Washington named best state in America for the second year in a row
SEATTLE - The Evergreen State is on a roll: U.S. News and World Report has named Washington the best state in the country for the second consecutive year.
The annual Best States ranking was released Tuesday and cited Washington's fast-growing economy and clean energy initiatives among the reasons for the No. 1 spot.
It's the first state to top the Best States ranking two years in a row.
Washington's massive tech sector was a big factor in the ranking. Amazon has surpassed Boeing as the state's largest private employer, and giants like Microsoft and T-Mobile are also headquartered here.
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But the report also points to expansions in life sciences and space projects as more evidence that the state is booming.
U.S. News uses 71 metrics to rank the states, including health care, education, crime, infrastructure, economic opportunity and infrastructure, among others.
Washington is not without its own unique challenges, the report notes, like a regressive tax system, a large gender gap in employment and an affordable housing crisis.
Washington is one of nine states with no income tax, but the state Legislature is considering a controversial capital gains tax that would bring in about $500 million a year.
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