What is the most difficult state to live in?

There's no single "most difficult" state, as it depends on individual priorities, but recent studies often point to New Mexico, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Arkansas as consistently ranking low due to poor scores in areas like safety, healthcare, education, and overall quality of life, though they might offer affordability or natural beauty. For instance, New Mexico struggles with safety, while Louisiana leads in dangerous metrics, and West Virginia ranks low for happiness and well-being, highlighting different types of difficulty.

Which state is the hardest to live in?

These states are America's worst for quality of life in 2025:

• Arkansas.
• Alabama.
• Georgia.
• Louisiana.
• Utah.
• Indiana.
• Texas.
• Tennessee.

What is the unhappiest state in the US?

Based on recent studies, particularly WalletHub's 2025 analysis, Louisiana and West Virginia consistently rank as the unhappiest states, often swapping the bottom spots, with Louisiana frequently cited as the absolute least happy due to factors like high depression rates, long work hours, low sleep quality, and high divorce rates, while West Virginia struggles with high adult depression and poor sleep. Other states often in the bottom ranks include Arkansas, Alabama, and Tennessee. 

What is the #1 state to live in the US?

1. Massachusetts. According to WalletHub's study, Massachusetts is the best state to live in, excelling in all key factors—and earning the top spot in the ranking. It has the lowest premature death rate in the US, and residents earn a cushy median household income of over $101,000.

What are the best and worst states to move to?

The study found the best states to move to are Utah, New Hampshire, Idaho and Virginia. According to the list, worst states to move to are California, Louisiana, New Mexico and Oregon.

10 Most Challenging States To Live In Right Now in 2025

What is the #1 happiest state in the US?

Hawaii consistently ranks as the happiest and least stressed state in the United States, characterized by high levels of emotional and physical well-being among its residents.

What is the roughest state in the United States?

Louisiana leads in danger metrics, with the highest homicide rate in the U.S. at 14.4 per 100,000 people. Mississippi ranks second, with the highest fatalities per 100 million miles traveled and low rankings in road safety and emergency preparedness.

What is the #1 cheapest state to live in?

Below is a detailed breakdown of the ten most affordable states to live in 2025:

• Arkansas. Arkansas continues to be one of the most affordable states in the U.S., especially for those looking to buy property. ...
• Mississippi. ...
• Oklahoma. ...
• New Mexico. ...
• Missouri. ...
• Tennessee. ...
• Michigan. ...
• Texas.

What is the poorest U.S. state?

Mississippi is consistently ranked as the poorest U.S. state, characterized by the nation's lowest median household income, highest poverty rate (around 18-19%), high child poverty, and significant food insecurity, with states like Louisiana, New Mexico, West Virginia, and Arkansas often following in poverty rankings. These states face challenges like low wages, economic disparities, and limited resources, though some, like Mississippi, show growth in GDP but struggle with low-paying jobs, as noted by this World Population Review article and this Worldatlas article. 

What's the nicest state to live in?

• Utah. #1 in Best States Overall. ...
• New Hampshire. #2 in Best States Overall. ...
• Idaho. #3 in Best States Overall. ...
• Minnesota. #4 in Best States Overall. ...
• Nebraska. #5 in Best States Overall. ...
• Florida. #6 in Best States Overall. ...
• Vermont. #7 in Best States Overall. ...
• South Dakota. #8 in Best States Overall.

What is the most loved state in the USA?

Hawaii is consistently ranked as America's favorite state in recent surveys, leading in overall favorability and net positive perception due to its beauty, warm weather, and perceived well-being, followed by states like North Carolina, Alaska, Tennessee, and Colorado in positive ratings. However, "most liked" varies by survey criteria, with other rankings highlighting states like Utah or Nebraska for overall livability, but Hawaii generally wins popularity contests. 

What is the most stressed state in the US?

WalletHub on Monday released its list of the "Most & Least Stressed States" for 2025, with New Mexico being the most stressed and Nebraska being the least stressed.

What is the least fun state in the US?

There's no single "least interesting" state, as it's subjective, but surveys and opinions often point to West Virginia, Mississippi, Delaware, and North Dakota as having fewer entertainment/recreation options by some metrics, while states like Kansas, Nebraska, and Idaho are sometimes cited as less engaging for driving due to flatness or remoteness, though all states offer unique spots. 

What is the unhealthiest state to live in?

While rankings vary slightly by study, West Virginia, Mississippi, Louisiana, Alabama, and Kentucky consistently appear as the most unhealthy U.S. states, often due to high rates of obesity, smoking, chronic disease, substance abuse, poor nutrition, mental distress, and lower life expectancies, with many of these top contenders located in the South.
 

What is the most relaxing state?

There's no single "most relaxing" state, as it depends on what you find relaxing, but Minnesota, South Dakota, and Utah frequently top lists for low overall stress due to factors like good health, less financial/work stress, and peaceful environments. Hawaii is also known for its "island time" chill vibe, while states with abundant nature like Wyoming, Alaska, and Maine often appear due to natural beauty and lower stress levels.
 

Which US state is the strictest?

There isn't one single "strictest" state, as it depends on the category, but California consistently ranks as the most heavily regulated overall due to the sheer volume of its administrative rules, with New York and New Jersey also having extensive regulations. Other states might be strictest in specific areas, like Massachusetts for data privacy or Utah for alcohol laws, while states like Alaska, Oregon, and Texas might be noted for driving laws. 

What is the richest state?

California is generally considered the richest state by overall economic output (GDP) and as a hub for innovation and billionaires, but Massachusetts often ranks highest for median household income, indicating more widespread wealth, while the District of Columbia leads in per capita personal income, showing high earnings per person, so "richest" depends on the metric used. 

What state is #1 in poverty?

Mississippi consistently ranks as the U.S. state with the highest poverty rate, often followed closely by states like Louisiana, New Mexico, West Virginia, and Kentucky, though rankings shift slightly by year and data source (Official vs. Supplemental Poverty Measure). Mississippi struggles with low median incomes, low educational attainment, and high rates of child poverty, making it the poorest state by several metrics, according to World Population Review and other sources.
 

Where do poor people live in the USA?

Those with the most severe poverty are found in poor areas of the Southeast, including the Mississippi Delta and Appalachia, as well as on Native American lands. Pockets of high poverty are increasingly found in other regions, such as nonmetro areas of the Southwest and northern sections of the Midwest.

What is the happiest state to live in?

According to WalletHub's 2025 study, Hawaii is the happiest state in the U.S., ranking first for its strong emotional/physical well-being, work environment, and community/environment factors, with residents showing high life satisfaction, low depression, and long life expectancy, followed by Maryland and Nebraska in the top three. 

Where is the cheapest but nicest place to live in the US?

The cheapest, best places to live in the U.S. often involve the Midwest and South, with cities like Wichita (KS), Fort Wayne (IN), Dayton (OH), and Knoxville (TN) offering low housing costs and good value, while states like West Virginia, Mississippi, and Oklahoma consistently rank as most affordable overall. Key factors are low housing prices and a cost of living significantly below the national average, with some top contenders being Decatur (IL), Enid (OK), and Brownsville (TX), but "best" depends on balancing budget with lifestyle needs like jobs, culture, and amenities. 

Which states have no state income tax?

As of 2025, there are nine states that don't collect any state income tax: Alaska, Florida, Nevada, South Dakota, New Hampshire, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, and Wyoming.

Which state is #1 in crime?

States with the highest and lowest crime rates

Alaska had the highest violent crime rate of any state in 2024, at 724.1 incidents per 100,000 residents, followed by New Mexico (717.1), Tennessee (592.3), Arkansas (579.4) and Louisiana (519.8).

What is the unsafest state to live in?

While different reports use various metrics, Louisiana, New Mexico, and Mississippi consistently rank as some of the most dangerous states due to high rates of violent crime, homicides, and other safety factors, with Louisiana often cited as the least safe overall due to its high murder rate and risks like drownings, followed closely by New Mexico for assaults and Alaska for overall violent crime rates. 

What is the most strict state in the United States?

One of the primary reasons that businesses flee California is the state's onerous regulatory regime. Are they simply imagining conditions are worse here than elsewhere and running into similar hurdles in their new locations? No, they have it right. California is the most-regulated state in the country.