#state-rankings

#state-rankings

According to a recent WalletHub analysis, Massachusetts claimed the No. 1 spot among all 50 states thanks to its exceptional levels of higher education attainment and strong public school performance. The annual report, dubbed Most & Least Educated States in America (2026), used 18 metrics ranging from the share of residents with college degrees to public school performance and achievement disparities across gender and race.

"Retirement is supposed to be relaxing, but it can also be incredibly stressful given that it typically puts people on a fixed income, which may not be enough for them to live comfortably," WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo said in the study. "As a result, the best states for retirees are those that have low taxes and a low cost of living to help retirees' budgets stretch as far as possible."

Whether you lead a Fortune 500 division, sell handmade jewelry on TikTok, or shoot threes in the NBA, building your personal brand is essential. For decades, ambitious people flocked to New York or California where legacy newsrooms, corporations, and advertising agencies clustered. While those ecosystems remain powerful, digital and social media now allow Americans to build their brand anywhere. Since traditional hot spots are expensive, it begs the question, "Is it still necessary for your career to live there?"

It came to its conclusion after evaluating all 50 states across three key dimensions: emotional and physical well-being, work environment, and community and environment. Those three dimensions were evaluated using 30 metrics, including the physical health of the population, sleep rates, food insecurity, commute times, income growth rate, average leisure time per person, safety, and more. Each metric was graded on a 100-point scale, with a score of 100 representing maximum happiness. WalletHub then averaged each state's numbers to calculate its overall score.

Life in the United States can look very different depending on where you live, and for Black Americans, those differences are often influenced by longstanding factors. These include social, economic, and political conditions. Access to quality education, affordable housing, healthcare, and employment opportunities varies widely from state to state, affecting everything from annual income to overall well-being. While racial progress has been made nationally over the decades, disparities tied to race continue to affect daily life in meaningful ways.

Nearly 60 percent of the state's fatal crashes and traffic deaths were linked to aggressive or careless driving, the highest rates in the nation.