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March 9, 2021
Washington is the Best State in the U.S., Says 2021 Best States Rankings
• Americans divided on whether their state is handling the COVID-19 pandemic well, a U.S. News survey found.
Photo: Seattle, Washington State, USA. Image Credit: Ron Clausen.
WASHINGTON DC, March 9, 2021 — Washington State is the Best State in the country, according to the 2021 U.S. News Best States rankings. U.S. News & World Report, a global authority in rankings and civic journalism, evaluated all 50 states across various categories to capture how they best serve their citizens. Washington is among the top 10 states in the infrastructure, education, economy, fiscal stability, and health care categories.
“I am so happy for the people of Washington to take home this honor for the second time in three years because it takes all 7.6 million of us to make this state the dynamic place it truly is,” said Washington Gov. Jay Inslee. “Washingtonians are motivated to lead and innovate in all aspects of our society, in labor, business, education, health, and so much more. It was that same spirit that helped us bounce back from being the first state in the nation hit by COVID-19, and we are on our way to a robust recovery because of our unique attributes.”
Key Findings in the 2021 Best States Rankings:
For the second edition in a row, Washington is the No. 1 state in the country. Washington’s low-carbon energy system and robust secondary education continue to rank among the nation’s best, as does the state’s economy, the fastest growing in the country. Following the Evergreen State in the overall rankings is Minnesota at No. 2 and Utah at No. 3.
Hawaii leads the way in health care. At No. 1 overall in this category, the Aloha State also ranked No. 1 in health care quality, No. 1 in health care access, and No. 6 in public health. It also takes the top spot in several health care metrics, including child wellness visits, health care affordability, and preventable admissions.
The best states for public safety and corrections are in the Northeast. New Hampshire is the top state for crime and corrections, followed by Maine, Vermont, Massachusetts, and New Jersey to round out the top five.
Utah is the best state for the economy, with Colorado coming in at No. 2 and Idaho at No. 3. All three states are experiencing growth in different ways: Utah sees an increase in its young population (ages 25-29), Colorado’s employment rate has risen, and Idaho’s overall population is expanding.
Americans are divided on their state government’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. In a national survey conducted by U.S. News, 44.15% of respondents agreed that their state handled it well, 40.47% disagreed, and 15.38% were neutral.
Other top performers: New Jersey is No. 1 for education, Nevada is No. 1 for infrastructure, Alaska is No. 1 for fiscal stability, Iowa is No. 1 for opportunity, and Hawaii is No. 1 for the natural environment.
“The COVID-19 pandemic and evolving social climate of the past year have made a host of critical issues top of mind for Americans. The issues include access to adequate health care and quality education to economic stability and public safety,” says Kim Castro, editor and chief content officer at U.S. News. “The 2021 Best States report combines data-driven journalism and rankings to help citizens, business leaders, and policymakers see where states stack up on key benchmarks - so that states can learn from each other and target areas for improvement.”
The Best States rankings are the centerpiece of the U.S. News Best States portal, a platform combining analysis, daily reporting, historical information, and photos on state issues. The interactive Data Explorer tool allows citizens and government leaders to draw comparisons between their states and others through more than 100,000 charts. Best States is part of U.S. News’s expanding civic journalism portfolio, including the Best Countries report, Healthiest Communities project, and Cities initiative, the company elaborated.
2021 Best States Rankings
Overall - Top 25
- Washington
- Minnesota
- Utah
- New Hampshire
- Idaho
- Nebraska
- Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Massachusetts
- Florida
- Vermont
- Iowa
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- South Dakota
- Colorado
- Maryland
- Georgia
- New Jersey
- Connecticut
- New York
- Oregon
- Delaware
- California
- Hawaii
Crime & Corrections
- New Hampshire
- Maine
- Vermont
Economy
- Utah
- Colorado
- Idaho
Education
- New Jersey
- Massachusetts
- Florida
Environment
- Hawaii
- New Hampshire
- South Dakota
Fiscal Stability
- Alaska
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
Health Care
- Hawaii
- Massachusetts
- Connecticut
Infrastructure
- Nevada
- Oregon
- Washington
Opportunity
- Iowa
- Minnesota
- New Hampshire
U.S. News & World Report is a global leader in quality rankings that help people make better, more informed decisions about important issues affecting their lives. A digital news and information company focused on Education, Health, Money, Travel, Cars, and News, USNews.com provides consumer advice, rankings, and analysis to serve people making complex decisions. Founded in 1933, U.S. News has its headquarters in Washington, D.C.
Source: U.S. News & World Report
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Edited & Posted by the Editor | 5:27 AM | Link to this Post
