Massachusetts Ranked As Best State

U.S. News & World Report ranked the nation’s 50 states, based on factors such as healthcare, education, government, infrastructure, and economy. Massachusetts fared well in every category and was named the overall winner.

Realtor.com reports the the state has a variety of housing options, from classic Colonial homes to newer houses in subdivisions, at a range of price points. Boston offers city living, while towns in the western part of the state are more rural.

New Hampshire, Minnesota, North Dakota, and Washington rounded out the top five in the state rankings. Submarined by high crime rates and low opportunity, Louisiana ranked 50th, with Mississippi, Arkansas, Alabama, and New Mexico joining the bottom five.

“The Deep South states don’t do as well in education and health care. That really trips them up,” says Tim Smart, executive editor of U.S. News & World Report. Those categories were weighted slightly higher than the others. “Massachusetts was the No. 1 state, because it did very well in health care quality and health care access and higher education plus K-12.”

Read more: Realtor.com and U.S. News & World Report