The Best and Worst States to Live In

The typical household in Wyoming earns $65,204 a year, about $4,500 less than the typical household nationwide. Still, serious financial hardship is less common than average, as the state’s poverty rate of 11.4% is well below the 12.8% national rate. Wyoming also has a strong job market, with an August 2022 unemployment rate of just 3.1%, below the 3.8% national jobless rate.

Crime is also less common in Wyoming than it is in most other states. There were 234 violent crimes and 1,611 property crimes for every 100,000 people in Wyoming in 2020, well below the respective national rates of 399 and 1,958 per 100,000 people.

Connecticut is one of the safest states in the country. There were only 182 violent crimes for every 100,000 people in the state in 2020, less than half the national violent crime rate and the fourth lowest of any state.

Incomes are also higher than average in Connecticut, as the typical household earns $83,771 a year, $14,000 more than the national median. The state also has one of the best funded school systems in the country. Average per pupil spending at the state’s public schools totals $20,271 annually, the second highest of any state.

Maryland ranks among the 15 best states to live in nationwide and as the best state in the South largely because it is the wealthiest state in the country. With a median household income of $90,203, it is the only state where most households earn over $90,000 a year. High-paying jobs are likely a draw for college-educated workers. According to the census, 1.8% of all adults in the state who have a bachelor’s degree moved there in 2021 – one of the larger shares among states.

Maryland’s school system is also one of the best funded in the country, making the state a more attractive place for families to live. Average per pupil spending at the state’s public schools totals $15,149 annually, one of the highest of any state.

Maine ranks as the 12th best state to live in, largely because it is the safest state in the country. Its violent crime rate of 109 incidents per 100,000 people is the lowest of the 50 states and a fraction of the national violent crime rate of 399 per 100,000. While incomes in Maine are slightly lower than average, serious financial hardship is less common. The poverty rate of 11.5% is lower than in most states and lower than the 12.8% national poverty rate.

Maine also has a relatively strong job market, with just a 2.9% unemployment rate in August 2022, nearly a full percentage point below the 3.8% national rate.

The typical household in Rhode Island earns $74,008 a year, about $4,300 more than the income of the typical American household. Additionally, the state’s poverty rate of 11.4% is well below the 12.8% national average. It is also a safer state than most, with a violent crime rate of 231 incidents per 100,000 people – the seventh lowest of any state.

Home values can be indicative of an area’s desirability, and in Rhode Island, the typical home is worth $348,100, about $66,700 more than the typical home nationwide.