Some of these scorecards are based on polling. Others are data-based, trying to decipher government or business stats. And some are simply opinions – individual or consensus.
Yes, these rankings can be discussion starters – whether for policy debate or just plain fun. Before the chats get too intense, be aware that the creation of these grades is far more art than statistical science. I’m bemused at the wave of state-vs.-state rankings that flow into my inbox at work. Most of these scorecards are not created to advance societal conversations. Rather, they’re promoted in hopes of generating online attention for a company that likely paid somebody to create “best/worst state” buzz.
Not that these state grades themselves aren’t interesting. So, I waded through my inbox to find 20 rankings for California that might intrigue somebody.spending per capita on clothing and footwear, according to shopping stats tracked for QR Code Generator.costliest housing gap – average wage for bachelor’s degree holders vs. median rent for a one-bedroom apartment – says U.S. Census Bureau figures tracked by Sparefoot.com.
So any conclusion, if one might draw anything meaningful from this rather random collection of stats, is that California is an expensive place with both good and troubling characteristics.Jonathan Lansner is the business columnist for the Southern California News Group. He can be reached at