Rhode Island, ranked 24th in the U.S. News & World Report's 2025 Best States listing, features a blend of stunning natural landscapes and urban areas.
Rhode Island has been rated as the 24th best state overall in the 2025 U.S. News & World Report’s Best States listing. This ranking considers multiple factors affecting quality of life, with notable strengths in health care and crime rates. However, the state faces challenges in education and infrastructure, ranking 38th and 45th respectively. Utah remains the top-ranked state, while Louisiana ranks the lowest. Rhode Island’s overall position emphasizes both its accomplishments and areas in need of improvement for residents and potential newcomers.
Rhode Island has been ranked the 24th best state overall in the U.S. News & World Report’s 2025 Best States listing, which evaluates states based on multiple factors affecting the quality of life. The rankings consider eight key categories and a total of 71 metrics, showcasing the strengths and weaknesses across various areas of performance.
Rhode Island’s rankings in several specific categories illustrate its relative strengths and challenges:
Among these categories, Rhode Island excelled particularly in health care, where it ranked fourth, as well as in crime and corrections, where it ranked sixth. The state also performed well in terms of its natural environment, achieving an eighth place ranking.
Highlighting its strength in health care, five hospitals in Rhode Island received “A” grades from the Leapfrog Group, indicating high quality and safety standards. Additionally, Rhode Island boasts generally lower crime rates compared to many other states, contributing to its strong ranking in the crime and corrections category.
While Rhode Island’s economy ranked 16th, its infrastructure and fiscal stability faced significant challenges, placing 45th in both categories. This suggests that despite some areas of economic strength, there are pressing issues regarding the state’s infrastructure development and financial management that need to be addressed.
Utah topped the list as the highest-ranked state overall for the third consecutive year, consistently performing in the top five for economic indicators. In contrast, the lowest-ranked state on the list was Louisiana. The bottom ten states included Alaska, Mississippi, New Mexico, West Virginia, Alabama, Arkansas, Michigan, Oklahoma, and Pennsylvania, with low-ranking states predominantly found in the South, West, Midwest, Northeast, and Alaska.
The rankings were determined using a comprehensive methodology that involved data from government sources and national surveys. These reflected the priorities and concerns of residents across the United States. Notably, the education category, which holds the highest weight in the overall rankings, saw five of the top ten states also place in the top ten for education.
Overall, Rhode Island’s position in the 24th slot highlights its strengths in health care and safety, while also illuminating critical areas for improvement, particularly in education, infrastructure, and fiscal stability. These findings offer a detailed glimpse into the qualities that define life in Rhode Island, both for residents and those considering a move to the state.
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