Introduction

Rankings and Methodology

Past Rankings: 1991 to 2003

Rankings in 43 Factors for all States

List of Tables Included:

1 Percent Change in Number of Crimes

2 Crime Rate

3 State Prisoner Incarceration Rate

4 State Cost of Living Index

5 Pupil-Teacher Ratio in Public Elementary and Secondary Schools

6 Unemployment Rate

7 Percent of Nonfarm Employees in Government

8 Electricity Prices

9 Hazardous Waste Sites on the National Priority List per

10,000 Square Miles

10 State & Local Taxes as a Percent of Personal Income

11 Per Capita State and Local Government Debt Outstanding

12 Percent of Population Not Covered by Health Insurance

13 Births of Low Birthweight as a Percent of All Births

14 Teenage Birth Rate

15 Infant Mortality Rate

16 Age-Adjusted Death Rate by Suicide

17 Population per Square Mile

18 Divorce Rate

19 Poverty Rate

20 State and Local Government Spending for Welfare Programs as a Percent of All Spending

21 Percent of Households Receiving Food Stamps

22 Deficient Bridges as a Percent of Total Bridges

23 Highway Fatality Rate

24 Fatalities in Alcohol-Related Crashes as a Percent of All Highway Fatalities

25 Per Capita Gross State Product

26 Percent Change in Per Capita Gross State Product

27 Per Capita Personal Income

28 Change in Per Capita Personal Income

29 Median Household Income

30 Public High School Graduation Rate

31 Percent of Population Graduated from High School

32 Expenditures for Education as a Percent of All State and Local Government Expenditures

33 Percent of Population With a Bachelor's Degree or More

34 Books in Public Libraries Per Capita

35 Per Capita State Art Agencies’ Legislative Appropriations

36 Average Weekly Earnings of Production Workers On Manufacturing Payrolls

37 Job Growth

38 Normal Daily Mean Temperature

39 Percent of Days That Are Sunny

40 Homeownership Rate

41 Domestic Migration of Population

42 Marriage Rate

43 Percent of Eligible Population Reported Voting