Utah tops US News & World Report 2026 Best States ranking

For the fourth consecutive year, Utah has been ranked the No. 1 state in U.S. News & World Report’s 2026 Best States rankings. The Beehive State secured the top spot overall by scoring highly across eight categories, including economy, education, health care, fiscal stability and infrastructure.

South Dakota moved up to second place, followed by Minnesota, North Dakota and Nebraska rounding out the top five, with four of these states located in the Mountain West or Upper Midwest. Texas captured the #1 rank in the economy category, noting strong job growth, GDP gains and net migration. The report highlights a broader shift of economic momentum toward the Midwest and South, as lower‑cost regions attract businesses and workers.

Overall, the rankings reflect regional trends favoring the Mountain West, Midwest and Sun Belt, while several Northeastern states fell in the standings.