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U.S. News and World Report released its Best States 2024 ranking and Vermont residents should feel pretty good about living in the Green Mountain State.
And not just because of the mountains.
The rankings rate the quality of life in every state, with a scorecard that ranks each state on crime & corrections, economy, education, fiscal stability, health care, infrastructure, natural environment, and opportunity looking at three years of data. A total of 71 metrics are used, according to U.S. News.
Those factors are then weighted going into the final scoring. Health care and education, for example, account for about 15% of the total score while natural environment accounts for 9%.
Vermont ranks No. 7
Placing in the top ten, Vermont is one of the best states in the country to live in. Vermont topped the nation as the best place to live for opportunity, and within the categories it was ranked as the best in nation for transportation, low pollution and equality.
Here’s a more detailed look at the rankings, including the categories within the categories.
- Crime & Correction: No. 3, with a ranking within the category of No. 3 for corrections outcomes and No. 13 for public safety. Vermont also has a lower than national average for its incarceration rate, juvenile incarceration rate and violent crime rate.
- Economy: No. 20, with a ranking within the category of No. 29 for business environment, No. 5 for employment and No. 31 for growth.
- Education: No. 24, with a ranking within the category of No. 34 for higher education and No. 11 for Pre-K through high school.
- Fiscal Stability: No. 35, with a ranking within the category of No. 37 for long-term stability and No. 29 for short-term stability.
- Health Care: No. 17, with a ranking within the category of No. 5 for heath care access, No. 10 for public health, and No. 43 for health care quality.
- Infrastructure: No. 11, with a ranking within the category of No. 1 for transportation, with 8.5% of roads in poor condition compared to the national average of 18.3% and No. 26 for internet access and No. 39 for energy.
- Natural Environment: No. 10, with a ranking within the category of No. 1 for pollution and No. 30 for air and water quality.
- Opportunity: No. 1, with a ranking within the category of No. 1 for equality, No. 10 for economic opportunity and No. 32 for affordability.
How did the other New England states rank?
The 10 best states 2024
These states ranked as the top 10 in the nation, according to U.S. News.
- Utah
- New Hampshire
- Nebraska
- Minnesota
- Idaho
- Iowa
- Vermont
- Washington
- Florida
- Massachusetts
The 10 worst states in 2024
These states ranked as the bottom 10 in the nation, according to U.S. News.
- Lousiana
- New Mexico
- Mississippi
- Arkansas
- West Virginia
- Alaska
- Alabama
- Oklahoma
- Michigan
- South Carolina
- Pennsylvania
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