New Ranking Crowns Massachusetts As The Best Place To Live

MASSACHUSETTS — Though Massachusetts is one of the least affordable states to live, a new ranking suggests that it's still the top place to reside in the United States.

WalletHub recently published their 2024 study of the best places to live in the country with Massachusetts claiming the top spot despite a lack of affordability.

The outlet compared all 50 states in five categories: affordability, safety, education and health, economy and quality of life.

Massachusetts ranked only 44th in affordability, but fell into the top 10 in three other metrics.

The state ranked first in education and health; sixth in quality of life; and seventh in safety. Just outside the top 10, Massachusetts ranked 15th in economy.

Officials said the top ranking can be largely attributed to the state's strong health care system and high-quality education.

"Massachusetts has the lowest premature death rate in the country and the lowest share of adults in fair or poor health. It also has the highest share of residents with health insurance coverage, at 97.3%," WalletHub officials said.

The state also claims the fourth-best high school graduation rate in the country with over 90 percent of students earning a degree, WalletHub found. Officials connected that successful education number to household income, with Massachusetts claiming the third-highest median household income at over $94,000.

Massachusetts also had the third-lowest property crime rate in the country, and has the third-best access to public transportation, officials said.