Massachusetts residents, there’s something extra to be thankful for this year.
According to the website 247Wallstreet.com, the Bay State is the best state in the country to live in based on living conditions, quality of life, and education levels.
As in many of the other best states to live in, Massachusetts residents are quite wealthy. A typical household earns $69,160 each year, the sixth highest annual median household income in the nation. Similarly, the state’s poverty rate of 11.6% is one of the lowest in the nation. As in most states with low poverty rates and high incomes, the average Massachusetts resident will enjoy a relatively long life. The life expectancy at birth in Massachusetts is 80.5 years, versus the national life expectancy of 79 years. Massachusetts’ nation-leading college attainment rate of 41.2% — it is the only state where more than two in five adults have a bachelor’s degree — is a major driver of the state’s strong economy and high quality of life. Students in the state also score well above average on standardized tests.
In states with the best living conditions, demand for housing is often very high, which tends to drive up home values. A typical home in Massachusetts is valued at $338,900, well above the national median home value of $181,200.
Connecticut, New Hampshire, New Jersey, and Minnesota round out the top five.
The worst state to live in, according to the site, is Mississippi. Residents are the least wealthy in the nation and 21.5% of the state’s population lives in poverty.
Also in the bottom five are West Virginia, Louisiana, Alabama, and Arkansas.
Among New England states, in addition to Massachusetts at No. 1, Connecticut at No. 2, and New Hampshire at No. 3, Vermont came in at No. 8, Rhode Island is No. 19, and Maine is No. 24.
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