This is the best state in America —and you’ll never guess why

May 7, 2024

If you’re looking for a great place to live, you might want to check out Utah.

For the second year in a row, Utah was named the best state in the nation, according to the 2024 rankings from U.S. News & World Report. It ranked second in America for education, third for its economy and infrastructure, and sixth for its fiscal stability.

“Utah has a vibrant, diverse economy and unsurpassed natural beauty, but what truly sets our state apart is our people,” Utah Gov. Spencer Cox said in a statement. “We lead the nation in volunteering and charitable giving every year and this spirit of community leads to a collaborative approach to problem solving, an ecosystem that supports innovation, and a culture that strengthens families and individuals.”

States were evaluated in eight categories: health care, education, economy, infrastructure, opportunity, fiscal stability, crime and corrections, and natural environment.

More than 70 metrics and tens of thousands of data points were considered, including things like employment, internet access, affordability, and public safety. (Washington, DC, was not included in the analysis.)

In recent years, Utah has become a hub for startups and tech entrepreneurs. The state also had a low unemployment rate of just 2.8% in March, which was less than the national rate of 3.8% that same month, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

“It’s just a fantastic place to live and work,” says real estate broker Joel Carson, at Utah Real Estate based in Salt Lake City. He touted the state’s national parks, including Zion National Park. “It’s really attracting a lot of people.”

The median home list price in the state was $604,105 in April, according to Realtor.com® data. However, that was down 2.6% year over year, while the number of homes for sale jumped 15% annually.

“Even despite high mortgage rates, the market is still robust,” says Carson. One of his listings, a smaller, more reasonably priced home near downtown Salt Lake City, received 23 offers in April. “It is competitive.”

So what are the best states in America in 2024?