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Best States Rankings
Measuring outcomes for citizens using more than 70 metricsMeasuring outcomes for citizens using more than 70 metrics
Measuring outcomes for citizens using more than 70 metrics
Some states shine in health care. Some soar in education. Some excel in both – or in much more. 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 |
Rank | State | Health Care | Education | Economy | Infrastructure | Opportunity | Fiscal Stability | Crime & Corrections | Natural Environment | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 8 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 25 | 6 | 19 | 15 | ||||||||||
| 2 | 16 | 17 | 15 | 9 | 2 | 21 | 15 | 10 | ||||||||||
| 3 | 11 | 10 | 1 | 5 | 30 | 5 | 8 | 47 | ||||||||||
| 4 | 13 | 13 | 11 | 34 | 3 | 33 | 1 | 2 | ||||||||||
| 5 | 24 | 29 | 3 | 10 | 24 | 4 | 10 | 12 | ||||||||||
| 6 | 28 | 9 | 20 | 6 | 10 | 17 | 31 | 6 | ||||||||||
| 7 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 39 | 8 | 18 | 9 | 19 | ||||||||||
| 8 | 15 | 8 | 26 | 24 | 9 | 9 | 25 | 17 | ||||||||||
| 9 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 42 | 36 | 43 | 4 | 4 | ||||||||||
| 10 | 25 | 3 | 8 | 20 | 33 | 8 | 26 | 18 | ||||||||||
| 11 | 18 | 15 | 25 | 12 | 17 | 37 | 3 | 9 | ||||||||||
| 12 | 20 | 18 | 27 | 19 | 1 | 23 | 14 | 20 | ||||||||||
| 13 | 30 | 7 | 17 | 22 | 28 | 7 | 20 | 27 | ||||||||||
| 14 | 27 | 25 | 32 | 4 | 23 | 16 | 18 | 8 | ||||||||||
| 15 | 29 | 19 | 30 | 14 | 27 | 2 | 35 | 3 | ||||||||||
America's 50 States in Photos: New York to California in Pictures
At a time when the federal government is attempting to hand more responsibility for spending and policymaking to the states, these rankings offer the first comprehensive view, state by state, of how some states already are performing best. This highly interactive platform enables users to explore thousands of important benchmarks and easily draw state-to-state comparisons. Build a chart, share it, and ultimately discover what all the states can learn from one another.
The site also delivers a freshly updated menu of reporting and analysis on state trends and developments, making it a must-read source for anyone interested in what’s happening nationally.
The data driving these rankings were drawn from extensive and reliable governmental and private sources as well as proprietary data including a national survey of what matters most to citizens around the country. Among the eight main categories measured in the Best States rankings, 20 subcategories encompassing more than 70 metrics are taken into account.
What follows is a deep dive into all 50 states. Let the Data Explorer lead your way.
What Goes Into the Overall Ranking?
Health Care
The highest-weighted ranking looks at health care access and affordability, health care quality and health outcomes for citizens.
Education
The education ranking measures how well states educate students in preschool, K-12 and different levels of higher education.
Economy
The economy ranking tracks unemployment rates, GDP growth, migration into the state, patents, new businesses and more.
Infrastructure
The infrastructure rankings gauge the quality of states' bridges, public transportation, power grids, broadband and more.
Opportunity
This ranking measures poverty, housing affordability and equality for women, minorities and people with disabilities.
Fiscal Stability
This ranking tracks states' government credit ratings, liquidity, pension fund liability and budget balancing.
Crime & Corrections
Crime & Corrections ranks states based on public safety and the quality and fairness of their prison systems, including racial bias.
Natural Environment
The natural environment ranking looks at the quality of air and water in a state, as well as exposure to pollution and toxins.
Note: Weights may not add up to 100 due to rounding.
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