The Results Are In — See Where RI Ranks as Best State to Live in America

The Results Are In — See Where RI Ranks as Best State to Live in America

If you live in Massachusetts, you have a lot to brag about.

A new study from WalletHub has the Commonwealth as the #1 best state to live in America.

WalletHub compared the 50 states based on 51 key indicators of livability. They range from housing costs and income growth to the education rate and quality of hospitals.

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Rhode Island overall comes in at #29. One of the category scores it received that hurt its overall ranking is the percentage of homeownership — Rhode Island ranks 46th.

Another data black eye for Rhode Island is the state’s infrastructure. Tennessee has the highest quality of roads, 14 percent, which is 5.4 times higher than in Rhode Island, the state with the lowest at 75 percent.

Rhode Island ranked last of the New England states.

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WalletHub writes, “Deciding on a place to call home can be a tough process. You’ll need to balance things like the cost of living with job opportunities, quality of education and safety. Personal preference also comes into the equation, as you’ll want to live somewhere with the types of attractions, recreational opportunities and weather that suit you."

"Luckily, there’s 50 states to choose from, from frigid Alaska to sunny Florida. Each has its own benefits and drawbacks," it adds. 

 

RI Does Better with WalletHub Better than CNBC

In July, CNBC released its ranking for “America’s Top States for Business 2023” — Rhode Island, for the second year in a row, ranked #45 in the country.

The top state in 2023, according to CNBC, is North Carolina.

While Alaska is at the bottom of the rankings, only West Virginia, Hawaii, and Mississippi also rank below Rhode Island. 

Rhode Island’s best sub-ranking was for “Life, Health, and Inclusion” (#12), and its worst was for "Economy" (#48).