Give Thanks: Massachusetts Named 'Best State To Live In'

By ASON CLAFFEY (Patch Staff)

Massachusetts, you have another reason to be thankful this holiday season.

A new survey named the Bay State the best state in the country to live in.

Our highly educated populace and strong housing market were highlighted in “America’s Best and Worst States to Live In” compiled by 24/7 Wall St.

“Massachusetts residents are quite wealthy,” the survey reported. “Massachusetts’ nation-leading college attainment rate of 41 percent—it is the only state where more than two in five adults have a bachelor’s degree—is a major driver of the state’s strong economy and high quality of life.”

It continued, “A typical home in Massachusetts is valued at $338,900, well above the national median home value of $181,200.”

New England as a whole scored well on the report—New Hampshire came in at No. 3 and Connecticut was No. 2. Mississippi was ranked the worst.

Here are Massachusetts’ key statistics, according to 24/7 Wall St.:

• 10-yr. population growth: 9.1 percent (21st lowest)
• 2014 unemployment rate: 5.8 percent (24th lowest)
• Poverty rate: 11.6 percent (10th lowest)
• Life expectancy at birth: 80.5 years (5th highest)

“A typical household earns $69,160 each year ... Similarly, the state’s poverty rate of 11.6% is one of the lowest in the nation. As in most states with low poverty rates and high incomes, the average Massachusetts resident will enjoy a relatively long life. The life expectancy at birth in Massachusetts is 80.5 years, versus the national life expectancy of 79 years ... Students in the state also score well above average on standardized tests.”

Photo: walknboston via Flickr