Politico Magazine does a quasi-annual ranking of states based upon data such as low poverty rates, low infant mortality rates, the percentage of people employed, crime rate statistics, income inequality, the number of people employed in STEM (Science, Technical, Engineering, Mathematics) jobs. Such data comes from 14 different metrics areas generated by such agencies as the US Census Bureau, the Department of Labor, HUD, and other governmental and non-profit agencies.
New Hampshire, for the fourth year in a row, came out on top in 2017. The Live Free or Die state tied for first place with Minnesota in 2016 but pulled it out by having zero, 0, state income tax, no sales tax, no capital gains tax. The state does, however, have a 5% tax on interest and dividends earned.
New Hampshire’s no/low taxes, low unemployment rate, highly educated population and access to great healthcare also translate into being a great choice for businesses looking to establish or relocate their operation. Residents call New Hampshire an “easy” place to live and work.
Here are Politico’s 2017 top 25 states:
- New Hampshire
- Minnesota
- Vermont
- Utah
- Colorado
- Massachusetts
- Iowa
- Wyoming
- Maine – 17th in 2016
- Wisconsin
- Idaho
- Hawaii
- Connecticut
- Virginia
- New Jersey
- Washington
- Nebraska
- North Dakota
- Montana
- Maryland
- Oregon
- South Dakota – was 16th last year
- Kansas
- Pennsylvania
- Alaska
Note that economic powerhouses like New York, Washington DC and California are absent from Politico’s top 25. Higher levels of crime and income inequality took their tolls in these states.
Also, pay attention to #24 Pennsylvania. This state may rise up in the rankings due to the onslaught of Pittsburgh coming into its own as a tech and robotics hub.
