WalletHub: Best states to live in 2022 nowhere near Alabama

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WSFA) - Ever wondered what the best state to live in the U.S. is? What about the worst state? How about where Alabama stands compared to the other 49 states?

You’re in luck if you answered “yes” to one or more of those questions. Thanks to a WalletHub report released this week you can now see where each and every state ranks!

According to the report, the best state to live in the U.S. is Massachusetts. That isn’t the only northern state to appear near the top of the rankings. New Jersey, New York, Idaho, New Hampshire, Wyoming, Minnesota, and Wisconsin all made the top 10.

The only states not located in the northern U.S. to make the top 10 are Virginia and No. 5 and Florida at No. 7. Florida is the highest ranked state near Alabama.

The state ranked at the bottom is our neighbor to the west: Mississippi.

Other southern states in the bottom 10 include No 41. West Virginia, No. 42 Kentucky, No. 43 Alabama, No. 44 Oklahoma, No. 45 South Carolina, No. 46 New Mexico, No. 47 Arkansas, and No. 48 Louisiana. Alaska was the lone state to be ranked in the bottom 10 that is not located in the southern part of the U.S.

Each state was ranked using a large array of criteria. A total of 52 key indicators of livability were looked into before each state received a numerical score. Those 52 variables all fall under one of five key dimensions:

1. Affordability (20 points)
2. Economy (20 points)
3. Education & Health (20 points)
4. Quality of Life (20 points)
5. Safety (20 points)

All 52 metrics were graded on 100-point scale, each with a specific weight. Once a score from each metric was reached, the scores were added up to a grand total for each of the 50 states. The highest score (Massachusetts) was 62.65 and the lowest score was just below 40 (Mississippi).

Alabama did not finish at the top or bottom in any of the metrics looked at in this particular report.

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