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2006 Most Livable State Award

Which State Is The Most Livable?

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44 Factors | Methodology | Press Release

Award Rankings 1991 to 2006 | About Us | MQ Home
 

"1" is Most Livable, "50" is Not

2006 MOST LIVABLE STATE AWARD
ALPHA ORDER RANK ORDER
2006 RANK STATE LIVABILITY RATING 2005 RANK CHANGE 2006 RANK STATE LIVABILITY RATING 2005 RANK CHANGE
39 Alabama 20.50 39 0   1 New Hampshire 35.84 1 0
23 Alaska 25.32 27 4   2 Minnesota 34.68 2 0
29 Arizona 24.39 36 7   3 Iowa 32.39 6 3
48 Arkansas 18.45 48 0   4 Vermont 31.89 3 -1
34 California 23.59 35 1   5 New Jersey 31.30 8 3
20 Colorado 27.25 16 -4   6 Wyoming 31.16 4 -2
10 Connecticut 30.61 14 4   7 Massachusetts 31.14 7 0
18 Delaware 28.43 17 -1   8 Virginia 30.84 5 -3
31 Florida 24.02 37 6   9 Nebraska 30.70 10 1
38 Georgia 20.86 38 0   10 Connecticut 30.61 14 4
22 Hawaii 26.39 26 4   11 Utah 30.43 19 8
18 Idaho 28.43 18 0   12 North Dakota 29.80 11 -1
28 Illinois 24.41 31 3   13 South Dakota 29.52 9 -4
36 Indiana 23.50 21 -15   14 Wisconsin 29.30 13 -1
3 Iowa 32.39 6 3   15 Kansas 28.84 20 5
15 Kansas 28.84 20 5   16 Maryland 28.61 12 -4
47 Kentucky 18.66 41 -6   17 Maine 28.50 15 -2
50 Louisiana 15.00 49 -1   18 Delaware 28.43 17 -1
17 Maine 28.50 15 -2   18 Idaho 28.43 18 0
16 Maryland 28.61 12 -4   20 Colorado 27.25 16 -4
7 Massachusetts 31.14 7 0   21 Montana 26.57 24 3
35 Michigan 23.57 28 -7   22 Hawaii 26.39 26 4
2 Minnesota 34.68 2 0   23 Alaska 25.32 27 4
49 Mississippi 15.43 50 1   24 Nevada 25.18 29 5
27 Missouri 24.66 22 -5   25 Washington 25.16 25 0
21 Montana 26.57 24 3   26 Rhode Island 25.09 23 -3
9 Nebraska 30.70 10 1   27 Missouri 24.66 22 -5
24 Nevada 25.18 29 5   28 Illinois 24.41 31 3
1 New Hampshire 35.84 1 0   29 Arizona 24.39 36 7
5 New Jersey 31.30 8 3   30 Pennsylvania 24.30 32 2
41 New Mexico 20.30 42 1   31 Florida 24.02 37 6
32 New York 23.98 30 -2   32 New York 23.98 30 -2
40 North Carolina 20.39 40 0   33 Oregon 23.61 34 1
12 North Dakota 29.80 11 -1   34 California 23.59 35 1
37 Ohio 22.48 32 -5   35 Michigan 23.57 28 -7
43 Oklahoma 19.67 43 0   36 Indiana 23.50 21 -15
33 Oregon 23.61 34 1   37 Ohio 22.48 32 -5
30 Pennsylvania 24.30 32 2   38 Georgia 20.86 38 0
26 Rhode Island 25.09 23 -3   39 Alabama 20.50 39 0
46 South Carolina 19.11 44 -2   40 North Carolina 20.39 40 0
13 South Dakota 29.52 9 -4   41 New Mexico 20.30 42 1
45 Tennessee 19.41 47 2   41 Texas 20.30 45 4
41 Texas 20.30 45 4   43 Oklahoma 19.67 43 0
11 Utah 30.43 19 8   44 West Virginia 19.57 46 2
4 Vermont 31.89 3 -1   45 Tennessee 19.41 47 2
8 Virginia 30.84 5 -3   46 South Carolina 19.11 44 -2
25 Washington 25.16 25 0   47 Kentucky 18.66 41 -6
44 West Virginia 19.57 46 2   48 Arkansas 18.45 48 0
14 Wisconsin 29.30 13 -1   49 Mississippi 15.43 50 1
6 Wyoming 31.16 4 -2   50 Louisiana 15.00 49 -1

METHODOLOGY: To determine a state's "Livability Rating," each state's rankings for 44 factors were averaged. The scale is 1 to 50, the higher the number, the better. Data used are for the most recent year in which comparable numbers are available from most states. All factors were given equal weight. States with no data available for a given category were ranked based only on the remaining factors. In our book, data are listed from highest to lowest. However, for purposes of this award, we inverted rankings for those factors we determined to be "positive." Thus the state with the highest median income in the book (ranking 1st) would be given a number 50 ranking for this award.