The States With The Best Quality Of Life

The State Of Quality

Every year the US News & World Report put out their ranking of the "Best States to Live In"—and one of the factors they use to determine said ranking is a state's "Quality of Life". To determine the quality of life score for each state, they look at a multitude of factors organized into four main categories: Affordability, Economy, Health and Education, and Safety. A little more detail on the methodology criteria can be seen below:

Healthcare: Quality, and affordability of healthcare, obesity rates, etc.

Education: Public school performance, graduation rates, tuition costs, etc.

Economy: GDP growth, migration to the state, new business, etc.

Infrastructure: Transportation availability, road quality, communications, etc.

Opportunity: Poverty rates, cost of living, housing costs, etc.

Fiscal Stability: Health of the government’s finances, how well the state balances its budget, etc.

Crime and Corrections: Public safety, prison systems and their populations, etc.

Natural Environment: Air quality, water quality, exposure to pollution etc.

Now, onto the rankings...(we'll go from lowest to highest quality of life scores)

50: Louisiana

SCORE: 41.3

Affordability Rank: 23

Economy Rank: 50

Education & Health Rank: 48

Safety Rank: 44

Skyline of Shreveport, municipality in Louisiana Roman Eugeniusz, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

49: New Mexico

SCORE: 41.8

Affordability Rank: 25

Economy Rank: 26

Education & Health Rank: 47

Safety Rank: 49

Albuquerque and Interstate 25 in New Mexico, USA Sahmeditor, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

48: Arkansas

SCORE: 43.3

Affordability Rank: 8

Economy Rank: 45

Education & Health Rank: 42

Safety Rank: 46

Historic downtown in Rogers, Arkansas Law7833, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

47: Alaska

SCORE: 43.4

Affordability Rank: 42

Economy Rank: 9

Education & Health Rank: 37

Safety Rank: 43

Aerial view of Juneau, Alaska's capital Ehedaya, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

46: Nevada

SCORE: 44.1

Affordability Rank: 39

Economy Rank: 46

Education & Health Rank: 43

Safety Rank: 37

Street view near city hall, Mesquite, Nevada Stan Shebs, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

45: Mississippi

SCORE: 44.6

Affordability Rank: 9

Economy Rank: 44

Education & Health Rank: 49

Safety Rank: 21

An aerial view of the Mississippi Aquarium in 2022 Kaotate, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

44: Oklahoma

SCORE: 45.2

Affordability Rank: 19

Economy Rank: 34

Education & Health Rank: 50

Safety Rank: 33

Tulsa Skyline Aerial View in April 2023 Nils Huenerfuerst, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

43: South Carolina

SCORE: 46.9

Affordability Rank: 10

Economy Rank: 38

Education & Health Rank: 40

Safety Rank: 45

Broad Street located in Charleston, South Carolina Khanrak, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

42: Oregon

SCORE: 47.5

Affordability Rank: 41

Economy Rank: 28

Education & Health Rank: 26

Safety Rank: 47

Downtown Salem, Oregon from top of Oregon State Capitol M.O. Stevens, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

41: Arizona

SCORE: 48.1

Affordability Rank: 22

Economy Rank: 21

Education & Health Rank: 44

Safety Rank: 40

Downtown Phoenix Aerial Looking Northeast DPPed, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

40: West Virginia

SCORE: 48.1

Affordability Rank: 2

Economy Rank: 40

Education & Health Rank: 45

Safety Rank: 23

Kanawha Street in downtown Beckley, West Virginia Tim Kiser (Malepheasant), CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

39: Hawaii

SCORE: 48.5

Affordability Rank: 50

Economy Rank: 12

Education & Health Rank: 6

Safety Rank: 42

Downtown Honolulu and the Hawaii State Capitol ArdentArbitration, Wikimedia Commons

38: Alabama

SCORE: 48.5

Affordability Rank: 1

Economy Rank: 39

Education & Health Rank: 46

Safety Rank: 25

Birmingham, Alabama Cityscape View in 2010 Polk540, Wikimedia Commons

37: Kentucky

SCORE: 49

Affordability Rank: 11

Economy Rank: 48

Education & Health Rank: 34

Safety Rank: 20

Covington skyline viewed from Devou Park EEJCC, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

36: Texas

SCORE: 49.2

Affordability Rank: 34

Economy Rank: 36

Education & Health Rank: 38

Safety Rank: 34

Downtown Skyline From The Design District in Dallas 75316serk, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

35: Washington

SCORE: 49.8

Affordability Rank: 36

Economy Rank: 10

Education & Health Rank: 13

Safety Rank: 50

Drone view of Bellevue, Washington State, USA Spicypepper999, CC0, Wikimedia Commons

34: Delaware

SCORE: 50.7

Affordability Rank: 5

Economy Rank: 27

Education & Health Rank: 39

Safety Rank: 32

The image showcases a Vibrant urban scene of Wilmington, Delaware Alevision 2020, Adobe Stock

33: Tennessee

SCORE: 51

Affordability Rank: 5

Economy Rank: 27

Education & Health Rank: 39

Safety Rank: 32

Downtown Chattanooga, viewed from Lookout Mountain Thomsonmg2000, CC0, Wikimedia Commons

32: Michigan

SCORE: 51.2

Affordability Rank: 15

Economy Rank: 42

Education & Health Rank: 35

Safety Rank: 35

Skyline of Detroit, Michigan, United States Michael Tighe, CC0, Wikimedia Commons

31: Missouri

SCORE: 51.4

Affordability Rank: 7

Economy Rank: 31

Education & Health Rank: 29

Safety Rank: 41

Lee's Summit Downtown Historic Distric Glenn Kinyon, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

30: Ohio

SCORE: 51.7

Affordability Rank: 24

Economy Rank: 47

Education & Health Rank: 36

Safety Rank: 18

Downtown Columbus View From Main St Bridge Paul Wasneski, Wikimedia Commons

29: California

SCORE: 51.8

Affordability Rank: 49

Economy Rank: 17

Education & Health Rank: 20

Safety Rank: 39

Sacramento, California skyline in 2023 Quintin Soloviev, CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

28: Rhode Island

SCORE: 52

Affordability Rank: 45

Economy Rank: 14

Education & Health Rank: 23

Safety Rank: 8

Jamestown and Newport bridges. Gary Brownell, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

27: Indiana

SCORE: 52

Affordability Rank: 4

Economy Rank: 43

Education & Health Rank: 32

Safety Rank: 22

Kirkwood Avenue in Bloomington, Indiana Yahala, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

26: Maryland

SCORE: 52.2

Affordability Rank: 38

Economy Rank: 37

Education & Health Rank: 16

Safety Rank: 17

Aerial photograph of Frederick, Maryland's city hall Matthew Binebrink, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

25: Georgia

SCORE: 52.5

Affordability Rank: 14

Economy Rank: 19

Education & Health Rank: 41

Safety Rank: 19

The World of Coca-Cola in downtown Atlanta, Georgia Allenman12, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

24: Nebraska

SCORE: 53.1

Affordability Rank: 33

Economy Rank: 29

Education & Health Rank: 17

Safety Rank: 30

The downtown skyline in Omaha, Nebraska Tony Webster, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

23: North Carolina

SCORE: 53.1

Affordability Rank: 17

Economy Rank: 16

Education & Health Rank: 33

Safety Rank: 38

Fayetteville Street In Downtown Raleigh Bz3rk, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

22: Connecticut

SCORE: 53.4

Affordability Rank: 46

Economy Rank: 33

Education & Health Rank: 3

Safety Rank: 14

Shoreline of West Haven, CT along Ocean Avenue PostMan1107, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

21: Colorado

SCORE: 53.8

Affordability Rank: 28

Economy Rank: 8

Education & Health Rank: 7

Safety Rank: 48

Aerial image of Arvada, Colorado Mvanderkolk, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

20: Kansas

SCORE: 53.9

Affordability Rank: 27

Economy Rank: 18

Education & Health Rank: 27

Safety Rank: 28

Wichita, Kansas skyline aerial view Quintin Soloviev, CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

19: Vermont

SCORE: 54.5

Affordability Rank: 43

Economy Rank: 1

Education & Health Rank: 5

Safety Rank: 26

Church Street Marketplace in Burlington Sdkb, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

18: South Dakota

SCORE: 54.9

Affordability Rank: 20

Economy Rank: 7

Education & Health Rank: 30

Safety Rank: 16

Rapid City, South Dakota, taken from Hillcrest Drive WeaponizingArchitecture, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

17: North Dakota

SCORE: 55

Affordability Rank: 31

Economy Rank: 4

Education & Health Rank: 21

Safety Rank: 24

Overlooking downtown Fargo, North Dakota, USA, looking east Ron Reiring, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

16: Illinois

SCORE: 55.6

Affordability Rank: 37

Economy Rank: 49

Education & Health Rank: 22

Safety Rank: 6

Chicago skyline from Cellular Field Andrew Horne, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

15: Montana

SCORE: 56

Affordability Rank: 26

Economy Rank: 3

Education & Health Rank: 10

Safety Rank: 36

Downtown Anaconda, Montana looking North Mark Holloway, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

14: Maine

SCORE: 56.5

Affordability Rank: 35

Economy Rank: 5

Education & Health Rank: 14

Safety Rank: 13

Skyline of Bangor in August 2017 Vasiliymeshko, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

13: Minnesota

SCORE: 57.4

Affordability Rank: 13

Economy Rank: 30

Education & Health Rank: 11

Safety Rank: 29

Aerial View of Rochester, Minnesota Skyline Wikideas1, CC0, Wikimedia Commons

12: Iowa

SCORE: 57.5

Affordability Rank: 21

Economy Rank: 32

Education & Health Rank: 15

Safety Rank: 12

Des Moines Skyline From East Walnut Street Bohao Zhao, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

11: Virginia

SCORE: 57.9

Affordability Rank: 18

Economy Rank: 20

Education & Health Rank: 12

Safety Rank: 15

Virginia Beach Boardwalk At 29Th Street Looking North Dough4872, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

10: Wyoming

SCORE: 58

Affordability Rank: 12

Economy Rank: 22

Education & Health Rank: 28

Safety Rank: 2

Gillette, Wyoming Seen From Overlook Park Mr. Satterly, CC0, Wikimedia Commons

9: New York

SCORE: 58.2

Affordability Rank: 47

Economy Rank: 24

Education & Health Rank: 18

Safety Rank: 5

View of the Empire State Building in New York City Dllu, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

8: Wisconsin

SCORE: 58.2

Affordability Rank: 32

Economy Rank: 23

Education & Health Rank: 8

Safety Rank: 11

Aerial View of Downtown Milwaukee, Wisconsin Isaac Rowlett, CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

7: Pennsylvania

SCORE: 58.3

Affordability Rank: 29

Economy Rank: 41

Education & Health Rank: 19

Safety Rank: 9

View of downtown Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania from the top Derek.cashman, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

6: Idaho

SCORE: 58.8

Affordability Rank: 6

Economy Rank: 6

Education & Health Rank: 31

Safety Rank: 4

Multifamily residential apartment buildings in Boise, Idaho Ninzie, Shutterstock

5: New Hampshire

SCORE: 59.1

Affordability Rank: 40

Economy Rank: 2

Education & Health Rank: 2

Safety Rank: 3

Aerial view of Manchester, New Hampshire Mikespenard, Wikimedia Commons

4: Utah

SCORE: 59.6

Affordability Rank: 3

Economy Rank: 13

Education & Health Rank: 4

Safety Rank: 27

A view of Downtown Provo, Utah Javin Weaver, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

3: New Jersey

SCORE: 59.6

Affordability Rank: 48

Economy Rank: 25

Education & Health Rank: 9

Safety Rank: 1

The Jersey City skyline seen from Battery Park City Kidfly182, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

2: Florida

SCORE: 59.8

Affordability Rank: 30

Economy Rank: 11

Education & Health Rank: 24

Safety Rank: 10

High-rises in Orlando from Lake Eola Park Benoît Prieur, CC0, Wikimedia Commons

1: Massachusetts

SCORE: 60.5

Affordability Rank: 44

Economy Rank: 15

Education & Health Rank: 1

Safety Rank: 7