The 10 worst states to live in, ranked

The Grand Canyon State, best known for its national parks and scenic mountain landscapes, was ranked 44th out of the 50 states for education and health and 40th for safety.

According to the Education Law Center's 2023 report, the state faces challenges within education because of poor funding and low efforts to distribute funds equally among schools. Save Our Schools Arizona Network, a community-based organization, also reported in 2023 that the local and state authorities spent $10,670 per child, $5,461 behind the national average.

The state also ranked low in women's health, based on research by the Commonwealth Fund, in part due to its lack of health insurance coverage among women aged 19 to 34 and in part because of its abortion laws, which ban women from getting an abortion after 15 weeks of pregnancy, with no exceptions for rape or incest.

Research organization Common Sense Institute Arizona also reported that a rise in violent crime coupled with fewer resources and a shrinking police force has led to a decline in public safety in the state.

Expect to experience a great quality of life in the Beaver State — it ranked 14th for quality of life among all states — but it comes at a cost. WalletHub ranked the state low in affordability and safety, with the economy, education, and health following behind.

Taking into account factors such as the rates of violent and property crimes, traffic fatalities per capita, and total law enforcement employees per capita, WalletHub ranked Oregon 47th on its safety index.

Two issues that kept coming up across different data sets used by WalletHub were the increase in gun violence and high property crime incidents. ABC2 affiliate KATU reported that, in the first three months of 2022, the city of Portland alone witnessed 483 incidents of gun violence and 34 homicides, police said. These numbers declined in the same period in 2023 and 2024.

If you're looking for a state with a low cost of living, affordable housing, and property taxes, South Carolina, which was ranked 10th among all states for affordability, makes for an attractive spot.

However, you may want to turn elsewhere if you're a parent and a good school district, quality education, and healthcare are high on your priority list.

In 2023, The South Carolina Policy Council reported that the Palmetto State "ranked among the lowest performing states," highlighting how the graduating class of 2022 performed poorly across all assessment areas: English, math, reading, and science. The situation was similar regarding high-school graduations in 2020, at 82%, and reading proficiencies among eighth graders, who fell below the national average. However, there have been recent reforms aimed at improving performance.

One reason the state does poorly in healthcare, Greenville Business Magazine reported, is that "it's home to many rural areas with limited access to healthcare." Additionally, a Commonwealth Fund study found that uninsurance rates are also higher than average in South Carolina: 15% uninsured compared with 12% in the US.

WalletHub rated Oklahoma poorly for its economy and safety, and the state ranked worst among all states for education and health.

In the education metrics, Oklahoma scored low on high school graduation rates among low-income students, reading and math test scores, student-per-teacher ratio, and rate of violence or disciplinary incidents. Healthcare access is also a significant issue in the Sooner State, with many residents in rural areas lacking access to adequate care.

Its economy ranked 34th out of the 50 states. Since November 2018, state officials have taken measures to diversify the economy — which is heavily reliant on oil production — by introducing programs such as the Tulsa Remote, incentivizing remote workers to move to Tulsa for $10,000.

With rising costs at the top of most Americans' minds,
Mississippi's inclusion in the top 10 affordable states may come as a relief for some. However, in WalletHub's study, it fared poorer in the economy, education and health — where it stands 49th behind Oklahoma — safety, and quality of life categories.

Nearly one in five residents in Mississippi lives in poverty. The state also experiences high infant mortality rates — affecting Black infants twice as much — and high obesity rates. Adding to this is the lack of Medicaid coverage for people with low to modest incomes whose jobs don't offer them health insurance.

Speaking at a news conference in January, state health officer Dr. Daniel Edney said, "If we choose the right policies for our people, we will see us move off the radar of having the highest rate of preventable death," The Associated Press reported.

The Silver State scored low across multiple categories: affordability, education and health, and safety.

According to WalletHub's report, Nevada ranks last among all states for the percentage of its population aged 25 and above with a high school diploma. The state also ranks fourth on the list of states with the highest housing costs.

In a 2024 report, "Kids Count Data Book," released by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, data showed Nevada also underperformed in areas concerning children's well-being, health, and academic outcomes, with 30% of students chronically missing school.

Alaska, one of the least densely populated states in the country, ranks the lowest in WalletHun's quality-of-life category. However, what it lacks in terms of entertainment, restaurants, and ease of commute, it makes up for a strong economy — standing ninth on the list.

But the state, well known for its northern lights, snow-capped glaciers, and Iditarod, ranks poorly on the affordability metric as one of the most expensive states to live in.

According to WalletHub, Arkansas is the third-worst state to live in due to its economy and education and health facilities. However, the state ranks eighth in affordability, making it one of the most affordable states on this list.

Last year, the state ranked 39th for its economy; this year, it's dropped to 45th. The Bear State also ranked sixth-worst for the percentage of people living in poverty and for its crime rate.

In 2021, to boost the local economy, the Northwest Arkansas Council, similar to Oklahoma's Tulsa remote project, launched "Life Works Here," an initiative to attract remote workers to the region in exchange for $10,000 in cash or bitcoin.

"This program is not only a benefit to the recipients and new talent for our region, but it also contributes to the vibrancy of our existing, growing market and our local economy," said Nelson Peacock, president and CEO of the Northwest Arkansas Council.

The Land of Enchantment, known for its prehistoric art and hi-tech industries, ranked 48th on the percentage of people living in poverty index, making it the third worst, WalletHub reported.

Home-security expert Derek Prall of Safetyhome.org reported that Gallup, once a famous filming destination, has one of the highest violent crime rates in New Mexico. Overall, the state ranks highest in violent crime rates in the nation, with more than 700 violent crimes per 100,000 residents taking place in 2022, as per the FBI's annual report on crimes.

Earlier this year, US News & World Report also ranked Louisiana as the worst state to live in — it reported about one in five people in Louisiana lives in poverty; 28.7% of its roads were in poor condition; and 629 violent crimes per 100,000 people — 65% higher than the national average — took place.

The state also faces challenges on the health front, especially in areas along the Mississippi River between New Orleans and Baton Rouge, where many communities live next to petrochemical and fuel industries, Human Rights Watch reported. The impact of this 85-mile stretch has been so devastating that it's been dubbed the "cancer alley."