What state is the best?

[BurnItDwn]

Well ... Illinois can be nice, but the summers are way to friggin hot here. IMO, choosing if you want to live in an urban, suburban, college town, small town, or country setting will make just as big of a difference if not more, than which state you choose.

My grandparents live up near Green Bay in Wisconsin, and its quite nice there. In the winter it gets a bit chilly (but the snomobiling is great, so the cold is really nice IMO). The summers are quite a bit nicer then in Illinois (usually 5 to 15 deg cooler). Also, as an added bonus, the beer tends to be little bit cheaper in Wisconsin and they have good cheese.

I don't really care for Indiana too much, though I have never really spent much time there. (I hate the Gary area, but I like the fireworks laws in that state)
I can't speak for PA or OH, as I have only been in those states once as a child on a family road trip.

I like where I am at now for the most part (NW Suburbs of Chicago IL), however, if my company were to offer me a similar position in Wisconsin, I would probably take it as long as it wasn't out in the middle of nowhere.

 

[Slap]

Tennesse...best roads, no income tax, and we finally have powerball. Of course Alabama and Mississippi aren't bad.

 

[dr150]

Hawaii.....Europe......Australia

All other states are too similar culturally ("Live to work" mentality instead of "Work to Live" )

 

[GroundZero]

washington state, hands down winner

 

[Yossarian451]

Texas, stay out of the sh1tro-plexes and cost of living is nice and so are the people.

 

[DeviousTrap]

I like living in states with a nice downtown as I like having stuff to do... Like i've been to some places in the mid-west, sorry, but I just couldn't live there . Nothing to do.

Therefore my vote is New York for entertainment or Massachusetts (Boston) for a smaller place, but with tons of colleges around.

I like the east cost , not a west coast person.