Utah was named the best state in America in 2023
Utah beat Washington, which has held the title of Best State for two years.
(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Salt Lake City from the top of City Hall on Thursday, April 28, 2022.
You may have long believed Utah to be the best state, but now Beehive State has proof that new rankings from US News & World Report place Utah at the top of the best state in America.
Utah beat Washington, which has held the title of Best State for two years.
The ranking uses data points to capture how states serve their residents, US News explained. More than 70 metrics are grouped into eight categories to make the determination.
Categories include Crime and Corrections, Economics, Education, Budgetary Stability, Health Care, Infrastructure, Natural Environment, and Opportunity.
Of the categories, Utah ranked first for Economy and Fiscal Stability.
In Utah, unemployment is consistently below the national unemployment rate, with the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in March an estimated 2.4%.
In the infrastructure category, which includes things like energy, internet access, and transportation, Utah ranked 4th among all states.
Education in Utah has also been recognized nationally with the state ranking #5. The category is divided into two attributes that focus on preschool and K-12 education and higher education statewide.
Healthcare was ranked seventh compared to the rest of the country, and crime and corrections ranked 15th.
Opportunities that encompass affordability, economic opportunity, and equality rank 20th.
Although Utah ranked top 20 in the opportunity category, the state ranked 28th for affordability and 48th for equality.
Perhaps most surprisingly, Utah ranks 46th in the Natural Environment category.
Although Utah has some beautiful sights, the category included air and water quality and pollution.
Utah placed in the bottom half of states on both attributes, with US news citing Utah as days behind the national average with unhealthy air quality, drinking water violations and industrial pollutants.
Nearby, Idaho picked up the bronze medal as the third-best US state with high rankings in the economy and fiscal stability categories.
At the other end of the spectrum, Louisiana was ranked as America’s worst state.
This story was first published by Fox 13 News. The Salt Lake Tribune and Fox 13 News are content sharing partners.
