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What is the best state to live in? New report ranks all 50 states

These are the top states to live in, according one report.
Credit: foxysgraphic - stock.adobe.com
Poster map of United States of America with state names.

WASHINGTON — A new report from U.S. News & World Report has ranked all 50 states from best to worst, giving people a new insight into each state's strengths and weaknesses in 2024. 

The 2024 Best States ranking released Tuesday is the sixth iteration of the report. It compares states based on natural environment, education, the economy and a number of other categories, using "thousands of data points to measure how well states are performing for their citizens."

The wide-reaching report then weighs those rankings based on a survey U.S. News previously conducted to determine what matters most to people. According to the survey, health care and education were ranked highest, and had the most weight in determining the best states to live. 

Utah once again topped the list, followed by New Hampshire, Nebraska, Minnesota and Idaho rounding out the top five. 

On the other end of the spectrum, West Virginia, Arkansas, Mississippi, New Mexico and Louisiana were the lowest-ranked states in the 2024 list. 

But U.S. News acknowledged when releasing the 2024 report that not everybody has the same preferences when deciding which state is best for them. 

Because of this, U.S. News also launched a quiz to tailor the rankings to each person's preferences. Are you an environmental advocate? Or maybe you care a lot about the state's internet and tech infrastructure. You can take the quiz here to find out which state matches you best.

Here are the US News 2024 rankings of the best states

  1. Utah
  2. New Hampshire
  3. Nebraska
  4. Minnesota
  5. Idaho
  6. Iowa
  7. Vermont
  8. Washington 
  9. Florida
  10. Massachusetts
  11. South Dakota
  12. Wyoming
  13. Virginia
  14. New Jersey 
  15. North Dakota
  16. Colorado
  17. Wisconsin
  18. Georgia
  19. North Carolina
  20. Connecticut
  21. Delaware
  22. Maryland
  23. New York
  24. Montana
  25. Kansas
  26. Rhode Island
  27. Tennessee
  28. Maine
  29. Texas
  30. Indiana
  31. Oregon
  32. Arizona
  33. Nevada
  34. Hawaii
  35. Missouri
  36. Ohio
  37. California
  38. Illinois
  39. Kentucky
  40. Pennsylvania
  41. South Carolina
  42. Michigan
  43. Oklahoma
  44. Alabama
  45. Alaska
  46. West Virginia
  47. Arkansas
  48. Mississippi
  49. New Mexico
  50. Louisiana

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