The Best 5 States To Live In For 2023

As people prioritize factors like quality of life, job opportunities, education, healthcare, and overall well-being, certain states have emerged as clear frontrunners with the most desirable living conditions. From the scenic landscapes of the Pacific Northwest to the bustling metropolitan Northeastern hubs and the Southern warm weather, our nation presents diverse choices to find an ideal place to thrive. 

But some rise above the rest, as a recent US News and World analysis and rankings reveal. Their rankings look at factors like the business environment, affordability, crime rate, health care quality, and education. 

So where are the best states to live in as of 2023? The West shines strong, but some additions may surprise you. Check out:

Utah

Utah crests above the pack. Its strong economy and fiscal stability definitely helped it nab the top spot. What is it about this Western state that wins people over? Besides its thriving job market and well-managed budget, Utah also earned top marks for infrastructure, health care, and education. That’s the setup for a high quality of life.

On the flip side, it’s not all a win for Utah. It scored middling for opportunity and poor for natural environment. In a state that has iconic outdoor destinations like the Great Salt Lake, Bryce Canyon, and Arches National Park, that may surprise you. Utah does usually rank highly for its outdoor recreation, but the state does have challenges with air and water quality, chemical pollution, and the resulting long-term health risks. 

Another quirk about Utah? Around 80% of its near-four million residents live near the state’s north-central part, including Salt Lake City, Provo, and West Valley City. The rest of the state is a rural place to live.

Washington

Washington dropped to the No. 2 spot in this year’s evaluation. The state ranked highest for its natural environment and fiscal stability, followed by infrastructure. The natural environment part should come as no surprise, as Washington abounds with picturesque mountains, the Puget Sound region, and a wine country. 

Regarding quality of life factors, Washington scored highly for its healthcare and education systems. And while its economy is backed by tech titans like Amazon, Microsoft, Expedia, and more, the tech industry has struggled in the recent economy, which may be why the state’s economic and overall ranking slipped a little.

Where the state scored lowest was “opportunity,” a category described as analyzing affordability, equality, and economic opportunity, like equal pay across genders. Here, it earned an average score compared to other states. 

Idaho

The west rounds out the top three. Idaho excelled in its economy and fiscal stability, particularly regarding job growth. Its job market expanded by 2.4%, whereas the rest of the nation grew by just 0.2%. 

Idaho rounded out the top ten for individual scores in the crime and infrastructure categories. Once you move beyond that, Idaho’s quality of life factors typically fell closer to the average range. The dry environment led to a lower score for the natural environment, as Idaho does have water supply challenges. Still, at a rank of 23 and a pollution rank of 14, Idaho’s overall doing just fine.

Nebraska

Now the list shifts to the Midwest, bringing the Cornhusker state at no. 4 overall. In individual scores, Nebraska cracked the top ten for infrastructure (no. 5), education, and economy. All its categories, except for crime and corrections (no. 26), were in the top half of the scores. 

Minnesota

Minnesota rounded out the top five, rolling in with the top rank for its infrastructure. While its overall score has dropped from its 2021 no. 2 ranking, it’s still an attractive place to live. The Land of Lakes cracked the top ten for its natural environment and for its opportunity score. That shows there are fewer gaps in equity and affordability, something the state has been keen to work on.

Outside of that, it’s solidly in the top half of the rankings in categories like education, healthcare, and economy.

Where to live in the South

What makes some of these states stand out? Looking at the top states in the US News evaluation, it’s apparent they have robust infrastructure (roads, bridges, public transit,) strong job markets and economies, equality gaps that are more closed than average, access to high-quality healthcare and education, and healthier environments. 

The western and Midwestern states are leading the charge, which is interesting given that most of the recent migration has been to southern states. Places like Florida, Texas, and Georgia are seeing more new residents, so you’d expect them to have high marks. Where did the list rank them for 2023? 

Florida was the highest of the southern states, coming in at an overall no. 10. It scored the top spot for the education category and was no. 7 in economy. However, its opportunity score tanked to no. 46, hinting at gaps in affordability and equality. Health care ranked no. 27, with access being the area in the most need of improvement.

North Carolina ranked at no. 17, with fiscal stability being its strength and crime and corrections its weakness. All other scores were near-average. 

Georgia appeared at no. 21. Despite a strong economy, its low healthcare score reflected challenges in access and quality. 

Despite Tennessee’s top-five score in fiscal stability, it ranked no. 24. The state had below-average scores in crime and corrections, education, and health care. 

South Carolina landed at no. 42, with its fiscal stability and natural environment scoring the highest. The state’s crime rate and education system scores had room to grow. 

A different perspective on the best states to live

Keep in mind this is just one evaluation of states. A different measure, which weighted business, economy, and infrastructure along with factors like child care accessibility, worker protections, and inclusiveness in state laws, yields completely different results. In that analysis, Vermont, Maine, and New Jersey were the top three states. 

And the high number of people moving to Florida, Texas, and the two Carolinas, is telling of itself. Florida alone gained over 300,000 new residents from net migration in 2022. There are clearly strong reasons people choose to live in the Southern states despite what the evaluator’s scores and methodologies say.

Ultimately, where you live is a highly personal choice. It depends on your criteria for quality of life. Do you value nature? Access to healthcare? Job opportunities? Cost of living? Understanding where each state stands across various factors gives you an idea of which may work best for your needs and that’s the best state to live in.