How dark is YOUR state?
While the US is often celebrated for its freedoms and opportunities, each state has its share of darker aspects and challenges. People from every state have at least one part of their home state they can brag about but also one they would probably rather forget.
Residents of some states wouldn’t brag about having the nation’s worst unemployment rate or their state’s freezing, long winters. Some states have struggling populations because of poor air pollution or economic conditions.
For varying reasons, these 14 states have skeletons in their closets that defy their postcard-perfect reputations. So, let’s pull back that curtain! Is your state on this list?
Florida
Worst thing about this state: Most hurricanes and tropical storms
The Sunshine State has been hit with more hurricanes and tropical storms since 1851 than any other state: at least 290.
Connecticut
Worst thing about this state: Unclean drinking water
Connecticut is one of two states in which every single county in the state registered at least one drinking water violation in 2018, which is the most recent year for which data is obtainable.
Montana
Worst thing about this state: Highest suicide rate
This state has the highest suicide rate in the nation, at nearly 30 suicides per 100,000 residents. The national average is about 14.5 suicides per 100,000 individuals.
Alaska
Worst thing about this state: Highest violent crime rate
This state’s violent crime rate of 885 violent crimes per 100,000 individuals is higher than any other state in our country and almost double the national rate of roughly 369 violent crimes per 100,000, according to the FBI.
Illinois
Worst thing about this state: Lowest credit rating
With a chronic budget deficit and an unfortunately underfunded pension system, this state has the lowest credit rating in the nation.
Mississippi
Worst thing about this state: Highest obesity rate
Approximately 36.8% of adults in Mississippi are obese, which means that many have a body mass index of 30 or higher. This is the highest obesity rate in the United States, and that number is much higher than the national rate of 29.0%.
Alabama
Worst thing about this state: Lowest concentration of mental health professionals
This state has the lowest concentration of mental health professionals of any of the US states, at 91 for every 100,000 individuals. Massachusetts, the state with the greatest concentration, has more than six times as many mental health care providers per 100,000 people, according to research.
Georgia
Worst thing about this state: Lowest rate of young kids getting necessary immunizations
Georgia’s children between 19 and 35 months old are less likely to get immunizations to protect them against diseases like measles, mumps, and tetanus than children in every other state. Still, the good news is that roughly 65.6% of young children in the state get these vaccinations.
Kentucky
Worst thing about this state: Highest cancer death rate
There are approximately 233 cancer deaths per 100,000 inhabitants in Kentucky each year, which is more than in any other state. The US national average is about 189 cancer deaths per 100,000 individuals.
South Carolina
Worst thing about this state: Most fatal car accidents per traveled miles
According to reports, fatal car crashes happened more frequently in South Carolina than in any other state in 2018. The state registered 1.83 fatalities per 100 million miles driven. Mississippi is the next closest state reported 1.63 per 100 million miles driven that same year.
Virginia
Worst thing about this state: Worst minimum wage-sustaining a family
Virginia has the worst minimum wage ratio to what is required to sustain a family in any state. The minimum wage here was $7.25, or 26% of what’s needed. The hourly minimum wage in Virginia did increase to $9.50 at the beginning of May 2021, though. So there’s still a little bit of good news.
Oklahoma
Worst thing about this state: Highest share of negative childhood experiences
The percentage of children in Oklahoma with at least one of nine negative childhood experiences is the highest in the nation, at 28.5%.
The national average is roughly 20.5%. ACEs include living in financially struggling families, separated or divorced parents, parent or guardian in jail or not alive anymore, and exposure to violence at home.
Oregon
Worst thing about this state: Highest rate of depression
At 25.2%, this state has the highest rate of adults living with depression in the nation, according to a 2019 study of an online insurance marketplace. This is a growth of nearly 9.2% between 2014 and 2018.
Indiana
Worst thing about this state: Highest concentration of toxic air pollution
This state has the highest concentration of contaminated air pollution out of any state in the country at 11.8 PM2.5 per cubic meter of air. As far as the rest of the nation goes, the average daily concentration of PM2.5, or particulate matter with a diameter that’s less than 2.5 micrometers, is about 8.6 per cubic meter.
Did any of the facts about these states shock you? Feel free to share your thoughts with Devastating Disasters in the comments section below.
But if you enjoyed this article, don’t leave yet! You should also check out: Why Are So Many Planes Crashing Right Now?
