State rankings

Quality of Life by State

Massachusetts has the highest Total Safety Score WalletHub in 2025 (60.23), followed by Idaho (60.19) and New Jersey (59.81). New Mexico has the lowest (39.68).

EconomicsPopulation50 states · 6 metricsUpdated Mar 22, 2025Original page
1 source
50 of 51 states
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Total Safety Score WalletHub, 2025

Darker green is better (higher is better). Click a place to highlight it.

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All 50 ranked

Best 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
51.83
Middle half 47.29 – 56.2
Average
51.76
50 states
Highest
60.23
Massachusetts
Lowest
39.68
New Mexico

Biggest changes · 2024 → 2025

50 states have a value in both years.

Improved most

Declined most

Data

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

50 states · # = rank by Total Safety Score WalletHub
#
1Massachusetts60.236th
2Idaho60.1924th
3New Jersey59.817th
4Wisconsin59.6612th
5Minnesota58.6910th
6Florida58.514th
7New Hampshire58.2136th
8New York57.941st
8Utah57.9429th
10Pennsylvania57.95th
10Wyoming57.938th
12Iowa56.2317th
13Maine56.2126th
14Virginia56.1821st
15Montana55.2133rd
16North Dakota54.6337th
17Illinois54.63rd
18South Dakota54.1241st
19Colorado53.5811th
20Nebraska52.8927th
21Vermont52.7145th
22North Carolina52.3216th
23Kansas52.218th
24Connecticut52.0923rd
25Rhode Island52.0544th
26Ohio51.6115th
27Georgia51.5919th
28Missouri51.2328th
29Indiana51.1720th
30Michigan51.0713th
31Arizona51.0125th
32California50.492nd
33Delaware50.0347th
34Maryland49.7931st
35Hawaii49.3842nd
36Washington49.178th
37Kentucky47.5346th
38Texas47.219th
39Oregon47.214th
40Tennessee47.0235th
41Alabama47.0139th
42West Virginia4743rd
43Oklahoma46.3432nd
44South Carolina45.6534th
45Nevada44.6122nd
46Alaska44.1750th
47Mississippi43.5349th
48Arkansas42.0748th
49Louisiana40.5740th
50New Mexico39.6830th

What correlates with Total Safety Score WalletHub (2025)?

Pearson r against 2,108 other state metrics sharing at least 30 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 Total Safety Score WalletHub tend to score higher on these (or rank better)

  1. Total Score (WalletHub)Best States to Live In
    r = +0.98 · very strong · n = 50
    Plot
  2. Overall Best (WalletHub)Best States to Live InA rank: rank 1 is the best
    r = −0.98 · very strong · n = 50
    Plot
  3. Most & Least Intelligent States Index (Guru99)Dumbest States in the United States
    r = +0.79 · very strong · n = 30
    Plot
  4. Quality of LifeWorst States to RetireA rank: rank 1 is the worst
    r = +0.78 · very strong · n = 50
    Plot
  5. Education and Health (WalletHub)Best States to Live InA rank: rank 1 is the best
    r = −0.76 · very strong · n = 50
    Plot
  6. NAEP Math ScoresBest States for Education
    r = +0.76 · very strong · n = 50
    Plot

Opposite directions

Places that have a higher Total Safety Score WalletHub tend to score lower on these (or rank worse)

  1. ScoreMost Stressed States
    r = −0.79 · very strong · n = 50
    Plot
  2. Premature Deaths Per 100kHealthiest States
    r = −0.76 · very strong · n = 50
    Plot
  3. Burglary Rate (per 100K)Crime Rates by State (FBI)
    r = −0.74 · very strong · n = 50
    Plot
  4. Teen Birth RateTeen Pregnancy Rates by State
    r = −0.73 · very strong · n = 50
    Plot
  5. % Of Population Below Poverty LevelPoverty Rate by State
    r = −0.72 · very strong · n = 50
    Plot
  6. Pregnancy RateTeen Pregnancy Rates by State
    r = −0.71 · very strong · n = 50
    Plot

Quick answers

Which state has the highest Total Safety Score WalletHub?
Massachusetts has the highest Total Safety Score WalletHub in 2025, at 60.23, followed by Idaho (60.19) and New Jersey (59.81).
Which state has the lowest Total Safety Score WalletHub?
New Mexico has the lowest Total Safety Score WalletHub in 2025, at 39.68.
What is the median Total Safety Score WalletHub across US states?
The median is 51.83 across the 50 US states with data in 2025.
Where does this quality of life by state data come from?
Rankodex compiles it from World Population Review and the primary sources it cites: Best States to Live in - Wallet Hub.