Utah ranked U.S.A.'s best state

Utah was named the best state in the country once again by U.S. News & World Report's annual rankings .

The big picture: Economic stability and high education levels pushed the state to the front of the pack.

Zoom in: Utah ranked among the top three states for education, economy and infrastructure.

• In health care, the state received high marks for smoking rates, preventable hospital admissions, nursing home quality and adult dental visits.
• Low debt at graduation and math and reading test scores boosted our education ranking.
• Our unemployment score was the best in the nation, with a jobs market that has been strong for decades .
• We ranked No. 1 for income equality and No. 2 for internet access, low poverty and economic opportunity.

Yes, but: Utah had the worst gender pay gap.

Zoom out: Joining us at the top of the list were New Hampshire, Nebraska, Minnesota and Idaho.

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