Quality Of Life By State

United States
52.37Quality of Life IndexNational Average
Livability Index ScoreNational Average
Happiness IndexNational Average
Life ExpectancyNational Average
Quality of Life Index 2024Question Mark
Map visualization
#1#50
1
MassachusettsMassachusetts
60.5
2
FloridaFlorida
59.8
3
New JerseyNew Jersey
59.6
3
UtahUtah
59.6
5
New HampshireNew Hampshire
59.1
6
IdahoIdaho
58.8
7
PennsylvaniaPennsylvania
58.3
8
New YorkNew York
58.2
8
WisconsinWisconsin
58.2
10
WyomingWyoming
58
11
VirginiaVirginia
57.9
12
IowaIowa
57.5
13
MinnesotaMinnesota
57.4
14
MaineMaine
56.5
15
MontanaMontana
56
16
IllinoisIllinois
55.6
17
North DakotaNorth Dakota
55
18
South DakotaSouth Dakota
54.9
19
VermontVermont
54.5
20
KansasKansas
53.9
21
ColoradoColorado
53.8
22
ConnecticutConnecticut
53.4
23
NebraskaNebraska
53.1
23
North CarolinaNorth Carolina
53.1
25
GeorgiaGeorgia
52.5
26
MarylandMaryland
52.2
27
IndianaIndiana
52
27
Rhode IslandRhode Island
52
29
CaliforniaCalifornia
51.8
30
OhioOhio
51.7
31
MissouriMissouri
51.4
32
MichiganMichigan
51.2
33
TennesseeTennessee
51
34
DelawareDelaware
50.7
35
WashingtonWashington
49.8
36
TexasTexas
49.2
37
KentuckyKentucky
49
38
HawaiiHawaii
48.5
38
AlabamaAlabama
48.5
40
ArizonaArizona
48.1
40
West VirginiaWest Virginia
48.1
42
OregonOregon
47.5
43
South CarolinaSouth Carolina
46.9
44
OklahomaOklahoma
45.2
45
MississippiMississippi
44.6
46
NevadaNevada
44.1
47
AlaskaAlaska
43.4
48
ArkansasArkansas
43.3
49
New MexicoNew Mexico
41.8
50
LouisianaLouisiana
41.3
Quality Of Life By State
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Last updated February 28, 2026

Quality of Life in the United States

Quality of life is an essential, though often abstract, factor when individuals or families decide where to establish their roots. In the United States, quality of life varies significantly from state to state due to a wide range of elements such as healthcare access, economic stability, educational opportunities, crime rates, infrastructure quality, and natural environment's health.

  • The top five states in terms of quality of life are Washington, Minnesota, Utah, New Hampshire, and Idaho, signifying these have the best combination of healthcare, education, economy, infrastructure, opportunity, fiscal stability, crime rates and natural environment.
  • States with the lowest quality of life scores are Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, and West Virginia, located in the South and Midwest regions, respectively. This suggests these regions might face more pronounced challenges with issues such as healthcare access, education, economy, and crime rates.
  • Some of the most populous states like California (24) and New York (21) appear in the middle of the ranking, implying a large population does not necessarily equate to a higher quality of life score.
  • The states occupying the middle spot in the ranking, such as Ohio (36) and Indiana (32), suggest that there is room for these states to bolster their residents' quality of life by improving in some key areas.

Sources & Notes

Quality of Life Index

Measure of overall living conditions and well-being factors that affect life satisfaction.

Happiness Index

Measure of overall life satisfaction and well-being levels among the population.

Life Expectancy

Average number of years a newborn is expected to live.

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