The latest rankings for the best states in the U.S. from U.S. News & World Report have a lot of people talking about Louisiana, but not for the right reasons. The Bayou State landed in last place overall.
U.S. News & World Report has been publishing the “best states index” since 2017, measuring how well states perform in eight categories: healthcare, education, economy, infrastructure, opportunity, crime, natural environment and fiscal stability.
READ MORE: Baton Rouge and New Orleans rank among least safe cities in America
The report says a state’s overall ranking is determined by its ability to maintain balance across the areas of responsibility that residents value most.
According to the index, almost every state excels in at least one of the eight areas, but Louisiana is the only state with a bottom-10 ranking in every category. The state scored especially low in crime, economy, natural environment, and education.
READ MORE: Louisiana ranks ‘most stressed’ state
Louisiana also came in 50th place in 2025. The bottom four states: Louisiana (50), Alaska (49), Mississippi (48), and New Mexico (47), all remained unchanged from last year’s report.
READ MORE: Louisiana ranks last in America’s Health Rankings. Here’s why
According to the report, the top five best states, in order, are Utah, South Dakota, Minnesota, North Dakota, and Nebraska.
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