Washington ranks in top 10 best states: US News

SEATTLE - U.S. News & World Report released its latest Best States rankings for 2024, and while Washington made the top 10, the state actually dropped several spots from last year.

The Best States project ranks states based on eight different factors, including:

Health care
Education
Natural environment
Opportunity
Economy
Crime and corrections
Infrastructure
Fiscal stability

So where does Washington stack up? 8th place, according to the rankings scorecard.

The area Washington ranked highest in was infrastructure, sitting #7 out of 50. The Evergreen State is the fourth best in the U.S. for its use of renewable energy and seventh for internet access, however the quality of roads and bridges ranks 26th.

Washington's lowest ranking on the scorecard was crime and corrections at #39, as the report claims the state is the fifth-worst in terms of public safety.

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The rankings, which encompass data on nearly 25,000 public high schools across all 50 states and the District of Columbia, assess schools based on six key factors.

U.S. News put Washington just after Vermont (7) and one spot ahead of Florida (9). The top U.S. state was Utah, which also took first place in 2023.

However, right behind Utah in the 2023 report was Washington at #2, apparently dropping six spots within a year. This was likely due to the state's crime and corrections only ranking #19 last year, which has since dropped 20 spots.

In 2024, Washington's other categories are ranked: