The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Washington and New Hampshire are rated best among U.S. states
Georgia is No. 17 in U.S. News & World Report survey.
As states go, it doesn’t get much better than Washington and New Hampshire, according to an annual “Best States” survey by U.S. News & World Report. Washington came in at No. 1, and New Hampshire at No. 2.
Georgia ranked 17th.
The survey ranks states based on 70 metrics, including education, health care, the economy, public safety, roads and the fiscal health of the state’s government, as well as “the opportunity it affords its residents,” the report said.
Washington state and New Hampshire were followed by Minnesota, Utah and Vermont.
Both Maryland (No. 6) and Virginia (No. 7) jumped several spots compared with last year, when Maryland ranked No. 13 and Virginia was No. 20. The District of Columbia isn’t included in the annual ranking.
At the bottom of the list were Mississippi (48th), Alabama (49th) and Louisiana (50th).
Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan said in a statement in response to the report that Maryland has made improvements in recent years.
“Marylanders have pulled together over the last four years to unshackle our state’s great potential,” the Republican leader said. “We have made real progress making this the best place to live, work and raise a family.”
The report said 8.3% of adults in Maryland are uninsured, compared with the national average of 13.8%. The state’s obesity rate is on par with the national average, and it has a higher high school graduation rate (87.6%) than the national average (84.1%). Maryland’s average household income was $80,776, compared with the national average of $60,336.
According to the survey, 12.2% of adults in Virginia are uninsured, and the state’s obesity rate is 30%, compared with the national average of 31.3%. Virginia has a high school graduation rate of 86.7% and an average household income of $71,535.
U.S. News & World Report said Washington state ranked at the top not just because of its big technology employers, such as Microsoft and Amazon, but also because it had “an abundance of relatively inexpensive energy” because of its hydropower and wind sectors.