If you’ve ever been to Utah and thought, “Wow, these folks really have their act together,” turns out you were right—again. For the third straight year, U.S. News & World Report says Utah is the “best” state in America. They rank all 50 states using categories like education, healthcare, economy, and infrastructure.
Utah didn’t just squeak by—they crushed it.
The state landed in the Top 10 in five out of eight categories. That includes:
- #1 in fiscal stability (translation: Utah’s budget is adulting better than most adults)
- #3 in economy
- #3 in infrastructure
- #4 in education
- #7 in crime
Basically, the people of Utah are great at earning, building, teaching, and not robbing each other.
The only thing dragging them down? Nature.
Utah ranked 48th for “natural environment,” which includes stuff like air and water quality. So, stunning national parks? Yes. But maybe don’t take a deep breath in Salt Lake City.
Here’s how the full list shapes up:
- Utah
- New Hampshire
- Idaho
- Minnesota
- Nebraska
- Florida
- Vermont
- South Dakota
- Massachusetts
- Washington
- Colorado
- North Dakota
- North Carolina
- Iowa
- Connecticut
- Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Delaware
- New Jersey
- Maryland
- Georgia
- New York
- Wyoming
- Rhode Island
- Kansas
- Montana
- Maine
- Hawaii
- Texas
- Arizona
- Missouri
- Tennessee
- Indiana
- Nevada
- Oregon
- Illinois
- California
- Ohio
- Kentucky
- South Carolina
- Pennsylvania
- Oklahoma
- Michigan
- Arkansas
- Alabama
- West Virginia
- New Mexico
- Mississippi
- Alaska
- Louisiana
Sorry, Louisiana—you’re last place again. But look, someone has to be. The rankings factor in everything from health outcomes to infrastructure to how well a state balances its budget, and some of these states just have a tougher time across the board.
So, congrats, Utah!
No one gets your obsession with fry sauce… or why you call yourselves “Utahns” without an ‘a’… or why your state bird is somehow the California gull. But Utah, U rock!