Better State For Millennials: Illinois Or California?

Baseball might have the reputation as America's pasttime, but this country's biggest hobby — besides finding out the foods that can be deep-fried at state fairs — is the preoccupation each generation has to criticize the one that comes after it. Baby boomers had the slackers of Generation X. Hippies were targets of the World War II generation. Even hunter-gatherers probably looked down at their agrarian counterparts with their increased leisure time and mechanized advancements.

In the early 21st century, millennials have been the go-to group for generational ire. But because it'll soon become the largest generation in the country, this collection of 20- to 30-somethings — and the 21 percent of all consumer discretionary it represents — is highly coveted by companies and marketers, despite earning around 20 percent less than previous generations.

As the influence of millenials grows, some states are considered more attractive than others when it comes to that generation. But where those enclaves are popping up might be surprising. Illinois, for instance, ranks as a better state for millennials than California, according to WalletHub. The Land of Lincoln ranks No. 18 compared to California's No. 22 rating, the personal finance swebsite found in a recent study.

What makes Illinois so attractive to millennials as opposed to California, which is home to tech giants Googleand Amazon? While California might rank second when it comes to quality of life, but the state is near the bottom for affordability, ranking No. 48.

The best place for millennials in the United States isn't even a state. The District of Columbia tops the website's list, followed by North Dakota, Minnesota, Massachusetts and Iowa. The five worst states are Alabama, Nevada, Mississippi, West Virginia and New Mexico.

WalletHub defines millennials as anyone born between 1981 and 1997, and it determined its rankings by comparing all 50 states and Washington, D.C., along five weighted categories: affordability, education and health, quality of life, economic health, and civic engagement. Data was collected from federal agencies, such as the U.S. Census Bureau, as well as private firms, including TransUnion.

Go to WalletHub for the complete list of states.

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