Finding the right place isn't always easy, but data can make it a whole lot simpler. Each year, US News & World Report ranks all 50 states based on factors including their economy, education, healthcare, infrastructure, crime, and their natural environment. Researchers considered 71 different metrics to rank the best state to live in.
In 2025, most of the best states to live in were in the Midwest and New England. Utah took the top spot for the third year in a row, with New Hampshire close behind at number two for the second straight year. Idaho moved up to third from its 2024 position, while Minnesota held steady at fourth. South Dakota was the only new addition to the top 10.
Despite the South's booming economy and long-standing reputation for affordability and job growth, Florida was the only southern state to make the list. This may signal a broader shift in the region's appeal, as market forces, as well as political and social shifts, continue to reshape the cost of living, school systems, and culture of the South.
Read on for more about the 10 best states to live in the US, according to US News & World Report. While each state has strengths and areas to improve, many offer good schools and hospitals, strong public safety, and plenty of ways to enjoy the outdoors.
The population data is from the US Census.
10. WashingtonSeattle, Washington.
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Population: 7,958,180
Known for: Economic opportunities driven by Seattle's tech sector often draw new residents to Washington. The Pacific Northwest's ample landscapes and outdoor recreational activities are appealing, too.
Erin Sanchez said she found the best of both worlds in her Seattle suburb in a Business Insider essay published in December 2024.
"We live on a quiet street where the towns of Covington and Maple Valley meet, and suburban life blends with nature. We have ample space for a garden, and hiking and biking trails are minutes away," Sanchez wrote.
Ranked high for: Natural environment (7th out of 50 states)
Ranked less high for: Opportunity (40th out of 50 states)
9. MassachusettsThe Charles River in Boston.
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Population: 7,136,171
Known for: With major universities, world-class hospitals, and a bustling tech innovation sector concentrated in Boston, Massachusetts' economy is a major draw for residents.
In 2019, writer Jamie Evan Bichelman moved to Boston with his partner. He ultimately moved to the nearby suburb of Sudbury to save on housing. Boston's job opportunities were an important stepping stone.
"Despite the downsides we experienced, we have a lot to thank Boston for, too. We grew into adulthood and advanced our careers there," Bichelman wrote in a 2024 Business Insider essay.
Ranked high for: Healthcare (second out of 50 states)
Ranked less high for: Infrastructure (39th out of 50 states)
8. South DakotaDeadwood, South Dakota.
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Population: 924,669
Known for: Affordable, family-friendly towns with unspoiled access to nature are a major draw for residents of South Dakota.
Single mom Kseniya Melnikova moved to South Dakota from New York City with her daughter in 2023.
"Nature here is less curated and more accessible. Parks are protected as wild zones rather than meticulously manicured gardens, fostering a more symbiotic relationship with nature and wildlife," Melnikova wrote for Business Insider in an essay published in April of 2024.
Ranked high for: Infrastructure (second out of 50 states)
Ranked high for: Healthcare (46th out of 50 states)
7. VermontMontpelier, Vermont.
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Population: 648,493
Known for: Abundant space, small-town charm, and relatively affordable housing have attracted people to Vermont.
In 2024, Taylor and Tatum Barnes left their Brooklyn studio for a one-bedroom home on 2.6 acres in Hartford, Vermont, near Dartmouth College.
The millennial couple paid $160,000.
"Compared to New York City, the mortgage is half that of what we paid for rent," Tatum said.
Ranked high for: Opportunity (first out of 50 states)
Ranked less high for: Fiscal stability (41st out of 50 states)
6. FloridaTampa, Florida
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Population: 23,372,215
Known for: Living in a tropical, palm-treed paradise year-round is one reason Florida is one of the fastest-growing states in the US. Five of its metropolitan areas — including Orlando and Panama City — experienced some of the biggest population increases in the country last year.
Data analyst Allie Hubers and her husband moved from the Midwest to Destin, Florida. "We still can't believe we live 10 minutes from the ocean, let alone some of the best beaches in the US," she wrote in an essay for Business Insider published in April.
Ranked high for: Economy (first out of 50 states)
Ranked less high for: Opportunity (47th out of 50 states)
5. Nebraska
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Population: 2,005,465
Known for: While Pawnee, Nebraska, recently announced a program that pays people to move there, other parts of the Cornhusker State need no such incentives.
Native Nebraskan Bill MacKenzie told Business Insider in 2024 that he and his husband looked at retiring to California, Florida Texas, and Arizona, but couldn't find a place that fit their budget and tastes. They chose to spend part of the year in Nebraska and part in Mexico.
Ranked high for: Infrastructure (first out of 50 states)
Ranked less high for: Economy (29th out of 50 states)
4. MinnesotaMinneapolis, Minnesota.
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Population: 5,793,151
Known for: Being the "land of 10,000 lakes."
Amena Ahmed moved to Minneapolis from Ewing, New Jersey, in 2019 for college and stayed put after graduating. She found that she enjoyed hanging out at the lake more than at the beach.
"But I've grown to love these freshwater lakes way more than 'real' ocean beaches," she said in 2023. "The privacy and calm environment make the experience way more enjoyable than what I'm used to on the Jersey Shore, which feels less clean and more hectic."
Ranked high for: Opportunity (seventh out of 50 states)
Ranked less high for: Economy (28th out of 50 states)
3. IdahoBoise, Idaho.
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Population: 2,001,619
Known for: Idaho may be synonymous with potatoes to the uninitiated, but it has a lot more to offer. The state is climbing in favorability, up from the fifth spot on the 2024 list of best states to live in.
A family that moved from California to Idaho found it clean and quiet, with good school options for kids.
Ranked high for: Economy (fourth out of 50 states)
Ranked less high for: Education (29th out of 50 states)
2. New HampshireNashua, New Hampshire.
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Population: 1,409,032
Known for: The "Granite State" has picturesque landscapes and relatively little crime.
Business Insider contributor Kelly Burch moved to rural New Hampshire after living in a Boston suburb and has found it a better place to raise her children.
"Our small town has a very close community made up equally of people who grew up here and transplants like us," she wrote in 2024.
Ranked high for: Crime and corrections (first out of 50 states)
Ranked less high for: Fiscal stability (37th out of 50 states)
1. UtahSalt Lake City, Utah.
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Population: 3,503,613
Known for: Utah yet again took the number one spot as the best state to live, according to US News & World Report's rankings.
It has a range of places to live, from Salt Lake City, with a population of over 200,000, and more quaint towns like Midway, a popular ski destination.
A millennial mom who moved to Salt Lake City from San Diego said the costs of living and childcare were lower; she was drawn to Utah's natural beauty, safety, and family-friendliness.
Best at: Fiscal stability (first out of 50 states)