The Best State in America is Utah, Says 2025 Best States Rankings
For the third year in a row, the Beehive State is No. 1 in rankings that measure health care, education, economy and more.
WASHINGTON, May 6, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — U.S. News & World Report, the global authority in rankings and civic journalism, today announced the 2025 Best States rankings. The 2025 rankings evaluated all 50 states to capture how they best serve their citizens across a range of categories, including health care, education, economy, infrastructure, opportunity, fiscal stability, crime & corrections, and natural environment. For the third consecutive year, Utah earned top recognition as the No. 1 state in the country.'Utah's third straight No. 1 ranking is a reflection of the incredible people who make this state what it is,' said Utah Gov. Spencer Cox. 'It's not just our economy or our beautiful outdoors – it's the hardworking, service-minded people who continue to make Utah the best place to live, work and raise a family. I'm grateful every day to stand with Utahns as we keep strengthening the state we love.'
Key findings in the 2025 Best States rankings:
Utah, No. 1 overall, landed in the top 20 across seven of the eight categories. However, it underperforms in the environment category (where it ranks No. 48).
New Jersey secured top placement for education overall, while Florida dominates higher ed. New Jersey, the No. 1 state overall in the education category, ranks in the top 5 for all pre-K-12 metrics, including preschool enrollment, standardized test scores and high school graduation rate. Florida, which came in at No. 2 overall for education, is top-ranked in the higher education subcategory because of its low costs for college tuition and fees, and its impressive graduation rates for two- and four-year programs.
Western states generally perform much better in higher education than in pre-K-12. Washington, California, Idaho and Nevada, for example, rank in the top 15 in the higher education subcategory, but all four rank significantly lower in the pre-K-12 education subcategory.
Hawaii leads the way in health care. At No. 1 overall in this category, Hawaii is also ranked No. 1 in the subcategory of health care quality, No. 4 in the subcategory of health care access and No. 6 in the subcategory of public health, due to its high scoring on metrics like health care affordability, mental health and low mortality rate.
'Amidst economic uncertainty, geopolitical tensions and evolving trade policies, the 2025 Best States rankings offer a critical benchmark for business leaders, investors and policymakers to assess economic competitiveness, workforce strength, infrastructure quality and long-term growth potential across all 50 states in the United States,' said U.S. News Executive Chairman & CEO Eric Gertler. 'The 2025 Best State rankings provide a comprehensive, data-driven picture of how each state serves its residents – and thereby helping business leaders decide where to invest their capital, help residents decide where to live and help policymakers understand the best policies to drive improvements in their states.'
In its seventh edition, the Best States rankings draw upon 71 metrics and thousands of data points to measure how well U.S. states are performing for their citizens. In addition to health care and education, the metrics take into account a state's economic growth; its roads, bridges, internet access and other infrastructure; its public safety record; the fiscal stability of state government; and the opportunity it affords its residents. More weight was accorded to some metric categories than others, based on surveys of what matters most to residents. 2025 Best States Rankings
*See the full rankings here.
Overall – Top 101. Utah2. New Hampshire 3. Idaho4. Minnesota5. Nebraska6. Florida 7. Vermont 8. South Dakota 9. Massachusetts 10. Washington Health Care1. Hawaii2. Massachusetts 3. Connecticut Education1. New Jersey 2. Florida 3. ColoradoEconomy1. Florida 2. Texas 3. Utah Infrastructure 1. Nebraska 2. South Dakota 3. Utah Opportunity1. Vermont 2. Iowa 3. Maine Fiscal Stability 1. Utah 2. Delaware3. New YorkCrime & Corrections1. New Hampshire 2. Maine 3. Hawaii Natural Environment1. Hawaii2. Maryland 3. Massachusetts
The 2025 Best States rankings are unpacked in data-driven stories, including a look at why Utah is America's Best State and the social and political factors that could be driving its success, as well as a dive into rankings-related survey results that show Americans remain concerned about their cost of living and consider vaccines an important tool for public health. Readers can also take a U.S. News quiz to find out which is the best state for them.
The Best States rankings are the centerpiece of the U.S. News Best States portal, a platform combining analysis, daily reporting, historical information and photography on state issues. Best States is part of U.S. News' civic journalism portfolio, which includes the Best Countries report and the Healthiest Communities project.To view the full rankings and search state profiles, visit www.usnews.com/states. For more information on Best States, follow coverage on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and X (formerly Twitter) using #BestStates.U.S. News Media Contact: Kate Haas, khaas@usnews.com, 202-955-2120 About U.S. News & World ReportU.S. News & World Report is the global leader for journalism that empowers consumers, citizens, business leaders and policy officials to make confident decisions in all aspects of their lives and communities. A multifaceted media company, U.S. News provides unbiased rankings, independent reporting and analysis, and consumer advice to millions of people on USNews.com each month. A pillar in Washington for more than 90 years, U.S. News is the trusted home for in-depth and exclusive insights on education, health, politics, the economy, personal finance, travel, automobiles, real estate, careers and consumer products and services.
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