Morgan Quitno Press is an independent private research and publishing company located in Lawrence, Kansas. Founded by Scott Morgan, Kathleen O'Leary Morgan and Neal Quitno in 1989, the company specializes in reference books and monthly reports that compare states and cities in several different subject areas. The corporation is not a subsidiary of any other company nor is it subsidized by any outside interest group. Its books are found in reference libraries throughout the United States and around the world.

Book Information

Morgan Quitno currently publishes four primary rankings reference books: State Rankings, Health Care State Rankings, Crime State Rankings and City Crime Rankings. In addition, the company annually publishes 153 other state-specific publications. In July 1998, Morgan Quitno began a new monthly journal State Statistical Trends. These basic information volumes for governments, libraries, media, corporations and general readers have earned praise from book critics as excellent sources of comparative and objective statistics.

The first book published by Morgan Quitno was State Rankings in 1990. An annual publication, this volume features state comparisons in hundreds of categories ranging from agriculture to transportation, health to government finance and crime to social welfare. The eleventh edition, State Rankings 2000, is currently available. It is the statistics in this book upon which the annual "Most Livable State" award is based.

In 1993, Morgan Quitno launched Health Care State Rankings. This collection of health care statistics compares the states in more than 500 categories including access to health care, health care providers, health care facilities, health care costs, physical fitness, natality and reproductive health, deaths and incidence of disease. Selected statistics in this book are used to determine the annual "Healthiest State" award. Health Care State Rankings 2000 is the most recent edition available.

In 1994, Morgan Quitno introduced a third book, Crime State Rankings. This volume compares states in 512 crime-related categories. Information is featured on arrests, prisons, drugs and alcohol, law enforcement personnel and expenditures, offenses and crime clearances. Crime State Rankings 2000 is the latest edition available. The "Most Dangerous State" and "Safest State" designations are announced in conjunction with this book each year.

In 1995, Morgan Quitno launched City Crime Rankings. This 400-page book compares U.S. cities and metropolitan areas in all major areas of crime. Each large city and metro area is ranked in 40 crime categories. Police rates are also reported for large cities. The updated, seventh edition of this volume is available.  Morgan Quitno honors America’s "Safest Cities and Metro Areas" based on information provided in this book.

State Statistical Trends is a 100-page monthly that focuses each month on a different subject area and provides a collection of easy-to-understand tables, graphics and commentary showing state multi-year trends. Topics include taxes, economy, education, crime, vital statistics and more.  An annual compilation is State Statistical Trends in Perspective.  Volume 2 is now available.  Issues are available for each state.