U.S. News & World Report ranked NH as the second best overall state in the nation in its inaugural Best States rankings. The rest of New England's six states also ranked well on the list, with Massachusetts taking the top spot as the best overall state in the nation. Vermont followed Massachusetts and NH at number ten, with Connecticut ranking 12th, Maine ranking 18th and Rhode Island ranking 21st.
Based on data collected by McKinsey & Company’s Leading States Index, U.S. News evaluated all 50 states across 68 metrics to create 28 ranking, ranging from education and health care to infrastructure and economy. Categories were weighted based on a national “citizen experience” survey, conducted by McKinsey, that asked people to prioritize each subject in their state and provide their levels of satisfaction with government services. Health care and education are the most highly weighted factors in the methodology.
New Hampshire ranked first in the nation for opportunity, a category which measures a state's actions regarding poverty, housing affordability and equality for women, minorities and people with disabilities. The Granite State also ranked well in other categories, landing in the top ten for education (3rd) and healthcare (4th) and in the top 15 for crime & corrections (12th), economy (13th) and infrastructure (13th). Among specific metrics, NH ranked first for its Pre-K - 12 education and low poverty and unemployment rates.
The worst overall ranking NH received was for its government (30th), with low scores for budget balancing (39th), digitalization (35th) and budget transparency (37th). There were also some blemishes within the overall categories where NH performed well, including weak marks for its higher education tuition & fees (50th) and debt after graduation (48th); equality in juvenile jailing (50th); electricity price (45th); and disability employment rate (49th).
The full list of NH's rankings across categories can be viewed here.
Current Issue - May 2024