In its 20th annual America’s Top States for Business study, CNBC has increased the weight of the Quality of Life category to 11.6 percent of a state's overall score. The ranking evaluates various factors including crime rates, air quality, healthcare access, and worker protections to determine how well states attract and retain talent.
The study identifies several states that failed to meet quality of life standards. Arkansas, while noted as the most improved state overall, ranks last for food insecurity and possesses high violent crime rates. Oklahoma faces challenges regarding reproductive rights and worker protections, with a minimum wage that covers only about 19 percent of the cost of living for a family of four.
Alabama ranks lowest for mental health providers per capita and lacks various worker protections. Missouri is among the most violent states according to FBI statistics, while Utah struggles with healthcare access, high ozone levels, and limited childcare availability.
Other states facing low scores include Georgia, which shows minimal worker protections and low inclusivity, and Louisiana, which has a high violent crime rate and strict abortion bans. Indiana ranks at the bottom for childcare availability per capita.
Texas reports the highest rate of uninsured residents in the nation at 16.7 percent and ranks last for primary care physicians per capita. Tennessee received the lowest overall quality of life score of 64 out of 290, with weaknesses noted in crime, inclusivity, and worker protections.
Larry Gigerich, managing executive director of Ginovus and chairman of the Site Selectors Guild, stated that investing in quality of place is the most important action for talent attraction and retention. As companies increasingly require employees to return to offices, the livability of a state has become a critical factor in business location decisions.
