Southern US states have some of the lowest quality of life in the country. There are a lot of reasons why the south is fucked up compared to other parts of the US, I could go on and on, but I’ll narrow it down: Everything is spread out to be auto-dependent, public transport is practically non-existent, a lot of areas aren’t even walkable because sidewalks are either incomplete or just don’t exist, and for much of the year the hot weather makes it so that it can be unpleasant or even unsafe to spend a lot of time outdoors. You can always put warmer clothes on in the cold but you can only take so much off in the heat. Even if you defy those factors and go out for a walk just to enjoy being outside, people will gawk at you or pull over to ask if you need a ride. You’re a spectacle. They can’t fathom the notion of someone just going out walking for exercise in a place that isn’t specifically sanctioned for that purpose (e.g. walking trail). I lived in a major city in Texas for a few years and even there this was the case.
Note that the vast majority of the subjects on MSHPL are from Southern states.