US News: Vermont Top 10 'Best State,' MA is No. 1, NH is No. 2

Vermont Business Magazine Massachusettsis the best state in the nation, New Hampshire is 2 and Vermont is 10, according to USNews & World Report. USNews, which bills itself as the global rankings authority, evaluated all 50 states across a range of criteria, from education and health care to infrastructure and economy, to capture how states best serve their citizens. The inauguralBest Statesrankings are the centerpiece of a new, interactiveplatformfeaturing fresh reporting, data and charts on trends, developments and news throughout the states.

"USNews is known worldwide for its rankings of colleges and hospitals. We take the same in-depth approach to evaluating states," saidBrian Kelly, editor and chief content officer. "Together, the new Best States rankings and platform are a comprehensive effort to provide citizens with a full picture of what's working and what needs to be improved in their states."

The top fivebest overall statesare geographically and politically diverse. FollowingMassachusetts,New HampshireandMinnesotaare the No. 2 and No. 3 best overall states, respectively.North Dakotaplaces fourth, andWashingtonrounds out the top five.

Vermont did best in crime (number 1 overall), health care (6th) and education (15), while the economic categories lagged.www.usnews.com/news/best-states/vermont

In addition to the overall rankings, U.S. News evaluated states across 68 metrics to create 28 rankings.Hawaiiis No. 1 inhealth care;Oregontakes the top spot ininfrastructure;Coloradois No. 1 foreconomy; andIndianaplaces first forgovernment. Citizens can explore rankings inenergy, higher education, transportation, employment,equality, affordability and much more. They can also compare states across a range of issues, from incarceration rates and prison overpopulation, to road and bridge quality, household income, poverty rate, gender equality, unemployment and more.

The rankings are based on tens of thousands of data points provided by McKinsey & Company's Leading States Index. In calculating the rankings, categories were weighted based on a national "citizen experience" survey, conducted by McKinsey, that asked people to prioritize each subject in their state and provide their levels of satisfaction with government services. Health care and education are the most highly weighted factors in themethodology.

The Best States platform includes analysis, daily reporting, historical information, photos and videos on state issues. The interactivedata explorertool allows citizens and government leaders to draw ready comparisons between their own states and others through more than 100,000 charts. The site enables users to explore the states on their own as well as follow the narratives of writers around the country analyzing trends and events.

"With the news fromWashington, D.C., dominating the headlines and local newspapers cutting budgets, the Best States platform fills a crucial hole, shedding light on the policies and practices that directly affect citizens where they live their lives," saidMark Silva, assistant managing editor of Best States.

ALL RANKINGS:www.usnews.com/news/best-states/rankings

For more information about Best States exploreFacebookandTwitterusing #BestStates

U.S. News & World Report is a global digital news and information company that empowers people to make better, more informed decisions about important issues affecting their lives. Focusing on Education, Health, Personal Finance, Travel, Cars and News & Opinion,USNews.comprovides consumer advice, rankings, news and analysis to serve people making complex decisions throughout all stages of life. More than 30 million people visitUSNews.comeach month for research and guidance. Founded in 1933, U.S. News is headquartered inWashington, D.C.

SOURCE WASHINGTON,Feb. 28, 2017/PRNewswire-USNewswire/ --U.S. News & World Reportwww.usnews.com