Best States To Live In 2017: Massachusetts, Connecticut Emerge On Top, While Mississippi Ranked Worst By Report

The New Year calls for new beginnings and a review by 24/7 Wall St. can help you decide which U.S. state should you move to in 2017 for a better quality of life.

The report ranked each state’s living conditions to assess its socioeconomic status by taking into consideration three factors — poverty rate, educational attainment and life expectancy at birth.

While low incomes did not necessarily mean unsatisfactory living conditions, the report found that when the incomes fall below the poverty line, the quality of life is more likely to be diminished. The community’s living conditions were also affected by its educational levels, which in turn determined their quality of life. Life expectancy, the third factor, was also closely related to better living conditions in states.

While Massachusetts emerged on top of the list with the country’s wealthiest and most highly educated populations, Mississippi — also the poorest state in the country — was ranked the lowest. Here is a list of the top 10 states in terms of quality of life:

1. Massachusetts

With more than two out of every five adults having at least a bachelor’s degree, the state also has a considerably low poverty rate of 11.5 percent. Residents of Massachusetts are expected to live over 80 years on average, which is the fifth longest life expectancy among all states.

2. Connecticut

With a median household income of $71,346 a year — fifth highest among the states — Connecticut is the second best state to live in. The state also has one of the lowest crime rates with 219 violent crimes reported for every 100,000 state residents in 2015.

3. New Hampshire

The state’s poverty rate of 8.2 percent is the lowest of all states, and its unemployment rate of 2.8 percent is second lowest in the nation.

4. Minnesota

Although an average household in Minnesota earns less annually compared to other top states — $63,488 a year — the state has one of the highest figures for life expectancy at over 80 years.

5. New Jersey

New Jersey’s most recent monthly unemployment rate of 5.2 percent is slightly higher than the national rate of 4.9 percent, but the state boasts of the fourth highest median household income of all states with a typical household earning $72,222 annually.

6. Colorado

In Colorado, 39.2 percent of adults have at least a bachelor’s degree, second only to Massachusetts. The state’s unemployment rate stands at 3.5 percent, one of the lowest in the country and the life expectancy — at 79.6 years — is almost a year longer than the nationwide average.

7. Vermont

While the state has one of the lowest population growth rates, its homeownership statistics are impressive. More than 70 percent of housing units in Vermont are owned by their occupants — the sixth highest rate in the country.

8. Maryland

Almost 39 percent of adults in Maryland have earned a bachelor’s degree, but the life expectancy at birth stands exactly at the national average of 78.5 years.

9. Hawaii

With a life expectancy of 80.6 years, Hawaii has surpassed all other states and the typical household in the state earns $73,486 a year, almost $17,700 higher than the typical American household. However, the cost of living in Hawaii is also considerably high.

10. Virginia

Virginia has a considerably high average income for a typical household, in turn contributing to an 11.2 percent poverty rate, which is one of the lowest in the nation. Virginia also boasts of a 65 percent homeownership rate, slightly higher than the national average.