Utah ranks as the best state in the nation — again
Utah is the best state in the nation for the third year in a row, according to a best states ranking from U.S. News & World Report.
The publication said Utah's ranking was due to a 'diverse and resilient economy, smart students, low crime and a fairly healthy population.'
This year's rankings evaluated each of the 50 states on how they serve their residents in a range of categories, including health care, education, economy, infrastructure, opportunity, fiscal stability, crime and corrections and natural environment, according to U.S. News & World Report.
'Utah's third straight No. 1 ranking is a reflection of the incredible people who make this state what it is,' said Utah Gov. Spencer Cox, according to U.S. News & World Report. 'It's not just our economy or our beautiful outdoors — it's the hardworking, service-minded people who continue to make Utah the best place to live, work and raise a family. I'm grateful every day to stand with Utahns as we keep strengthening the state we love.'
Utah was followed by New Hampshire in second place and Idaho in third. The bottom two ranked states were Alaska and Louisiana.
How Utah ranked in each category
The Best States rankings began in 2017 and this year was its seventh edition. It ranks the states by analyzing 71 metrics in eight categories.
U.S. News & World Report also listed the rankings of each state in the individual categories such as education and economy.
While Utah was the top ranked state overall, it placed fourth in education, 14th in health care and third in both infrastructure and economy. Utah has never placed outside of the top five in the economy category.
The state did rank No. 1 in fiscal stability — a category 'that covers metrics like liquidity, credit rating and budget balancing, meaning a state's ratio of total revenues to total expenses,' per U.S. News & World Report.
Utah's two lowest rankings were opportunity, 19th, and natural environment, 48th. The environment category is primarily based on pollution-related problems in each state.
In the last category, crime and corrections, Utah ranked seventh.
Why Utah is ranked the best state in the nation
'Being No. 1 isn't about crossing a finish line — it's about continuing to improve,' said Senate President J. Stuart Adams, R-Layton. 'This recognition is a powerful reminder that Utah's greatest strength lies in our commitment to tomorrow.'
U.S. News & World Report shared a few reasons why Utah is the top state in the nation, citing politics, specifically the 'Utah Way,' which is summed up as, 'In a politically divisive era, people actually talk to each other and try to work through issues.'
Sen. Stephanie Pitcher, D-Millcreek, said that despite Utah being a primarily red state, Utah's state lawmakers across both parties 'tend to work really well together,' per U.S. News and World Report.
Another reason was the religious influence in the state, which is the worldwide headquarters of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
'There's just so much that the government can't do, and you need that fabric,' Cox told the publication. 'It's why Utah is different. It's why Utah continues to do well and it's special.'
Collaboration, both politically and overall, was one of the things consistently highlighted in U.S. News and World Report's analysis of the top state.
'Utah being named the best state in America is a reflection of the people who live here,' said House Speaker Mike Schultz, R-Hooper. 'Their work ethic, innovation and strong sense of community make this state exceptional. As Speaker, I see every day how Utahns step up — building strong families, successful businesses and resilient communities.'
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