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Massachusetts is no longer the best state in the nation, or even New England, according to the 2018 edition of an annual list by U.S. News & World Report.
Lower standings in the infrastructure (45th) and fiscal stability (40th) categories contribute to the Bay State’s drop in rankings from the previous year. Massachusetts does rank top five in education (1st), health care (5th) and crime & corrections (5th).
Massachusetts is not even the top state in New England, US News says. That honor goes to New Hampshire, in at number five, this year. New Hampshire was rated first overall for opportunity, second in crime and corrections and fourth in education and quality of life.
Another factor that plays into Massachusetts’ decent among the ranks is a difference in category weighting, year-over-year.
More weight was accorded to some state measures than others, based on a survey of what matters most to people. Health care and education are weighted most heavily this year. Then comes state economies, the opportunity states offer their citizens and infrastructure. Crime & corrections follows closely in weighting, followed by measures of government fiscal stability and people's quality of life.
The top state on this year’s list is Iowa, with high marks in infrastructure (1st), health care (3rd), opportunity (4th), education (5th) and quality of life (9th).
Click here for the complete list from U.S. News & World Report.