VA Among Best States To Live In U.S., New Survey Says

VIRGINIA — The state proclaiming to be for lovers is near the top of the pack among best states to live in this year, according to a new survey.

With its Southern roots, Virginia came in at No. 11 on the nationwide list released Monday. It was topped by Massachusetts, Florida, New Jersey, New York and other states.

WalletHub analyzed housing costs, income growth, education rates and the quality of hospitals when ranking all 50 states. Experts said Virginia has an overall score of 57.93.

“When deciding on a place to move, you should first consider financial factors like the cost of living, housing prices and job availability," WalletHub analyst Cassandra Happe said in a news release this week.

"Many states have strong economies, though, so you should also consider a wide variety of other factors, such as how where you live will impact your health and safety, and whether you will have adequate access to activities that you enjoy. If you have children, a robust education system is also key.”

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See Virginia's full ranking below:

• Affordability: 18
• Economy: 20
• Education and Health: 12
• Quality of Life: 19
• Safety: 15

Virginia hosts a variety of tourist attractions, including Kings Dominion and Soak City in Doswell, Busch Gardens and Water Country USA in Williamsburg and the Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center in Virginia Beach.

Other attractions include Virginia Safari Park in Natural Bridge, the Virginia Zoo in Norkfolk, the Children's Science Center Lab in Fairfax and Main Street Station in Richmond.

Furthermore, Virginia is represented by DC area teams, such as the Washington Commanders, Washington Nationals, Washington Wizards and Washington Capitals.

Here are the top 10 best states to live in, per WalletHub:

1. Massachusetts
2. Florida
3. New Jersey
4. Utah
5. New Hampshire
6. Idaho
7. Pennsylvania
8. Wisconsin
9. New York
10. Wyoming

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In July, LawnStarter named 10 Virginia cities as those among the best barbecue cities in the country while WalletHub in May listed the DC/Northern Virginia region as the second best summer travel destination.

See WalletHub's full methodology here.

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