

If you add your Connecticut "cons" you come up with a number of: SO BIG and then take that number and place it next to the amount of people who want to live here which is: EVERYONE and you get your math.

Connecticut Living > Having money + Being Warm

Or put another way, Connecticut is such a good place to live people are willing to forgo their happiness and wellbeing to live here.

Don't break your brain trying to poke holes in this argument. If you live and die by the letter of the law, or try to make the metaphor work you'll just end up frustrated with my obvious disregard for such things. My math scenario is very flimsy (doomed from the start) but the point should land, if you look at how many people want to live here.

According to Data Haven 4 in 5 Connecticut adults are satisfied with life in Connecticut. In 2022, nearly 60,000 people moved to Connecticut, which is the state's biggest increase in two decades according to CT Insider. I realize most of the growth took place in Fairfield County but I'm happy to report that they still consider us part of the state, woo-hoo!

Q: If the state sucks so much why are there so many frigging people here and more coming?

A: It does not suck. In my opinion, it is the best state in America.

If you'll excuse, me I have to run. I'm due at the clinic to sell blood and other fluids so I can pay my rent.

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The Best Things About Connecticut:

• Safety
• Proximity to NYC and Boston
• Candlewood Lake
• Charming New England towns
• Educated population
• People here put a premium on their health
• Dunkin'
• So many liquor stores (Packy)
• A Billion barber shops where you can get a tight fade

The Worst Things About Connecticut:

• Cost of living
• Weather
• I-84 & I-95 Traffic, Congestion and Infrastructure
• Bridgeport - Sorry, I was going to drop that on someone's city, it might as well be B-Port