The best state to live in is a land of opportunity
New Report: These Are the Best States in America
Updated on May 13, 2025
If you love skiing, Florida might not seem all that awesome, and if you love surfing and sailing, the heartland states might feel lacking. And, of course, you might want to live close to your family or need to relocate for a job. What we’re saying is, “best” is relative, and the best state for you is going to be the one that meets your specific needs and wants.
But America is a land of superlatives, so naturally we want to know which state is ranked tops across the board, and U.S. News & World Report recently set out to crown the winner. Keep reading to find out how U.S. News grades the states and which state was named “best” in 2025.
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How did the study determine the best state to live in?
U.S. News & World Report assessed 71 metrics across eight categories to determine the best states in the country. The eight categories it considered are education, healthcare, economy, infrastructure, opportunity, fiscal stability, natural environment and crime and corrections.
U.S. News asked tens of thousands of people to prioritize the issues that matter to them, then the categories were assigned weights based on the average of three years of data.
As far as the data, in addition to data from surveys, U.S. News prioritized government data over other sources because of its reliability. Standardized data needed to be available in most states, and publicly available data was favored for its accessibility. Last, data for each measure had to be recent and have regularly scheduled updates.
Which state is the best to live in?
Utah is the best state to live in, and apparently, this isn’t a secret. The U.S. Census Bureau reports a 1.8% population growth in Utah in 2024, making it the fourth fastest-growing state after Texas, Florida and the District of Columbia.
Josh Mondale, a Salt Lake Valley realtor who grew up in the state, told us he was just on vacation, which was great, but he loves Utah so much that he says he was happy to come home. There’s a lot to be said for a state that affords you a lifestyle you don’t need a vacation from!
Why is Utah the best state to live in?
No place is perfect, but based on the U.S. News metrics, the Beehive State has a lot going for it. The beehive is a symbol of hard work and industry, and Utah’s efforts are paying off.
Let’s learn more about what makes Utah the best state to live in.
Infrastructure
Utah ranks No. 1 in infrastructure, meaning the condition of its roads and bridges, availability of high-speed internet and use of renewable energies. If you’ve ever been to Utah, you’ve probably been impressed by the grid structure of its downtown, at least once you understood it! But once you get it, you realize it’s hard to get lost. In addition to the super organized streets, Utah is remarkably clean and well-maintained, and it ranks No. 2 for transportation and No. 1 for internet access.
Mondale says if you’re looking for more affordable housing, you might consider moving to a newer area without all the infrastructure in place. “But trust us, it’s coming,” he says.
Fiscal stability
Utah ranks No. 1 in fiscal stability, which covers metrics like liquidity, credit rating and budget balancing, which means that the state’s ratio of total revenues to total expenses is healthy and stable.
“The state maintains low unemployment rates, with both business and job growth steadily increasing,” says Marlin Eldred, Lehi City Economic Development Director. “Migration and birth rates remain robust, contributing to the overall health of the economy.”
Economy
U.S. News looked at each state’s business environment, labor market and overall economic growth, and Utah came in No. 3. The cities of Salt Lake and Provo, plus their surrounding suburbs, have become known as the Silicon Slopes. The nickname is derived from Silicon Valley because this area of Utah has become a hub for tech companies.
Major companies including Adobe and Texas Instruments have established significant operations in Lehi, creating a dynamic job market and attracting talent from across the country.
Opportunity
There’s a lot of opportunity in Utah, particularly in the Silicon Slopes, which welcomes both established tech companies and start-ups.
“We will continue to see new business norms emerge through 2025,” says Eldred. “I envision our robust economy will continue to grow, creating more jobs and a demand for retail and housing.”
Education
Overall, Utah ranks No. 4 for education, which is impressive, with excellent reviews for Pre-K. “Most schools are above average,” Mondale says. “The teachers are paid well and are happy to be there.” While the average teacher salary is roughly $67,600 and lower than the national average, the cost of living is lower in Utah, so that salary goes further than in other states.
Healthcare
Utah does just OK when it comes to healthcare—ranking No. 10 overall—but a lot of that has to do with its lower ranking for healthcare access, at No. 35. With so much of the state being rural, many people don’t have convenient access to healthcare services.
That said, in the more populated parts of the state—primarily the I-15 corridor between Salt Lake City and Provo—healthcare is abundant and high-quality. Mondale commented that as urban areas sprawl, new hospitals are built to accommodate new communities and the population increase.
Natural environment
If you’ve been to Utah—say to ski in Park City or road trip through Zion National Park—and looked around, you might be surprised to learn that it ranked No. 48 for natural environment. However, two factors impacted its score—it got No. 28 for air and water quality and No. 48 for pollution. Part of what makes Utah so beautiful—the high peaks of the Wasatch Mountains and the open Salt Lake Valley—create an inversion, which traps polluted air in the valley.
Despite this, Utah is beautiful, from the snowy mountains and ski resorts in the north to the “Mighty Five” national parks—Zion, Arches, Bryce Canyon, Canyonlands and Capitol Reef—known for their stunning red-rock landscapes, natural arches and endless outdoor opportunities.
Crime and corrections
Utah ranks No. 7 for crime and corrections. “We have some rougher parts, but I feel safe everywhere,” Mondale says. That said, there’s some crime in Utah, and according to the Utah Foundation, while overall crime rates have been declining steadily for a few decades, violent crime is rising.
The Utah Foundation reports that hate crimes against lesbian, gay, bisexual or trans Utahns have also increased steadily and dramatically since 2019, and the number of overall arrests has gone from 27,276 in 2019 to 38,664 in 2023. Still, Utah has one of the lowest crime rates in the country, and only 10 states have a lower rate of violent crime.
What other states round out the top 10?
2. New Hampshire
3. Idaho
4. Minnesota
5. Nebraska
6. Florida
7. Vermont
8. South Dakota
9. Massachusetts
10. Washington
Which states ranked the lowest?
We don’t want to say any state is bad, but some have fewer opportunities, are less financially robust and have weaker education, healthcare and infrastructure. The 10 lowest-ranked states according to U.S. News are:
40. South Carolina
41. Pennsylvania
42. Oklahoma
43. Michigan
44. Arkansas
45. Alabama
46. West Virginia
47. New Mexico
48. Mississippi
49. Alaska
50. Louisiana
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Sources:
- U.S. News & World Report: “Best States Rankings”
- Utah Department of Government Operations: “Air Quality Challenges in Utah: Present Since the First Settlement”
- Utah Foundation: “Crime: 2024 Utah Priorities Project”
- Josh Mondale, realtor with The Stern Team in Salt Lake City; phone interview, May 2025
- Marlin Eldred, Economic Development Director, Lehi City; phone interview, May 2025
