It’s a common refrain when we travel: “Wouldn’t it be great to live here?” If you too have a habit of checking Zillow in every new city you travel to, you know the urge is real. In the United States, it’s easy to romanticize crossing state lines to a place that aligns more with your lifestyle or economic situation—but narrowing down a list of 50 is no easy task.
To aid in the decision-making process, WalletHub has released its “Best States to Live In” report for 2025. The study’s methodology dives into five key factors: affordability, economy, education & health, quality of life, and safety. Within each category are dozens of sub-factors, ranging from unemployment rates and life expectancy to average commute times and museums per capita. The scores were then weighted and added up to come up with the ranking, highlighting the states that excel most across all areas.
This year’s list leans heavily toward New England, but you’ll also find states scattered throughout the Midwest and Southeast. Whether you want to settle down near the mountains or major cities—or have easy access to both—these are the 10 best states to live in right now.
This gallery has been updated since its original publish date.
