Spring is here and summer is just around the corner, and we’ll be damned if there isn’t a better place in all of the United States to be – than in the Midwest during what we consider the most wonderful time of the year. Here are all the reasons why the Midwest is superior.
You’ll Be Happier
Even if you’re a legit introvert, such as myself, you can’t help but be charmed by a little mid-western hospitality. In 2013, the University of Cambridge released a study that found Midwesterners had “moderately high levels of extraversion, agreeableness and conscientiousness.”
WalletHub, a finance website, recently published a survey on the most and least stressed states in the country and the Midwest ranked highest for “least stressed”.
This is the land of saying “good morning” to strangers, folks buying each other cups of coffee, opening doors for one another and just being polite and conscientious most of the time.
You’ll Have More Money
A lot of nurses think they simply won’t make as much money traveling in the Midwest as they will in huge urban areas like New York City or San Francisco, but they’d be mistaken. Not only will you earn a comparable wage and travel stipend – your hard-earned dollars will travel a lot farther. Take rent or example. The median rent for an apartment in California is $2,542 per month versus Missouri where the median cost for rent is $945.
But you’re smart – you’re thinking to yourself – yeah – but my travel stipend for California will be WAY higher. Not necessarily. We currently have an opening in Fortuna, California for an L&D RN – travel stipend is $1,204 per week. Travel stipend in Rolla Missouri (a comparably sized city)? $1,057 per week. We’re guessing the $1,500 you’ll save on housing in Missouri far surpasses the few hundred extra you’ll make a month in California.
And we haven’t even got into the costs of living such as food, gas, electricity, etc.! According to Numbeo.com, consumer prices in St. Louis, Missouri (not counting rent) as compared to San Francisco, California are 28.47% lower, restaurant prices are 33.69% lower and groceries are 29.91% lower. How’s your bank balance looking now?
You’ll Breathe More Fresh Air
With so much to do in the spring and summer months and an itch to get outdoors after the long winter, it is highly likely you’ll spend a good deal of time swimming, boating, fishing, kayaking, hiking, camping, observing wildlife and sunbathing. If fact, with so many local lakes, waterparks, and state parks at your doorstep, your time off will probably revolve around it.
You’ll Deal with Less Traffic
With cities that are less populated, even the heaviest traffic in the Midwest will take you just a few minutes to navigate – and be virtually non-existent in smaller towns. Compared to the gridlock you’ll face on a daily basis in major metropolitan areas like New York City or Los Angeles, you can leave your road rage at home – and take your time with that morning Starbucks run.
You’ll Get to Know Some Pretty Iconic Cities
The Midwest isn’t without it’s fanfare, charm and unique history. Think Chicago, Minneapolis, Kansas City, Indianapolis, Omaha, Detroit, St. Louis and Milwaukee. If you’re looking for a little city life with dash of culture these cities have a wide range of world-class museums & art galleries, Michelin-Star Restaurants, and an abundance of night-life.
You’ll Get Fat. Kidding!
It will be hard to resist every food temptation the Midwest has to offer – but you should definitely indulge to your hearts content. From deep-dish pizza, to cheese curds to fried crawfish sandwiches – you’ll never get bored by your options and the regions assortment of unique foods. And with the summer months come the summer state fairs where you can enjoy famous delicacies like spaghetti on a stick, or deep fried ribs…
…Sorry, we just made ourselves hungry and had a to take a break for lunch. Check out the Chicago Tribune’s photo gallery on 16 state-fair favorites throughout the Midwest.
You’ll Enjoy Sports, Damnit!
Even if you’re not a sports fan – the mood throughout the city when their team is playing (whether or winning or losing) will be contagious. Why? Because some of the best teams throughout the country play here: Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Chicago Bulls, Chicago Bears, Cleveland Indians, Detroit Tigers and Kansas City Chiefs – and – let’s get real – we can’t name them all. But you catch our drift?
You’ll Feel Safer
Yes. There is of course crime, no city or town is immune – but it’s simply much less so in the Midwest. According to a study by Sperling’s Best Places crime in the Midwest is lower than any other region in the U.S. (except for the Northeast) with an average of 3,883 offenses per 100,000 people as compared to the national average of 4,118 offenses.
You may ask why? For one – less people, less crime. The denser a city, the more people, the statistically higher crime rate. There are some cities, like Topeka, Kansas, that do boast a relatively high crime rate – but still aren’t as high as crime-heavy cities like Detroit, Houston or Miami. And the crime that does occur? – is usually petty crimes (think theft, vandalism or drug possession) without as many violent crimes (think murder) as compared to bigger cities.
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