New report ranks Utah as best state in country. Where did Massachusetts fall?

U.S. News and World Report released its Best States 2024 ranking , and Massachusetts residents should feel decent about where they ranked.

Even if the state didn't take the top spot. That honor fell to Utah.

The rankings rate the quality of life in every state, with a scorecard that ranks each state on crime & corrections, economy, education, fiscal stability, health care, infrastructure, natural environment, and opportunity looking at three years of data. A total of 71 metrics are used, according to U.S. News.

Those factors are then weighted going into the final scoring. Health care and education, for example, account for about 15% of the total score while natural environment accounts for 9%.

Massachusetts ranks No. 10

Placing in the top ten, Massachusetts is one of the best states to live in. With the rankings, the Bay State topped the list for business environment, Pre-K-12 education, and public health.

Here's a more detailed look at the rankings, including the categories within the categories.

• Crime & Correction: No. 4, with a ranking within the category of No. 6 for corrections outcomes and No. 8 for public safety. Massachusetts also has a lower than national average for its incarceration rate, juvenile incarceration rate and violent crime rate.
• Economy: No. 8, with a ranking within the category of No. 1 for business environment, No. 23 for employment and No. 27 for growth.
• Education: No. 3, with a ranking within the category of No. 37 for higher education and No. 1 for Pre-K through high school.
• Fiscal Stability: No. 3 9, with a ranking within the category of No. 36 for long-term stability and No. 34 for short-term stability.
• Health Care: No. 2, with a ranking within the category of No. 1 for public health, No. 2 for health care access, and No. 27 for health care quality.
• Infrastructure: No. 39 , with a ranking within the category of No. 38 for transportation, with 26% of roads in poor condition compared to the national average of 18.3% and No. 22 for internet access and No. 44 for energy.
• Natural Environment: No. 7, with a ranking within the category of No. 19 for pollution and No. 3 for air and water quality.
• Opportunity: No. 46, with a ranking within the category of No. 24 for equality, No. 13 for economic opportunity and No. 46 for affordability.

How did the other New England states rank?

• No. 2 New Hampshire
• No. 7 Vermont
• No. 20 Connecticut
• No. 26 Rhode Island
• No. 28 Maine

The 10 best states 2024

These states ranked as the top 10 in the nation, according to U.S. News.

1. Utah
2. New Hampshire
3. Nebraska
4. Minnesota
5. Idaho
6. Iowa
7. Vermont
8. Washington
9. Florida
10. Massachusetts

The 10 worst states in 2024

These states ranked as the bottom 10 in the nation, according to U.S. News.

1. Lousiana
2. New Mexico
3. Mississippi
4. Arkansas
5. West Virginia
6. Alaska
7. Alabama
8. Oklahoma
9. Michigan
10. South Carolina
11. Pennsylvania

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: New report ranks Utah as best state in country. Where did Massachusetts fall?