Where locals would move again, and the numbers behind it.

Name: The Honest Index, September 2026
Creator: The Honest Local
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

109 cities and states, ranked on one score: what locals on record say, and what it costs, pays and risks to live there, from public data read this month.

By The Honest Local · updated monthly · every component links to its source on the place page

77.0Portland, Maine leads the first editionHonest Score, 0 to 100

Top five

1Portland, Maine100% of 2 locals would move here again; cost of living index 112.9, better than most; unemployment 2.5%, among the best in the set; violent crime 95 per 100k, among the best in the set. Few votes so far, so the public numbers carry it.77.0
2New Hampshire100% of 1 local would move here again; cost of living index 108.5, among the best in the set; unemployment 2.8%, among the best in the set; violent crime 119 per 100k, among the best in the set. Few votes so far, so the public numbers carry it.75.1
3North Dakota67% of 3 locals would move here again; cost of living index 90.5, among the best in the set; unemployment 2.2%, among the best in the set; violent crime 240 per 100k, among the best in the set. Few votes so far, so the public numbers carry it.75.0
4Nebraskano local verdicts yet, scored at the neutral midpoint; cost of living index 90.1, among the best in the set; unemployment 2.9%, among the best in the set; violent crime 223 per 100k, among the best in the set. Few votes so far, so the public numbers carry it.74.1
5Maine50% of 12 locals would move here again; cost of living index 112.9, better than most; unemployment 3.1%, among the best in the set; violent crime 95 per 100k, among the best in the set.71.9

Bottom five

109California12% of 17 locals would move here again; cost of living index 140.3, middle of the set; unemployment 5.1%, among the worst in the set; violent crime 435 per 100k, among the worst in the set.23.7
108San Francisco9% of 11 locals would move here again; cost of living index 140.3, middle of the set; unemployment 4.4%, worse than most; violent crime 435 per 100k, among the worst in the set.30.8
107San Diego32% of 44 locals would move here again; cost of living index 140.3, middle of the set; unemployment 4.7%, worse than most; violent crime 435 per 100k, among the worst in the set.31.6
106Los Angeles, California33% of 3 locals would move here again; cost of living index 140.3, middle of the set; unemployment 5.0%, among the worst in the set; violent crime 435 per 100k, among the worst in the set.32.5
105Tucson9% of 11 locals would move here again; cost of living index 108.6, among the best in the set; unemployment 5.6%, among the worst in the set; violent crime 383 per 100k, worse than most.33.4

How the score works. 40% is the locals’ verdict, the share of people on record who’d move there again, pulled toward a neutral 50 when fewer than ten have voted so a place can’t top the list on two opinions. 20% is cost of living, 20% is unemployment, 20% is violent crime, each scored against the rest of the set. A place missing a reading gets the set’s median for that part and is marked.

Read it as a first edition. Most verdict counts are small, which is why the score leans on the public numbers this month. As locals vote on their own pages, the verdict half starts to move the list, and that’s the point.

The full ranking 109 places · score, then the four parts

	Place	Honest Score	Verdict	Cost	Jobs	Safety
1	Portland, Maine	77.0	100%of 2	112.9index, US = 100	2.5%unemployment	95violent, per 100k
2	New Hampshire	75.1	100%of 1	108.5index, US = 100	2.8%unemployment	119violent, per 100k
3	North Dakota	75.0	67%of 3	90.5index, US = 100	2.2%unemployment	240violent, per 100k
4	Nebraska	74.1	–	90.1index, US = 100	2.9%unemployment	223violent, per 100k
5	Maine	71.9	50%of 12	112.9index, US = 100	3.1%unemployment	95violent, per 100k
6	Wyoming	71.5	29%of 7	94.4index, US = 100	3.0%unemployment	188violent, per 100k
7	South Dakota	70.7	75%of 4	93.5index, US = 100	2.0%unemployment	327violent, per 100k
8	Iowa	70.3	33%of 3	86.1index, US = 100	3.2%unemployment	238violent, per 100k
9	Boise, Idaho	68.5	33%of 3	99.4index, US = 100	3.3%unemployment	221violent, per 100k
10	Savannah	68.2	–	90.1index, US = 100	2.7%unemployment	301violent, per 100k
11	Virginia	68.2	–	99.0index, US = 100	3.7%unemployment	210violent, per 100k
12	Salt Lake City	68.0	50%of 2	98.4index, US = 100	3.5%unemployment	225violent, per 100k
13	Columbus	67.7	–	93.0index, US = 100	3.2%unemployment	288violent, per 100k
14	Richmond	67.1	–	99.0index, US = 100	3.8%unemployment	210violent, per 100k
15	Utah	66.0	40%of 5	98.4index, US = 100	3.6%unemployment	225violent, per 100k
16	Pittsburgh	66.0	–	95.3index, US = 100	3.7%unemployment	229violent, per 100k
17	Indiana	66.0	–	89.7index, US = 100	3.3%unemployment	300violent, per 100k
18	Wisconsin	65.5	25%of 4	95.7index, US = 100	3.3%unemployment	245violent, per 100k
19	Idaho	65.1	25%of 4	99.4index, US = 100	3.6%unemployment	221violent, per 100k
20	Huntsville, AL	65.0	–	86.0index, US = 100	3.1%unemployment	353violent, per 100k
21	Rhode Island	64.7	–	110.9index, US = 100	3.9%unemployment	146violent, per 100k
22	Mississippi	64.5	22%of 9	87.4index, US = 100	3.6%unemployment	224violent, per 100k
23	Pennsylvania	64.2	50%of 6	95.3index, US = 100	3.9%unemployment	229violent, per 100k
24	Milwaukee	64.0	–	95.7index, US = 100	3.8%unemployment	245violent, per 100k
25	Vermont	63.9	20%of 15	113.4index, US = 100	2.6%unemployment	220violent, per 100k
26	Raleigh	63.9	–	96.7index, US = 100	3.2%unemployment	331violent, per 100k
27	Georgia	63.5	33%of 3	90.1index, US = 100	3.3%unemployment	301violent, per 100k
28	Cincinnati	63.3	–	93.0index, US = 100	3.7%unemployment	288violent, per 100k
29	Indianapolis	63.2	0%of 1	89.7index, US = 100	3.4%unemployment	300violent, per 100k
30	Miami	61.7	33%of 3	100.8index, US = 100	3.7%unemployment	248violent, per 100k
31	Ohio	61.2	25%of 8	93.0index, US = 100	3.4%unemployment	288violent, per 100k
32	North Carolina	60.6	50%of 6	96.7index, US = 100	3.6%unemployment	331violent, per 100k
33	Atlanta, Georgia	60.6	27%of 15	90.1index, US = 100	3.2%unemployment	301violent, per 100k
34	Philadelphia	60.2	40%of 10	95.3index, US = 100	4.2%unemployment	229violent, per 100k
35	Spokane	60.1	–	115.1index, US = 100	3.5%unemployment	292violent, per 100k
36	West Virginia	60.1	33%of 3	87.0index, US = 100	4.1%unemployment	266violent, per 100k
37	Louisville	60.0	–	94.0index, US = 100	4.8%unemployment	214violent, per 100k
38	Montana	59.5	100%of 1	106.0index, US = 100	3.2%unemployment	422violent, per 100k
39	Minnesota	58.9	0%of 2	93.4index, US = 100	4.3%unemployment	226violent, per 100k
40	Charlotte, NC	57.7	0%of 1	96.7index, US = 100	3.7%unemployment	331violent, per 100k
41	Kentucky	57.6	39%of 26	94.0index, US = 100	4.7%unemployment	214violent, per 100k
42	the US Virgin Islands	57.5	–	median usedindex, US = 100	median usedunemployment	median usedviolent, per 100k
43	Knoxville	57.1	–	89.7index, US = 100	3.2%unemployment	499violent, per 100k
44	Honolulu	57.0	–	185.8index, US = 100	2.8%unemployment	214violent, per 100k
45	Alabama	56.5	0%of 4	86.0index, US = 100	3.4%unemployment	353violent, per 100k
46	Greenville, SC	56.4	–	92.7index, US = 100	3.7%unemployment	389violent, per 100k
47	Chattanooga	56.0	–	89.7index, US = 100	3.3%unemployment	499violent, per 100k
48	Missouri	56.0	33%of 3	88.2index, US = 100	3.6%unemployment	426violent, per 100k
49	Nashville	55.7	33%of 6	89.7index, US = 100	3.0%unemployment	499violent, per 100k
50	Asheville	55.6	22%of 18	96.7index, US = 100	3.3%unemployment	331violent, per 100k
51	Minneapolis	55.4	0%of 4	93.4index, US = 100	4.4%unemployment	226violent, per 100k
52	Kansas City	55.3	–	88.2index, US = 100	3.8%unemployment	426violent, per 100k
53	St. Louis	55.3	–	88.2index, US = 100	3.8%unemployment	426violent, per 100k
54	Tampa	54.9	–	100.8index, US = 100	4.8%unemployment	248violent, per 100k
55	Orlando, Florida	54.0	0%of 1	100.8index, US = 100	4.7%unemployment	248violent, per 100k
56	Austin	53.9	36%of 14	90.8index, US = 100	4.0%unemployment	349violent, per 100k
57	Jacksonville	53.6	–	100.8index, US = 100	4.9%unemployment	248violent, per 100k
58	Charleston	53.6	25%of 4	92.7index, US = 100	3.7%unemployment	389violent, per 100k
59	San Antonio, Texas	53.5	57%of 7	90.8index, US = 100	4.7%unemployment	349violent, per 100k
60	Arkansas	53.1	100%of 2	89.0index, US = 100	4.0%unemployment	535violent, per 100k
61	Texas	52.7	48%of 23	90.8index, US = 100	4.5%unemployment	349violent, per 100k
62	Sarasota	52.3	–	100.8index, US = 100	5.0%unemployment	248violent, per 100k
63	Illinois	52.2	0%of 1	94.5index, US = 100	4.9%unemployment	258violent, per 100k
64	New Jersey	52.2	0%of 5	119.2index, US = 100	4.4%unemployment	199violent, per 100k
65	Reno	52.0	–	105.4index, US = 100	4.0%unemployment	384violent, per 100k
66	Oklahoma	51.9	40%of 5	83.0index, US = 100	4.3%unemployment	412violent, per 100k
67	Tennessee	51.0	33%of 15	89.7index, US = 100	3.4%unemployment	499violent, per 100k
68	Kansas	50.8	0%of 1	87.1index, US = 100	3.8%unemployment	476violent, per 100k
69	Connecticut	50.6	0%of 4	103.6index, US = 100	5.2%unemployment	111violent, per 100k
70	Dallas, Texas	50.5	33%of 6	90.8index, US = 100	4.6%unemployment	349violent, per 100k
71	Jacksonville, Florida	50.3	0%of 2	100.8index, US = 100	4.9%unemployment	248violent, per 100k
72	Hawaii	50.3	24%of 21	185.8index, US = 100	2.7%unemployment	214violent, per 100k
73	Boston	49.9	67%of 12	148.1index, US = 100	4.3%unemployment	301violent, per 100k
74	New Orleans	49.6	75%of 4	91.3index, US = 100	4.5%unemployment	465violent, per 100k
75	South Carolina	49.3	0%of 2	92.7index, US = 100	4.2%unemployment	389violent, per 100k
76	Chicago	49.3	27%of 11	94.5index, US = 100	4.9%unemployment	258violent, per 100k
77	Houston, Texas	48.1	50%of 4	90.8index, US = 100	5.1%unemployment	349violent, per 100k
78	Portland	47.9	–	110.4index, US = 100	4.9%unemployment	319violent, per 100k
79	Baltimore	47.8	33%of 3	118.8index, US = 100	4.2%unemployment	365violent, per 100k
80	Louisiana	47.5	50%of 2	91.3index, US = 100	4.4%unemployment	465violent, per 100k
81	Maryland	47.5	0%of 1	118.8index, US = 100	4.2%unemployment	365violent, per 100k
82	Delaware	47.4	33%of 3	100.6index, US = 100	4.8%unemployment	352violent, per 100k
83	Florida	47.4	8%of 12	100.8index, US = 100	4.6%unemployment	248violent, per 100k
84	Vancouver, Washington	46.4	42%of 24	115.1index, US = 100	4.9%unemployment	292violent, per 100k
85	Memphis	45.2	–	89.7index, US = 100	4.7%unemployment	499violent, per 100k
86	Colorado	45.0	0%of 3	102.7index, US = 100	3.9%unemployment	438violent, per 100k
87	Colorado Springs	45.0	0%of 1	102.7index, US = 100	4.3%unemployment	438violent, per 100k
88	New York	44.5	–	132.6index, US = 100	4.4%unemployment	368violent, per 100k
89	Michigan	44.3	43%of 7	92.1index, US = 100	4.9%unemployment	431violent, per 100k
90	Massachusetts	44.0	40%of 5	148.1index, US = 100	4.4%unemployment	301violent, per 100k
91	Detroit	42.4	–	92.1index, US = 100	6.0%unemployment	431violent, per 100k
92	San Jose, California	41.8	–	140.3index, US = 100	4.1%unemployment	435violent, per 100k
93	Denver	41.6	29%of 35	102.7index, US = 100	4.1%unemployment	438violent, per 100k
94	New Mexico	40.5	36%of 11	90.2index, US = 100	4.8%unemployment	648violent, per 100k
95	Phoenix	40.3	0%of 4	108.6index, US = 100	4.8%unemployment	383violent, per 100k
96	Nevada	40.3	0%of 2	105.4index, US = 100	5.0%unemployment	384violent, per 100k
97	Alaska	40.1	–	124.5index, US = 100	4.3%unemployment	736violent, per 100k
98	Washington	39.5	22%of 23	115.1index, US = 100	5.0%unemployment	292violent, per 100k
99	Albuquerque	39.4	–	90.2index, US = 100	5.5%unemployment	648violent, per 100k
100	Arizona	37.8	26%of 27	108.6index, US = 100	4.9%unemployment	383violent, per 100k
101	Las Vegas	36.8	27%of 15	105.4index, US = 100	5.4%unemployment	384violent, per 100k
102	Seattle	35.8	12%of 33	115.1index, US = 100	5.0%unemployment	292violent, per 100k
103	Washington DC	34.6	0%of 4	133.8index, US = 100	4.0%unemployment	806violent, per 100k
104	Sacramento	34.1	–	140.3index, US = 100	5.0%unemployment	435violent, per 100k
105	Tucson	33.4	9%of 11	108.6index, US = 100	5.6%unemployment	383violent, per 100k
106	Los Angeles, California	32.5	33%of 3	140.3index, US = 100	5.0%unemployment	435violent, per 100k
107	San Diego	31.6	32%of 44	140.3index, US = 100	4.7%unemployment	435violent, per 100k
108	San Francisco	30.8	9%of 11	140.3index, US = 100	4.4%unemployment	435violent, per 100k
109	California	23.7	12%of 17	140.3index, US = 100	5.1%unemployment	435violent, per 100k

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Sources. Verdicts are what people on record said on each place’s page, read from the thread until real votes reach ten. Cost of living is MERIC’s state index. Unemployment is the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ latest monthly rate for the metro or state. Violent crime is the FBI Crime Data Explorer’s latest full-year state rate per 100,000; cities carry their state’s rate until agency-level data is wired in. Weights and method are fixed for the year and published here so the list can be argued with.

Cite this

The Honest Local, The Honest Index, September 2026, https://thehonestlocal.com/honest-index

Free to reuse with attribution (CC BY 4.0). Data last moved September 16, 2026. Every number on the page carries its own source and period; cite those with it.

The Honest Index is published monthly by The Honest Local. Places can move only when their numbers or their locals do.