The Top States to Move to in 2020
Published by Chris Townsend
Have you ever thought about what it would be like to leave your entire state behind? The state you were born in or where you completed all of your schooling. It can be emotional but also invigorating.
Well, here is our guide to the top 10 states to move to in 2020.
Where do I start?
We must first look at what people value in their lives and what qualifies a state for your next move. US News includes eight categories of importance when evaluating a state: Healthcare, Education, Economy, Infrastructure, Opportunity, Fiscal Stability, Crime & Corrections, and Natural Environment.
We are already aware that some of these categories may hold more importance to you and that these categories are subjective to each of us. So let’s go through each of these to find the perfect state for you!
Healthcare
This category is important to many who are dealing with chronic illnesses or are simply aging and wanting a state to provide the best services to them. Something interesting to note about the top 5 overall states according to US News is that none of them rank #1 in healthcare. Instead, the state that outshines all others is ranked #24 overall. And that is Hawaii. There are three categories that measure healthcare: Healthcare Access, Healthcare Quality, and Public Health. And it’s important to note that across these three categories, Hawaii ranked #3 to healthcare access, #1 to healthcare quality, and #4 to public health. That’s impressive.
Education
Whether you’re a parent looking towards the education for your children or your own personal education journey, Massachusetts is your bread and butter. The categories that define this system are Higher Education and Pre-K - 12. Although Massachusetts trails behind as #27 in higher education opportunities, they truly excel in Pre-K - 12 education as #1.
Economy
The state that provides the most Business Environment, Employment, and Growth is Colorado. Their venture capital is measured at $47.4 per $1,000 GDP. Their job growth is at 2.3% and their net migration is set at 1.0%. These numbers may seem insignificant, but once you compare them to the national averages, you truly see the appeal of Colorado. The national averages are $6.7 per $1,000 GDP, 1.2% job growth, and 0.3% net migration.
Infrastructure
When measuring the state with the most excellent energy transportation and internet, the clear winner is Oregon. In the categories of Energy, Internet Access, and Transportation, Oregon trumps every other state. Are you constantly traveling on the road thinking about how your city never repairs the quality of those roads? Well, in Oregon, only 7.5% of their roads are in poor condition as compared to the 23.5% national average..
Opportunity
The state that has the most Affordability, Economic Opportunity, and Equality is New Hampshire. While the state’s affordability is not in the top 5 by any means, they are successful in providing economic opportunity and equality which is ranked at #2 for both categories. Their annual household income is set at $73,381 (national average is $60,336) and their poverty rate is 7.7% (national average is 13.4%.)
Fiscal Stability
When measuring the state with the most short-term and long-term fiscal stability, Tennessee comes out on top. Their budget balancing is 1.07 and their liquidity is 4.2 compared to the national average of 1.01 budget balancing and 2.5 liquidity.
Crime & Corrections
The state that constantly comes out on top when viewing its citizens’ public safety and the corrections system is New Hampshire. Their incarceration rate is 211/100,000 residents and their juvenile incarceration is 44/100,000 residents. Their measurements of violent crime are rated as 199/100,000 residents.
Natural Environment
But perhaps you are someone who values quality of water and pollution the most in your life. If so, then Rhode Island is your best friend. Having only 125 unhealthy air quality days really says it all, compared to the national average of 227. Even more impressive, only 349 pounds/mi² of industrial toxins are produced here compared to the national average of 1,015 pounds/mi².
What does this mean moving forward?
What this system indicates is that while these measurements are objective, the true beauty and what you value in a state is subjective. These categories are meant to guide you in finding your dream state, not limit you to a select few in one region of the country.
Top 10
With that being said, here are the top 10 states to move to this 2020 from US News!
- Washington
- New Hampshire
- Minnesota
- Utah
- Vermont
- Maryland
- Virginia
- Massachusetts
- Nebraska
- Colorado
