Wonkblog illustrates the results of a "Natural Amenities Index" created by the federal government.
Christopher Ingraham shares insight into the Natural Amenities Index, created in the late 1990s by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to measure physical characteristics that enhance locations as a place to live.
According to Ingraham, "[t]he index combines 'six measures of climate, topography, and water area that reflect environmental qualities most people prefer.' Those qualities, according to the USDA, include mild, sunny winters, temperate summers, low humidity, topographic variation, and access to a body of water."
Ingraham took the data available in the index turned them into an interactive map, noting that California and Colorado do pretty well in the index, while "the lowest rankings clustered around the Minnesota/North Dakota border region."
FULL STORY: Every county in America, ranked by natural beauty
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City of Albany
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research