Full Breakdown
Utah Holds No. 1 Spot in U.S. News & World Report’s 2026 “Best States” Rankings
7/29/2026, 3:29:20 PM
Utah Retains Top Spot in 2026 Best States Rankings
U.S. News & World Report released its annual “Best States” rankings for 2026, placing Utah at the top of the overall list for the fourth consecutive year. The Beehive State earned high marks in fiscal stability, infrastructure, education, the economy and low crime rates. Louisiana finished dead last, ranking lowest across all eight categories and repeating a five-year streak at the bottom of the table.
Methodology and Scoring
The rankings are based on quantitative data from government and other sources, covering 71 metrics across eight categories: economy, education, health care, infrastructure, opportunity, fiscal stability, crime and corrections, and natural environment. Education and health care receive the greatest weighting. Each state’s performance in the individual categories is aggregated into an overall score that determines its rank.
State-by-State Highlights
- Top Five Overall: Utah, South Dakota, Minnesota, North Dakota, Nebraska.
- Economy Leader: Texas claimed the highest-ranked economy, driven by strong job growth, GDP expansion, net migration and youth-population growth.
- Category Leaders: Colorado topped education; Hawaii led health care and natural environment; Nevada was first in infrastructure; Wyoming led fiscal stability; New Hampshire ranked highest in crime and corrections; Vermont earned the top spot for opportunity.
- Midwest and South Surge: States in the Midwest and South moved up the rankings, while several Northeastern states fell, reflecting a shift of human and financial capital toward lower-cost regions.
- Washington’s Position: Washington rose to ninth overall, with notable strengths in natural environment (7th), education (8th) and infrastructure (8th). However, it lagged in short-term fiscal stability (50th) and opportunity (34th), largely due to affordability challenges.
- Bottom Performers: Louisiana ranked last overall and in crime and corrections, second-to-last in economy and natural environment. Mississippi was last in health care, New Mexico worst in education, and New Mexico also saw a slight population decline in 2025.
Official Commentary
Eric Gertler, chairman and CEO of U.S. He noted that “states in the Midwest and South generally moved up the rankings, while several Northeastern states fell substantially, showing how human and financial capital are actively migrating away from high-cost areas into more affordable regions.” Gertler also highlighted that “low cost of living combined with strategic manufacturing investments are making these states prime destinations for young workers and expanding businesses.”
Verbatim Quotes
- “States in the Midwest and South generally moved up the rankings, while several Northeastern states fell substantially, showing how human and financial capital are actively migrating away from high-cost areas into more affordable regions,” — Eric Gertler, chairman and CEO
- “Low cost of living combined with strategic manufacturing investments are making these states prime destinations for young workers and expanding businesses,” — Eric Gertler, chairman and CEO
These statements underscore the report’s emphasis on cost of living, manufacturing investment, and migration patterns as key drivers of the shifting state rankings.
