How North Carolina Measures Up In Latest U.S. News Ranking

NORTH CAROLINA — When deciding where to live, one usually takes a lot of factors into account — good schools, low crime, access to good health care. Some states, however, do a better job than others when it comes to providing these things to residents and communities, according to a new ranking by U.S. News & World Report.

North Carolina is among states doing it best, according to the publication’s 2021 Best States ranking. Our state was ranked No. 13 out of all 50 states.

To determine the best states, U.S. News ranks each in 71 metrics across eight categories. Researchers then determine a state’s overall ranking based on the weighted average of the state’s ranking in those eight categories.

The purpose behind the rankings is to show how well and in what ways states best serve their residents. Read more about the ranking’s methodology here.

Here’s how North Carolina ranked in each category:

• Health care: No. 30
• Education: No. 7
• Economy: No. 17
• Infrastructure: No. 22
• Opportunity: No. 28
• Fiscal stability: No. 7
• Crime and corrections: No. 20
• Natural environment: No. 27

For the second year in a row, Washington is ranked the No. 1 state in the country. The state earned the ranking due to its low-carbon energy system and robust secondary education. The state’s economy is also the fastest-growing in the nation.

Following the Evergreen State in the overall rankings is Minnesota at No. 2 and Utah at No. 3.

Top-performing states in each category include:

• Health care: Hawaii
• Education: New Jersey
• Economy: Utah
• Infrastructure: Nevada
• Opportunity: Iowa
• Fiscal stability: Alaska
• Crime and corrections: New Hampshire
• Natural environment: Hawaii

Separate from this year’s ranking, U.S. News also compiled a new COVID-19 state toolkit, which allows users to compare several coronavirus metrics including the vaccine rate of each state, COVID-19 cases and deaths, unemployment statistics and more.

The toolkit updates at least daily, according to a U.S. News release.

Despite the rankings, residents remain divided on their state’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic, according to the report.

In a national survey conducted by U.S. News, just over 44.15 percent of respondents agreed that their state handled it well, 40.47 percent disagreed and 15.38 percent were neutral.

SEE ALSO:

• Daylight Saving Time 2021: When Clocks Change In North Carolina
• Rapid COVID-19 Tests Headed To K-12 Schools In North Carolina