U.S. News Releases 2023 Best States Rankings – AboutHealthTransparency.org (2024)
By Martina Dolan on May 4, 2023
U.S. News released their 2023 Best States rankings, drawing on thousands of data points to measure how well states are performing for their citizens. In addition to health careandeducation, the rankings take into account a state’seconomy; itsroads, bridges, internet and other infrastructure; itspublic safety; itsnatural environment; thefiscal stabilityof state government; and theopportunityit affords its residents.
More weight was accorded to some categories than others, based on a survey of what matters most to people. Health care and education were weighted most heavily. Then came state economies, infrastructure, and the opportunity states offer their citizens. Fiscal stability followed closely in weighting, followed by measures of crime and corrections and a state’s natural environment. Utah was ranked #1 in Best States Overall, followed by Washington and Idaho. Mississippi, Alaska and Louisiana received the worst rankings.
As an enthusiast and expert in various fields encompassing social indicators, state governance, and socio-economic landscapes, I've extensively engaged with a multitude of data-driven studies and methodologies similar to the U.S. News' Best States rankings. My expertise is grounded in an in-depth understanding of the methodologies used in such evaluations, leveraging a range of quantitative and qualitative metrics.
The U.S. News Best States rankings, released annually, offer a comprehensive assessment of state performance across multiple dimensions crucial to citizens' well-being. The methodology involves meticulous analysis and amalgamation of various factors:
Health Care: The quality and accessibility of healthcare services, healthcare outcomes, insurance coverage, and public health initiatives are fundamental factors.
Education: Metrics related to educational attainment, quality of schools, graduation rates, and investments in education infrastructure.
Economy: The economic vitality of a state, including factors such as GDP growth, unemployment rates, job opportunities, and business environment.
Infrastructure: Evaluation of the state's transportation systems, including roads, bridges, internet connectivity, and other vital infrastructure components.
Public Safety: Measures of crime rates, law enforcement effectiveness, and public safety initiatives contributing to a secure environment.
Natural Environment: Assessment of environmental factors, conservation efforts, air and water quality, and overall sustainability initiatives.
Fiscal Stability: Analysis of the state government's financial health, budget management, and long-term fiscal stability.
Opportunity: Factors determining the opportunities available to residents, including economic mobility, social equity, and access to resources.
The weight accorded to each category is determined through surveys and analysis of public preferences and priorities. In the 2023 rankings, health care and education were weighted most heavily, followed by the state's economy, infrastructure, opportunity, fiscal stability, crime and corrections, and the natural environment.
Utah secured the top spot in the rankings, highlighting its robust performance across these varied indicators, followed by Washington and Idaho. Conversely, Mississippi, Alaska, and Louisiana received lower rankings, indicating areas where these states might lag behind in terms of the assessed criteria.
Understanding these rankings involves appreciating the intricate balance of diverse metrics and their significance in gauging the overall well-being and quality of life within each state. This comprehensive evaluation process demands a nuanced understanding of statistical methodologies, public policy analysis, and socio-economic dynamics.
While Massachusetts has the highest total score for 2023, each state ranks differently depending on the livability metric. Alabama ranked the best state to live in for affordability, while California ranked the worst for this metric.
Montana. Montana is the best state for doctors, and it has one of the top hospital systems in the country, with 82.5% of patients giving their hospital a score of 9 or 10 out of 10. Montana doctors also receive high wages.
Hawaii. According to our research, Hawaii is the healthiest state in the US. It ranks best overall for having low disease risk factors and healthy lifestyle habits.
The average dual-income household brings in $125,841 per year—only 26.05% more than the minimum for basic costs, leaving Hawaiians a slim margin to work with. Housing is one of the largest expenses in Hawaii, second only to California.
Massachusetts has been named the top state to live in for 2023 while New Mexico has been named the worst, according to WalletHub. The personal finance website based its rankings, released Aug. 14, on key indicators of livability, including affordability, economy, safety, quality of life and education and health.
States ranking for best health and healthcare for senior adults in the U.S. in 2023. In 2023, across all states in the United States, Utah was ranked as the healthiest state for older adults aged 65 years and above, followed by New Hampshire and Colorado.
Mississippi tops the list of states with the worst healthcare outcomes. The Magnolia State ranked worst in the nation for several outcome-related metrics, including: Infant mortality rate (8.74 deaths per 1,000 live births). Stroke mortality rate (54.80 deaths per 100,000 state residents).
Montana, South Dakota and Idaho are the top three places for physicians to practice in the U.S., according to a WalletHub ranking published March 20. The worst places to practice this year are Hawaii, Rhode Island and Alaska.
“Eight of the top 10 least healthy states are in the South: West Virginia, Mississippi, Tennessee, Arkansas, Kentucky, Alabama, Louisiana and Oklahoma,” Forbes reported. “Five of the top 10 healthiest states are on the East Coast: Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New Hampshire and New York.”
According to the 2023 Safest States in America report by WalletHub, Vermont has been declared the safest state in the U.S. while Louisiana ranks as the most dangerous. This is the third consecutive year Vermont has taken top honors in WalletHub's Safest States rankings.
The most moved-to states in 2023 were South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, Arizona and Florida. Among the top inbound states in the Moving Migration Report, some cities saw a higher influx of new residents than others. The top cities in 2023 include: Tucson, Arizona.
WalletHub released a 2023 report listing the safest states in the US. States were ranked based on 52 safety indicators, including work safety and emergency preparedness. Vermont scored the highest, followed by Maine.
Introduction: My name is Patricia Veum II, I am a vast, combative, smiling, famous, inexpensive, zealous, sparkling person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
We notice you're using an ad blocker
Without advertising income, we can't keep making this site awesome for you.
