Episode Details

Best States for Survival (And Why It’s Complicated) | Episode 584

Every few months, someone puts out a list claiming they’ve found the “best states for survival.” Perfect land. Perfect climate. Perfect collapse conditions. This episode starts with one of those videos and then does what those lists never do — slow down and actually think through the tradeoffs.

Because there is no perfect state. There are only compromises you can live with.

The Problem With “Top 9” Survival State Lists

I watched a video recently that ranked nine states that would supposedly do best in a collapse scenario. The creator put in serious work — hundreds of hours of research — and a lot of it made sense. Tennessee was on the list, and I was pretty happy with where it landed.

But every time I watch lists like this, I catch myself doing what most people do: looking to see if my state made the cut. That alone tells you something important. These lists hit emotionally, not practically.

Even the states that rank high still have real drawbacks. And the ones that rank low often have strengths that don’t show up on paper.

Population Density Is a Double-Edged Sword

Population density matters — a lot — but not in the simple way people think.

Low population density sounds great until you realize it also means fewer services, fewer jobs, and fewer amenities. If you move somewhere extremely remote, you’re trading convenience and infrastructure for isolation.

On the flip side, dense cities are terrible for survival. Too many people, too much dependence, and too much competition for resources. Cities are where things unravel first when systems fail.

The sweet spot is balance. Enough people to support infrastructure and community, but not so many that you’re surrounded by desperation.

Isolation Is Romantic — Until It Isn’t

A lot of people fantasize about total isolation. Alaska wilderness. Middle of nowhere. No neighbors.

That sounds cool until you’re honest with yourself.

Most humans are not built to be true isolationists. If you were, you wouldn’t be listening to this podcast — you’d already be off-grid somewhere, alone, doing your thing. Almost nobody actually wants