The U.S. News & World Report has released the 2024 Best States ranking in America, with Washington dropping from 2nd place last year to 8th place this year.
The Best States ranking in America is assessed based on 8 different categories and 71 indicators for each state. The 8 major categories include healthcare, education, natural environment, opportunity, economy, crime and corrections, infrastructure, and fiscal stability.
In these 8 categories, Washington ranks highest in infrastructure, coming in at 7th place; 4th in renewable energy usage; 7th in internet access, but dropped to 26th place in road and bridge quality. Washington’s weakest aspect is crime and corrections, ranking 39th in the country. In the public safety sector, Washington is one of the bottom 5 states in America.
The Best State in America is Utah, with 7 rankings in the top 20 across the 8 statistical categories. Utah also held the top spot in America in 2023. New Hampshire and Nebraska follow as the second and third best states.
Analysis suggests that Washington’s drop by 6 spots in just one year may be connected to the state’s performance in governing crime and corrections.
The three lowest-ranked states in America are Alabama, Oklahoma, and Michigan, in that order.