GA The 18th Best State Nationally In U.S. News Ranking

GEORGIA — A new ranking from U.S. News & World Report ranks Georgia as the 18th best overall in terms of meeting the needs of its citizens.

The rankings, released Tuesday, measure how well states serve residents across 70 metrics in eight categories: the economy, fiscal stability, education, health care, infrastructure, natural environment, opportunity, and crime and corrections.

Weighting of the categories was based on a survey of what matters most to people, with health care and education weighted the most heavily.

Here’s where Georgia ranked in the categories:

Health care, No. 33
Education, No. 26
Economy, No. 15
Fiscal stability, No. 13
Infrastructure, No. 14
Natural environment, No. 14
Crime and corrections, No. 20
Opportunity, No. 25

Georgia’s capital Atlanta is home to the well-known Georgia Institute of Technology, Emory University, Morehouse College and Spelman College. It also hosts the world’s busiest airport, the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, and Delta’s headquarters.

Home Depot, UPS, Coca-Cola and Aflac have also planted roots in Georgia. The popular University of Georgia is housed in Athens.

The 10 best states, according to the sixth annual edition of the ranking, are:

1. Utah
2. New Hampshire
3. Nebraska
4. Minnesota
5. Idaho
6. Iowa
7. Vermont
8. Washington
9. Florida
10. Massachusetts

The lowest-ranked state is Louisiana. Other states that are ranked among the bottom include New Mexico, Mississippi, Arkansas, West Virginia, Alaska, Alabama and Oklahoma.

Read more about the Best States methodology.