Raleigh Ranked 8th Best State Capital To Live In (Durham: 2014, crime rates)
Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, CaryThe Triangle Area
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Actually, I think the person wrote the article wrong. It appears that Dover, Delaware was dead last. Columbia, SC was 10th from the bottom. The bottom of the list goes from worst to better if you go by the index scores in parentheses (higher number is better).
Interesting, I lived outside of Columbia for 4 years and would rate Columbia above Raleigh. Goes to show how subjective things can be. Raleigh is much more progressive but I liked the small town feel of Columbia.
I lived in Boston for 25 years and it is the best capital city to live in by far. Alaska, really?
I agree list is highly subjective and does not take into account intangibles of the respective areas. I lived in Annapolis (which made #7 on the list) and I think the tourism factor changes the dynamic greatly (much as it does for Boston).
Actually, I think the person wrote the article wrong. It appears that Dover, Delaware was dead last. Columbia, SC was 10th from the bottom. The bottom of the list goes from worst to better if you go by the index scores in parentheses (higher number is better).
Good catch. Poor reading comprehension by article author. Dover, DE is in last place. Columbia is in 41st place.
Location: Chapel Hill, NC, formerly NoVA and Phila
9,784 posts, read 15,880,681 times
Reputation: 10912
I think what makes the list of state capitals difficult to analyze is that state capitals range from being major metropolitan cities to essentially large towns. In some states like Massachusetts, Colorado, and Georgia, the capital is also THE major city of that state. In other states, the capital is a small city (Harrisburg in PA and Annapolis in MD come to mind). Comparing the crime or amenities of Harrisburg to Boston, for example, is laughable. Most people would compare Philly to Boston because they are similar in size. Needless to say, this list leaves a lot to be desired.
It's interesting that there isn't any city larger than Raleigh ranked above it. Of the ten, only Denver is larger as a city or metro. Madison and Boise are smaller cities with metro areas more akin to the Durham/Chapel Hill MSA if was a stand-alone without Raleigh next door. The rest are really just large towns. The criteria certainly favors smaller capitals and, I'm guessing, those with lower crime rates.
Is anybody else getting Very Tired of "Best Places" lists?
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
