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Utah Tops 2026 Best States; Texas Leads Economy

7/28/2026

28 3 Full Breakdown

Summary

Story summary

Utah ranked No. 1 overall in the 2026 “Best States” report.
Texas earned the No. 1 economy rank, leading in job growth, GDP, migration and youth-population growth.
Oregon placed No. 39 overall but ranked second nationally for infrastructure.
Washington moved to No. 9 overall, its highest since 2023.
Florida fell to No. 8 overall, down from No. 6, while staying No. 3 in education.

History

Historical Context

U.S. News & World Report launched its first Best States ranking in 1995, evaluating seven categories such as health care and economy; Massachusetts topped that debut while Louisiana ranked last. The methodology, based on resident surveys, set a template that persists in the 2026 edition, where Texas leads the economy and Utah climbs in quality-of-life, echoing the original emphasis on job growth and migration.

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Story summary

Utah ranked No. 1 overall in the 2026 “Best States” report.
Texas earned the No. 1 economy rank, leading in job growth, GDP, migration and youth-population growth.
Oregon placed No. 39 overall but ranked second nationally for infrastructure.
Washington moved to No. 9 overall, its highest since 2023.
Florida fell to No. 8 overall, down from No. 6, while staying No. 3 in education.

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