Apparently palm trees and 80-degree ocean breezes just don’t cut it anymore. That is, if you’re the state of California. Hawaii did just fine, topping the list, but California brought up the rear. According to the survey, only 27% of Americans hold a favorable view of the Golden State compared to the 44% who view it unfavorably.
“I’m actually quite surprised California fared so poorly,” Albert M. Camarillo, a professor of history at Stanford University told the San Francisco Chronicle. “I think the national public knows of our difficult budget situation, our higher than average unemployment rate, the still very expensive housing market.”
Though Camarillo may be right about its shortcomings, California still seems like a surprising pick for “least popular” state. What with the Redwood Forests, sprawling beaches and Yosemite National Park? And that’s not even mentioning Hollywood. NewsFeed certainly didn’t see this one coming.