The Best and Worst States to Live In

Crime is a bigger problem in South Carolina than it is in most other states. According to the FBI, there were 531 violent crimes such as robbery and homicide reported for every 100,000 people in the state in 2020, the seventh highest violent crime rate in the country. Property crime like burglary and vehicle theft is also relatively common. The state’s property crime rate of 2,721 incidents per 100,000 people ranks as the fifth highest of the 50 states.

Crime is often more concentrated in areas with poorer socioeconomic conditions – and South Carolina’s poverty rate of 14.6% is among the 10 highest of all states. Both crime and poverty are linked to lower life expectancy, and average life expectancy at birth in the state is just 76.4 years, about two years below the national average.

Criminal violence is more common in Michigan than it is in most other states. There were over 47,600 violent crimes reported in the state in 2020, or 478 incidents per 100,00 people, the 10th highest violent crime rate of any state. Michigan also lags behind much of the country in several other key measures. Unemployment and poverty rates are slightly higher than average in Michigan, and the state’s median household income of $63,498 is about $6,000 less than the national median.

Property values can be an indication of a place’s desirability, and with a median home value of $199,100, Michigan is one of only 13 states where most homes are worth less than $200,000.

Nevada ranks as the 18th worst state to live in nationwide but only the second worst state in the West. The state’s ranking is due in large part to its job market, as Nevada’s August 2022 unemployment rate of 5.2% is the highest of any state. Nevada’s housing market is also less affordable than average. Median housing costs – considering both renters and homeowners – account for 18.1% of the income the typical household earns, compared to the 17.4% national ratio.

Nevada’s relatively high violent crime rate also reduces overall quality of life in the state. There were over 14,400 violent crimes reported in the state in 2020, or 460 per 100,00 people, the 12th highest violent crime rate of any state. Nevada also has relatively poor air quality, with one of the higher concentrations of microscopic particulate matter, which can reduce lung function and increase the risk of mortality from lung cancer and heart disease with long-term exposure.

Pennsylvania ranks among the 20 worst states to live in, partially due to environmental conditions. The state gets less sunlight than all but eight other states. Additionally, air quality as measured by the concentration of microscopic particulate matter that can cause serious health conditions is worse in Pennsylvania than in all but seven other states.

Some key economic conditions are also below average in Pennsylvania. The state has the third highest unemployment rate in the country, at 4.8% as of August 2022, a full percentage point higher than the national rate.

Georgia ranks in the lower half of the 50 states as a place to live based on several key measures. For one, only 69.8% of the state’s population have easy access to places for physical exercise, like parks or recreation centers, a smaller share than in most states and well below the 79.8% share of Americans nationwide.

Georgia residents are also more likely than most Americans to struggle with serious financial hardship. The state’s poverty rate of 14.0% is 12th highest in the country and above the 12.8% national poverty rate.