Medina received an A-plus for public schools and A grades for housing, jobs, and health and fitness offerings. Further explanation of each category is provided below. Illinois and Connecticut share third place at 2.11%. The state already has more than 5,400 licensed childcare facilities serving a population of 7.7 million. 43 Alabama, No. The C-plus cost of living may be unaffordable for some families. Oregon is also a family-friendly state, ranking No. Minnesota ranks in the top ten in health care providers per capita, and it has one of the lowest rates of premature death. The state has one of the lowest poverty levels in the country, with nine percent of residents living at or below the poverty line. Fort Wayne, Indiana Wichita Falls, Texas Brownsville, Texas South Bend, Indiana Dayton, Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Holly Hills received A-plus grades for public schools, nightlife, and health and fitness offerings. Rates of addiction and drug-related deaths are low. As housing costs continue to rise across much of the U.S., the average housing costs in Texas remain 15% lower than the national average. Massachusetts is the ninth-best state to live in, according to U.S. & World News. "First, try visiting the area in person, ideally multiple times. The Cost of Living Index is calculated based on the price of more than 60 goods and services. These metros had the highest inflation in the US, Copy-paste error results in Nevada homebuyer getting 87 properties for the price of one home, American Airlines agrees to purchase supersonic planes, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. New Hampshire 7. While Florida's K-12 Public schools perform about on par with national averages, the state's higher education system ranks first in the nation for access and affordability. Days Below Freezing: 22. The state also produces industrial toxins at a much lower rate than the rest of the country. Gilbert, Arizona. Cinco Ranch received A-plus grades for public schools and jobs and an A for health and fitness offerings. The median home value is $762,400, and the median household income is $203,789. Hanover received an A-plus for public schools and A grades for outdoor activities and commute, while its lowest grade is a C for weather. Iowa is one of the nation's more affordable states, with residents paying 28% less in housing than the national average and a median home value of only $160,700. West Virginia, No. The median home value is $577,400, and the median household income is $146,198. Local employment opportunities and cost of living are also important factors when contemplating a home purchase. Instead, they should consider small towns and cities in the Midwest and Southwest. Bordered by the Rio Grande River and White Rock Canyon, the town received A grades for outdoor activities and weather. Iowa also has a high percentage of homeownership: at least 7 in 10 residents own their homes, according to the Census Bureau. No state offers better access to childcare, and the health care system is top notch. These metrics include cost of living, average home square footage, average rental insurance costs, sublet laws, security deposit limits and tenant screening standards. 3 cheapest state to live in Alabama reported the lowest median annual real estate taxes at $679, and the No. The state has one of the country's lowest incarceration rates, with 197 out of 100,000 individuals imprisoned, significantly lower than the national average of 359 per 100,000. Natural gas and electricity prices for residents and businesses are much lower in South Dakota than the national average, according to the Energy Information Administration. Louisiana - 41.7449. Often, however, the flipside of low housing costs is low home values, with West Virginia, Mississippi, Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Iowa having the lowest home values, according to Zillows Home Value Index at the time the study was conducted. The education effort appears to be working. Beyond reaping the benefits of the current economic boom, Idaho also enjoys high short- and long-term financial stability levels. Get this delivered to your inbox, and more info about our products and services. Ranking Performance Throughout All 50 States. Arkansas Highest T-45. Those gains are primarily in the trade, transportation, utilities, professional and business services sectors, and construction and manufacturing. Dozens of similar bills are being considered by state legislatures this year. 2022 Life, Health & Inclusion Score: 262 out of 325 points (Top States Grade: A-). Ohio residents can thank affordable housing for their low cost of living, with housing costs almost 25% lower than the national average, according to a 2022 report by the Council for Community and Economic Research. Wallethub ranks Minnesota the fourth-best state to raise a family, citing the high median family salary and low levels of separation and divorce. The Kansas City Chiefs on Saturday selected Stephen F. Austin edge rusher BJ Thompson with their fifth-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft No. Maine isn't just a safe state it's getting safer. Nebraska is in the top ten states for hospital beds per capita, according to Becker's Hospital Review. Since March 2020, more than 42% of the U.S. population has either moved or considered moving. Kentucky has some of the lowest electricity prices east of the Mississippi River, according to the Energy Information Administration. While the nation's average is 104 unhealthy air quality days annually, New Hampshire experiences just 14 days of poor air quality a year. Kentucky - 46.3943. According to the Census Bureau, the average rent in Kansas is $912, and the average home value is $164,800. Want more Thrillist? Wine and Cheeseburger: Harley and Lara Pair Falafel with Wine. Within those five factors, a total of 52 different variables were evaluated. Mississippi ranked as the No. Here are the top 10 most affordable cities to live in the U.S., according to the Council for Community and Economic Researchs Cost of Living report. Income inequality is low in the state, though the racial disparity in homeownership is more prevalent in Wisconsin than in most other states. Minnesota Best State vs. 2. The United States ranks 20th in the world for quality of life metrics, outperforming most countries. Alabama has some of the lowest gas prices in the nation, according to AAA. The air is clear in The Cornhusker State among the cleanest in the nation. Best states to live in 2022, per WalletHub: Massachusetts, Kohler received an A-plus for public schools and A grades for housing, jobs, and nightlife that includes various bars and restaurants not far from the Lake Michigan shoreline. Total score: 63.01. Professor Katrin B. Anacker at George Mason University has some advice. New Jerseys got a grip on wonderful beaches, diverse culture, scenic highways and lots of great food. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the state added over 500,000 jobs in 2021, a 6% increase overall, and ranks second in the nation for population growth. According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, this is one of only five states to bar discrimination based on pregnancy and childbirth. Measuring these metrics across large populations helps researchers and policymakers understand how well programs and governments serve their residents. SpaceX's powerful Falcon Heavy rocket will launch for the sixth time ever Thursday (April 27), and you can watch the action live. The median home value is $1.38 million, and the median household income is $193,417. Fargo, North Dakota. Stephen F. Austin photo. Plus, half the respondents in the latest survey of the CNBC Global CFO Council agreed that it is important to do business in a state where the laws are as open and inclusive as possible. Housing costs in Georgia are incredibly affordable and, on average, 24% lower than the national average. These markets are in less densely populated states that tend to have more vacancies and cheaper rent prices, although they don't always have the highest rankings for quality of life. Utah ranks 3rd best state in the nation according to the U.S. & World News report, mainly due to the economy and lifestyle habits of its populace. West Virginia, which ranked as the No. Follow us on Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, YouTube, TikTok, and Snapchat. Population: 1,365 Location: Suburb of Seattle. Barron's rated Idaho number one state in the nation for creditworthiness. That is why CNBC's annual America's Top States for Business study has always measured quality of life, and why it is especially important in this year's methodology. 46 New Mexico, No. Few states make it easier to exercise your right to vote than Vermont does. Are you a city person or someone who doesnt want a neighbor within10 miles? The median home value is $664,600, and the median household income is $203,455. The median home value is $2 million, and the median household income is $250,001. Norwichs lowest grade is a C for weather. All Rights Reserved. Princeton Junction received A-plus grades for public schools and health and fitness offerings and A grades for housing and outdoor activities. Higher education, however, is expensive, and the state's poverty gap is one of the widest in the country. Maine isn't just a safe New Hampshire has the lowest percentage of people living in poverty, while Mississippi has the highest. 4. Below are the five cheapest states to live in 2022, according to the study: Its important to note, again, that a variety of factors go into creating the least expensive states to live in. Data is a real-time snapshot *Data is delayed at least 15 minutes. This new report has compared the 50 states across 76 metrics distributed in 8 key relevant categories: Affordability, Crime & Safety, Economy, Education, Healthcare, Is your state in the middle of the pack? Virginia is the only new addition to the top five, bumping Minnesota off the list. It did not receive lower than a B-minus in any category. Ten percent of Wisconsin residents are at or below the poverty rate, which is lower than the national average of 12%. Valdez-Cordova Borough is home to the city of Valdez, Alaska, whose port is the northernmost in the United States that is free of ice throughout the year. Utah's 2.1% unemployment rate is the lowest in the nation, tying with Nebraska. Horses running in field near Valentine, Nebraska. How Construction Tax Subsidies For Amazon Increase Employment (Hint, Not Much), The Wealthy And Powerful Regularly Gamble With The Existence Of Humankind, Graduate School Debt Trap: Rising Costs And Soaring Student Loans Harm Borrowers, How Elite College Athletes Can Learn The Basics Of Money Management Before Scoring Big, Our National Problem Of Inequality Is More The Terror Of Precarity, This Week In Credit Card News: Apples Big Banking Push; Inflation Causing Major Financial Anxiety. Wyoming has no personal or corporate income tax, leaving residents with more disposable income. Hover over each state to learn more about its ranking. Indiana's housing market is not very competitive. Virginia is the seventh-best state in the U.S. & World News ranking, a significant improvement from 2018 when the state was ranked 20th. This is how we calculate each citys LivScore. 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Interesting takeaways from this study: Maine has the fewest violent crimes per capita, while Alaska has the most. The median home value is $351,300, and the median household income is $135,500. Jenny Goff, right, reaches out to a child at Central Park Child Care Center in Vancouver, Washington. The state's unemployment rate sits at 4.1%, slightly better than the national average. Scottsdale, Arizona. Paying less at the pump is partly due to Alabama's proximity to oil refineries. Wisconsin has a conservative fiscal policy and experienced the lowest state and local tax burden in 50 years in 2022, according to a report by the Wisconsin Policy Forum. Population: 1,981 Location: Suburb of Philadelphia. Maine. Kensington received A-plus grades for public schools, crime and safety, and health and fitness, plus an A for outdoor activities. Many places listed here are near major cities with more job opportunities, so parents can commute to work if necessary. Boulder, Colorado 5. Families should be prepared for D-plus inclement weather for at least part of the year in South Russell. The legendary Mayo Clinic is based in Rochester, but that is just one component of one of the best health care environments in the country. Best States is an interactive platform developed by U.S. News for ranking the 50 U.S. states, alongside news analysis and daily reporting. Oklahoma's utility costs are 9% less than the national average. The Falcon Heavy is scheduled to lift off from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 7:29 p.m. EDT (2329 GMT), carrying two satellites toward distant geostationary orbit. - Median home value: $222,200 (75% own) - Median rent: $1,067 (25% rent) - Median household income: $79,867. The state has the country's lowest corporate income tax rate, according to the nonprofit Tax Foundation. Workers in South Dakota love their commute, which is only an average of 17 minutes, as compared to New York, where drivers spend 34 minutes getting to work. Nebraska has among the most stringent non-smoking regulations and some of the best air quality ratings in the nation. Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Massachusetts leads the country in education. That is one of the best ratios in the country. But living in New Orleans costs as much as 20% more than anywhere else in the state. The top 10 states to live in and their grades are listed The median home value is $284,000, and the median household income is $111,563. Days Above 90 Degrees: 84. Mississippi has the lowest cost of living in the nation, with housing costs 32% lower than the national average. On average, Louisiana housing costs are 13% lower than the national average, according to the Council for Community and Economic Research. No, but Iowa is a good place for health care. It has the highest number of high-ranking unis and offers the best graduate salary in all the states. Exciting things are happening in Ann Arbor, MI. However, programs and policies make for vastly different qualities of life across states. WebHere are the ten most conservative cities in the United States: Mesa, Arizona; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Virginia Beach, VA; Colorado Springs, Colorado; Jacksonville, Florida; Arlington, Texas; Anaheim, Caliofrnia; Omaha, Nebraska; Tulsa, Oklahoma; and Aurora, Colorado. Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. New Hampshire leads the nation in crime and corrections. as well as image rights, data visualizations, forward planning tools, Surgeons perform a liver transplant procedure at The Mayo Clinic. A quarter of the roads are in poor condition, and nine percent of its bridges are structurally deficient. The state is one of the nation's top natural gas and crude oil producers, according to the Energy Information Administration. Its lowest grade is a C-plus for nightlife. Families will appreciate Cape Elizabeths public schools, which received an A-plus, and outdoor activities along the Atlantic coast, which received an A. Cape Elizabeths lowest grades, a C-plus, were for cost of living, diversity, and weather. The capital city with a small-town feel ranks highly for its outdoor activities and nightlife. The state also has a low poverty level, with 9.8% of residents falling at or below the poverty line. Median U.S. rent prices increased by about $300 in the last year, for a total of $2,016 as of June 2022, according to data provided by Redfin, a real estate brokerage company. These 100 cities are welcoming, affordable and offer the space and opportunity to grow, both professionally and personally. Its lowest grade is a C-plus for weather. 3 in licensed childcare facilities per capita. That includes locating in states that are welcoming, inclusive, and offer a great quality of life. And voting begins 45 days before election day, one of the longest early voting periods in the nation, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Economy: Indicators include the state unemployment rate, poverty rate and wealth gap, among others. The state has one of the highest levels of renewable energy use. We found that some states don't make the grade. Wisconsin 11. Arkansas' transportation costs are 9% lower than the national average and about two-fifths of the U.S. population lives within 550 miles of the state's borders, according to the Arkansas Economic Development Commission. The increasing pressure of inflation on the American economy, and household, is making cost of living an even greater issue than it had already been. Head here to read about the worst states to live in in 2022.. 20th in the world for quality of life metrics, second in the nation for population growth, nation's best scores on the National Assessment of Education Progress, nine percent of its bridges are structurally deficient, 9.8% of residents falling at or below the poverty line, 422 out of 100,000 individuals imprisoned, 21% of its energy comes from renewable sources, High-speed internet access is also widely available, number one state in the nation for creditworthiness, rate of property crime in the United States is twice that of New Hampshire, highest rates of renewable energy consumption, lowest levels of smoking and excessive alcohol consumption, nine percent of residents living at or below the poverty line, Wallethub ranks Minnesota the fourth-best state to raise a family, America's Health Rankings - Annual Report, Idaho has the Highest State GDP Increases in the Nation, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Census Report, Clean, Cool Water, Which USA States Have the Worst Water Quality, What American Can Learn from Florida's Boom, Energy Information Administration, Washington, Energy Information Administration, State of Idaho Projecting Anther Record Budget Surplus, Energy Information Administration, Infrastructure Report Card, State Profiles, National Institute of Corrections, 2019 National Averages.