Depends on where you go. Massachusetts's overall wealth means that tax revenues are higher than most states, which helps a lot. Our suburbs are older, sure, but whether a town was built in 1780 or 1880 isn't going to have a big impact on modern infrastructure. I don't know where you went in Georgia, but most suburbs in the South don't have sidewalks at all outside commercial areas.

I don't mind asphalt sidewalks as long as they're maintained, and on sidewalks asphalt can last a surprisingly long time as long as the trees don't get to it.