Oklahoma ranks No. 42 in new 'Best States' report

Oklahoma finds itself near the bottom of the latest U.S. News & World Report rankings of the best states in America, coming in at No. 42 overall.

The report evaluates all 50 states across eight key categories, including health care, education, the economy, infrastructure and crime. Oklahoma’s lower ranking reflects challenges in several of those areas — but also highlights where the state is making progress.

Health care, education drag down ranking

The Sooner State scored poorly in health care and education, two of the most heavily weighted categories in the U.S. News analysis. Those low marks played a significant role in Oklahoma’s overall position in the bottom 10.

Oklahoma also received below-average scores in infrastructure and crime and corrections. Violent crime and public safety concerns weighed heavily against the state’s standing.

Economy offers a bright spot

One area where Oklahoma performed well was the economy, ranking No. 19 overall. The state’s relatively strong job growth and lower tax burden helped lift it in this category — placing it ahead of nearly two-thirds of the country.

According to the report, Oklahoma’s economic performance reflects a mix of resilience and opportunity, even as other areas continue to face challenges.

Utah tops the list again

For the third year in a row, Utah claimed the No. 1 spot in the U.S. News rankings. The state was praised for its diverse and resilient economy, strong education system and low crime rate.

Utah’s labor force participation rate is among the highest in the country, and it continues to see robust growth in sectors like tech, health care and energy. Education investments in science and engineering over the past two decades have also contributed to the state’s economic transformation.

Curtis Blair, president of the Utah Valley Chamber of Commerce, said, ‘There’s a lot that has happened in Utah in the last 20 years where we have moved … to being an entrepreneurial, startup state.’

How neighboring states compare

Among states bordering Oklahoma, Colorado ranked highest at No. 16. Kansas came in at No. 23, Texas landed at No. 33, and Arkansas ranked just below Oklahoma at No. 44.

The top 10 states overall were:

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

Meanwhile, Louisiana ranked last at No. 50.

The U.S. News rankings were first launched in 2017 and are updated annually based on data across 71 metrics. This year, education carried the most weight in the rankings, followed by health care and the economy.

For the full report, visit the U.S. News & World Report website.