Why Has the Beaver State Been Named the 9th Worst State to Live in America?

Oregon just got listed as the 9th worst state to live in the nation. HOW, SWAY?

When I think of Oregon, I think of dying of dysentery in that fun video game I played in middle school, The Oregon Trail. I also think of gorgeous and peaceful woody campgrounds, cute little beavers running amok breaking dams, my friend Lacey who is the biggest Oregon Ducks fan I know, and I get visions of fiery, passionate people who will protest something in the streets at the drop of a hat.

Say what you want about Oregon, I love their coastal towns, scenic breweries (Hood River, hello?) and food (even Guy Fieri agrees with me).

RELATED: Pining for the Best Diner, Drive-In, Dive in Oregon? Head Here!

I tend to consider other important factors that makes a state a great place to live, like finding a job that will allow me to cope with the rising cost of living, how well local people from unique cultures can get along with each other, and how safe I feel around people who don't look like me, if you catch my drift. Safety is very important.

I saw Portland was trending on Twitter (X) this morning, and when I clicked on the tab to find out why, my feed was flooded with videos of protests and basketball stats.

The report from WalletHub says Oregon is getting tougher for residents to live in because Oregon has a tight labor market, which means finding a job is getting harder.

Add to this stressful mix, the rising rates of "unhoused" people in Oregon. Some of these homeless people are young families who can't afford the cost of rent.

I shudder when I see that because I know that I, too, could be a couple of paychecks away from being homeless (note to self: manage my finances better)!

ZOOM TOWNS: MAKING AFFORDABLE HOUSING A THING OF THE PAST?

One unusual reason why housing has become scarce is because of Zoom Towns. These are those pretty little "white-picket fence" small towns that attracted hordes of people looking to move into quieter neighborhoods during the COVID-19 pandemic.

This started during March 2022, back when everybody had to work remotely from home and check in with the office and board meetings on Zoom calls and Microsoft Teams meetings.

THE TOP 5 STATES TO LIVE IN THE USA

Want to live where the livin' is best? Try New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Florida, New Jersey, and Utah.

THE TOP WORST STATES TO LIVE IN THE USA

If you're living in Louisiana, New Mexico, Arkansas, Alaska, or Nevada, congratulations, you're in arguable the worst states to live.

Washington state ranked as the 16th worst state, and Oregon, you came in at #9.

You can read the rest of the Wallethub report to see the other reasons they think living here is bad, really bad!

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• Oregon's 7 Smallest Counties Have Hidden Gems You Need to See