Which state has the highest Overall Index?

Illinois has the highest Overall Index, at 100, followed by Massachusetts (92.41) and District of Columbia (91.03).

Which state has the lowest Overall Index?

Alaska has the lowest Overall Index, at 2.76.

What is the median Overall Index across US states?

The median is 50.69 across the 46 US states with data.

Where does this lawyer-friendly states data come from?

Rankodex compiles it from World Population Review and the primary sources it cites: smart asset.

State rankings

Lawyer-Friendly States

Name: Lawyer-Friendly States
Creator: Rankodex

Illinois has the highest Overall Index (100), followed by Massachusetts (92.41) and District of Columbia (91.03). Alaska has the lowest (2.76).

Law48 states · 5 metricsUpdated Mar 17, 2023Original page

1 source

smart asset

Showing

46 of 51 states

Compare this metric Add to combined ranking Open full map

Adjust wages and incomes for cost of living (2024 prices)Cost-of-living adjustmentConverts wages and incomes to what they would buy at average US prices, so $100k in a cheap state and $100k in an expensive one are not treated as equal.More in the glossary →

Overall Index

Darker means higher. Click a place to highlight it.

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All 46 ranked

Highest first.

Distribution Median and middle halfThe median is the middle value: half of places are above it, half below. The middle half is the range holding the central 50% of places.More in the glossary →

Each dot is one state; the lines mark the median and the middle half.

Median

50.69

Middle half 31.38 – 64.83

Average

50.63

46 states

Highest

100

Illinois

Lowest

2.76

Alaska

Data

Click a column to sort, a row to highlight that place on the charts.

48 states · # = rank by Overall Index

#
1	Illinois	100	5.22	$152,980	22.7%	4.86%
2	Massachusetts	92.41	5.16	$165,610	15.0%	7.22%
3	District of Columbia	91.03	44.47	$192,530	14.1%	0.83%
4	California	88.28	4.83	$171,550	8.44%	16.4%
5	Florida	87.59	5.49	$128,920	5.65%	8.59%
6	New York	84.14	8.19	$167,110	8.27%	8%
7	Georgia	82.07	4.57	$128,930	-2.72%	34.9%
8	Colorado	77.24	4.94	$147,560	13.0%	8.02%
9	Texas	73.1	3.52	$150,250	6.38%	5.71%
10	Nevada	67.59	3.59	$138,920	12.2%	-3.78%
11	New Jersey	65.52	5.2	$139,020	-1.24%	9.68%
12	Louisiana	64.83	4.27	$105,460	-7.33%	13.5%
12	Oklahoma	64.83	4.03	$118,790	5.57%	-9.19%
14	Kentucky	64.14	3.04	$100,100	8.7%	12.8%
15	Ohio	62.76	3.25	$121,520	7.35%	10.9%
16	Arizona	62.07	3.36	$145,750	24.2%	-4.78%
17	Pennsylvania	61.38	4.27	$138,610	7.07%	0.97%
18	New Mexico	60.69	3.66	$105,910	9.73%	2.06%
18	Montana	60.69	4.53	$88,600	17.0%	14.8%
20	Alabama	58.62	2.85	$117,100	3.62%	8.2%
21	Maryland	55.86	4.65	$128,340	1.81%	11.8%
22	Rhode Island	52.41	3.52	$125,330	5.31%	0.6%
23	Indiana	51.03	2.62	$113,360	10.1%	9.77%
24	Washington	50.34	3.38	$136,480	13.0%	2.9%
24	New Hampshire	50.34	2.87	$125,980	13.4%	14.6%
26	West Virginia	46.9	3.56	$98,360	4.91%	-6.77%
27	North Carolina	46.21	2.87	$129,990	9.87%	1.45%
28	Wisconsin	45.52	2.75	$130,450	27.9%	3.98%
29	Tennessee	42.76	2.57	$124,470	9.59%	6.44%
30	Missouri	42.07	3.69	$113,780	-6.35%	5.62%
31	South Dakota	38.62	2.1	$109,070	10.9%	14.3%
32	Virginia	37.93	4.15	$139,180	5.99%	-7.02%
32	Nebraska	37.93	2.98	$108,170	15.3%	-1.36%
34	Mississippi	34.48	2.73	$97,990	-1.49%	5.86%
35	South Carolina	30.34	2.85	$105,320	-7.42%	8.7%
36	Hawaii	28.28	3.15	$111,290	5.58%	12.2%
37	Michigan	26.21	3.37	$110,180	-5.6%	-1.76%
37	Vermont	26.21	3.44	$107,490	5.78%	-1.87%
39	Minnesota	24.83	3.93	$119,330	-6.98%	7.74%
40	Kansas	21.38	2.51	$109,220	10.3%	-10.4%
41	Oregon	20	3.35	$119,500	4.03%	-2.62%
42	Iowa	17.93	2.06	$112,630	6.17%	-3.06%
43	Utah	11.72	3.41	$112,380	-5.49%	5.52%
44	Wyoming	9.66	2.92	$105,600	2.24%	-12.2%
45	Arkansas	8.28	2.61	$98,780	-1.9%	-13.9%
46	Alaska	2.76	3.01	$121,680	3.2%	-12.8%
—	Idaho	—	2.92	$99,360	-1.53%	-3.74%
—	Maine	—	2.82	$107,120	6.35%	-10.9%

What correlates with Overall Index?

Pearson r against 2,097 other state metrics sharing at least 28 states. Ranks are read by standing: a better rank counts as higher, whether rank 1 is the best place on a list or the worst. Correlation is not causation.

Higher together

Places that have a higher Overall Index tend to score higher on these (or rank better)

One Percent Income Tax RateTop 1 Percent Threshold by State
r = +0.67 · strong · n = 46
Plot
Average Commute (Minutes)Housing, Income and Commutes by State (Census)
r = +0.66 · strong · n = 46
Plot
Average Commute Time (Minutes)Single Mom Friendly States
r = +0.65 · strong · n = 46
Plot
Total Convictions 2004-2023Most Corrupt States
r = +0.64 · strong · n = 45
Plot
Average (Minutes)Commute Time by State
r = +0.64 · strong · n = 46
Plot
Five Percent Income Tax RateTop 1 Percent Threshold by State
r = +0.64 · strong · n = 46
Plot

Opposite directions

Places that have a higher Overall Index tend to score lower on these (or rank worse)

FTE Reporter RankMost Corrupt StatesA rank: rank 1 is the worst
r = −0.65 · strong · n = 44
Plot
Speeding IncidentsWorst Drivers by State
r = −0.63 · strong · n = 46
Plot
FTE Convictions RankMost Corrupt StatesA rank: rank 1 is the worst
r = −0.61 · strong · n = 45
Plot
% of Pop. with Associates DegreeMost Educated U.S. States
r = −0.52 · strong · n = 46
Plot
OpportunityBest States to Live InA rank: rank 1 is the best
r = +0.52 · strong · n = 44
Plot
% of Households Who Own CatsPet Ownership Statistics by State
r = −0.52 · strong · n = 43
Plot

Quick answers

Which state has the highest Overall Index?: Illinois has the highest Overall Index, at 100, followed by Massachusetts (92.41) and District of Columbia (91.03).
Which state has the lowest Overall Index?: Alaska has the lowest Overall Index, at 2.76.
What is the median Overall Index across US states?: The median is 50.69 across the 46 US states with data.
Where does this lawyer-friendly states data come from?: Rankodex compiles it from World Population Review and the primary sources it cites: smart asset.