New Hampshire is Nation's Most Livable State
Mississippi once again at the bottom of the rankings
For the second consecutive year, New Hampshire was named the nation’s Most Livable State by Morgan Quitno Press, which determined its 15th annual award from its just released reference book "State Rankings 2005." At the opposite end, state statistics placed Mississippi at No. 50 for the seventh year in a row.
“Last year, New Hampshire eked past seven-time winner Minnesota, earning the Most Livable State title by a fraction of a point,” said Scott Morgan, President of Morgan Quitno Press. “But this year, New Hampshire has widened its margin of victory and indisputably wins the award. The state performs well across the board, boasting low unemployment, low crime and a well educated population.”
For 15 years, Morgan Quitno Press has issued its Livable State Award. Based on 44 factors selected from updated editions of its annual reference book, State Rankings, the Most Livable State Award recognizes a state for its high quality of life. The just-released 2005 edition of State Rankings compares states in more than 550 categories.
Most Livable States in Descending Order
1 New Hampshire 26 Hawaii
2 Minnesota 27 Alaska
3 Vermont 28 Michigan
4 Wyoming 29 Nevada
5 Virginia 30 New York
6 Iowa 31 Illinois
7 Massachusetts 32 Ohio (tie)
8 New Jersey 32 Pennsylvania (tie)
9 South Dakota 34 Oregon
10 Nebraska 35 California
11 North Dakota 36 Arizona
12 Maryland 37 Florida
13 Wisconsin 38 Georgia
14 Connecticut 39 Alabama
15 Maine 40 North Carolina
16 Colorado 41 Kentucky
17 Delaware 42 New Mexico
18 Idaho 43 Oklahoma
19 Utah 44 South Carolina
20 Kansas 45 Texas
21 Indiana 46 West Virginia
22 Missouri 47 Tennessee
23 Rhode Island 48 Arkansas
24 Montana 49 Louisiana
25 Washington 50 Mississippi
Source: Morgan Quitno Press
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