The Best States ranking of U.S. states draws on thousands of data points to measure how well states are performing for their citizens. In addition to health care and education, the metrics take into account a state’s economy, its roads, bridges, internet and other infrastructure, its public safety, the fiscal stability of state government, and the opportunity it affords its residents.
More weight was accorded to some state measures than others, based on a survey of what matters most to people. Health care and education were weighted most heavily. Then came state economies, infrastructure, and the opportunity states offer their citizens. Fiscal stability followed closely in weighting, followed by measures of crime and corrections and a state’s natural environment.
| RANK |
STATE |
HEALTH CARE |
EDUCATION |
ECONOMY |
OPPORTUNITY |
CRIME & CORRECTIONS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
8 | 4 | 4 | 25 | 19 |
| 2 |
|
16 | 17 | 15 | 2 | 15 |
| 3 |
|
11 | 10 | 1 | 30 | 8 |
| 4 |
|
13 | 13 | 11 | 3 | 1 |
| 5 |
|
24 | 29 | 3 | 24 | 10 |
| 6 |
|
28 | 9 | 20 | 10 | 31 |
| 7 |
|
12 | 12 | 13 | 8 | 9 |
| 8 |
|
15 | 8 | 26 | 9 | 25 |
| 9 |
|
2 | 2 | 5 | 36 | 4 |
| 10 |
|
25 | 3 | 8 | 33 | 26 |
| 11 |
|
18 | 15 | 25 | 17 | 3 |
| 12 |
|
20 | 18 | 27 | 1 | 14 |
| 13 |
|
30 | 7 | 17 | 28 | 20 |
| 14 |
|
27 | 25 | 32 | 23 | 18 |
| 15 |
|
29 | 19 | 30 | 27 | 35 |
| 16 |
|
10 | 5 | 2 | 41 | 41 |
| 17 |
|
6 | 14 | 35 | 15 | 22 |
| 18 |
|
43 | 26 | 12 | 13 | 29 |
| 19 |
|
4 | 1 | 33 | 19 | 5 |
| 20 |
|
3 | 6 | 22 | 45 | 6 |
| 21 |
|
7 | 16 | 43 | 46 | 11 |
| 22 |
|
17 | 35 | 14 | 31 | 40 |
| 23 |
|
14 | 24 | 24 | 14 | 39 |
| 24 |
|
5 | 20 | 10 | 50 | 28 |
| 25 |
|
1 | 27 | 46 | 34 | 12 |
| 26 |
|
41 | 23 | 31 | 16 | 27 |
| 27 |
|
26 | 28 | 36 | 29 | 2 |
| 28 |
|
42 | 30 | 23 | 4 | 45 |
| 29 |
|
40 | 33 | 16 | 21 | 42 |
| 30 |
|
23 | 11 | 39 | 12 | 16 |
| 31 |
|
31 | 34 | 9 | 39 | 37 |
| 32 |
|
32 | 22 | 21 | 7 | 24 |
| 33 |
|
36 | 32 | 19 | 35 | 34 |
| 34 |
|
9 | 39 | 28 | 32 | 7 |
| 35 |
|
38 | 21 | 45 | 42 | 21 |
| 36 |
|
37 | 31 | 34 | 6 | 32 |
| 37 |
|
39 | 40 | 6 | 47 | 36 |
| 38 |
|
35 | 38 | 29 | 5 | 30 |
| 39 |
|
21 | 46 | 7 | 40 | 38 |
| 40 |
|
19 | 37 | 42 | 11 | 17 |
| 41 |
|
44 | 36 | 40 | 20 | 13 |
| 42 |
|
34 | 44 | 18 | 38 | 46 |
| 43 |
|
48 | 42 | 37 | 26 | 44 |
| 44 |
|
49 | 41 | 41 | 22 | 48 |
| 45 |
|
22 | 49 | 50 | 43 | 49 |
| 46 |
|
45 | 47 | 38 | 37 | 43 |
| 47 |
|
47 | 45 | 48 | 18 | 23 |
| 48 |
|
33 | 50 | 44 | 49 | 47 |
| 49 |
|
50 | 43 | 49 | 44 | 33 |
| 50 |
|
46 | 48 | 47 | 48 | 50 |
