What is the Most Awesome Thing About Your State? Check This Map
America can be an absolutely awesome place. And here's the map to prove it.
The image lays out some of the statistically best things about each state. It covers everything from green energy to health to labor and education. Though some categories are more humorous (e.g. South Carolina's "most golf holes per capita" and Nevada's "most liberalized prostitution laws"), others have public health repercutions — like Colorado's "lowest obesity rate" (21%) and Maine's "least violent crime." Some of the stats will definitely surprise you (did you know oil-loving Texas leads the nation in wind power production?).
The map was originally produced by Political Language. What is the most awesome thing about your state?
Rationale and statistics:
Alabama: church attendance (56%)
Alaska: most income equality (0.422 Gini coeficient)
Arizona: sunniest
Arkansas: bromine production (243,000 metric tons as of 2006)
California: safest for workers
Colorado: lowest obesity rate (21%)
Connecticut: lowest carbon emissions
Delaware: best state to incorporate a business in
Florida: most affordable in-state tutition (no data available)
Georgia: busiest airport hub (Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta: 59 million passengers)
Hawaii: highest life expectancy (21.3 years for those over 65)
Idaho: highest per capita computer manufacturing output
Illinois: most average state
Indiana: most vice presidents born (no data available)
Iowa: Most sick days taken (no data avaibale)
Kansas: most wheat (400 million bushels a year)
Kentucky: best armed state
Louisiana: largest port (moved 279 million tons of goods, as of 2012)
Maine: least violent crime
Massachusetts: most college grads (54.3% as of 2010)
Maryland: highest income (median family income as of 2013: $105,348)
Michigan: best fresh water access (84% of North America's surface fresh water)
Minnesota: best heart health
Mississippi: most churches per capita
Missouri: political bellwether (lost status in 2012)
Montana: Native American political empowerment
Nebraska: least public corruption
Nevada: most liberalized prostitution laws
New Hampshire: lowest poverty rate (8.1% as of 2010)
New Jersey: lowest suicide rate (8.2 per 100,000 people as of 2012)
New Mexico: spaceport home
New York: public transit use (5 million people a day in NYC area)
North Carolina: best university value
North Dakota: lowest unemployment (3.6%)
Ohio: highest library use (6.9 per capita as of 2011)
Oklahoma: best license plate
Oregon: most breastfed babies (90% initiation rate)
Pennsylvania: most hunters (no data available)
Rhode Island: lowest coal consumption per capita
South Carolina: most golf holes per capita
South Dakota: fewest mental health days taken
Tennessee: best immunization (94.1% coverage)
Texas: most wind power production
Utah: highest reported well being
Virginia: most presidents born (8)
Vermont: healthiest state
Washington: lowest infant mortality (4.7 per 1,000 live births)
West Virginia: most retirees (no data available)
Wisconsin: highest high school graduation rate (87.5% as of 2013)
Wyoming: cleanest air (year-round particle pollution)
