See the Rankings: New England's Best States

Overall Rankings

Wealthiest Per Capita

6. Maine: $26,464 (National Rank: 28)
5. Vermont: $28,846 (National Rank: 19)
4. Rhode Island: $30,005 (National Rank: 13)
3. New Hampshire: $32,758 (National Rank: 7)
2. Massachusetts: $35,485 (National Rank: 5)
1. Connecticut: $37,807 (National Rank: 2)

Source: U.S. Census

Lowest Unemployment Rate

6. Rhode Island: 9.0 (National Rank: 50)
5. Connecticut: 7.6 (National Rank: 39)
4. Massachusetts: 7.1 (National Rank: 30)
3. Maine: 6.4 (National Rank: 22)
2. New Hampshire: 5.1 (National Rank: 10)
1. Vermont: 4.4 (National Rank: 5)

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

Lowest Poverty Rate

6. Maine: 13.3 (National Rank: 23)
5. Rhode Island: 13.2 (National Rank: 21)
4. Vermont: 11.6 (National Rank: 12)
3. Massachusetts: 11 (National Rank: 7)
2. Connecticut: 10 (National Rank: 5)
1. New Hampshire: 8.4 (National Rank: 1)

Source: U.S. Census

Note: Based on percent of population below poverty level

Highest Home Ownership Rate

6. Massachusetts: 41.6 (National Rank: 51)
5. Rhode Island: 61.2 (National Rank: 45)
4. Connecticut: 68.3 (National Rank: 24)
3. Vermont: 71.2 (National Rank: 8)
2. New Hampshire 72.0 (National Rank: 7)
1. Maine: 72.1 (National Rank: 6)

Source: U.S. Census

Highest Percentage of High School Graduates

6. Rhode Island: 84.8 (National Rank: 37)
5. Connecticut: 89 (National Rank: 20)
4. Massachusetts: 89.1 (National Rank: 19)
3. Maine: 90.6 (National Rank: 8)
2. Vermont: 91.3 (National Rank: 6)
1. New Hampshire: 91.4 (National Rank: 5)

Source: U.S. Census

Longest Life Expectancy

6. Maine: 79.2 (National Rank: 23)
5. Rhode Island: 79.9 (National Rank: 13)
4. New Hampshire: 80.3 (National Rank: 8)
2. Vermont: 80.5 Year (National Rank: 5)
2. Massachusetts: 80.5 years (National Rank: 5)
1. Connecticut: 80.8 years (National Rank: 3)

Source: Kaiser Family Foundation

Lowest Infant Mortality Rate

6. Rhode Island: 6.5 (National Rank: 21)
5. Connecticut: 6.3 (National Rank: 19)
4. Maine 6.0 (National Rank: 14)
2. New Hampshire: 5.1 (National Rank: 4)
2. Vermont: 5.1 (National Rank: 4)
1. Massachusetts: 4.9 (National Rank: 1)

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Lowest Obesity Rate

6. Maine: 27.5 (National Rank: 31)
5. Vermont: 25.7 (National Rank: 20)
4. New Hampshire: 25.1 (National Rank: 17)
3. Rhode Island: 24.3 (National Rank: 8)
2. Connecticut: 22.7 (National Rank: 4)
1. Massachusetts: 21.5 (National Rank: 2)

Source: Gallup “State of the States”

Highest Reported Wellbeing

6. Rhode Island: 65.5 (National Rank: 37)
5. Maine: 67.3 (National Rank: 20)
4. Connecticut: 67.6 (National Rank: 16)
3. Massachusetts: 68.1 (National Rank: 9)
2. New Hampshire: 68.4 (National Rank: 8)
1. Vermont: 68.8 (National Rank: 5)

Source: Gallup “State of the States”

Highest Math Scores

6. Rhode Island: 278 (National Rank: 36)
5. Maine: 286 (National Rank: 19)
4. Connecticut: 289 (National Rank: 10)
3. New Hampshire: 292 (National Rank: 7)
2. Vermont: 293 (National Rank: 4)
1. Massachusetts: 200 (National Rank: 1)

Source: National Center for Education Statistics

Note: Based on 8th grade math scores

Highest Reading Scores

6. Rhode Island: 258 (National Rank: 39)
5. Connecticut: 267 (National Rank: 12)
4. New Hampshire: 270 (National Rank: 4)
4. Maine: 270 (National Rank: 4)
1. Vermont: 273 (National Rank: 1)
1. Massachusetts: 273 (National Rank: 1)

Source: National Center for Education Statistics

Note: Based on 8th grade math scores

Least Income Inequality

6. Connecticut: 0.4915 (National Rank: 49)
5. Massachusetts: 0.4813 (National Rank: 44)
4. Rhode Island: 0.4647 (National Rank: 32)
3. Maine: 0.445 (National Rank: 15)
2. Vermont: 0.4392 (National Rank: 11)
1. New Hampshire: 0.4298 (National Rank: 5)

Source: U.S. Census

Note: Data is based on GINI coefficient

Lowest Crime Rate

6. Massachusetts: 405.5 (National Rank: 31)
5. Connecticut: 283 (National Rank: 19)
4. Rhode Island: 252.4 (National Rank: 13)
3. New Hampshire: 187.9 (National Rank: 3)
2. Vermont 142.6 (National Rank: 2)
1. Maine 122.7 (National Rank: 1)

Source: FBI

Highest Percentage Employed in STEM Jobs

6. Maine: 4.1 (National Rank: 37)
5. Rhode Island: 4.4 (National Rank: 32)
4. Vermont: 5.7 (National Rank: 15)
3. Connecticut: 6 (National Rank: 11)
2. New Hampshire: 6.9 (National Rank: 7)
1. Massachusetts: 7.4 (National Rank: 5)

Source: U.S. Census

Note: STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics)

H.L. Mencken and Charles Angoff’s 1931 rankings

6. Vermont
5. New Hampshire
4. Maine
3. Rhode Island
2. Connecticut
1. Massachusetts