Best/Worst

Best States to Live In 2025

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Overall Best - US News

10th
20th
30th
40th
50th
State
Overall Best - US News
Crime & Correction
Economy
Education
Environment
Fiscal Stability
Health Care
Infrastructure
Opportunity
Utah Flag
Utah1st7th3rd4th48th1st14th3rd19th
New Hampshire Flag
New Hampshire2nd1st12th16th4th37th12th19th6th
Idaho Flag
Idaho3rd9th4th29th10th8th20th16th10th
Minnesota Flag
Minnesota4th16th28th11th14th13th16th10th7th
Nebraska Flag
Nebraska5th18th29th13th11th6th23rd1st14th
Florida Flag
Florida6th13th1st2nd12th9th21st15th47th
Vermont Flag
Vermont7th4th15th23rd9th41st19th9th1st
South Dakota Flag
South Dakota8th34th13th8th5th10th46th2nd12th
Massachusetts Flag
Massachusetts9th5th11th5th3rd36th2nd39th41st
Washington Flag
Washington10th33rd23rd9th7th16th15th7th40th
Colorado Flag
Colorado11th47th6th3rd16th43rd9th11th33rd
North Dakota Flag
North Dakota12th28th17th28th17th17th31st8th4th
North Carolina Flag
North Carolina13th25th7th12th26th14th25th32nd18th
Iowa Flag
Iowa14th14th44th20th29th4th27th14th2nd
Connecticut Flag
Connecticut15th8th8th10th15th48th3rd27th43rd
Virginia Flag
Virginia16th12th10th15th19th23rd18th38th25th
Wisconsin Flag
Wisconsin17th27th27th7th25th18th26th31st9th
Delaware Flag
Delaware18th32nd21st35th42nd2nd10th21st15th
New Jersey Flag
New Jersey19th10th31st1st28th49th5th12th45th
Maryland Flag
Maryland20th30th35th21st2nd27th6th28th27th
Georgia Flag
Georgia21st22nd18th27th20th5th37th13th32nd
New York Flag
New York22nd24th41st17th6th3rd8th34th49th
Wyoming Flag
Wyoming23rd23rd22nd6th13th30th39th26th21st
Rhode Island Flag
Rhode Island24th6th16th38th8th45th4th45th24th
Kansas Flag
Kansas25th35th34th18th43rd32nd33rd6th5th
Montana Flag
Montana26th37th20th22nd27th19th42nd25th13th
Maine Flag
Maine27th2nd30th40th22nd29th28th40th3rd
Hawaii Flag
Hawaii28th3rd48th26th1st40th1st49th34th
Texas Flag
Texas29th40th2nd25th46th12th32nd18th48th
Arizona Flag
Arizona30th26th5th42nd38th35th13th17th44th
Missouri Flag
Missouri31st43rd25th33rd18th11th43rd37th11th
Tennessee Flag
Tennessee32nd45th24th31st34th7th41st23rd22nd
Indiana Flag
Indiana33rd21st40th19th50th33rd35th20th16th
Nevada Flag
Nevada34th41st9th37th47th28th36th4th38th
Oregon Flag
Oregon35th44th37th41st44th22nd17th5th39th
Illinois Flag
Illinois36th15th42nd14th45th50th24th22nd35th
California Flag
California37th38th32nd24th24th42nd7th35th50th
Ohio Flag
Ohio38th31st39th30th41st25th34th30th17th
Kentucky Flag
Kentucky39th11th46th32nd23rd34th45th24th20th
South Carolina Flag
South Carolina40th42nd14th43rd21st20th30th36th42nd
Pennsylvania Flag
Pennsylvania41st17th38th39th40th39th11th43rd29th
Oklahoma Flag
Oklahoma42nd36th19th48th37th21st48th29th30th
Michigan Flag
Michigan43rd39th33rd45th32nd38th22nd44th23rd
Arkansas Flag
Arkansas44th48th26th36th35th15th47th41st28th
Alabama Flag
Alabama45th29th36th44th33rd31st40th33rd26th
West Virginia Flag
West Virginia46th19th47th47th36th24th49th50th8th
New Mexico Flag
New Mexico47th49th43rd50th30th26th38th42nd37th
Mississippi Flag
Mississippi48th20th49th34th31st47th50th47th31st
Alaska Flag
Alaska49th46th45th49th36th44th29th46th36th
Louisiana Flag
Louisiana50th50th50th46th49th46th44th48th46th
  • The annual US News and World Report Best State Rankings evaluate wide range of indicators (71 in 2025) to rank each state in 8 categories: Crime & Corrections, Economy, Education, Fiscal Stability, Healthcare, Infrastructure, Opportunity, and Natural Environment.
  • Similarly to the US News rankings, WalletHub statistically evaluates the best states to live in by comparing relevant indicators (51 in 2025) across 8 factors: Affordability, Economy, Education & Health, Quality of Life and Safety.
  • Note: While the “best state to live in” rankings are rooted in objective statistical data, the importance of each specific indicator is highly subjective often influenced by personal taste. As such, one’s personal rankings may differ from those shown.