Utah named one of the 10 'best states to live in' by WalletHub

Utah has made the top 10 list in WalletHub's 2025 "Best States to Live In" study, ranking eighth overall in the nationwide comparison.

The personal finance website compared all 50 states across five key dimensions: affordability, economy, education and health, quality of life, and safety. Massachusetts topped the list, while New Mexico ranked last.

Utah's strong performance was driven by scores in affordability, where it ranked sixth overall, and education and health, where it placed second in the nation, trailing only Massachusetts. The state also earned recognition for having the lowest average weekly work hours of all 50 states.

Areas where Utah scored lower included quality of life, ranking 29th, and safety, where it placed 23rd. The quality of life ranking considered factors like average commute time, recreational activities, and traffic congestion.

Idaho ranked second overall in the study, while the bottom three states were Arkansas (48th), Louisiana (49th), and New Mexico (50th). The methodology evaluated 51 different metrics ranging from housing costs and job opportunities to crime rates and hospital quality.