As millions of Americans relocate each year, a new WalletHub analysis examines the best and worst places to live throughout the country.
WalletHub’s analysis examined 50 states on hundreds of livability characteristics, including housing costs, wage growth, education rates, and medical systems. Following their findings, they rated and ranked each state.
Overall, WalletHub determined that Louisiana was the worst state to reside in the US. Louisiana had the lowest average score of any state in the research, with the worst economic ranking and the third-worst education and health rankings.
Not far behind came New Mexico, which had the second-worst safety ranking, followed by Arkansas, which ranked 47th for quality of life and 46th in safety.
Despite being the eighth most affordable state, Arkansas was ranked as the third worst place to live owing to its economy (45th) and education and health (42nd).
When looking for a place to reside, WalletHub analyst Cassandra Happe recommends taking into account the cost of living, property prices, and career options.
Happe continued, “Many states have strong economies, so you should also examine a wide range of other aspects, such as how where you reside will affect your health and safety, as well as whether you will have appropriate access to activities that you enjoy. If you have children, a strong educational system is also important.”
On the opposite end of the spectrum, the survey named Massachusetts the best location to live in the United States, owing in part to the state’s education and health (which placed first in the US) and quality of life (which ranked sixth).
Other states in the top five included Florida, New Jersey, Utah, and New Hampshire.
Despite being one of the most expensive states to live in, Florida’s quality of life and safety rating propelled it to second place on the list.
New Jersey was ranked third as the safest state in the country. This is most likely because it has the most law enforcement officers per population.
What To Do If You Want To Move To A New State
If you’re considering packing your belongings and relocating to a new state in the United States, there are a few things to think about before making such a significant life shift.
According to Rocket Mortgage, the first essential step is to set up a moving timeline. There are many moving pieces when transferring to a new place, so try to set a moving date for yourself so that you can plan accordingly.
The following step may be the most important: research the place you wish to relocate to. What is the cost of living? What do the school districts look like? Is the place safe?
Once that’s done, begin budgeting and saving according to your comfort level. Consider moving fees such as hiring a moving company, travel, truck rentals, and everything else you may require for your relocation.
