Here’s where Arizona ranks among best states to live in

With millions of Americans moving each year and summer being the most popular time of year to move, the personal-finance company WalletHub today released its report on 2026’s Best States to Live In to help people find a new home that is affordable, safe and enjoyable.

WalletHub compared the 50 states across 51 key indicators of livability. They range from housing costs and income growth to the education rate and hospital systems.

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“When deciding on a place to move, you should first consider financial factors like the cost of living, housing prices and job availability,” said Chip Lupo, WalletHub Analyst. “Many states have strong economies, though, so you should also consider a wide variety of other factors, such as how where you live will impact your health and safety, and whether you will have adequate access to activities that you enjoy. If you have children, a robust education system is also key.”

Choosing where to live is one of the biggest decisions you’ll make. From housing costs and job opportunities to education, safety and overall quality of life, there are many factors to weigh. Lifestyle preferences matter, too, whether you’re looking for outdoor recreation, cultural attractions or a climate that suits you.

With 50 unique states to choose from, each offering its own advantages and challenges, finding the right fit isn’t always easy. To identify the best places to call home, WalletHub compared all 50 states across 51 key indicators of livability, including housing affordability, income growth, educational attainment and hospital quality.

Top 5 States to Live In

1. Idaho
2. New Jersey
3. Wisconsin
4. Massachusetts
5. New Hampshire

Top States to Live in

Overall Rank	State	Total Score	Affordability Rank	Economy Rank	Education & Health Rank	Quality of Life Rank	Safety Rank
1	Idaho	60.15	10	7	22	31	3
2	New Jersey	59.41	49	24	7	9	1
3	Wisconsin	59.32	30	10	10	14	8
4	Massachusetts	59.28	44	12	1	6	6
5	New Hampshire	58.89	40	2	3	36	4
6	Wyoming	58.71	13	19	29	37	2
7	Utah	58.63	8	13	5	29	19
8	Minnesota	57.94	14	32	2	12	26
9	Pennsylvania	57.71	29	30	20	4	10
10	Florida	57.48	32	17	24	3	11
11	Iowa	57.41	22	20	15	16	12
12	New York	57.12	47	22	16	1	7
13	Virginia	55.98	15	29	9	23	23
14	Montana	55.64	26	3	18	30	34
15	Maine	54.78	34	18	11	25	14
16	North Dakota	54.74	31	4	23	39	15
17	South Dakota	54.20	21	5	36	40	16
18	Illinois	54.08	37	42	25	5	9
19	Vermont	53.77	42	1	8	43	32
20	Nebraska	53.49	33	14	17	27	27
21	Colorado	53.45	28	27	4	8	47
22	Connecticut	53.27	46	16	6	24	13
23	Rhode Island	53.15	45	8	12	44	5
24	Kansas	52.82	27	21	27	18	29
25	Indiana	52.57	4	40	31	22	20
26	North Carolina	51.84	16	25	32	17	41
27	Georgia	51.81	17	26	41	20	17
28	Ohio	51.60	24	46	30	15	24
29	Michigan	51.56	12	43	33	13	30
30	Missouri	51.50	5	23	34	26	40
31	California	51.44	50	15	21	2	38
32	Delaware	49.76	18	33	28	48	28
33	Washington	49.70	36	9	19	10	50
34	Arizona	48.41	23	39	37	21	43
35	Maryland	48.38	38	44	14	33	35
36	Texas	48.35	35	37	40	7	33
37	Hawaii	48.34	48	6	13	42	42
38	South Carolina	48.08	9	28	39	34	45
39	Alabama	47.84	2	35	46	41	21
40	Tennessee	47.62	7	31	43	35	37
41	Kentucky	47.59	11	49	38	45	22
42	Oregon	46.49	41	36	26	11	48
43	West Virginia	45.98	1	34	49	46	25
44	Oklahoma	45.47	19	41	44	32	39
45	Nevada	44.54	39	45	42	19	36
46	Arkansas	43.29	3	48	45	47	44
47	Alaska	42.92	43	11	35	50	46
48	Mississippi	42.77	6	47	50	49	18
49	Louisiana	42.27	20	50	48	38	31
50	New Mexico	41.42	25	38	47	28	49

Note: With the exception of “Total Score,” all of the columns in the table above depict the relative rank of that state, where a rank of 1 represents the best conditions for that metric category.