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U.S. News and World Report released its Best States 2024 ranking. Here’s where NH ranks.

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U.S. News and World Report released its Best States 2024 ranking and New Hampshire residents should feel pretty good about where they live.

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%.

New Hampshire ranks No. 2

Just one spot away from being ranked the best state in the country, New Hampshire has a lot to be proud of. Here’s a more detailed look at the rankings, including the categories within the categories.

  • Crime & Correction: No. 1, ranked as the best in the country for both corrections outcomes and public safety, New Hampshire has a lower than national average for its incarceration rate, juvenile incarceration rate and violent crime rate.
  • Economy: No. 7, with a ranking within the category of No. 10 for both business environment and employment and No. 11 for growth.
  • Education: No. 9, with a ranking within the category of No. 33 for higher education and No. 4 for Pre-K through high school.
  • Fiscal Stability: No. 38, with a ranking within the category of No. 35 for long-term stability and No. 40 for short-term stability.
  • Health Care: No. 13, with a ranking within the category of No. 6 for heath care access, No. 14 for public health, and No. 30 for health care quality.
  • Infrastructure: No. 22, with a ranking within the category of No. 1 for internet access, No. 40 for energy and No. 42 for transportation, with 16% of roads in poor condition compared to the national average of 18.3%.
  • Natural Environment: No. 8, with a ranking within the category of No. 2 for pollution and No. 27 for air and water quality.
  • Opportunity: No. 10, with a ranking within the category of No. 1 for economic opportunity, No. 4 for equality and No. 44 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.

  1. Utah
  2. New Hampshire
  3. Nebraska
  4. Minnesota
  5. Idaho
  6. Iowa
  7. Vermont
  8. Washington
  9. Florida
  10. Massachusetts

The 10 worst states in 2024

These states ranked as the bottom 10 in the nation, according to U.S. News.

  1. Lousiana
  2. New Mexico
  3. Mississippi
  4. Arkansas
  5. West Virginia
  6. Alaska
  7. Alabama
  8. Oklahoma
  9. Michigan
  10. South Carolina
  11. Pennsylvania
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