These are the 10 worst U.S. states for quality of life

The job market may have cooled a bit, however there are nonetheless way more job openings nationwide than there are folks accessible to fill them. Which means certified staff are nonetheless a valuable commodity.

So, firms looking for to draw nice staff prefer to arrange store in states that supply an ideal high quality of life. Whereas some states are more than happy to oblige, these usually are not these states. They’re America’s worst states to dwell and work in. 

Every year, CNBC’s America’s Top States for Business research considers high quality of life amongst ten classes of competitiveness used to rank the states. Below this year’s methodology, the High quality of Life class counts for 13% of a state’s general rating. 

We rating every state on a number of livability elements together with crime charges, well being care, air high quality and little one care. We additionally take into account employee protections, and authorized safeguards towards discrimination of every kind. And, we take a look at private freedom together with reproductive rights. 

In these ten states, the welcome mat has quite a lot of holes in it. 

As a result of everybody has their very own opinion in regards to the climate, we do not embrace it in our High quality of Life rankings. Which means Arizona reaches the underside tier with out even contemplating the sweltering warmth. We do, nonetheless, take into account air high quality, and the state’s rising temperatures are contributing to a few of the worst ozone air pollution within the nation, in line with the American Lung Affiliation. 

The Grand Canyon State additionally has rising gaps in well being care, with fewer than two staffed hospital beds per 1,000 folks, in line with the American Hospital Affiliation. 

In Might, Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs signed a repeal of the near-total abortion ban handed in 1864, earlier than Arizona was a state. However that also left the state with a 15-week ban. And a quirk within the state structure might enable the 1864 ban to return into impact, if solely briefly, this fall. 

2024 High quality of Life Rating: 119 out of 325 Factors (Prime States Grade: D-)

Strengths: Crime, Voting Rights, Employee Protections

Weaknesses: Air High quality, Reproductive Rights, Well being Care  

High quality little one care is sparse within the Sunflower State, with simply 825 licensed child-care facilities in a state of two.9 million folks, in line with Youngster Care Conscious of America. Kansas additionally has a few of the costliest little one care within the nation. A married couple incomes a median revenue can anticipate to spend practically 14% of it on little one care. 

Oh, and do not let the idyllic prairie idiot you: Kansans reported greater than 11,000 violent crimes in 2022, the newest determine accessible from the FBI. The crime charge has not too long ago begun to say no after practically a decade on the rise, however Kansas remains to be extra violent than the nation as a complete. 

2024 High quality of Life Rating: 113 out of 325 Factors (Prime States Grade: F)

Strengths: Well being Care, Reproductive Rights

Weaknesses: Youngster Care, Crime, Employee Protections

Folks within the Pelican State pleasure themselves on being product of stern stuff. That is in all probability an excellent factor in a state with the fourth-highest violent crime charge within the nation, in line with FBI statistics, together with greater than 300 murders in 2022.

Louisiana is America’s least wholesome state, in line with the United Well being Basis, with the fourth-highest charge of untimely deaths. Greater than 40% of Louisianans are overweight. Nevertheless, the state is a pacesetter in little one care, with greater than 1,800 licensed services in a state of 4.5 million folks, in line with the Louisiana Division of Training.

2024 High quality of Life Rating: 100 out of 325 factors (Prime States Grade: F)

Power: Youngster Care

Weaknesses: Crime, Well being, Reproductive Rights

In 2020, because the Covid-19 pandemic raged, Missouri turned one of many final states to offer in and permit early and mail voting. Nevertheless it stays one of the crucial burdensome states to vote in, in line with elections researcher Michael Pomante of the States United Democracy Heart. Missouri is one in all solely 10 states requiring a professional excuse to vote by mail. Missouri additionally has America’s sixth-highest crime charge, with greater than 30,000 offenses reported in 2022.

 2024 High quality of Life Rating: 98 out of 325 factors (Prime States Grade: F)

Power: Air High quality

Weaknesses: Voting Rights, Crime, Reproductive Rights

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation reports that violent crime within the Volunteer State is declining, together with a virtually 9% drop within the homicide charge in 2022. However it’s nonetheless among the many most violent states within the nation, in line with FBI crime statistics. 

The Human Rights Campaign alleges Tennessee lawmakers unleashed “a tsunami of discriminatory laws” in 2024, together with a law signed by Republican Gov. Invoice Lee in April that forbids the state social providers division from looking for to position LGBTQ+ foster kids in supportive properties. One other law clears the way in which for the state to abolish its impartial human rights fee, folding it into the partisan Legal professional Common’s workplace. 

2024 High quality of Life Rating: 96 out of 325 factors (Prime States Grade: F)

Strengths: Youngster Care, Air High quality

Weaknesses: Crime, Inclusiveness, Well being Care

The Natural State is harmful, with the second-highest violent crime charge within the nation after New Mexico. Anti-discrimination provisions within the state’s public lodging legislation are weak, in line with the Nationwide Convention of State Legislatures, with no protections towards discrimination primarily based on age, veteran or army standing, being pregnant, sexual orientation or marital standing. Nevertheless, the state is a pacesetter in inexpensive little one care. A married, median revenue couple can anticipate to pay simply 9% of their revenue on little one care. The state of about three million folks has practically 1,800 licensed child-care services. 

2024 High quality of Life Rating: 93 out of 325 factors (Prime States Grade: F)

Power: Youngster Care

Weaknesses: Inclusiveness, Crime, Voting Rights 

Oklahoma’s abortion ban, triggered by the Supreme Courtroom’s 2022 Dobbs determination, is among the many most restrictive within the nation, in line with the Guttmacher Institute. It prohibits abortions at any stage of being pregnant, besides in circumstances of rape or incest, or if the process is important to save lots of the lifetime of the mom. Oklahomans have the nation’s third-highest weight problems charge and the third-lowest charge of bodily train. That helps make the Sooner State amongst America’s least wholesome. 

2024 High quality of Life Rating: 85 out of 325 factors (Prime States Grade: F)

Power: Air High quality

Weaknesses: Reproductive Rights, Well being, Employee Protections, Voting Rights 

Alabama is one in all solely three states that don’t enable early voting, in line with The Heart for Election Innovation and Analysis (the others are Mississippi and New Hampshire). And this yr, the state handed vital new restrictions on absentee voting. 

Oxfam America ranked the Yellowhammer State useless final for wage insurance policies. The state minimal wage of $7.25 per hour covers lower than 20% of the price of residing for a household of 4. Alabama is one in all solely 5 states with no public lodging legislation barring discrimination towards non-disabled folks. 

2024 High quality of Life Rating: 83 out of 325 factors (Prime States Grade: F)

Power: Youngster Care

Weaknesses: Voting Rights, Inclusiveness, Employee Protections 

Indiana is the worst state for entry to little one care, with simply 772 licensed services in a state of practically seven million folks. The low provide versus demand makes little one care costly within the Hoosier State. A married couple can anticipate to spend practically 13% of a median revenue on little one care.

Indiana has joined a parade of states passing legal guidelines focusing on the LGBTQ+ inhabitants, together with a ban on gender-affirming take care of minors, and barring academics from discussing human sexuality from pre-kindergarten via third grade. 

2024 High quality of Life Rating: 78 out of 325 factors (Prime States Grade: F)

Power: Crime

Weaknesses: Youngster Care, Reproductive Rights, Inclusiveness, Voting Rights 

Sure, we all know. Persons are transferring to the Lone Star State in droves. Some 220,000 educated staff moved there in 2022 alone, in line with the Census Bureau. So how might we presumably rating Texas on the backside for High quality of Life? The very fact is that folks transfer to a state for any variety of causes. Those arriving in Texas are encountering some severe livability points, primarily based on the info. 

Take one thing as primary as well being care. Texas ranks close to the underside in main care suppliers per 100,000 residents at 182, in line with the United Well being Basis. In line with The Commonwealth Fund, Texas leads the nation — by far — in residents with out medical insurance, and a staggering 19% of all folks with a credit score rating in Texas have medical debt that has gone to collections.

These new Texans are additionally discovering few protections within the legislation. Texas is one other state with no public lodging legislation barring discrimination towards non-disabled folks; it has handed a barrage of legal guidelines focusing on the LGBTQ+ neighborhood; and its abortion ban is the strictest within the nation. Additionally, if any of these new Texas residents lose their jobs, state unemployment advantages cowl lower than 10% of the common price of residing, in line with Oxfam America. 

May Texas’ restrictive insurance policies set off a backlash? There are some anecdotal accounts of individuals leaving the state over its abortion ban and its anti-LGBTQ+ laws. However for now, statistically talking, folks preserve pouring into the state with America’s worst high quality of life. 

2024 High quality of Life Rating: 75 out of 325 factors (Prime States Grade: F)

Power: Air High quality

Weaknesses: Reproductive Rights, Well being Care, Voting Rights, Inclusiveness, Employee Protections

Correction: Alabama is one in all solely three states that don’t enable early voting. Delaware not too long ago reinstated early voting. An earlier model of this text misstated that reality.