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Which State Is The Most Livable?

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Click Here for the Complete 2002 State Awards Publication

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

The 2002 Most Livable State Award

ALPHA ORDER

RANK ORDER

2002 RANK

STATE

LIVABILITY RATING

2001 RANK

CHANGE

 

2002 RANK

STATE

LIVABILITY RATING

2001 RANK

CHANGE

48

Alabama

18.12

46

-2

 

1

Minnesota

33.91

1

0

28

Alaska

24.86

37

9

 

2

Iowa

32.26

3

1

40

Arizona

21.67

36

-4

 

3

New Hampshire

31.81

13

10

47

Arkansas

18.88

44

-3

 

4

Virginia

31.47

4

0

33

California

23.88

32

-1

 

5

Massachusetts

30.98

9

4

7

Colorado

30.29

2

-5

 

6

Nebraska

30.84

10

4

9

Connecticut

29.63

6

-3

 

7

Colorado

30.29

2

-5

19

Delaware

25.93

21

2

 

8

Wyoming

29.72

12

4

39

Florida

21.95

40

1

 

9

Connecticut

29.63

6

-3

35

Georgia

23.42

33

-2

 

10

New Jersey

29.60

11

1

43

Hawaii

20.53

34

-9

 

11

Wisconsin

29.37

8

-3

21

Idaho

25.56

20

-1

 

12

Utah

29.07

5

-7

31

Illinois

24.00

31

0

 

13

Kansas

29.02

7

-6

20

Indiana

25.79

21

1

 

13

South Dakota

29.02

16

3

2

Iowa

32.26

3

1

 

15

Maine

28.53

17

2

13

Kansas

29.02

7

-6

 

16

North Dakota

28.23

25

9

42

Kentucky

21.07

43

1

 

17

Maryland

28.09

14

-3

49

Louisiana

17.02

49

0

 

18

Vermont

27.63

15

-3

15

Maine

28.53

17

2

 

19

Delaware

25.93

21

2

17

Maryland

28.09

14

-3

 

20

Indiana

25.79

21

1

5

Massachusetts

30.98

9

4

 

21

Idaho

25.56

20

-1

23

Michigan

25.51

27

4

 

21

Washington

25.56

18

-3

1

Minnesota

33.91

1

0

 

23

Michigan

25.51

27

4

50

Mississippi

17.00

50

0

 

24

Pennsylvania

25.49

30

6

26

Missouri

25.37

19

-7

 

25

Ohio

25.40

24

-1

32

Montana

23.98

39

7

 

26

Missouri

25.37

19

-7

6

Nebraska

30.84

10

4

 

27

Oregon

25.33

23

-4

34

Nevada

23.77

26

-8

 

28

Alaska

24.86

37

9

3

New Hampshire

31.81

13

10

 

29

Texas

24.37

29

0

10

New Jersey

29.60

11

1

 

30

Rhode Island

24.26

28

-2

46

New Mexico

19.93

47

1

 

31

Illinois

24.00

31

0

37

New York

22.72

35

-2

 

32

Montana

23.98

39

7

36

North Carolina

22.88

42

6

 

33

California

23.88

32

-1

16

North Dakota

28.23

25

9

 

34

Nevada

23.77

26

-8

25

Ohio

25.40

24

-1

 

35

Georgia

23.42

33

-2

38

Oklahoma

22.60

41

3

 

36

North Carolina

22.88

42

6

27

Oregon

25.33

23

-4

 

37

New York

22.72

35

-2

24

Pennsylvania

25.49

30

6

 

38

Oklahoma

22.60

41

3

30

Rhode Island

24.26

28

-2

 

39

Florida

21.95

40

1

41

South Carolina

21.30

38

-3

 

40

Arizona

21.67

36

-4

13

South Dakota

29.02

16

3

 

41

South Carolina

21.30

38

-3

43

Tennessee

20.53

45

2

 

42

Kentucky

21.07

43

1

29

Texas

24.37

29

0

 

43

Hawaii

20.53

34

-9

12

Utah

29.07

5

-7

 

43

Tennessee

20.53

45

2

18

Vermont

27.63

15

-3

 

45

West Virginia

20.14

48

3

4

Virginia

31.47

4

0

 

46

New Mexico

19.93

47

1

21

Washington

25.56

18

-3

 

47

Arkansas

18.88

44

-3

45

West Virginia

20.14

48

3

 

48

Alabama

18.12

46

-2

11

Wisconsin

29.37

8

-3

 

49

Louisiana

17.02

49

0

8

Wyoming

29.72

12

4

 

50

Mississippi

17.00

50

0

METHODOLOGY: To determine a state's "Livability Rating," each state's rankings for 43 categories 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.