Our methodology is open, reproducible, and designed to be fair to all 50 states. Here's exactly how it works.
Every stat is converted to a 0–100 percentile score where 100 always means best, regardless of whether higher or lower raw numbers are better. This lets us compare apples to oranges — income (higher = better) alongside crime rates (lower = better) — on the same scale.
We pull raw values for each stat from federal APIs and authoritative sources — unemployment rates, home prices, school rankings, and more. Each stat has a designated source and update cadence.
States are ranked 1–50 on each stat. For stats where lower is better (crime, taxes, commute time), the state with the lowest value gets rank #1. For higher-is-better stats (income, sunshine, school quality), the highest value gets rank #1.
Rank #1 = percentile 100. Rank #50 = percentile 0. This normalization means a score of 75 always means "better than 75% of states on this metric," making comparisons intuitive across all stats.
Percentile bands map to letter grades: A+ (95–100), A (85–94), A- (75–84), B+ (65–74), B (55–64), B- (45–54), C+ (35–44), C (25–34), D (10–24), F (0–9).
The overall composite score is a simple average of all active stat percentiles. No stat is weighted above others in the default ranking — every metric counts equally. The weekly ranking tracks week-over-week movement as data updates.
| Grade | Percentile Range | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| A+ | 95 – 100 | Top 5% of all states on this metric |
| A | 85 – 94 | Top 15% |
| A- | 75 – 84 | Top 25% |
| B+ | 65 – 74 | Above average |
| B | 55 – 64 | Slightly above average |
| B- | 45 – 54 | Near average |
| C+ | 35 – 44 | Slightly below average |
| C | 25 – 34 | Below average |
| D | 10 – 24 | Bottom 25% |
| F | 0 – 9 | Bottom 10% |
We use publicly available federal datasets wherever possible. All data is either pulled automatically via API or sourced from authoritative annual publications.
Median household income, median home value, population, commute times, and housing cost burden. 1-year estimates for states with populations ≥65,000; 5-year estimates otherwise.
Auto-updated via APIState-level unemployment rates from the Local Area Unemployment Statistics program. We use the annual average (period M13) when available, falling back to December figures.
Auto-updated via APIState individual income tax rates, combined state + local sales tax rates, and property tax rates as a percentage of home value. The Tax Foundation compiles these annually from state statutes.
Annual manual updateAnnual sunshine days (days with measurable sunlight) per state capital / major metropolitan area, averaged across the state's principal climate stations.
Annual manual updateViolent crime rate per 100,000 residents by state. Note: UCR data is voluntarily reported by law enforcement agencies; states with lower reporting rates may have understated crime figures.
Annual manual updateState-level school quality composite rankings incorporating K-12 achievement, preschool enrollment, college readiness, and higher education data from NAEP, College Board, and state assessments.
Annual manual updateLife expectancy at birth by state from the National Vital Statistics System. State figures are 3-year rolling averages to reduce year-to-year volatility in smaller populations.
Annual manual updateComposite cost of living index benchmarked to a national average of 100. Includes grocery, housing, utilities, transportation, health care, and miscellaneous goods and services.
Quarterly manual updateThe default composite ranking weights every stat equally. The custom ranking builder lets you create a weighted formula that reflects your actual priorities.
When you set weights (e.g. "50% housing, 30% taxes, 20% safety"), we normalize them to sum to 100% and compute a weighted average percentile for each state. The state with the highest weighted average is your #1.
Custom rankings generate a shareable URL. Anyone with the link sees the same formula and results — useful for debating the best state with friends or posting to social media.
We save anonymous custom rankings to improve the site. No personally identifiable information is stored.
See a data error? Know of a better source? We want to hear it. Email data@staterankings.com with the stat name, the value you're seeing, and the source you believe is more accurate. We review every submission.
StateRankings.com is an independent project — not affiliated with any state government, political party, or advocacy organization. Rankings are generated algorithmically from the sources listed above.
You know how it works — now see where your state actually stands.