Personal finance website WalletHub released its report on 2024’s “Best States to Live In.” Florida finished second overall.
Top 5 states to reside in:
1. Massachusetts
2. Florida
3. New Jersey
4. Utah
5. New Hampshire .
Worst States to live in:
46 Nevada
47 Alaska
48 Arkansas
49 New Mexico
50 Louisiana
WalletHub compared the 50 states across 51 key indicators of livability. These range from housing costs to income growth, education rate, hospital systems, economy, safety, and quality of life.
The report found that Massachusetts is the best state to live in due in large part to its strong healthcare system and high-quality education.
Florida came in at number two based on having one of the lowest unemployment rates in the country, at just 2.9%, along with the sixth-most job opportunities per capita. It also has the seventh-lowest tax rates and the sixth-highest median household income growth, making it a great place to build and grow wealth.
The analyst at WalletHub also said taxes were part of a family’s decision when moving from one state to another, like Florida.
Florida doesn’t have an income tax, an inheritance, or estate tax like some northern states have.
In addition, the Sunshine State offers a multitude of ways to spend your leisure time, with an especially large number of restaurants, beaches, fitness centers, and theaters per capita. To top things off, Florida is a pretty safe state. It has the ninth-lowest number of law enforcement employees per capita, which has contributed to the 13th-lowest violent crime rate and the 15th-lowest property crime rate.