Periodically the 50 states get ranked on various criteria. We'll use this thread to put them all in one place. Let's start with the overall best states as ranked by US News and World Report:
Best States Rankings
Some states shine in health care. Some soar in education. Some excel in both – or in much more. The Best States rankings by U.S. News draw on thousands of data points to measure how well states are performing for their citizens. In addition to health care and education, the rankings take into account a state’s economy; its roads, bridges, internet and other infrastructure; its public safety; its natural environment; the fiscal stability of state government; and the opportunity it affords its residents.
More weight was accorded to some categories than others, based on a survey of what matters most to people. Health care and education were weighted most heavily. Then came state economies, infrastructure, and the opportunity states offer their citizens. Fiscal stability followed closely in weighting, followed by measures of crime and corrections and a state's natural environment.
See the overall Best States rankings below, and check out the Best States methodology for a detailed look at the data behind the Best States rankings.
1. Utah
2. New Hampshire
3. Idaho
4. Minnesota
5. Nebraska
6. Florida
7. Vermont
8. South Dakota
9. Massachusetts
10. Washington
Click on the link for the full list and details.
Ranking the 50 States
Congratulations West Virginia!
The 10 Most Obese States in America
The rise of medications like Ozempic and Wegovy has injected a new dynamic into America’s struggle with obesity, prompting questions as to whether the country is at a turning point in a health epidemic that’s persisted for years.
As it stands, around 2 in 5 American adults are obese – defined as having a body mass index of 30 or above – according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The condition is associated with a host of serious medical issues – from stroke and diabetes to heart attack and cancer. It’s also estimated to cost the country’s health care system nearly $173 billion a year.
As part of the 2025 Best States rankings, U.S. News evaluated adult obesity rates for all 50 states based on self-reported survey data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, a partnership between the CDC and state health departments. A state’s obesity rate factors into the public health subcategory of the Best States analysis, which provides insight into the quality of life in a state and informs the best states for health care rankings, as well as the list of the best states in the U.S. overall.
STATE OBESITY RATE
West Virginia 41.7%
Arkansas 40.5%
Mississippi 40.4%
Louisiana 39.9%
Alabama 39.4%
Oklahoma 39.0%
Iowa 37.9%
Kentucky* 37.8%
Indiana 37.8%
Tennessee 37.8%
*Data for Kentucky is from 2022
Click on the link for more
The 10 Most Obese States in America
The rise of medications like Ozempic and Wegovy has injected a new dynamic into America’s struggle with obesity, prompting questions as to whether the country is at a turning point in a health epidemic that’s persisted for years.
As it stands, around 2 in 5 American adults are obese – defined as having a body mass index of 30 or above – according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The condition is associated with a host of serious medical issues – from stroke and diabetes to heart attack and cancer. It’s also estimated to cost the country’s health care system nearly $173 billion a year.
As part of the 2025 Best States rankings, U.S. News evaluated adult obesity rates for all 50 states based on self-reported survey data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, a partnership between the CDC and state health departments. A state’s obesity rate factors into the public health subcategory of the Best States analysis, which provides insight into the quality of life in a state and informs the best states for health care rankings, as well as the list of the best states in the U.S. overall.
STATE OBESITY RATE
West Virginia 41.7%
Arkansas 40.5%
Mississippi 40.4%
Louisiana 39.9%
Alabama 39.4%
Oklahoma 39.0%
Iowa 37.9%
Kentucky* 37.8%
Indiana 37.8%
Tennessee 37.8%
*Data for Kentucky is from 2022
Click on the link for more
How Much Money Do You Need to Retire Comfortably in Your State? Here's the Breakdown.
mericans consider $1.46 million the minimum for a comfortable retirement, a Northwestern Mutual study found. However, the threshold of savings required to retire well varies considerably across states.
No matter where you spend your golden years, it's important to be realistic about how much cash you'll need to fund the future.
People should try living on their expected retirement budget for a few years and factor inflation into long-term money goals, financial expert Stacey Black told Entrepreneur last year.
A new study from online lender NetCredit reveals how much money Americans need to retire comfortably in every U.S. state in 2025. Researchers calculated the average length of retirement (nearly 15 years per U.S. life expectancy and retirement age) and multiplied it by each state's cost of living, then increased it by 20% to allow for a more "comfortable" retirement.
The study found that West Virginia, Arkansas and South Dakota are the least expensive states in which to retire comfortably in 2025, requiring $712,921, $715,126 and $724,669, respectively.
Hawaii ($1,097,790), Massachusetts ($1,059,811) and California ($1,053,814) rounded out the top three most expensive states in which to retire well, per the data.
Click on the link for the full article
mericans consider $1.46 million the minimum for a comfortable retirement, a Northwestern Mutual study found. However, the threshold of savings required to retire well varies considerably across states.
No matter where you spend your golden years, it's important to be realistic about how much cash you'll need to fund the future.
People should try living on their expected retirement budget for a few years and factor inflation into long-term money goals, financial expert Stacey Black told Entrepreneur last year.
A new study from online lender NetCredit reveals how much money Americans need to retire comfortably in every U.S. state in 2025. Researchers calculated the average length of retirement (nearly 15 years per U.S. life expectancy and retirement age) and multiplied it by each state's cost of living, then increased it by 20% to allow for a more "comfortable" retirement.
The study found that West Virginia, Arkansas and South Dakota are the least expensive states in which to retire comfortably in 2025, requiring $712,921, $715,126 and $724,669, respectively.
Hawaii ($1,097,790), Massachusetts ($1,059,811) and California ($1,053,814) rounded out the top three most expensive states in which to retire well, per the data.
Click on the link for the full article
where do they get that "14.7 years of retirement" stat?
according to the web the average age of retirement in 2024 was 62 (the site also said that the average was 57 in 1991, and 59 in 2002... we seem to be moving in the wrong direction!)
also according to the first hit on the web, the baysian life expectancy of a 62 year old is 83.5 years (the conditional probability life expectancy, conditional upon you having already lived to 62-- so didn't die as an infant, nor a woman dying in childbirth, nor a man dying in his 20s because of macho bullshit...etc...)
... so on average Americans are expected to live 50% beyond that 14.7 years... so suddenly we DMV people need $1.5 mil rather than $1 mil. As the parent of an autistic child, i think i need way more than double that (push up the retirement age a few more years)
i made a spreadsheet. the best way to ensure that my wife and children have enough is for me to work until i am 64 (and 9/10)... then keel over and die the day i retire (before my term life insurance expires). We all have to have goals...right?
according to the web the average age of retirement in 2024 was 62 (the site also said that the average was 57 in 1991, and 59 in 2002... we seem to be moving in the wrong direction!)
also according to the first hit on the web, the baysian life expectancy of a 62 year old is 83.5 years (the conditional probability life expectancy, conditional upon you having already lived to 62-- so didn't die as an infant, nor a woman dying in childbirth, nor a man dying in his 20s because of macho bullshit...etc...)
... so on average Americans are expected to live 50% beyond that 14.7 years... so suddenly we DMV people need $1.5 mil rather than $1 mil. As the parent of an autistic child, i think i need way more than double that (push up the retirement age a few more years)
i made a spreadsheet. the best way to ensure that my wife and children have enough is for me to work until i am 64 (and 9/10)... then keel over and die the day i retire (before my term life insurance expires). We all have to have goals...right?
Interesting the most obese states are all red states.
I thought all those lazy libs on welfare would tip that scale.
Also, I've sure found western/coastal Washington and Oregon to be wonderful places to live. But growing up in Anchorage AK got me pretty hooked on forests, mountains, lakes, rivers, and the ocean.
But I have liked adding more sun, warmth, and subtracting the overabundance of snow after 25 years of it.
I thought all those lazy libs on welfare would tip that scale.
Also, I've sure found western/coastal Washington and Oregon to be wonderful places to live. But growing up in Anchorage AK got me pretty hooked on forests, mountains, lakes, rivers, and the ocean.
But I have liked adding more sun, warmth, and subtracting the overabundance of snow after 25 years of it.
It ain't what you don't know that's a problem. It's what you know for sure that just ain't so.~~~Mark Twain
Worst Drivers by State 2025
1. Mississippi
Mississippi took the top spot for worst drivers in the nation for three years in a row. Mississippi has the lowest rate of insured drivers at 70.6%. Additionally, it has the second-highest number of fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles traveled at 1.56.
2. North Dakota
North Dakota is the state with the second-worst drivers in the U.S. The percentage of insured drivers is around the middle of all states at 87.0%. However, North Dakota has the highest number of DUI arrests annually, with 8.68 per 1,000 drivers.
3. California
California is ranked third for the worst drivers. California has the 15th-highest number of DUI arrests per 1,000 drivers, with 4.42. This is a decrease from 4.71 in 2020. Additionally, its percentage of uninsured drivers is relatively low at 83.4%.
4. Florida
Florida is the second southern state on the list and the fourth-worst state for driving. Florida has the fifth-lowest percentage of insured drivers at 79.6%, meaning that over one-fifth of Florida motorists are uninsured. Florida also has the 9th-highest fatalities per 100 million miles traveled at 1.41.
5. Nevada
Nevada has the second-worst drivers in the U.S. Nevada has a high number of DUIs at 5.44 per 1,000 drivers. Additionally, Nevada has the highest rate of searching online for traffic ticket-related topics.
6. Oklahoma
Coming in at number six on the list is Oklahoma. Only 86.6 percent of drivers in the state are insured. Oklahoma also has the sixth-highest number of road fatalities and a DUI arrest rate of 3.60 per 1,000 putting it in the bottom half of states.
7. Tennessee
Tennessee ranks seventh for the worst drivers and is the third southern state on the list. Only 76.3% of Tennessee drivers are insured, the third-lowest in the country. Tennessee has about 3.50 DUIs per 1,000 drivers, a slight improvement from 2019 when it was 3.63.
8. Arizona
Arizona comes in at eight. Arizona has relatively high fatalities per 100 million miles traveled with 1.4. While Arizona’s percentage of insured drivers is relatively higher than others on this list at 88.2%, it’s still in the bottom half of states.
9. Kentucky
Tennessee’s neighbor, Kentucky, is home to the ninth-worst drivers in the country. Kentucky has the tenth-most DUI arrests with 5.14 per 1,000. Only 86.1% of drivers in the state are insured.
10. Missouri
Finishing the list of states with the worst drivers is Missouri. Missouri has the eleventh-lowest percentage of insured drivers. Only 83.6% of Missouri drivers are insured. Additionally, the number of DUI arrests and road fatalities rank in the middle of all states.
Click on the link for more
1. Mississippi
Mississippi took the top spot for worst drivers in the nation for three years in a row. Mississippi has the lowest rate of insured drivers at 70.6%. Additionally, it has the second-highest number of fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles traveled at 1.56.
2. North Dakota
North Dakota is the state with the second-worst drivers in the U.S. The percentage of insured drivers is around the middle of all states at 87.0%. However, North Dakota has the highest number of DUI arrests annually, with 8.68 per 1,000 drivers.
3. California
California is ranked third for the worst drivers. California has the 15th-highest number of DUI arrests per 1,000 drivers, with 4.42. This is a decrease from 4.71 in 2020. Additionally, its percentage of uninsured drivers is relatively low at 83.4%.
4. Florida
Florida is the second southern state on the list and the fourth-worst state for driving. Florida has the fifth-lowest percentage of insured drivers at 79.6%, meaning that over one-fifth of Florida motorists are uninsured. Florida also has the 9th-highest fatalities per 100 million miles traveled at 1.41.
5. Nevada
Nevada has the second-worst drivers in the U.S. Nevada has a high number of DUIs at 5.44 per 1,000 drivers. Additionally, Nevada has the highest rate of searching online for traffic ticket-related topics.
6. Oklahoma
Coming in at number six on the list is Oklahoma. Only 86.6 percent of drivers in the state are insured. Oklahoma also has the sixth-highest number of road fatalities and a DUI arrest rate of 3.60 per 1,000 putting it in the bottom half of states.
7. Tennessee
Tennessee ranks seventh for the worst drivers and is the third southern state on the list. Only 76.3% of Tennessee drivers are insured, the third-lowest in the country. Tennessee has about 3.50 DUIs per 1,000 drivers, a slight improvement from 2019 when it was 3.63.
8. Arizona
Arizona comes in at eight. Arizona has relatively high fatalities per 100 million miles traveled with 1.4. While Arizona’s percentage of insured drivers is relatively higher than others on this list at 88.2%, it’s still in the bottom half of states.
9. Kentucky
Tennessee’s neighbor, Kentucky, is home to the ninth-worst drivers in the country. Kentucky has the tenth-most DUI arrests with 5.14 per 1,000. Only 86.1% of drivers in the state are insured.
10. Missouri
Finishing the list of states with the worst drivers is Missouri. Missouri has the eleventh-lowest percentage of insured drivers. Only 83.6% of Missouri drivers are insured. Additionally, the number of DUI arrests and road fatalities rank in the middle of all states.
Click on the link for more