This is the best state in America —and you’ll never guess why (2024)

Table of Contents

1. Utah 2.New Hampshire 3.Nebraska 4.Minnesota 5.Idaho 6.Iowa 7.Vermont 8.Washington 9.Florida 10.Massachusetts

If you’re looking for a great place to live, you might want to check out Utah.

For the second year in a row,Utah was named the best statein the nation, according to the2024 rankingsfrom U.S. News & World Report. It ranked second in America for education, third for its economy and infrastructure, and sixth for its fiscal stability.

“Utah has a vibrant, diverse economy and unsurpassed natural beauty, but what truly sets our state apart is our people,” Utah Gov.Spencer Coxsaid in a statement. “We lead the nation in volunteering and charitable giving every year and this spirit of community leads to a collaborative approach to problem solving, an ecosystem that supports innovation, and a culture that strengthens families and individuals.”

States were evaluated in eight categories: health care, education, economy, infrastructure, opportunity, fiscal stability, crime and corrections, and natural environment.

More than 70 metrics and tens of thousands of data points were considered, including things like employment, internet access, affordability, and public safety. (Washington, DC, was not included in the analysis.)

In recent years, Utah has become a hub for startups and tech entrepreneurs. The state also had a low unemployment rate of just 2.8% in March, which was less than the national rate of 3.8% that same month, according to theU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

“It’s just a fantasticplace to liveand work,” says real estate brokerJoel Carson, at Utah Real Estate based in Salt Lake City. He touted the state’s national parks, including Zion National Park. “It’s really attracting a lot of people.”