What's the nicest state to live in?

There's no single "best" state, as it depends on priorities, but Massachusetts, Utah, and Idaho frequently rank top overall for strong economies, good healthcare/education, and quality of life in 2025/2026 reports, with other high-performers including New Jersey, Minnesota, and New Hampshire, balancing factors like opportunity, affordability, and safety.

What is the #1 best state to live in?

There's no single "#1 best state" as it depends on priorities, but recent studies by WalletHub (late 2025) rank Massachusetts highest overall for livability, citing strong education and healthcare, while U.S. News & World Report (May 2025) often names Utah as #1, highlighting its strong economy and infrastructure. Other top contenders frequently appearing are Idaho, New Jersey, Wisconsin, and New Hampshire, each excelling in different areas like environment, economy, or quality of life. 

What's the friendliest state to live in?

While subjective, recent studies often name Minnesota, Tennessee, and South Carolina as America's friendliest states, with Minnesota often topping lists due to its "Minnesota nice" reputation, and Southern states like Tennessee and South Carolina praised for hospitality. Other top contenders include Texas, Wyoming, Colorado, and Hawaii, with rankings varying slightly by source, like World Population Review or tourist surveys. 

What is the #1 happiest state in the US?

Hawaii is consistently ranked as the #1 happiest state in the U.S. by various reports, including WalletHub's 2024 and 2025 studies, due to high life satisfaction, low depression rates, good physical health, long life expectancy, and low unemployment, despite being an expensive state. Maryland, Nebraska, and New Jersey often round out the top five happiest states in these rankings.
 

What is the #1 cheapest state to live in?

Mississippi is consistently ranked as the #1 cheapest state to live in the U.S., primarily due to having the nation's lowest housing costs, along with very low transportation expenses, making overall living costs significantly below the national average, though it also faces high poverty rates. Other top contenders for affordability include West Virginia, Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Alabama, all offering low housing and everyday expenses. 

Top 10 States to Live in the United States 2026 (Why They're Best)

What is the #1 expensive state to live in?

Hawaii is consistently ranked as the #1 most expensive state to live in the U.S., primarily due to its remote location leading to high costs for imported groceries, housing, utilities, and transportation, making everyday goods significantly more expensive than the national average. 

Which states have no state income tax?

Nine U.S. states currently have no state income tax on earned wages: Alaska, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, and Wyoming, though Washington does have a capital gains tax on high earners. While these states offer tax savings on income, they often rely more heavily on other taxes like sales, property, and excise taxes to fund public services, so it's important to look at the overall tax picture.
 

Which state is the most fun to live in?

What are the most fun states in the nation?

• California — Dominates with the most restaurants, amusement parks, movie theaters, and fitness centers per capita. ...
• Florida — Known for its many restaurants, musicals, and amusement parks. ...
• Nevada — Famous for Las Vegas, it excels in nightlife and entertainment density.

What is the toughest state to live in?

There's no single "hardest" state, as it's subjective, but recent studies often point to Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, and Tennessee for poor quality of life, high stress, low economic opportunity, or significant public safety/health issues, while Alaska presents challenges with extreme cost of living and remoteness, and Florida faces criticism for raising families despite other strengths. States consistently ranked poorly often struggle with poverty, education, healthcare access, and violent crime. 

What is the most loved state in America?

According to recent surveys, Hawaii is generally considered the most liked U.S. state, consistently topping polls for high favorability due to its beauty and warm weather, followed by states like Alaska, North Carolina, and Colorado, though personal opinions vary widely. 

What is the most peaceful state in the USA?

While rankings vary by source and year, Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont consistently rank as the most peaceful states, often topping lists due to low crime rates (violent and property), strong community safety, and overall lower levels of conflict, with the Northeast generally being the most peaceful region in the U.S. New Hampshire is often cited as the safest overall by some metrics like low violent/property crime, while Maine excels in multiple peace indicators.
 

What is the #1 state to raise a family?

According to recent 2026 studies, Massachusetts is often ranked as the #1 state to raise a family due to top-tier education, strong job markets, good health outcomes, and low poverty, despite higher living costs, with Minnesota and North Dakota frequently following in the top three for strong economies, affordability, and family well-being. These rankings consider factors like healthcare, safety, education, childcare, and affordability.
 

Which state has the lowest crime?

New Hampshire, Maine, and Vermont consistently rank as having some of the lowest crime rates in the U.S., with New Hampshire often cited for overall safety and low violent/property crime, while Maine and Vermont lead in low violent crime, often due to strong community safety and economic factors, according to various 2025 analyses.
 

What is the #1 happiest job?

There's no single #1 happiest job, as it varies by individual, but consistently high-ranking roles often involve helping others (firefighters, physical therapists, surgeons), working outdoors (logging, farming), or creative/technical fields (software developers, engineers, arts) with good balance, autonomy, and pay, with Construction sometimes topping industry lists for overall happiness and satisfaction. 

What job pays $400,000 a year without a degree?

The most prominent "$400,000 job without a college degree" discussed in recent news is a Walmart Supercenter Store Manager, where compensation can reach that level through a combination of increased base pay (around $128k average), significant bonuses (up to 200% of base), and annual stock grants (up to $20k) for top performers, making the role lucrative for those rising from hourly work. Other paths to high income without a degree include skilled trades, tech sales, and specialized roles like power plant operators, often achieved through skills-based training, certificates, or apprenticeships rather than a traditional four-year degree.
 

Which state is hardest to get a job?

West Virginia is frequently cited as the hardest state to find a job due to slow growth, low income, and high poverty, with Louisiana, Kentucky, and Alaska also ranking poorly in studies that assess job market strength, employment growth, and economic environment. These states often have challenges like economic instability, limited diversification, and poor job security, making it difficult for job seekers to find stable, well-paying work.
 

What is the most relaxing state?

South Dakota is the most relaxed state in the country.

What is the least fun state to live in?

The 10 Least Fun States

• West Virginia.
• Mississippi.
• Rhode Island.
• Delaware.
• Arkansas.
• Vermont.
• Alabama.
• Connecticut.

What's the friendliest state?

They continued, "So the top five is: Minnesota, Tennessee, South Carolina, Texas, and oh yes – Wyoming." They further add, "Apparently, Wyoming is so friendly that you can leave your keys in the car with the engine running and no one will touch your car."

What state has the worst taxes?

There isn't one single "worst" state for taxes as it depends on your income and what you value, but New York, New Jersey, and California consistently rank poorly due to high income, sales, and property taxes, with New York often cited as having the most burdensome system overall, while Hawaii also has very high burdens. States like these combine high rates across multiple tax types, creating a heavy overall tax load for residents, notes Experian.
 

How much an hour is $70,000 a year after taxes?

$70,000 a year is about $33.65 per hour before taxes, but after federal, state (varies), FICA, and other deductions, your take-home hourly pay could range from roughly $25 to $30+ per hour, depending heavily on your state, filing status, and benefits, with estimated take-home pay often falling between $43,500 - $52,000 annually after deductions. 

What is the best state to live in financially?

The best state for finances depends on your priorities (low taxes vs. high wages/opportunity), but top contenders often include Wyoming, Florida, Texas, Tennessee, and New Hampshire for low taxes/cost of living, while Utah, Colorado, and Washington rank highly for overall financial well-being, good wages, and affordability, with Iowa and Georgia offering strong fiscal stability and affordability too.