ROCHESTER, N.Y., Sept. 6 /PRNewswire/ -- California, Hawaii, and Florida remain the most popular states that U.S. adults would choose to live in if they could live in any state outside of their own, according to a new Harris Poll. Last year, these states were also ranked as the "Top 3" though in a slightly different order: Hawaii has moved to #2 and Florida has dropped to #3. When it comes to Americans' choices for cities outside of their own, New York City comes in #1 for the seventh consecutive time as the U.S. city people would choose to live in or near.

These are some of the results of The Harris Poll(R), a nationwide survey of 3,685 adults conducted online between August 8 and 17, 2006 by Harris Interactive(R).

The next most popular states in which people would like to live are: North Carolina (#4, moving up substantially from last year's #8); Texas (#5, also moving up from #8); Washington (#6, moving up from #11); Colorado (#7, dropping from #4); New York (#8, dropping from #5); Arizona (#9, dropping from #6); and Oregon (#10, dropping from #7).

One interesting thing to note is that seven of the 15 states are in the West and six of them are in the South. The only states outside of these areas are representatives of the mid-Atlantic region: New York, and Pennsylvania (which makes the list for the first time since these data have been collected). There are no states from the Midwest or Northeast in the top 15.

Favorite U.S. cities to live in

Following New York City's lead as a top U.S. city people would choose to live in or near, the next four cities are all in the West: San Francisco (#2, moving up from #4); San Diego (#3, dropping from #2); Seattle (#4, moving up from #5); and Las Vegas (#5, dropping from #3). Other cities in the top 10 include Honolulu (#6), Denver (#7), Atlanta (#7), Chicago (#9) and Boston (#10).

Returning to the list of the 15 top cities this year are Orlando at #14 and Austin at #15. Interestingly, while Florida is the third most popular state, the only city in Florida that makes the top 15 list is Orlando.

TABLE 1 STATES WHERE MOST PEOPLE WOULD LIKE TO LIVE - APART FROM THEIR OWN STATE "If you could live in any state in the country, except the state you live in now, what state would you choose to live in?" Base: All U.S. Adults 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2005 2006 California 3 3 2 5 2 1 1 1 1 Hawaii 7 =7 =9 7 3 3 3 3 2 Florida 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 3 North Carolina 6 4 4 3 7 5 8 =8 4 Texas 10 =7 5 =10 12 14 7 =8 5 Washington 8 12 8 6 5 9 10 11 6 Colorado 4 2 3 2 4 4 4 4 7 New York * =15 * =10 8 8 5 5 8 Arizona 2 5 6 4 6 6 6 6 9 Oregon 9 9 15 14 9 10 11 7 10 Tennessee 5 6 13 15 10 7 * 10 11 Virginia 14 11 =9 =8 =14 =12 9 12 12 Georgia 11 14 12 =8 13 15 14 13 13 Pennsylvania * * * * * * * * 14 Montana * * 7 =10 11 11 13 15 15 = Tied for that position * Not in top 15. NEW TO TOP 15 THIS YEAR Pennsylvania (#14) Dropped Out of Top 15 This Year Alaska (was #14) TABLE 2 U.S. CITIES PEOPLE WOULD MOST LIKE TO LIVE IN OR NEAR TO "If you could live in or near any city in the country except the one you live in or nearest to now, which city would you choose?" Base: All U.S. Adults 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2005 2006 New York, NY 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 San Francisco, CA =5 1 3 =6 =2 2 3 4 2 San Diego, CA =7 =7 9 5 =2 8 2 2 3 Seattle, WA 2 4 2 3 4 3 =9 5 4 Las Vegas, NV * =15 12 =6 =5 =14 4 3 5 Honolulu, HI * * * * * * =13 8 6 Denver, CO 4 =5 6 4 =5 =6 =9 7 =7 Atlanta, GA =5 3 4 2 9 5 11 9 =7 Chicago, IL 10 =12 5 =6 =7 =6 6 6 9 Boston, MA =7 =7 7 9 =7 12 =13 11 10 Los Angeles, CA * 14 =13 =12 11 10 5 12 11 Portland, OR 12 =12 =15 =12 =13 =14 8 10 =12 Phoenix, AZ 3 =5 10 =10 10 * 7 13 =12 Orlando, FL * * * * * * 12 * 14 Austin, TX * * * * * * * 15 15 = Tied for that position * Not in top 15 CITIES NEW TO TOP 15 THIS YEAR Orlando (#14); Austin (#15) CITIES WHICH DROPPED OUT OF TOP 15 THIS YEAR San Antonio (was #14); Nashville (was #15) Methodology

This Harris Poll(R) was conducted online within the United States between August 8 and 17, 2006 among 3,685 adults (aged 18 and over). Figures for age, sex, race/ethnicity, education, region and household income were weighted where necessary to bring them into line with their actual proportions in the population. Propensity score weighting was also used to adjust for respondents' propensity to be online.

All surveys are subject to several sources of error. These include: sampling error (because only a sample of a population is interviewed); measurement error due to question wording and/or question order, deliberately or unintentionally inaccurate responses, nonresponse (including refusals), interviewer effects (when live interviewers are used) and weighting.

With one exception (sampling error) the magnitude of the errors that result cannot be estimated. There is, therefore, no way to calculate a finite "margin of error" for any survey and the use of these words should be avoided.

With pure probability samples, with 100 percent response rates, it is possible to calculate the probability that the sampling error (but not other sources of error) is not greater than some number. With a pure probability sample of 3,685 adults one could say with a ninety-five percent probability that the overall results have a sampling error of +/- two percentage points. However that does not take other sources of error into account. This online survey is not based on a probability sample and therefore no theoretical sampling error can be calculated.

These statements conform to the principles of disclosure of the National Council on Public Polls.

J28467 Q650, Q655 The Harris Poll(R) #70, September 6, 2006

By David Krane, Vice President, Public Affairs and Policy Research, Harris Interactive.

About Harris Interactive

Harris Interactive is the 12th largest and fastest-growing market research firm in the world. The company provides research-driven insights and strategic advice to help its clients make more confident decisions which lead to measurable and enduring improvements in performance. Harris Interactive is widely known for The Harris Poll, one of the longest running, independent opinion polls and for pioneering online market research methods. The company has built what could conceivably be the world's largest panel of survey respondents, the Harris Poll Online. Harris Interactive serves clients worldwide through its United States, Europe and Asia offices, its wholly-owned subsidiary Novatris in France and through a global network of independent market research firms. The service bureau, HISB, provides its market research industry clients with mixed-mode data collection, panel development services as well as syndicated and tracking research consultation. More information about Harris Interactive may be obtained at http://www.harrisinteractive.com/.

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Press Contact: Michelle Soto Harris Interactive 585-214-7665 Harris Interactive Inc. 09/06

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