Best States to Live in America 2026 - State Rankings | Ocity

	State
🥇#1	VAVirginia	103.7	9.3%	$81k	+2.5%	$375k	#24	🌤️ 65
🥈#2	UTUtah	101.5	8.6%	$76k	+4.5%	$485k	#11	🌤️ 72
🥉#3	NHNew Hampshire	106.5	6.5%	$83k	+1.8%	$445k	#9	❄️ 48
#4	MAMassachusetts	131.6	10.5%	$90k	+2.4%	$585k	#2	❄️ 50
#5	TXTexas	93.9	8%	$67k	+3.8%	$315k	#37	🌤️ 78
#6	MNMinnesota	99.1	10.2%	$78k	+2.1%	$325k	#5	❄️ 38
#7	SDSouth Dakota	96.9	6.4%	$64k	+2%	$285k	#20	❄️ 40
#8	COColorado	105.4	9.3%	$80k	+3.2%	$535k	#13	🌤️ 78
#9	NENebraska	92.5	10%	$67k	+1.8%	$255k	#12	❄️ 50
#10	FLFlorida	102.8	6.5%	$63k	+4.1%	$407k	#25	☀️ 88
#11	NJNew Jersey	115.2	13.2%	$89k	+2.2%	$495k	#6	❄️ 55
#12	MDMaryland	118.2	10.6%	$90k	+2.1%	$405k	#8	❄️ 58
#13	IDIdaho	96.8	8.5%	$63k	+4.2%	$435k	#22	🌤️ 65
#14	NCNorth Carolina	95.4	9.1%	$63k	+3.4%	$315k	#31	🌤️ 72
#15	CTConnecticut	111.1	12.8%	$84k	+1.8%	$375k	#4	❄️ 55
#16	GAGeorgia	93.4	9.1%	$65k	+3.5%	$310k	#35	🌤️ 75
#17	IAIowa	90.1	9.2%	$65k	+1.5%	$195k	#14	❄️ 45
#18	CACalifornia	151.7	12.7%	$84k	+2.4%	$786k	#7	☀️ 92
#19	NYNew York	139.1	15.9%	$74k	+1.8%	$385k	#3	❄️ 48
#20	MEMaine	99.4	10.3%	$63k	+1.2%	$345k	#10	❄️ 42
#21	AZArizona	102.2	8.7%	$66k	+3.8%	$425k	#28	☀️ 85
#22	HIHawaii	192.9	12.2%	$83k	+1.5%	$850k	#1	☀️ 95
#23	KSKansas	89.7	9.4%	$65k	+1.8%	$205k	#26	❄️ 58
#24	DEDelaware	103.4	10.2%	$73k	+1.4%	$345k	#19	🌤️ 62
#25	MTMontana	101.3	7.5%	$61k	+2.5%	$425k	#29	❄️ 55
#26	NVNevada	104.5	7.6%	$66k	+3.5%	$425k	#38	☀️ 82
#27	NDNorth Dakota	98.5	7.8%	$68k	+1.2%	$255k	#21	❄️ 32
#28	ILIllinois	96.4	12.9%	$72k	+1.2%	$265k	#18	❄️ 48
#29	OHOhio	89.4	9.4%	$62k	+1.4%	$205k	#34	❄️ 48
#30	INIndiana	90.6	9.6%	$62k	+2.3%	$225k	#36	❄️ 52
#31	MOMissouri	89.8	9.3%	$61k	+1.6%	$225k	#33	❄️ 55
#32	MIMichigan	91.5	8.6%	$63k	+1.5%	$225k	#32	❄️ 45
#33	OROregon	110.2	10.1%	$72k	+2.5%	$475k	#16	🌤️ 62
#34	PAPennsylvania	96.7	10.2%	$69k	+1.5%	$265k	#23	❄️ 50
#35	AKAlaska	127.1	5.4%	$78k	+1.2%	$318k	#27	❄️ 35
#36	RIRhode Island	107.9	10.8%	$74k	+1.4%	$425k	#15	❄️ 52
#37	SCSouth Carolina	94.2	8.1%	$58k	+3.2%	$275k	#42	🌤️ 75
#38	KYKentucky	89.9	9.5%	$56k	+1.4%	$185k	#44	🌤️ 60
#39	TNTennessee	91.4	5.7%	$60k	+3.1%	$310k	#41	🌤️ 68
#40	ALAlabama	88.3	9.1%	$55k	+2.1%	$216k	#46	🌤️ 72
#41	OKOklahoma	87	8.8%	$56k	+2.2%	$185k	#47	🌤️ 65
#42	VTVermont	103.8	10.4%	$68k	+1%	$315k	#17	❄️ 42
#43	ARArkansas	86.9	9.8%	$53k	+1.5%	$185k	#48	🌤️ 68
#44	NMNew Mexico	91.8	8.4%	$54k	+1.8%	$285k	#39	☀️ 80
#45	WAWashington	110.7	8.3%	$82k	+2.8%	$575k	#30	❄️ 55
#46	WIWisconsin	93.4	10.4%	$67k	+1.6%	$275k	#40	❄️ 42
#47	WVWest Virginia	84.1	9.5%	$49k	+0.5%	$145k	#45	❄️ 52
#48	LALouisiana	91.3	8.9%	$52k	+0.8%	$195k	#49	🌤️ 70
#49	WYWyoming	95.5	5.5%	$65k	+1.2%	$300k	#43	❄️ 55
#50	MSMississippi	83.3	8.6%	$49k	+0.9%	$157k	#50	🌤️ 68

State

🥇#1

VAVirginia

103.7

9.3%

$81k

+2.5%

$375k

#24

🌤️ 65

🥈#2

UTUtah

101.5

8.6%

$76k

+4.5%

$485k

#11

🌤️ 72

🥉#3

NHNew Hampshire

106.5

6.5%

$83k

+1.8%

$445k

❄️ 48

MAMassachusetts

131.6

10.5%

$90k

+2.4%

$585k

❄️ 50

TXTexas

93.9

$67k

+3.8%

$315k

#37

🌤️ 78

MNMinnesota

99.1

10.2%

$78k

+2.1%

$325k

❄️ 38

SDSouth Dakota

96.9

6.4%

$64k

+2%

$285k

#20

❄️ 40

COColorado

105.4

9.3%

$80k

+3.2%

$535k

#13

🌤️ 78

NENebraska

92.5

10%

$67k

+1.8%

$255k

#12

❄️ 50

#10

FLFlorida

102.8

6.5%

$63k

+4.1%

$407k

#25

☀️ 88

#11

NJNew Jersey

115.2

13.2%

$89k

+2.2%

$495k

❄️ 55

#12

MDMaryland

118.2

10.6%

$90k

+2.1%

$405k

❄️ 58

#13

IDIdaho

96.8

8.5%

$63k

+4.2%

$435k

#22

🌤️ 65

#14

NCNorth Carolina

95.4

9.1%

$63k

+3.4%

$315k

#31

🌤️ 72

#15

CTConnecticut

111.1

12.8%

$84k

+1.8%

$375k

❄️ 55

#16

GAGeorgia

93.4

9.1%

$65k

+3.5%

$310k

#35

🌤️ 75

#17

IAIowa

90.1

9.2%

$65k

+1.5%

$195k

#14

❄️ 45

#18

CACalifornia

151.7

12.7%

$84k

+2.4%

$786k

☀️ 92

#19

NYNew York

139.1

15.9%

$74k

+1.8%

$385k

❄️ 48

#20

MEMaine

99.4

10.3%

$63k

+1.2%

$345k

#10

❄️ 42

#21

AZArizona

102.2

8.7%

$66k

+3.8%

$425k

#28

☀️ 85

#22

HIHawaii

192.9

12.2%

$83k

+1.5%

$850k

☀️ 95

#23

KSKansas

89.7

9.4%

$65k

+1.8%

$205k

#26

❄️ 58

#24

DEDelaware

103.4

10.2%

$73k

+1.4%

$345k

#19

🌤️ 62

#25

MTMontana

101.3

7.5%

$61k

+2.5%

$425k

#29

❄️ 55

#26

NVNevada

104.5

7.6%

$66k

+3.5%

$425k

#38

☀️ 82

#27

NDNorth Dakota

98.5

7.8%

$68k

+1.2%

$255k

#21

❄️ 32

#28

ILIllinois

96.4

12.9%

$72k

+1.2%

$265k

#18

❄️ 48

#29

OHOhio

89.4

9.4%

$62k

+1.4%

$205k

#34

❄️ 48

#30

INIndiana

90.6

9.6%

$62k

+2.3%

$225k

#36

❄️ 52

#31

MOMissouri

89.8

9.3%

$61k

+1.6%

$225k

#33

❄️ 55

#32

MIMichigan

91.5

8.6%

$63k

+1.5%

$225k

#32

❄️ 45

#33

OROregon

110.2

10.1%

$72k

+2.5%

$475k

#16

🌤️ 62

#34

PAPennsylvania

96.7

10.2%

$69k

+1.5%

$265k

#23

❄️ 50

#35

AKAlaska

127.1

5.4%

$78k

+1.2%

$318k

#27

❄️ 35

#36

RIRhode Island

107.9

10.8%

$74k

+1.4%

$425k

#15

❄️ 52

#37

SCSouth Carolina

94.2

8.1%

$58k

+3.2%

$275k

#42

🌤️ 75

#38

KYKentucky

89.9

9.5%

$56k

+1.4%

$185k

#44

🌤️ 60

#39

TNTennessee

91.4

5.7%

$60k

+3.1%

$310k

#41

🌤️ 68

#40

ALAlabama

88.3

9.1%

$55k

+2.1%

$216k

#46

🌤️ 72

#41

OKOklahoma

8.8%

$56k

+2.2%

$185k

#47

🌤️ 65

#42

VTVermont

103.8

10.4%

$68k

+1%

$315k

#17

❄️ 42

#43

ARArkansas

86.9

9.8%

$53k

+1.5%

$185k

#48

🌤️ 68

#44

NMNew Mexico

91.8

8.4%

$54k

+1.8%

$285k

#39

☀️ 80

#45

WAWashington

110.7

8.3%

$82k

+2.8%

$575k

#30

❄️ 55

#46

WIWisconsin

93.4

10.4%

$67k

+1.6%

$275k

#40

❄️ 42

#47

WVWest Virginia

84.1

9.5%

$49k

+0.5%

$145k

#45

❄️ 52

#48

LALouisiana

91.3

8.9%

$52k

+0.8%

$195k

#49

🌤️ 70

#49

WYWyoming

95.5

5.5%

$65k

+1.2%

$300k

#43

❄️ 55

#50

MSMississippi

83.3

8.6%

$49k

+0.9%

$157k

#50

🌤️ 68

How We Rank States

Our state rankings consider multiple factors that affect quality of life and economic opportunity. We analyze cost of living, tax burden, job market growth, healthcare quality, education systems, crime rates, and climate conditions to provide a comprehensive ranking.

Key Ranking Factors

Cost of Living Index: 100 = national average. Lower is more affordable.
Tax Burden: Total state & local taxes as % of income.
Job Growth: Year-over-year employment growth rate.
Healthcare Rank: Based on access, quality, and outcomes (1 = best).
Education Rank: K-12 and higher education quality (1 = best).
Crime Rate: Violent crimes per 100,000 residents.
Weather Score: Based on sunny days, mild temperatures, and climate comfort.

Top States for Different Priorities

💰 Lowest Cost of Living

Mississippi, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Alabama

💼 Best Job Growth

Utah, Idaho, Florida, Arizona, Texas

📚 Best Education

Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maryland, New Jersey, Connecticut

☀️ Best Weather

Hawaii, California, Florida, Arizona, Nevada