MA Ranked Among Top States In U.S., New Analysis Says

MASSACHUSETTS — A new ranking from U.S. News & World Report ranks Massachusetts as the 10th best overall in terms of meeting the needs of its citizens.

The rankings, released Tuesday, measure how well states serve residents across 70 metrics in eight categories: the economy, fiscal stability, education, health care, infrastructure, natural environment, opportunity, and crime and corrections.

The weighting of the categories was based on a survey of what matters most to people, with health care and education weighted the most heavily.

Here's where Massachusetts ranked in the categories:

Health care, No. 2
Education, No. 3
Economy, No. 8
Fiscal stability, No. 39
Infrastructure, No. 39
Natural environment, No. 7
Crime and corrections, No. 4
Opportunity, No. 45

Massachusetts boasts world-class hospitals, schools, a combination of urban, rural and coastline activities and relatively low crime despite a high cost of living and deteriorating roads and public transportation systems.

The 10 best states, according to the sixth annual edition of the ranking, are:

Utah
New Hampshire
Nebraska
Minnesota
Idaho
Iowa
Vermont
Washington
Florida
Massachusetts

The lowest-ranked state is Louisiana. Other states that are ranked among the bottom include New Mexico, Mississippi, Arkansas, West Virginia, Alaska, Alabama and Oklahoma.

Read more about the Best States methodology.

See Also:

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