Utah has the best economy, education, according to U.S. News Best States 2021 rankings

SALT LAKE CITY (March 9, 2021) – Utah’s economy ranks No. 1 among all 50 states, according to rankings released by U.S. News & World Report, the global authority in rankings and civic journalism. 

“These rankings confirm what Utahns have known for years: Utah is the best state in the nation for economic opportunity, for education and for quality of life,” said Utah Gov. Spencer Cox. “I’m extremely proud of this recognition and look forward to an even more prosperous 2021 for all Utahns.”

The rankings are based on more than 70 metrics and tens of thousands of data points to capture how states best serve their citizens across eight main categories, including health care, education, infrastructure and the economy. Certain categories are weighted more based on an annual survey with thousands of people to determine which issues are most important.

Utah is among the top 10 states in economy, infrastructure, crime and corrections, fiscal stability and education. The overall Best States Ranking for Utah is No. 3. 

Best States 2021: How They Were Ranked
Here’s a look at the data behind our rankings.
The Best States rankings from U.S. News & World Report show how each of the 50 U.S. states
ranks in 71 metrics across eight categories. The data behind the rankings aims to show how
well states serve their residents in a variety of ways.
In calculating the rankings, each of the eight categories was assigned weightings based on the
average of three years of data from an annual national survey that asked nearly 70,000 people
to prioritize each subject in their state:
● Health Care: 15.97%
● Education: 15.94%
● Economy: 13.36%
● Infrastructure: 12.93%
● Opportunity: 12.29%
● Fiscal Stability: 11.36%
● Crime & Corrections: 9.16%
● Natural Environment: 8.99%
Equal weight was assigned to elements within each category. Those weights are:
Health Care
● Health Care Access: 33.33%
● Health Care Quality: 33.33%
● Public Health: 33.33%
Education
● Higher Education: 50%
● Pre-K - 12: 50%
Economy
● Business Environment: 33.33%
● Employment: 33.33%
● Growth: 33.33%
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Infrastructure
● Energy: 33.33%
● Internet Access: 33.33%
● Transportation: 33.33%
Opportunity
● Affordability: 33.33%
● Economic Opportunity: 33.33%
● Equality: 33.33%
Fiscal Stability
● Long-Term: 50%
● Short-Term: 50%
Crime & Corrections
● Corrections: 50%
● Public Safety: 50%
Natural Environment
● Air and Water Quality: 50%
● Pollution: 50%
Note: Percentages may not total 100% due to rounding.
From there, U.S. News created an index score for each metric for each state. In each metric,
the state that performed the best in the metric was given 100 points and the state that
performed the worst was given 0 points. States between these were indexed proportionally.
After translating raw data to index scores for each state in each metric, metric index scores
were averaged to determine subcategory scores and rankings. Then, subcategory scores were
averaged to determine category scores and rankings.
For the overall ranking, U.S. News created a weighted average of the eight category rankings
using the weight for each category as determined by the survey, and then ranked the outcome.
We chose this method so that the overall ranking would not be skewed by large differences in
scores at a metric level.
The Survey
For the weighting of the Best States rankings, U.S. News wanted to use an objective measure
reflecting the priorities of citizens for their state governments. An annual survey asked
Americans how satisfied they were with various state government services and where they
thought their state governments should focus resources. The weights for the 2021 Best States
rankings are based on the average of responses from three surveys: one conducted in fall 2017
that included 20,100 respondents from all 50 states, a second conducted in the winter of 2018-
19 that included 23,400 respondents from all 50 states, and a third conducted in the winter of
2020-21 that included 26,300 respondents, also from all 50 states. Survey respondents were
adults age 18 and older who collectively represent all U.S. adults. The survey results were
weighted to be representative of the country's population across all ages, genders, ethnicities
and household incomes.2
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The categories for the rankings aligned with the survey questions. We based the weightings for
the categories on a question that asked respondents to rank the categories, such as health and
education, from 1 to 8 (1 being most important) in order of what their home state's priorities
should be. Respondents were also asked about their satisfaction with their state's performance
in these categories, and if they felt their state was not adequately funding these areas. The
weights for these were calculated from the average rank for each among the respondents.
The Data
In order to select metrics for the project, we consulted experts in each of the categories for
guidance. These are the criteria we used in choosing metrics:
● Metrics that measure citizen outcomes in a state were favored over inputs or outputs.
For example, we selected the percentage of state residents who have an associate
degree or higher instead of the dollars spent on education per capita or the number of
students enrolled at state universities.
● The set of metrics within each category should work together to provide an overview of
that category.
● Government data was favored over other sources because of its reliability. ●
Standardized data needed to be available across all or most states. Publicly available
data was favored for its accessibility.
● Data for each measure should be recent and have regularly scheduled updates.
In developing the Best States rankings, data was pulled from the following sources:
U.S. Census Bureau
ACT
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
The College Board
The Council for Community and Economic Research
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Federal Communications Commission
Fortune
The Institute for College Access & Success
Medicaid.gov
The Mercatus Center at George Mason University
Moody's Analytics
National Assessment of Educational Progress
National Center for Education Statistics
Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention
Pew Charitable Trusts
PricewaterhouseCoopersTax Policy Center
U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis
U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
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U.S. Department of Agriculture
U.S. Department of Energy
U.S. Department of Transportation
U.S. Energy Information Administration
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
U.S. News Best Hospitals
U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
For each set, we used the most recent data available as of January 2021. Because datasets
have different schedules for updates, data comes from different years and months. This allowed
us to pull many more data points. Data will be updated for the 2022 relaunch of Best States.
In some cases, data for certain states are missing because not all states provide data – or
reliable data – for all metrics. We omitted metrics with missing data from the calculation of
rankings for those states.
Ties were rare in the dataset because we calculated scores to the maximum amount of decimal
places without rounding. In some cases, where the score was from a letter grade, such as the
state credit rating, there were ties.
Best States didn't rank Washington, D.C., or U.S. territories such as Puerto Rico. Data for
Washington, D.C., was included for national averages. For more information, please see the
Frequently Asked Questions.
You can see all the raw data behind the Best States rankings on the Data Explorer.

Best States: Frequently Asked Questions
Here’s a guide to understanding the Best States rankings.
What is Best States?
Best States is a unique rankings and news analysis platform designed to inform citizens,
business leaders and policymakers alike about what's working and what needs improvement
across the country.
The project includes rankings that measure the 50 states overall across eight different
categories: health care, education, economy, opportunity, infrastructure, crime & corrections,
fiscal stability and natural environment. The rankings are derived from 71 metrics and
thousands of data points.
In addition to rankings, the platform offers expert commentary, news analysis and storytelling to
highlight the issues, insights and best practices that matter most for states.
Why rank states?
U.S. News & World Report created the Best States rankings to provide a platform for citizens,
government leaders and business executives alike to compare and better understand the
issues, insights and best practices that matter most for states.
Like U.S. News' Best Countries franchise and the Healthiest Communities platform, Best States
gives readers a way to analyze the world around them. It shows which state policies are working
and which can be improved, and encourages citizens to interact more with their governments to
promote positive change.
How is this different from other state rankings?
Other state rankings tend to focus on a very narrow set of issues, such as the business or tax
environment of a state or the education and health care offered there.
U.S. News Best States, launched in 2017, is the first comprehensive effort to gauge how states
perform across a wide array of issues. This project provides citizens with a full picture of state
performance.
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How were the states ranked?
The overall Best States ranking is determined by each of the 50 U.S. states' rankings in eight
main categories: health care, education, economy, infrastructure, opportunity, fiscal stability,
crime & corrections and natural environment. The rankings are based on thousands of data
points gathered by U.S. News, largely from government and publicly available sources. The
categories and subcategories used in the ranking are:
Health Care
∙ Health Care Access
∙ Health Care Quality
∙ Public Health
Education
∙ Higher Education
∙ Pre-K - 12
Economy
∙ Business Environment
∙ Employment
∙ Growth
Infrastructure
∙ Energy
∙ Internet Access
∙ Transportation
Opportunity
∙ Affordability
∙ Economic Opportunity
∙ Equality
Fiscal Stability
∙ Long-Term
∙ Short-Term
Crime & Corrections
∙ Corrections
∙ Public Safety
Natural Environment
∙ Air and Water Quality
∙ Pollution2
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      What were the respective weights of the inputs and why were they chosen?
      The overall Best States ranking is determined by how each of the 50 U.S. states ranks in our
      eight categories. The weights of the categories are as follows:
      ∙ Health Care: 15.97%
      ∙ Education: 15.94%
      ∙ Economy: 13.36%
      ∙ Infrastructure: 12.93%
      ∙ Opportunity: 12.29%
      ∙ Fiscal Stability: 11.36%
      ∙ Crime & Corrections: 9.16%
      ∙ Natural Environment: 8.99%
      The weights of the category rankings are determined by an annual online survey of thousands
      of people across the country. The survey is meant to determine which factors are the most
      important to people about their state. For more on the survey, weighting and inputs, including for
      subcategories, see the Best States methodology.
      Why did my state perform so well?
      Each state's performance in the overall ranking correlates directly with its ranking in each of the
      eight categories, including health care, education, economy, infrastructure, opportunity, fiscal
      stability, crime & corrections and natural environment. The overall ranking takes a holistic view
      of all of these category rankings to determine which states are best for their citizens in all
      aspects. If a state performed well in several categories, especially those weighted more heavily,
      it is likely to rank highly overall.
      Why did my state perform so poorly?
      Each state's overall ranking relies on its performance in all eight categories. Since these
      categories are not weighted equally, a state could rank highly in one or more categories but not
      overall. For example, if a state ranks near the top for natural environment, weighted at 8.99%, it
      still could perform poorly overall if it ranks near the bottom for health care and education, the
      most heavily weighted categories. Also, state rankings are relative; a low ranking doesn't
      necessarily mean a state is failing but that other states outperformed it in that category or
      metric.Why did my state's rank change?
      U.S. News is committed to building the most comprehensive and current analysis of all 50
      states. To that end, we continually assess the data used in the rankings, updating to include the
      most recent data releases and reviewing the methods used to evaluate them. Feedback from
      industry experts, government officials and state residents alike informed a methodology review
      process that has resulted in a number of changes over time. The 2021 Best States rankings
      should therefore be viewed independently from prior years' rankings.
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      Are the rankings objective and fair?
      To ensure that the Best States rankings are objective and fair, U.S. News weighted the eight
      major categories based on results from representative surveys designed to determine what
      factors Americans believe their home states should prioritize each year.
      Within each category, the metrics were selected objectively in collaboration with experts, using
      specific criteria. Among these considerations were the comprehensiveness, reliability and
      timeliness of the data reflecting each metric. The project used publicly available government
      data when possible and vetted proprietary data in cases where public data was not available.
      Why wasn't Washington, D.C., included in the rankings?
      For this ranking, U.S. News looked at the 50 states and didn't include the District of Columbia or
      U.S. territories such as Puerto Rico. One reason was data availability, as many state datasets
      do not include these locations. Values for D.C. are often skewed because of its smaller
      population, making meaningful comparisons between D.C. and other states difficult. However,
      D.C. was included in national averages for each metric.
      How often will the rankings be updated?
      U.S. News plans to update the Best States rankings each year.
      Is the data used for the rankings reliable?
      The rankings are primarily based on publicly available data from government agencies.
      Examples include the U.S. Census Bureau, the U.S. Department of Energy and the Centers for
      Disease Control and Prevention.
      How recent is the data?
      U.S. News used the most recent data available as of January 2021. Not all datasets were
      released at the same time, since they are created throughout the year.Are there any ties?
      Ties were rare in the dataset because we calculated scores to the maximum amount of decimal
      places without rounding. In some cases – such as government credit rating, where a state’s
      score stemmed from a letter grade – ties were possible.
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      How did culture and history factor into the rankings?
      The Best States rankings concentrate on measurable citizen outcomes and factors that a
      government can influence with policy. Because of this, we didn't include factors such as culture
      or history of a state.
      How has the COVID-19 pandemic impacted the rankings?
      COVID-19 is a significant challenge that continues to profoundly impact all states nationwide.
      While we do make COVID-19 data available in dashboards to help users understand this
      evolving situation, we do not include this data in the rankings.
      The datasets that are used in the rankings predominantly came from a period predating the
      pandemic, with the exceptions of Fortune 1000 and Cost of Living Index data for the year 2020.
      Therefore, the bulk of the analysis is from a “pre-COVID-19” perspective.
      Why were no rankings published in 2020?
      As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, U.S. News postponed publishing new rankings for a
      period of time to focus our editorial coverage more directly on the public health issue and how it
      has impacted states across the country.
      Who can I contact with questions?
      For questions about Best States, please email pr@usnews.com