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Utah #1, Louisiana #50 as Washington climbs, Michigan falls

7/30/2026

33 5 Full Breakdown

Summary

Story summary

U.S. News & World Report ranked Utah No. 1 in its 2026 “Best States” list released on July 28, 2026.
Louisiana placed No. 50, marking its fifth consecutive year at the bottom of the rankings.
Washington rose to No. 9 overall, ranking seventh in natural environment and eighth in education and infrastructure.
Michigan fell into the bottom five, ranking 45th in education, 43rd in economy and 42nd in infrastructure.

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Story summary

U.S. News & World Report ranked Utah No. 1 in its 2026 “Best States” list released on July 28, 2026.
Louisiana placed No. 50, marking its fifth consecutive year at the bottom of the rankings.
Washington rose to No. 9 overall, ranking seventh in natural environment and eighth in education and infrastructure.
Michigan fell into the bottom five, ranking 45th in education, 43rd in economy and 42nd in infrastructure.