5 months ago I moved out of my parents house in california to live by myself in an apartment. I searched and searched for a cheap place that I could afford with my nearly minimum wage job and was becomming stressed thinking I'd have to rent a small room in a scary area (which would ultimately mean suicide probably). But then I found the area called the "high desert" in California where apartments can be about 400 bucks, and I moved into one. People I talk to up here don't have very positive things to say about this area at all (shootings, knifings etc). Apparently it had cleaned up recently because I haven't noticed anything very bad myself (although I rarely leave indoors to find out).

Thanks for the Canada suggestion. I have little knowledge of what the rest of the world is like to live in, because I'm so withdrawn from reality into my own pseudoreality composed largely of videogames, music, movies (electronic entertainment) and unworldly. I suspected that more rural places would have much nicer neighborhoods, but this high desert is fairly rural, and definately made me think twice about that theory. The crime might just be because of it being a couple hours drive from L.A. though. I hate L.A. The entire way of life there is as far away from our evolved hunter/gather roots as currently possible. It's a different planet where nature is covered with concrete, cars and ill people. I am thinking of driving up and checking out Montana. Two main reasons are because it is rural and because I recently found out it's about the 2nd cheapest state to live in, after Alabama. Does anyone know if there's lots of ill culture/crime in Montana (not including "murders" by grizzly bears)? After my expectations were denied in this high desert I have no idea what to expect. Any suggestions of cheap safe places? I'd just get a job at a local market or something. There's not much I even want to buy with money anyways, other than electronic entertainment to waste my life away.

RE: Atlanta is the most dangerous city in America