These Are The 10 Lowest-Ranked US States to Live In

Not every state in the US offers the same quality of life. Some states face challenges with jobs, healthcare, or education that make them less appealing to residents. WalletHub recently compared states across categories like housing, cost of living, and overall well-being to create a ranking. The study pulled data from national sources and crunched the numbers. What came out is a list that shows where living can feel tougher compared to other parts of the country.

Alabama

Alabama may keep housing affordable, so buying a home feels within reach for many. The state also scores well on property taxes, which helps stretch a paycheck a little further. But the study shows gaps in health and education that pull down the overall ranking. Graduation rates and life expectancy numbers landed low, and the economy fell near the bottom too. So while costs stay lighter here, the trade-off comes in other parts of daily life.

West Virginia

West Virginia stands out for affordability, so owning a home feels more within reach here than in most places. The study even ranked it second best for overall housing costs. Crime rates also came in low, which gives residents some peace of mind. Still, the numbers showed weaker results in health, education, and overall quality of life. Poverty rates in particular were high, pulling the state down in the final ranking.

Oklahoma

Oklahoma shows up near the bottom of the rankings for education and health, landing seventh worst in the study. The state also had one of the lowest percentages of insured residents, just ahead of Texas. Public school resources and safety ranked 49th in the country, which pulled the numbers down further. So while the state has strengths in other areas, those education and health factors weighed heavily in where Oklahoma landed overall.

South Carolina

South Carolina keeps costs lower than many states, landing in the top 10 for affordability. Housing stays more manageable here, which can be a draw for people moving in. But the WalletHub study showed weaker results in other areas. The state ranked fifth unsafest nationwide and also fell into the bottom 10 for health and education. So while the price tag may look good, the overall ranking dropped once those other categories came into play.

Nevada

Nevada can feel exciting with its big cities, but the numbers from the study tell a different story. Housing costs came in high, giving the state one of the lowest homeownership rates in the country. It also ranked seventh worst for its economy, showing struggles with jobs and wages. Safety numbers didn’t help either, as Nevada landed in the top 10 unsafest states. So the overall ranking slipped once those factors were added together.

Alaska

Alaska grabs attention with its scenery, but the WalletHub study painted a different picture for daily living. It ranked lowest in quality of life and income growth, which weighed down its overall score. Residents also worked more hours per week than anywhere else, and the state had fewer restaurants per person compared to others. Even with those marks, Alaska still placed fourth in the economy category, showing that work opportunities continue to stand out.

Mississippi

Mississippi shows up high on affordability, landing in the top 10 for lower costs. But the WalletHub study ranked it second worst for quality of life and placed its economy near the bottom. Residents here also worked some of the longest weekly hours. The state had one of the lowest insured populations, along with the lowest average credit score. Education numbers slipped, too, with fewer adults holding a high school diploma compared to most states.

Arkansas

Arkansas landed near the bottom in quality of life, with the study ranking it third worst overall. Safety scores also dragged it down, placing the state sixth unsafest in the country. Education and health numbers didn’t do much better, as both ended up in the bottom 10. The economy ranking followed the same trend, leaving Arkansas with one of the lowest overall spots in the report. So even with its drawbacks, the numbers stayed low.

Louisiana

Louisiana lands near the bottom because WalletHub found it has the weakest economy in the country. It also ranks second lowest for education and health, with a large part of the population living in poverty. The state held the bottom spot last year too, so the struggle isn’t new. Crime rates run high, sitting at the third highest in the US. People in Louisiana also work some of the longest weekly hours, which adds to the daily grind for residents.

New Mexico

New Mexico landed at the bottom of the list in 2025, and the numbers explain why. It had the highest crime rate of any state and came in second for overall safety concerns. Education and health also scored low, with the state ranked third worst in that category. Nearly one in five residents lives in poverty, which adds to the struggles. The study also pointed out that New Mexico had the lowest-performing K-12 public schools across the country.

What These Rankings Tell Us