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The results are in.
The 2024 Best States list by U.S. News & World Report, released on Tuesday, May 7, names Massachusetts as the 10th-best state in the country, a place higher than it scored in the 2023 report.
Massachusetts closely follows states like Utah (the best state, according to U.S. News & World Report), Nebraska (number three), Washington (number eight), and Florida (number nine).
However, when it comes to the individual categories, the Bay State continued to shine.
U.S. News & World Report also ranked Massachusetts No. 2 for best healthcare and No. 3 for best education. Additionally, it landed in the top three for public health and air and water quality.
More than 70 metrics were measured to determine the rank of each state, the organization said, which included data and nearly 70,000 survey answers for individual categories such as health care, education, economy, and fiscal stability.
Each state received a rank in each category; then, the categories were averaged to determine which states were best overall.
Gary Emerling, U.S. News managing editor for government rankings, said in a statement that the 2024 report was an important one.
“As we anticipate this year’s presidential election – as well as critical races in the House and Senate and for governor’s mansions – Americans are taking a hard look at the policies and practices that impact them where they live,” he said.
Countrywide, U.S. News & World Report noted a few steps forward and backward: for example, a majority of states saw increased health insurance enrollment, as well as preschool enrollment.
However, the number of adults reporting poor mental health also grew, as did tuition and fees for students.
To see the full list, click here.
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