Florida ranks No. 6 in US News best states report

Florida placed No. 6 in U.S. News & World Report’s Best States rankings, the only Southern state to crack the top 10. The annual assessment compares how states serve residents across eight categories: economy, education, health care, infrastructure, natural environment, crime and corrections, fiscal stability and opportunity.

Florida posted its strongest results in the economy (No. 1) and education (No. 2) categories, reflecting steady job growth, in-migration and higher-education performance. The state ranked No. 9 in fiscal stability, No. 12 in natural environment, No. 13 in crime and corrections and No. 15 in infrastructure. It lagged in opportunity at No. 47, a measure that weighs affordability, economic mobility and equality — a reminder that rising costs continue to strain households even as the broader economy expands.

U.S. News said the rankings draw on thousands of datapoints, including graduation rates, venture capital per gross domestic product, commute times, air and water quality and budget balance. Florida’s broader appeal — tourism, logistics, finance, health care and agriculture — isn’t tallied as a single metric but underpins the state’s top economy ranking. The absence of a personal income tax and 1,350 miles of coastline continue to attract new residents and spending.

The 2025 top 10: No. 1 Utah; No. 2 New Hampshire; No. 3 Idaho; No. 4 Minnesota; No. 5 Nebraska; No. 6 Florida; No. 7 Vermont; No. 8 South Dakota; No. 9 Massachusetts; No. 10 Washington. At the bottom were No. 48 Mississippi, No. 49 Alaska and No. 50 Louisiana.

Florida’s showing highlights a split reality: a leading economy and strong higher education paired with affordability headwinds. With population growth and business expansion expected to continue, how the state manages housing costs, transportation and access to services will shape its standing in future rankings.