Washington is the Best State in the U.S., Says 2019 Best States Report

WASHINGTON, May 14, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Washington is the best state in the country, according to the third annual 2019 Best States rankings from U.S. News & World Report, the global authority in rankings and civic journalism. U.S. News evaluated all 50 states across a range of criteria, including education, health care, infrastructure and the economy, to capture how states best serve their citizens.

"We are thrilled that U.S. News & World Report has named Washington the No. 1 state in the country. This confirms what we, in Washington have always known, that our state is great for businesses, workers, and investments, coupled with natural beauty and innovative, creative people. I am pleased to share Washington's success with the world," said Governor Jay Inslee of Washington.

NEW IN THE 2019 BEST STATES REPORT:

• For the first time, Washington is the No. 1 state in the country. Home to Amazon.com, Microsoft and Boeing, Washington's economy is booming. The state also ranks in the top five in health care, economy, infrastructure and education.
  
  
• A national survey conducted by U.S. News found that more than one-third (38%) of Americans generally agreed their state government is effective. In Illinois, only 10.9% of residents said they believe their government is effective, the lowest score of any state. Massachusetts, on the other hand, earned the highest score, with nearly 64% of residents in general agreement of their government's effectiveness.
  
  
• States that top the overall list represent a cross-section of the country. New Hampshire follows Washington at No. 2. New Hampshire performs best in opportunity – which factors economic opportunity, equality and affordability – and crime & corrections. Rounding out the top five are Minnesota at No. 3, Utah at No. 4 and Vermont at No. 5.
  
  
• In health care and education – the two most heavily weighted categories – Hawaii is the best state for health care and Massachusetts is No. 1 for education. States where more than 90% of residents had health insurance coverage scored 12 points higher on average in the Best States for health care. Additionally, in the top 10 Best States for higher education – which factors into the overall Best States for education – students graduate with an average of $25,000 in debt (more than $3,000 less than the national average).
  
  
• Other top performers… Colorado is No. 1 for economy, Oregon is No. 1 for infrastructure and Tennessee is No. 1 for fiscal stability. Rhode Island is No. 1 for natural environment.

"As people are increasingly concerned about income disparities, rising health care costs, gaps in education and crumbling infrastructure, it's more important than ever to focus on the day-to-day policies that affect people where they live their lives," said Eric Gertler, executive chairman at U.S. News. "This is where the U.S. News Best States project is vital. In conjunction with objective data and trusted journalism on state performance, the rankings fills the gap in local reporting for the benefit of residents, business leaders, decision-makers and government officials."

This year, U.S. News streamlined the methodology to reflect more objective, transparent and comparable data across the framework. The rankings are based on more than 70 metrics and tens of thousands of data points. Adding to a set of annual surveys that determine the weights of the eight categories, U.S. News conducted a survey asking more than 23,000 people across the country to provide levels of satisfaction with government services and to prioritize where state governments should focus resources.

The Best States rankings are the centerpiece of the U.S. News Best States portal, a platform combining analysis, daily reporting, historical information and photos on state issues. The interactive data explorer tool allows citizens and government leaders to draw comparisons between their own states and others through more than 100,000 charts. Best States is part of U.S. News' expanding civic journalism portfolio, which includes the Best Countries report, Healthiest Communities project and Cities initiative.

2019 Best States Rankings
*See the full rankings here.

The 2019 Best States rankings are accompanied by data-driven stories examining the demographic shifts between rural and urban America; the political divide in Virginia; and New Hampshire's booming immigrant population.

To view the full rankings and search state profiles, visit https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states. For more information on Best States, follow coverage on Facebook and Twitter using #BestStates.

U.S. News will host their annual Workforce of Tomorrow conference May 22, 2019, with a keynote panel looking at how some of the highest-ranking states are focusing on workforce issues. To learn more, visit USNewsSTEMsolutions.com; for media registration contact Enxhi Myslymi at [email protected].

About U.S. News & World Report
U.S. News & World Report is the global leader in quality rankings that empower people to make better, more informed decisions about important issues affecting their lives. A digital news and information company focused on Education, Health, Money, Travel, Cars and Civic, USNews.com provides consumer advice, rankings and analysis to serve people making complex decisions throughout all stages of life. More than 40 million people visit USNews.com each month for research and guidance. Founded in 1933, U.S. News is headquartered in Washington, D.C.

SOURCE U.S. News & World Report

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