Source: U.S. News, 2018
“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, the opportunity and quality of life it offers people, its roads, bridges, internet and other infrastructure, its public safety and the fiscal stability of state government.”
U.S. best states ranking:
| Overall | State | Health Care | Education | Economy | Opportunity | Infrastructure | Crime & Corrections | Fiscal Stability | Quality of Life |
| #1 | Iowa | 3. | 5. | 17. | 4. | 1. | 15. | 21. | 9. |
| #2 | Minnesota | 7. | 13. | 20. | 3. | 6. | 11. | 24. | 2. |
| #3 | Utah | 10. | 3. | 2. | 35. | 8. | 14. | 1. | 22. |
| #4 | North Dakota | 14. | 10. | 19. | 17. | 2. | 23. | 2. | 1. |
| #5 | New Hampshire | 13. | 4. | 11. | 1. | 37. | 2. | 26. | 4. |
| #6 | Washington | 2. | 6. | 3. | 27. | 4. | 39. | 27. | 21. |
| #7 | Nebraska | 19. | 9. | 21. | 13. | 9. | 19. | 11. | 14. |
| #8 | Massachusetts | 5. | 1. | 9. | 14. | 45. | 5. | 40. | 25. |
| #9 | Vermont | 6. | 8. | 31. | 6. | 35. | 7. | 16. | 26. |
| #10 | Colorado | 9. | 20. | 1. | 28. | 14. | 29. | 31. | 10. |
| #11 | Wisconsin | 17. | 18. | 27. | 8. | 26. | 22. | 19. | 3. |
| #12 | Idaho | 18. | 30. | 7. | 42. | 10. | 6. | 7. | 20. |
| #13 | Maryland | 16. | 11. | 24. | 2. | 25. | 26. | 23. | 31. |
| #14 | South Dakota | 21. | 17. | 28. | 24. | 7. | 40. | 4. | 5. |
| #15 | Florida | 34. | 7. | 5. | 36. | 11. | 31. | 3. | 33. |
| #16 | Oregon | 20. | 33. | 6. | 32. | 3. | 20. | 30. | 18. |
| #17 | Hawaii | 1. | 29. | 23. | 18. | 27. | 17. | 35. | 36. |
| #18 | Delaware | 25. | 32. | 10. | 7. | 18. | 46. | 15. | 24. |
| #19 | New Jersey | 12. | 2. | 41. | 10. | 28. | 3. | 49. | 49. |
| #20 | Virginia | 29. | 12. | 30. | 9. | 39. | 4. | 14. | 41. |
| #21 | Wyoming | 33. | 15. | 47. | 15. | 36. | 12. | 9. | 11. |
| #22 | Maine | 22. | 19. | 37. | 26. | 43. | 1. | 29. | 12. |
| #23 | North Carolina | 37. | 16. | 18. | 40. | 24. | 21. | 6. | 34. |
| #24 | Connecticut | 4. | 14. | 43. | 29. | 41. | 8. | 41. | 38. |
| #25 | New York | 15. | 23. | 35. | 43. | 19. | 10. | 28. | 37. |
| #26 | Tennessee | 43. | 28. | 13. | 31. | 15. | 41. | 5. | 28. |
| #27 | Montana | 26. | 22. | 26. | 37. | 34. | 36. | 12. | 13. |
| #28 | Rhode Island | 8. | 27. | 29. | 34. | 48. | 13. | 33. | 23. |
| #29 | Kansas | 30. | 21. | 42. | 12. | 16. | 37. | 39. | 16. |
| #30 | Missouri | 39. | 25. | 33. | 21. | 20. | 45. | 10. | 15. |
| #31 | Georgia | 42. | 31. | 14. | 33. | 17. | 35. | 13. | 32. |
| #32 | California | 11. | 26. | 4. | 46. | 38. | 28. | 43. | 50. |
| #33 | Indiana | 40. | 35. | 25. | 11. | 30. | 30. | 8. | 48. |
| #34 | Nevada | 35. | 44. | 12. | 19. | 5. | 44. | 38. | 43. |
| #35 | Illinois | 27. | 24. | 39. | 22. | 13. | 24. | 50. | 47. |
| #36 | Texas | 38. | 37. | 8. | 47. | 21. | 27. | 17. | 46. |
| #37 | Michigan | 32. | 36. | 22. | 20. | 40. | 32. | 32. | 29. |
| #38 | Pennsylvania | 23. | 38. | 34. | 16. | 29. | 25. | 42. | 44. |
| #39 | Arizona | 24. | 43. | 16. | 45. | 12. | 38. | 34. | 39. |
| #40 | Ohio | 36. | 41. | 32. | 25. | 23. | 18. | 37. | 40. |
| #41 | Kentucky | 45. | 34. | 45. | 30. | 22. | 9. | 46. | 27. |
| #42 | South Carolina | 41. | 48. | 15. | 39. | 33. | 42. | 18. | 30. |
| #43 | Oklahoma | 48. | 39. | 36. | 38. | 31. | 34. | 22. | 17. |
| #44 | Alaska | 28. | 40. | 50. | 5. | 42. | 50. | 47. | 19. |
| #45 | Arkansas | 49. | 42. | 40. | 41. | 46. | 47. | 20. | 7. |
| #46 | Alabama | 46. | 47. | 38. | 48. | 32. | 43. | 25. | 35. |
| #47 | West Virginia | 44. | 45. | 49. | 23. | 50. | 33. | 36. | 45. |
| #48 | New Mexico | 31. | 50. | 46. | 44. | 47. | 49. | 44. | 8. |
| #49 | Mississippi | 50. | 46. | 48. | 49. | 49. | 16. | 45. | 6. |
| #50 | Louisiana | 47. | 49. | 44. | 50. | 44. | 48. | 48. | 42. |
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