2019 Best States in America

And this is how the other 49 rank
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By Audacy

The internet loves a good ranking. How else would we know the best singer in history? Or the best cheesesteak? Or the best airport? If there is more than one of a thing, there must be a ranking of that thing. And US News and World Report is out with its latest national ranking—the very straightforward Best States in America. With no further ado, the best state in America is the great state of…Washington.

The magazine assembled its rankings based on eight criteria: health care, education, the economy, infrastructure, opportunity (things like access to affordable housing), fiscal stability, crime and the natural environment. Washington ranked in the top five in half of the categories as did runner-up New Hampshire, a feat no other state managed.

US News said that, based on survey results of what people found most important, it gave some criteria, specifically education and healthcare, more weight than others. But Washington jumped up from its number six ranking in 2018 thanks to the green energy currently driving its economy. Washington governor and presidential candidate Jay Inslee told US News “Washington state is an example of how climate action and a strong economy go hand in hand.”

The full top 10 came from all regions of the country, check them out below.

1. Washington
2. New Hampshire
3. Minnesota
4. Utah
5. Vermont
6. Maryland
7. Virginia
8. Massachusetts
9. Nebraska
10. Colorado

Of course there is the other end of the list as well, but we don’t need to drop names here. If you want to see who US News slotted in at the bottom end of the rankings, you can go look at the full list.