Here is a special report I made up since no one else on the Internet has such a tool. I decided to figure out which states were good for TGs and which ones stink. I put aside my biases (yes it's tempting to put CA at the top) and went through each state as unbiased as a CPA does with someone's taxes (no, not the Arthur Anderson CPAs, I honestly put each and every state to the same test as unbiased as I could). I spent the last month burning off brain cells putting this together so this isn't something I threw together at the last second before posting. Please remember that not everyone may agree with my views on the states. I'm not name calling here but it should be obvious that some states aren't good places for TG people to live. (When I mean TG people, I include CDs too).

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Places to Relocate for the TG/TS individual

I am writing this essay to better help those who are considering a move from their current location due to their transition or simply to find a more accommodating environment. Please note that I have my own biases and not all TG/TS folk may agree with what I say here. My ratings of all the states here is based on my direct experience with the local culture in each state and from what I have hear and seen from other TG/TS folk. For locations outside the USA I cannot give any comparisons for right now due to a lack of information, but I do know that the poorer a country is, the more likely it will be hostile to TG/TS people. Canada and the Scandinavian countries are fairly good for us though.

My experience leads me to believe that you as a TG/TS individual are best off in a state that protects most of it's population from discrimination due to gender identity, and is also a live and let live state, meaning no intrusive or nanny state mentality. Your larger states like CA and NY may slip a bit here due to this, but overall they will fare better than say, MO. Also, some of the things I say here might offend some. I do not make some remarks about states because of bigotry, I am a REALIST. Even in 2007 there are plenty of areas in the USA that can be potentially dangerous to transgender people. I will rate each state according to the following criteria (Please see notes near end of report for further details):

Protection of TG/TS on housing, work, etc. – this is very important to the TG. The higher the percentage of the state population that is protected, the better chances you will have for employment and living arrangements. (Note: I am only considering statuatory laws that protect TG/TS people. Positive case law wasn't sufficient for this report). This will be the most weighted factor, and states that protect 100% of their populations will get an 8. The lower the percentage, the lower the score.

Attitudes towards TG/TS – Simply because a state or city protects TGs doesn't mean those people necessarily like us. States that have a friendly attitude to us get a 4, and those that are hostile can go to 0.

Level of government bureaucracy – I think the less bureaucracy you have to deal with, the better off you will be if you are TG/TS. States with a pro-liberty attitude will get a 4, states that make you jump through all kinds of hoops to get anything done will get a 0. (Simply because a state collects a high or low amount of taxes doesn't make it big government! Your rural states aren't as pro-liberty as you'd like to believe as most of them are heavily dependent on Uncle Fed for cash. Money equals political power, there's no getting around that, and the more inflated a government is in terms of how big it's revenues are compared to the state economy, the more likely that state will be more bureaucratic in it's nature. Do the math yourself.)

Wages – Pretty obvious here. High wages, 4. Bad wages, 0.

Local economy – This is how diversified the local economy is, and also how self sufficient it is, meaning how much cash they get from Uncle Sam. A good local economy gets a 4, your pork-barrel junk economies get a 0.

Cost of living – Again, obviously your cheaper states get a 4, and the expensive ones get a 0.
Infrastructure – This is how well the state infrastructure is designed and how well it can keep up with population growth, traffic, amount of services, etc. States that handle their infrastructure well get a 4, those that don't get a 0.

Crime rate – Crime obviously is something the TG/TS doesn't need in their backyard. Your clean states get a 4, the crime ridden ones a 0.

Now, I will cover each state and DC in more detail:

Alabama
Population – 4,557,000
Protection of TG/TS – 0
Attitudes towards TG/TS – 0
Level of government bureaucracy – 2
Wages – 1
Local Economy – 1
Cost of living – 3
Infrastructure – 3
Crime Rate – 1
Plusses: Fairly low cost of living, good infrastructure
Minuses: No TG protections, hostile local culture, high crime, weak economy and wages
Overall: 11/36

Alaska
Population – 663,000
Protection of TG/TS – 0
Attitudes towards TG/TS – 1
Level of government bureaucracy – 0
Wages – 3
Local economy – 1
Cost of living – 1
Infrastructure – 1
Crime Rate – 2
Plusses: Very rural state, good for privacy, high wages
Minuses: NO TG protections, geographic isolation, high crime, heavily dependent on Feds and lower states for funds
Overall: 9/36

Arizona
Population – 5939000
Protection of TG/TS – 1
Attitudes towards TG/TS – 1
Level of government bureaucracy – 3
Wages – 2
Local economy – 2
Cost of living – 2
Infrastructure – 0
Crime rate – 1
Plusses: Close proximity to CA yet more libertarian
Minuses: Mostly Hispanic culture is hostile to TG/TS, high crime, overburdened road and water systems, protects a small % of population from discrimination.
Overall: 12/36

Arkansas
Population – 2779000
Protection of TG/TS – 0
Attitudes towards TG/TS – 0
Level of Government bureaucracy – 1
Wages – 1
Local economy – 1
Cost of living – 3
Infrastructure – 3
Crime rate – 2
Plusses: Cheap to live here, fairly good roads and public services
Minuses: Local culture is hostile to TG, local economy functions poorly and is subsidy dependent, low wages
Overall: 11/36

California
Population – 36,132,147
Protection of TG/TS – 8
Attitudes towards TG/TS – 3
Level of Government bureaucracy – 2
Wages – 3
Local economy – 4
Cost of living – 0
Infrastructure – 2
Crime rate – 1
Plusses: Great climate, very TG friendly especially in the northern half of the state, strong economy.
Minuses: intrusive and incompetent state government, very high cost of living, high crime, larger cities have major traffic and overcrowding problems
Overall: 23/36

Colorado
Population – 4665000
Protection of TG/TS – 2
Attitudes towards TG/TS – 2
Level of Government bureaucracy – 3
Wages – 3
Local economy – 2
Cost of living – 2
Infrastructure – 1
Crime rate – 2
Plusses: Pro-liberty state, good wages, very accommodating college town in Boulder, CO
Minuses: Colorado's economy isn't very diversified, Denver has mostly telecoms and real estate. Somewhat expensive to live here, and crime rate is borderline.
Overall: 17/36

Connecticut
Population – 3510000
Protection of TG/TS – 0
Attitudes towards TG/TS – 2
Level of government Bureaucracy – 4
Wages – 4
Local economy – 4
Cost of living – 0
Infrastructure – 3
Crime rate – 2
Plusses: Very strong local economy, highest wages in country
Minuses: NO TG protections, somewhat intrusive state government, somewhat iffy on attitudes towards TGs
Overall: 19/36

Delaware
Population – 843000
Protection of TG/TS – 0
Attitudes towards TG/TS – 2
Level of government bureaucracy – 1
Wages – 3
Local economy – 3
Cost of living – 1
Infrastructure – 2
Crime rate – 2
Plusses: Somewhat libertarian by Northeast standards. Good wages.
Minuses: NO TG protections. State economy is mostly corporate offices. Local culture is ambivalent towards TGs
Overall: 14/36

District of Columbia
Population – 550000
Protection of TG/TS – 8
Attitudes towards TG/TS – 2
Level of Government bureaucracy – 0
Wages – 3
Local economy – 3
Cost of living – 0
Infrastructure – 1
Crime rate – 0
Plusses: Full protections for TG/TS people.
Minuses: Huge intrusive government, super-high cost of living, super high crime, overcrowded outdated city infrastructure, borderline culture acceptance of TGs.
Overall: 17/36

Florida
Population – 17789000
Protections for TG/TS – 0
Attitudes towards TG/TS – 1
Level of government bureaucracy – 3
Wages – 2
Local economy – 2
Cost of living – 1
Infrastructure – 1
Crime rate – 1
Plusses: Only tropical climate in CONUS, Miami Beach is a GLBT mecca
Minuses: Tiny % of population is protected from discrimination, political corruption is rampant, high cost of living, overburdened roads and public services, transient economy, tolerance for TG/TS is limited to small areas in Miami and in Orlando, high crime
Overall: 11/36

Georgia
Population – 9072000
Protections for TG/TS – 2
Attitudes towards TG/TS – 1
Level of government bureaucracy – 4
Wages – 3
Local economy – 2
Cost of living – 2
Infrastructure – 2
Crime rate – 1
Plusses: Atlanta is fairly TG friendly, good wages for Southern state
Minuses: Overcrowding and bad traffic, rest of state is usually hostile to TGs, expensive to live here (but not as bad as you think), high crime
Overall: 17/36

Hawaii
Population – 1275000
Protections for TG/TS – 4*
Attitudes towards TG/TS – 2
Level of government bureaucracy – 1
Wages – 3
Local economy – 2
Cost of living – 1
Infrastructure – 1
Crime rate – 3
Plusses: relatively low crime, great climate, good wages
Minuses: *Hawaii's anti-discrimination law covers ONLY housing, high cost of living, heavily subsidy dependent local economy, overcrowding, Native Hawaiians may not approve of non-Asians
Overall: 19/36

Idaho
Population: 1429000
Protections for TG/TS – 0
Attitudes towards TG/TS – 1
Level of government bureaucracy – 2
Wages – 2
Local economy – 2
Cost of living – 2
Infrastructure – 2
Crime rate – 3
Plusses: Fairly pro-liberty state, fairly low crime
Minuses: No TG protections, pork-barrel economy, somewhat pricey, locals are usually hostile to TG people, threat from militia groups in NW panhandle
Overall: 14/36

Illinois
Population – 12763000
Protections for TG/TS – 8
Attitudes towards TG/TS – 3
Level of Government bureaucracy – 3
Wages – 3
Local Economy – 4
Cost of living – 3
Infrastructure – 2
Crime rate – 2
Plusses: Northern IL is very pro-TG, strong economy and surprisingly cheap, state protections for TG/TS
Minuses: Higher crime in Chicagoland and St. Louis areas, corruption is well known in IL, heavy traffic in most of the bigger cities
Overall: 28/36

Indiana
Population – 6271000
Protections for TG/TS – 2
Attitudes towards TG/TS – 1
Level of Government bureaucracy – 3
Wages – 2
Local economy – 2
Cost of living – 4
Infrastructure – 2
Crime rate – 2
Plusses: Houses are VERY cheap in Indiana. In some parts you can pay the same price for a house as it was 40 years ago. Relatively pro-liberty for Midwestern state.
Minuses: Most areas in IN aren't friendly to TG/TS people. High crime in Indianapolis and the CHicagoland area, economy is weak from auto industry collapse.
Overall: 18/36

Iowa
Population – 2966000
Protections for TG/TS – 8
Attitudes towards TG/TS – 1
Level of government bureaucracy – 2
Wages – 2
Local economy – 1
Cost of living – 4
Infrastructure – 3
Crime – 4
Plusses: Low crime rate, very easy to get around in IA, cheap state, state protections enacted in 2007
Minuses: Pork-barrel economy dependent on Uncle Fed for cash, especially western IA. Local population usually is hostile to TG/TS in western IA.
Overall: 25/36

Kansas
Population – 2744000
Protection for TG/TS – 0
Attitudes toward TG/TS – 0
Level of government bureaucracy – 3
Wages – 1
Local Economy – 1
Cost of living – 4
Infrastructure – 3
Crime – 2
Plusses: Low cost of living outside of the KC/Wichita areas. Easy to get around.
Minuses: Population is very hostile to TG/TS people, Topeka/western KS areas especially. Low wages and transient economy are heavily dependent on government aid. High crime in the Kansas City area, no protections for TG/TS people.
Overall: 14/36

Kentucky
Population – 4173000
Protection for TG/TS – 4
Attitudes towards TG/TS – 2
Level of government bureaucracy – 2
Wages – 2
Local economy – 2
Cost of Living – 3
Infrastructure – 3
Crime – 2
Plusses: Protects a good chunk of population from discrimination, larger cities are friendly to TG/TS, reasonable COL here.
Minuses: High crime in some areas, most of economy centers around distribution and transient industries, dependent on government pork, rural areas do not approve of TG/TS
Overall: 20/36

Louisiana
Population – 4523000
Protections for TG/TS people – 1
Attitudes towards TG/TS people – 1
Level of government bureaucracy – 1
Wages – 1
Local economy – 0
Cost of living – 3
Infrastructure – 1
Crime rate – 0
Plusses: New Orleans area is somewhat tolerant of TG/TS people, low cost of living in many areas
Minuses: LA is in poor shape even 2 years after Hurricane Katrina, local economy which was dependent on oil drilling is in a shambles, very high crime in LA, wages are very low, LA outside of New Orleans is hostile to TG people
Overall: 8/36

Maine
Population – 1321000
Protections for TG/TS people – 8
Attitudes towards TG/TS people – 3
Level of government bureaucracy – 0
Wages – 2
Local economy – 2
Cost of living – 2
Infrastructure – 3
Crime rate – 4
Plusses: Very low crime, State protections for TG/TS people, overall tolerant culture, no major cities to generate congestion
Minuses: Borderline economy and wages, dependent on government aid/pork, Somewhat big government for a small state (strict recycling laws and liquor laws)
Overall: 24/36

Maryland
Population – 5600000
Protections for TG/TS people – 1
Attitudes towards TG/TS people – 2
Level of government bureaucracy – 4
Wages – 4
Local economy – 2
Cost of living – 1
Infrastructure – 2
Crime rate – 1
Plusses: Baltimore area is very TG friendly, high wages, rural parts of state are breathtaking
Minuses: High crime, local economy is pork-barrel-spending dependent (defense industries are predominant in MD), high cost of living, only Baltimore protects TG people. Bizzare politicians (Roscoe Bartlett anyone?)
Overall: 17/36

Massachusetts
Population – 6398000
Protections for TG/TS people – 1
Attitudes towards TG/TS people – 3
Level of government bureaucracy – 2
Wages – 3
Local economy – 3
Cost of living – 1
Infrastructure – 2
Crime rate – 2
Plusses: Boston area is very tolerant of TG people, despite MA's reputation as being big government is relatively live and let live, strong economy and wages
Minuses: High housing prices and COL, small % of population is protected from discrimination, crime is high in some Boston suburbs
Overall: 17/36

Michigan
Population – 10120000
Protections for TG/TS people – 0
Attitudes towards TG/TS people – 1
Level of government bureaucracy – 2
Wages – 2
Local economy – 0
Cost of living – 3
Infrastructure – 3
Crime rate – 1
Plusses: Low cost of living for large state. Relatively pro-liberty, dirt cheap housing.
Minuses: Auto industry collapse has caused the state economy to lurch back to what it was in the 1920s. High crime, especially in the Detroit area. Population is hostile to TG people in most areas. Miniscule % of population is protected.
Overall: 12/36

Minnesota
Population – 5132000
Protections for TG/TS people – 8
Attitudes towards TG/TS people – 3
Level of government bureaucracy – 2
Wages – 3
Local economy – 2
Cost of living – 3
Infrastructure – 3
Crime rate – 3
Plusses: Good economy for the most part. State is very tolerant overall of TG/TS peoples. Government is usually live and let live. Statewide protections for TG/TS people.
Minuses: Smaller towns are economically weak. SW MN is a no go for TG/TS people.
Overall: 27/36

Mississippi
Population – 2921000
Protections for TG/TS people – 0
Attitudes towards TG/TS people – 1
Level of government bureaucracy – 0
Wages – 1
Local Economy – 0
Cost of living – 3
Infrastructure – 3
Crime rate – 1
Plusses: Low cost of living, easy to get around
Minuses: Local culture is hostile to TG people, lowest wages in Union, economy barely functions, high crime
Overall: 9/36

Missouri
Population – 5800000
Protections for TG/TS people – 0
Attitudes towards TG/TS people – 0
Level of government bureaucracy – 2
Wages – 1
Local economy – 1
Cost of living – 4
Infrastructure – 3
Crime rate – 1
Plusses: Low cost of living. Government usually has low presence.
Minuses: MO's reputation as meth lab heaven unfortunately holds true. High crime in KC/St Louis areas especially. Local culture is very hostile to TG people. MO's economy is poor at best and most areas don't pay anything in wages.
Overall: 12/36

Montana
Population – 935000
Protections for TG/TS people – 0
Attitudes towards TG/TS people – 1
Level of Government bureaucracy – 0
Wages – 1
Local economy – 1
Cost of living – 2
Infrastructure – 3
Crime rate – 3
Plusses: Low crime rate, easy to get around. Somewhat libertarian state.
Minuses: Locals have low opinion of LGBT in general. Expensive real estate in many areas. Wages are very low and the state economy is dependent on federal aid.
Overall: 11/36

Nebraska
Population – 1758000
Protections for TG/TS people – 0
Attitudes towards TG/TS people – 1
Level of government bureaucracy – 2
Wages – 2
Local economy – 1
Cost of living – 4
Infrastructure – 3
Crime rate – 2
Plusses: Cheap state to live in. Easy to get around and low traffic overall.
Minuses: No TG protections. Local culture is hostile to TG people. Omaha is a sewer of crime and traffic. State economy is dependent on pork barrel aid. Wages are low.
Overall: 15/36

Nevada
Population – 2414000
Protections for TG/TS people – 0
Attitudes towards TG/TS people – 1
Level of government bureaucracy – 4
Wages – 2
Local economy – 1
Cost of living – 1
Infrastructure – 1
Crime rate – 1
Plusses: No state income tax. Relatively libertarian state (not very libertarian though).
Minuses: High Crime, no TG protections, state is hostile to TG people, mediocre wages even in advanced fields, economy is literally a giant casino, obscene housing prices, high crime, state's infrastructure is buckling under the stress of more people moving to Las Vegas.
Overall: 11/36

New Hampshire
Population – 1309000
Protections for TG/TS people – 0
Attitudes towards TG/TS people – 2
Level of government bureaucracy – 4
Wages – 4
Local economy – 3
Cost of living – 3
Infrastructure – 2
Crime rate – 4
Plusses: Libertarian state, low crime, strong economy for a small state
Minuses: Expensive state to live in, some areas are not tolerant of TG people, New Hampshire people can come across as being stuffy
Overall: 22/36

New Jersey
Population – 8717000
Protections for TG/TS people – 8
Attitudes towards TG/TS people – 3
Level of government bureaucracy – 3
Wages – 4
Local economy – 4
Cost of living – 1
Infrastructure – 2
Crime rate – 1
Plusses: Very tolerant of TG/TS people. Statewide protections enacted in 2007. Strong economy.
Minuses: Intrusive government, high cost of living, traffic and congestion is a nightmare. Crime is bad in the urban areas.
Overall: 26/36

New Mexico
Population – 1928000
Protections for TG/TS people – 8
Attitudes towards TG/TS people – 2
Level of government bureaucracy – 0
Wages – 1
Local economy – 1
Cost of living – 3
Infrastructure – 3
Crime rate – 1
Plusses: Easy to get around this state. Congestion is limited to Albuquerque. Statewide protections of TG/TS people.
Minuses: Weak economy heavily dependent on Uncle Sam for cash and subsidies. High crime, somewhat incompetent state government. Illegals are usually hostile to TG/TS people. Some rural areas are hostile to TG/TS people.
Overall: 19/36

New York
Population – 19254000
Protections for TG/TS people – 5
Attitudes towards TG/TS people – 3
Level of government bureaucracy – 1
Wages – 4
Local economy – 4
Cost of living – 1
Infrastructure – 3
Crime rate – 2
Plusses: Strongest economy in Union, protects much of state's population against discrimination, good infrastructure for a large coastal state
Minuses: High crime in some areas, Super high cost of living in NYC area, intrusive state government that makes TGs jump through a LOT of hoops in transition, upstate NY is not approving of TG/TS people
Overall: 23/36

North Carolina
Population – 8683000
Protections for TG/TS people – 0
Attitudes towards TG/TS people – 1
Level of government bureaucracy – 2
Wages – 2
Local economy – 3
Cost of living – 3
Infrastructure – 3
Crime rate – 1
Plusses: Good economy considering the low wages. Cost of living is low and public services are good.
Minuses: Population is hostile to TG/TS people. High crime rate. Wages are so-so.
Overall: 15/36

North Dakota
Population – 636000
Protections for TG/TS people – 0
Attitudes towards TG/TS people – 1
Level of government bureaucracy – 0
Wages – 2
Local economy – 1
Cost of living – 4
Infrastructure – 4
Crime rate – 4
Plusses: Cheapest state to live in. Very low crime, very good state public services and very user friendly.
Minuses: Population is hostile to TG/TS people but not incredibly. Weak state economy depends on Feds for subsidies. State government is intrusive in some areas. Wages are mediocre at best.
Overall: 16/36

Ohio
Population – 11464000
Protections for TG/TS people – 1
Attitudes towards TG/TS people – 1
Level of government bureaucracy – 0
Wages – 2
Local economy – 2
Cost of living – 4
Infrastructure – 3
Crime rate – 2
Plusses: Probably one of the cheapest states to live in. Fairly easy to get around.
Minuses: State does not accommodate TG/TS people well at all in legal affairs (along with ID and TN, will NOT change gender markers on a birth certificate as of 2007). Mediocre wages and stagnating cities. Locals are usually hostile to TG people.
Overall: 15/36

Oklahoma
Population – 3547000
Protections for TG/TS people – 0
Attitudes towards TG/TS people – 0
Level of government bureaucracy – 2
Wages – 2
Local economy – 1
Cost of living – 4
Infrastructure – 2
Crime rate – 1
Plusses – Low cost of living overall. Somewhat libertarian.
Minuses – Very hostile towards TG population and most people in general (criminalizes urinating yourself as a sex crime!). Backwards economy is heavily dependent on federal pork. High crime in major cities. Congestion is a major problem in Oklahoma City and Tulsa.
Overall: 12/36

Oregon
Population – 3591000
Protections for TG/TS people – 8
Attitudes towards TG/TS people – 3
Level of government bureaucracy – 0
Wages – 2
Local economy – 2
Cost of living – 2
Infrastructure – 3
Crime rate – 3
Plusses: State protects from discrimination. Tolerant towards TG people, especially in the Willamette valley area. State government is not as intrusive as it's neighbor in CA.
Minuses: Weak state economy still reeling from dot com implosion. Portland and other cities are expensive. High state income and some local income taxes.
Overall: 23/36

Pennsylvania
Population – 12394000
Protections of TG/TS people – 2
Attitudes towards TG/TS people – 3
Level of government bureaucracy – 2
Wages – 3
Local economy – 3
Cost of living – 2
Infrastructure – 2
Crime – 1
Plusses: State tends to be balanced in it's economy. Philidelphia/Pittsburgh metro areas are TG friendly. Wages are good for state's economy.
Minuses: Congestion is bad in the bigger cities. Central PA is hostile to TG people and crime is a big problem.
Overall: 18/36

Rhode Island
Population – 1079000
Protections of TG/TS people – 8
Attitudes towards TG/TS people – 3
Level of government bureaucracy – 1
Wages – 2
Local economy – 2
Cost of living – 2
Infrastructure – 2
Crime – 3
Plusses: Statewide protections for TG people. Tolerant culture overall. Low crime
Minuses: Weird state economy (basically a hub of Boston) makes wages somewhat low. Decaying roads and bridges.
Overall: 23/36

South Carolina
Population – 4197000
Protections of TG/TS people – 0
Attitudes towards TG/TS people – 0
Level of government bureaucracy – 2
Wages – 2
Local economy – 1
Cost of living – 3
Infrastructure – 2
Crime – 1
Plusses: Somewhat libertarian government. Somewhat cheap to live here (but not very cheap)
Minuses: Christian separatist group (Christian Exodus) has tremendous pull in SC and reflects population's hostility towards TG/TS people. Weak local economy is dependent on government pork spending. High crime and increasing congestion from NC and GA.
Overall – 11/36

South Dakota
Population – 775000
Protections for TG/TS people – 0
Attitudes towards TG/TS people – 1
Level of government bureaucracy – 2
Wages – 2
Local economy – 1
Cost of living – 4
Infrastructure – 3
Crime – 3
Plusses: Relatively cheap state, low crime, fairly easy to get around in some areas
Minuses: Most of SD is hostile to TG people. State economy is mostly banking/finance/weak agriculture, also dependent on government pork. Wages are so-so. Crime is bad on Native American reservations.
Overall: 16/36

Tennessee
Population – 5893000
Protections for TG/TS people – 0
Attitudes towards TG/TS people – 0
Level of government bureaucracy – 3
Wages – 1
Local economy – 1
Cost of living – 3
Infrastructure – 2
Crime – 1
Plusses: Lax gun laws. Low cost of living
Minuses: Very hostile towards TG/TS people. Piss poor wages and subsidy dependent state economy. Crime is rampant. Congestion and overcrowding are bad in the major cities and rural areas are sometimes in a mess.
Overall: 11/36

Texas
Population – 22471000
Protections for TG/TS people – 1
Attitudes towards TG/TS people – 1
Level of government bureaucracy – 3
Wages – 2
Local economy – 3
Cost of living – 4
Infrastructure – 1
Crime – 1
Plusses: Libertarian for a large state. Very affordable even in the larger cities. Strong local economy.
Minuses: State is known to be hostile towards TG peoples at times. Crime is rampant in the major cities and even in rural areas. Wages are mediocre. Traffic and pollution are a nightmare in the larger cities.
Overall: 16/36

Utah
Population – 2420000
Protections for TG/TS people – 0
Attitudes towards TG/TS people – 0
Level of government bureaucracy – 1
Wages – 2
Local economy – 1
Cost of living – 2
Infrastructure – 2
Crime – 3
Plusses: Low crime?
Minuses: In my opinion Utah is one of the worst places for TG/TS people to be in. The Mormon church, which basically runs the state government, is hostile to anyone outside of their religious beliefs. Population is also hostile to TG/TS people, and wages are mediocre at best. State economy is ridden with fraud.
Overall: 11/36

Vermont
Population – 621000
Protections for TG/TS people – 8
Attitudes towards TG/TS people – 2
Level of government bureaucracy – 0
Wages – 3
Local economy – 2
Cost of living – 2
Infrastructure – 4
Crime – 4
Plusses: Very low crime and almost no large cities to climb through.
Minuses: Mostly an agricultural economy. Cost of living is medium-high. State government can be somewhat intrusive at times. Population has an ambivalent attitude towards TG people.
Overall: 25/36

Virginia
Population – 7481000
Protections for TG/TS people – 0
Attitudes towards TG/TS people – 0
Level of government bureaucracy – 3
Wages – 3
Local economy – 2
Cost of living – 1
Infrastructure – 2
Crime rate – 2
Plusses: Somewhat high wages
Minuses: State criminalized TG/TS people for being who they are. Intrusive state government, high cost of living with exception to the mountainous west, crime is bad in bigger cities, state economy is pork-barrel/military spending junk economy.
Overall – 13/36

Washington
Population – 6207000
Protections for TG/TS people – 8
Attitudes towards TG/TS people – 3
Level of government bureaucracy – 2
Wages – 3
Local economy – 3
Cost of living – 1
Infrastructure – 1
Crime rate – 2
Plusses: Very TG friendly state overall with exception to Eastern WA. Strong Wages and a strong state economy.
Minuses: Big Government in some areas. High cost of living and backwards infrastructure. Crime is bad in some cities.
Overall: 23/36

West Virginia
Population – 1812000
Protections for TG/TS people – 0
Attitudes towards TG/TS people – 2
Level of government bureaucracy – 0
Wages – 1
Local economy – 1
Cost of living – 3
Infrastructure – 3
Crime rate – 3
Plusses: Pretty tame state. Mountaineers have a live and let live attitude overall. Low crime and no huge areas of congestion or smog.
Minuses: Weak state economy. Low wages and barely makes it even in good times. No TG protections.
Overall: 13/36

Wisconsin
Population – 5503000
Protections for TG/TS people – 1
Attitudes towards TG/TS people – 1
Level of government bureaucracy – 1
Wages – 3
Local economy – 3
Cost of living – 2
Infrastructure – 2
Crime rate – 3
Plusses: Crime is fairly low. Good wages and a strong economy for a state that has deindustrialized in the last few years.
Minuses: Northern WI is a no-go for TG/TS people. Congestion in larger cities is bad and cost of living is high.
Overall: 16/36

Wyoming
Population – 505000
Protections for TG/TS people – 0
Attitudes towards TG/TS people – 1
Level of government bureaucracy – 0
Wages – 3
Local economy – 2
Cost of living – 2
Infrastructure – 2
Crime rate – 4
Plusses: Low crime. Somewhat Libertarian state government. Good wages
Minuses: TG/TS people are usually shunned. Local economy is only coal mining and oil extraction. Cost of living is high for small state. Roads and highways are hard to navigate sometimes and winters are hard on everything.
Overall: 14/36




In order overall of TG friendliness:
1. Illinois 28
2. Minnesota 27
3. New Jersey 26
4. Vermont 25
5. Maine 24
6. Washington, Rhode Island, New York, Iowa, Oregon, California 23
12. New Hampshire 22
13. Kentucky 20
14. Connecticut, Hawaii, New Mexico 19
17. Pennsylvania, Indiana 18
19. Colorado, DC, Georgia, Maryland, Massachusetts 17
24. North Dakota, South Dakota, Texas, Wisconsin 16
28. Nebraska, North Carolina, Ohio 15
31. Delaware, Idaho, Kansas, Wyoming 14
35. Virginia, West Virginia 13
37. Arizona, Michigan, Missouri, Oklahoma 12
41. Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Montana, Nevada, South Carolina, Utah, Tennessee 11
49. Alaska, Mississippi 9
51. Louisiana 8

For TG/TS people who don't care how big the state government is, here is an alternative list (scores out of a total of 32):

1. Minnesota, Illinois, Vermont 25
4. Maine 24
5. Oregon, Iowa, New Jersey 23
8. New York, Rhode Island 22
10. California, Washington 21
12. New Mexico 19
13. Kentucky, New Hampshire, Hawaii18
16. DC 17
17. North Dakota, Pennsylvania 16
19. Ohio, Massachuttsetts, Wisconsin, Indiana, Connecticut 15
24. South Dakota, Colorado, Wyoming 14
27. Texas, Georgia, North Carolina, Maryland, West Virginia, Nebraska, Delaware 13
34. Idaho 12
35. Kansas, Montana 11
37. Michigan, Virginia, Missouri, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Utah 10
43. Alabama, Mississippi, Alaska, Arizona, South Carolina 9
48. Florida, Tennessee 8
50. Louisiana, Nevada 7

Just for kicks, let's pretend that no area within the US offered any form of protection. This will give you an idea of what the states are like without anti-discrimination laws for TG/TS people. This is out of a score of 26 (try not to use this list to make decisions as once a state or city passes such a law, it's usually difficult to overturn it in most cases):

1. New Hampshire 22
2. Illinois 20
3. Minnesota, Connecticut 19
5. New York, New Jersey 18
7. Vermont 17
8. Massachutsetts, North Dakota, South Dakota, Maryland, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, Indiana, Maine, 16
16. Washington, Rhode Island, California, Iowa, Oregon, Hawaii, Colorado, Georgia, Wisconsin, Texas, Nebraska, North Carolina 15
28. Ohio, Delaware, Idaho, Kansas, Wyoming 14
33. Virginia, West Virginia 13
35. Michigan, Missouri, Oklahoma 12
38. Arizona, Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Montana, Nevada, South Carolina, Utah, Tennessee, New Mexico 11
48. Alaska, Mississippi, DC 9
51. Louisiana 8

In essence, your pork-barrel backwards states generally aren't good places for TGs, not just because of the local economies but also because your weaker economies attract individuals who usually don't approve of TG/TS folk. I personally don't think that any state with a score of below 16 from the first list (or a 14 in the second list) is a state I'd want to be in if I were you.
Notes on criteria for evaluation of the 50 states and the District of Columbia

Population: While this isn't a criteria per se, it is always wise to know how many people you are living with.

TG protections: As I stated before, only statuatory law was considered in this report. While some states like NY and CT have common law cases in favor of TG people (i.e. the court ruled that, while the state discrimination laws do not include TG people as a protected class, it interpreted the state law as covering TG people), statutory law is the only criteria viable for this report. For states that do not cover TG people statewide, their scores are based on the percentage of population that is covered by some form of statutory law. Small percentages ( x < 8%) translate into 0.

TG attitudes: You may have noticed that no state received a 4 in this area. This is because most of the USA is still hostile to TG people. The best area to move to in order to lessen your chances of a nasty encounter is to stay away from the poorer and rougher parts of the state you live in, or leave the state altogether if it is too rough overall. I will not go into detail here as to why you must leave the poorer areas, but the rule is that your poor and many middle class areas are usually hostile to TG people.

Government bureaucracy: This number is based on how much the state government's spending and finances take up the state economy. While some states with a high number in this area have quite intrusive laws, most states that have a greater percentage of their economy taken up by the state usually have more stupid laws and crap. They'll find a way to stick it to you believe me. In South Dakota, for example, you have some localities that will pass all kinds of BS laws regarding what you can do with your house, your cars, etc..and these aren't big cities either. Don't assume that rural states are live and let live.

Another pointer: don't assume that because a state votes Blue or Red that it is necessarily more pro-TG. Michigan is a good example; much of Michigan votes Blue but is very hostile to TG people. Another example is in some parts of New England.

Wages: This is pretty straight forward. Don't let the fancy McMansions and hummer yuppies fool you; if a state or region has a low per capita income, it's probably a can to live in. Of course, some areas of the country that have high average incomes are dives but that is an exception to the rule.

Local economy: If your local economy is nothing but strip malls and McMansions, you might have a problem here. Also, consider that most of the pork barrel states (those with pissy scores in this area) are usually heavily subsidized by Uncle Sam. If the cash from Washington runs out, then what do you do? These states will take a huge dive if that happens irregardless of what industries they have. Most of your western states are heavily subsidized, and that is NOT good. Those cornfields and cattle farms and crap won't work without Washington's cash. Also, the areas around Washington DC are heavily subsidized thanks to your friends at the DOD and NORAD. Might we have a problem here if all what the locals do is build missile guidance systems?

Cost of living: Again, this should be obvious to most people. Your big cities are much more expensive than everywhere else, and your taxes will likely be higher. Some states have low taxes, some states will tax the air you breathe. The most expensive areas are in the NYC/Boston/Philidelphia/Baltimore/DC area and the West Coast; your cheapest areas are in Ohio and parts of the Confederate South. Don't assume that cheaper is better; houses are going for under $10000 in many parts of Kansas and Nebraska but those states are pigpens (literally) to live in.

Infrastructure: This is how well the state's roads and public services are put together, and how well they are taken care of. Most of the Western US and South are heavily car dependent, and a shortage in petroleum will be a pain in the ass. In essence, your big cities are usually put together like crap; they were thrown together in a time where we didn't care about the sprawl and smog and stupid stuff being put up. I have yet to be in a big city where you can get around without taking an hour to do so. You'll want to stay out of any area where you have to drive a half hour or more just to get anything. Also, if your state government fixes it's roads with duct tape or model glue, or goes by the cheap, get out. Rough roads will tear up your car if you use it a lot.

Crime: Most of the US has bad crime. Don't let the official statistics fool you; much of the crime goes unreported or the cops don't write it down right. Your poorer areas usually are crime ridden cesspools; stay out of them. Also, consider that certain industries attract your human garbage more. The industries that attract the most crime and screwy individuals are listed here:

Check cashing Centers
Pawnshops/Dollar Loan Center type places
Casinos
Sports Bars (basically thugs in sports cars and SUVs)
Liquor Stores
Smoke Shops
Businesses in serious stages of disrepair or outdated businesses
Labor Ready type places (->-bleeped-<--box employment centers)
Walmart (sometimes)
Welfare oriented businesses
Some low end schools

The Southeastern US has the highest amount of crime: most of the Confederate states are not too far away from the crime and crap you find in your Third World countries. Next is the Southwest; California and the mountain states have fairly bad crime. The best place to be is in rural New England; a general rule of thumb is to move to the Northern States. I am not a racist or a bigot here, I am a REALIST; the border with Mexico is ridden with crime and your Southern cultures are hostile to TG people for the most part. Take a good look at Mexico; if you are TG there the people will likely try to hang you. In the northern USA and Canada the people are much less likely to react with violence against TG people. Not all Southerners and people in the Heartland are bad, but their communities often react aggressively towards TG people.

Keep in mind, this list of TG friendly states can change as I receive more information. I assume no responsibility for what you do with this information; it's up to you to act upon it.

Thanks Aeyra, this list is very helpful I think as I thought most "blue" states were liberal and tolerant of TG/TS.  Guess I was wrong. 

I also have to thank you, Aeyra, for this magnificent post. 

tink

P.S.  California should always be at the top! 

Quote from: Tink on July 13, 2007, 06:45:51 PMP.S.  California should always be at the top! 

I like California too because of the culture there, but it's way too crowded for me...I mean, 36 million people??? 

I have a friend who recently moved to San Diego and it is really, really expensive to live there.  Like, OMG!

Hmm, I didn't think New Hampshire was going to be that high up   Funny is I am actually considering a move to New York City.  We shall see.

Charlotte

wow, awesome post. at least the state I live in isn't below 16 

Quote from: Kat on July 13, 2007, 06:52:20 PM
wow, awesome post. at least the state I live in isn't below 16 

Yeah, same here...I'll avoid the south like the plague, I hear they still act like it's the 1800s there.  So backwards. 

although I am not entirely sure if I will end up living in the US, it really depends on the job I get. the career field I'm pursuing doesn't have too many hotspots

Quote from: Kat on July 13, 2007, 07:07:14 PM
although I am not entirely sure if I will end up living in the US, it really depends on the job I get. the career field I'm pursuing doesn't have too many hotspots

There isn't too much here Kat, and wherever you are I'm sure it's better than the states IMO.  When I say our president is about as intelligent as a trained monkey I am not kidding, and he has ruined this country so you're probably better off not coming here.

~Fae

I live in Indiana, so I would be leaving 

Quote from: Kat on July 13, 2007, 07:38:39 PM
I live in Indiana, so I would be leaving 

Ah, well ok then...so you know he's a trained monkey? 

I want out too, but if not I will try to find the most accepting state. 

Hurray! I like this post. From my experience, Philadelphia is very TG friendly. I can't really speak for the rest of the state but we have a ton of resources here in the city for TG people.

Well Lets see I use to live in the kansas city area then florida two states at the bottom of the TS friendly list.  Now in california (Northern) which is very TS friendly or at least tollerant. 

Great list and very cool work, 

Beni

Great list,  I have a sister in alabama,  haven't told her I'm TG yet.  Should prove very interesting.  I live in oregon and the city I live in is very proactive in the GLBT.

QuoteMichigan
Population – 10120000
Protections for TG/TS people – 0
Attitudes towards TG/TS people – 1
Level of government bureaucracy – 2
Wages – 2
Local economy – 0
Cost of living – 3
Infrastructure – 3
Crime rate – 1
Plusses: Low cost of living for large state. Relatively pro-liberty, dirt cheap housing.
Minuses: Auto industry collapse has caused the state economy to lurch back to what it was in the 1920s. High crime, especially in the Detroit area. Population is hostile to TG people in most areas. Miniscule % of population is protected.
Overall: 12/36

Crime?

I never noticed [as she cleans her single-action .45 automatic and her combat knife]...

This list is impressive, I hope you don't mind if I upload it. I too have traveled all over the U.S. and have noticed that attitudes change from state to state but they also change from city to city. I once heard of this country referred to as a sea of intolerance with little islands (cities) of acceptance like San Francisco Ca., Minneapolis, Mn. and Madison, Wi. I have found this to be true and would be eager to see this post expanded to cover our major cities too.
Something else I've noticed and I might be wrong about this but if you go just outside a tolerant city it seems to be surrounded by an extra measure of resistance, being more intolerant than might be found at random as if it's an effort by some to compensate for the liberal attitudes next door. Inside a Trans friendly city it sometimes appears that there are  people who feel they need to "fight the good fight" in their eyes and cause problems for transsexuals as best they can. They are also better at spotting Trans people so your efforts to blend in with the population can be undone, while in a more neutral region people tend to be more blinded to Tran sexuality in general. I would be very interested to hear your thoughts on this.

I live in Illinois, and all in all, I do think it is a very good state in general for trans people, just so long as you don't live in small downstate communities, which tend to be a lot more rural and conservative.

Aside from legal protections, I feel like most people are fairly tolerant of differences, including trans. Chicago has a sizable GLBT population, and it's pretty easy to find treatment options and care providers in the Chicagoland area, including clinics that focus on LGBT issues. And as a whole, the area is trending more liberal politically, even a bit in the fairly affluent suburbs. While education can vary a bit from place to place, and there definitely are some stinkers in the city and around, but there are a lot of very good schools in the suburbs, if that's a concern.

If there's anything that detracts from Illinois, it's probably that the climate is quite variable. It's quite cold in the winter, and hot and humid during the summer. Usually, it's better (more moderate) the closer you get to the lake (Lake Michigan), but only to an extent. Anyway, that's my biggest complaint. Hot, then cold, sometimes in a matter of days =p. You'll definitely need a good wardrobe for all four seasons if you live here~.

The list is a good start, but HIGHLY flawed.  You should not use the government bureaucracies in those states as a criteria.  I would also knock Illinois down a notch because of their birth certificate rules force you to go to a US licensed practitioner if you want SRS.  Also while COOK COUNTY and Chicago is a tolerant place, I would hardly consider the collar counties a good place for TS.  Also for a city Chicago is rather safe, if you know the city. 

I would also say there is TWO Virginia's, Northern Virginia and Southern Virginia.  Trust me living in Arlington, VA is not backwater in any ways. Legal protections are not in place, but nobody really bothers you about anything. 

Also with regards to jobs.  DC is a 4.  It is the easiest place in the country to find a GOOD job, I cannot say that about NY or Chicago. 

Also you think the crime rate is bad in DC, the reality is its highly isolated to the SE and NE in DC.  Its closer to a 2 in terms of crime than a 0. The public transport is ultra safe.   Its also probably the best city in terms of trans-services because of the WWC and the best place to seek a job because of the proliferation of progressive organizations and universities.  It does have a low trans population (the metro area has the lowest in the country, despite being the fourth largest metro area, only 1200 trans people live in the DC metro area.)

In general it was a good attempt, but there are some generalizations there that should not exist.  Like for example, you know it is easiest in DC to change the gender on the drivers license and that "other" is an option.

For example for trans people this
Level of Government bureaucracy – 0
Should be a 4.  There is alot of government in DC, but it is highly beneficial to trans people, if only because of the DL issue and the extensive protections.


As much as your attempt is valiant, it does lack a specific understanding of some of the areas you are citing.  Also some of the criteria are bit suspicious.

Sorry, but I had to point out the critiques of the list, because they are valid.  Quite a bit comes from generalizations and lack of specific understanding of an area.  This is crystal clear with the DC area, because your evaluation is highly flawed. 

"The list is a good start, but HIGHLY flawed.  You should not use the government bureaucracies in those states as a criteria.  I would also knock Illinois down a notch because of their birth certificate rules force you to go to a US licensed practitioner if you want SRS.  Also while COOK COUNTY and Chicago is a tolerant place, I would hardly consider the collar counties a good place for TS.  Also for a city Chicago is rather safe, if you know the city.  "

Yes it's true that IL requires you to use a US doctor for SRS, but then again I wouldn't head outside the USA for SRS. I don't buy that the doctors in Thailand or Vietnam or wherever are very high quality, and they might not be safe countries to go to if anyone finds out you are TG. Also, given what is going on in this country, I'm beginning to wonder if the letter on your birth certificate will even be relavent in the future. I won't go into detail here as to why but I'm doubtful that BCs will even be useful irregardless of your gender identity in the near future.

As for legal protections, you'll have better luck if you do have them, and not just in employment. Don't assume that just because someone doesn't fire you for being TG, don't assume that your landlord (or county tax office if you own real estate) necessarily thinks the same. They might try to can you, and given the way most of the country is set up, it's very difficult to get back up on your feet if they throw you out the door. Having no legal protections is a nightmare, believe me.

I won't doubt that DC and cities similar to it have some good jobs, but keep in mind that DC is a very heavily subsidized city. DC gets back around $6.60 for every dollar sent to the US Treasury/IRS, and that spells potential trouble if you ask me. Yes, I have been out East and out West and I have dealt with and spoken with people all over the Union and your more heavily subsidized states aren't usually good places for TG people. Maryland and Virginia are heavily subsidized states as well (even though Maryland is a Blue State and much of NOVA votes "blue"), and an economy based on missile defense and Homeland Security may not be viable in the future. I think it's obvious that the cowboy states (the nickname I give for the Rocky Mountain/Great Plains states) aren't good places at all for TG people, they're probably just as bad as the COnfederate south except they live in the mountains. Another thing too, the only really "pro-liberty" state in the US is New Hampshire, and even that state has all kinds of wacky laws and such.

-----FYI, I wrote this report with the anticipation of hard times in this country. I considered a bunch of factors I didn't write in this report (geopolitical factors, cultural and historical behaviors of the 50 states, energy politics, economic patterns, etc) and I honestly believe that states that can sustain themselves will be much better for not only LGBT people but everyone in general. Sure, you might live in an area of Virginia or Arizona or any one of the heavily subsidized states that is fairly pro-TG, but they may be pro-TG simply because the dollars keep flowing in from DC. What should happen if the dollars stop? People change dramatically if they are broke or desperate for work, and I strongly feel that DC might not be sending anymore $$$$ to the states like they do now.

Virginia - gets back about $1.66 for every dollar paid to Feds
Maryland - about $1.44 for every dollar going to the Feds
North Dakota - about $1.75 for every dollar to Feds
Idaho - $1.28 for every dollar sent to Feds

If DC stops sending money, then what are these states and others in their boat going to do about the shortfalls? In North Dakota, you'd be looking at taxes going up about $3900 per capita to make up for the shortfall assuming that you wanted to keep the same level of services in the state. I don't mean to be rude but please do not tell me that any state that is heavily subsidized (more than $1.10 recieved for every dollar sent to the Feds) is going to be a good place for TGs or for a lot of people in general. Much of society today is very unstable even in good times. How will people react to transgender folk if hard times come upon them?

I also admit that I wrote this report with the intent of providing some guidance for a good place to 'hole up' during the years ahead, kind of like survival prep. I know that it's something that we don't want to talk about but I feel that someone must say something (send this report to anyone you like, I'm not selling anything here). I saw dark storm clouds forming over the USA over a year ago, and they are getting worse with every month that passes, and this storm is going to be bad. I won't go into much detail here as to why but I can say that the incivility and unrest in this country is getting really bad; at ground zero here in Sioux Falls it feels like the whole city will break down into a fist fight, and this is just the calm before the storm. Don't believe me? Watch when the housing bubble blows up later this year. I can't see how this will be good....

Thank you for the information, Aeyra. I'm going to go over it and make copies to give out to other TG's. Keep us posted.

Gennee