These Are the Best US States

Because there's nothing quite like saying na-na-na-na-boo-boo at your neighbor, US News & World Report is out with its annual rankings of the best states in the union. The survey took a look at 71 metrics in eight categories that included health care, education, natural environment, opportunity, economy, crime and corrections, infrastructure, and fiscal stability, and this year's winner looks a lot like last year's winner: Utah, which finished in the top 10 in five of those categories. On top of that, its residents are just gosh-darned nice. "In fact, sometimes they're almost too nice—people get a little weirded out," says Ben Blau, head of the Department of Economics and Finance at Utah State University's Jon M. Huntsman School of Business. Without further ado:

The top 10

1. Utah
2. New Hampshire
3. Nebraska
4. Minnesota
5. Idaho
6. Iowa
7. Vermont
8. Washington
9. Florida
10. Massachusetts

And the bottom 10

41. South Carolina
42. Michigan
43. Oklahoma
44. Alabama
45. Alaska
46. West Virginia
47. Arkansas
48. Mississippi
49. New Mexico
50. Louisiana

Read the full rankings and methodology here. (More lists stories.)