Minnesota Ranked Eighth Best State to Live

(KNSI) — Minnesota has been named one of the best states to live in.

Personal finance website WalletHub looked at factors such as affordability, economy, education and health, quality of life, and safety.

Minnesota came in at number eight overall. The state ranked third in high homeownership rates and third for the low percentage of the population living in poverty. We were fifth best for the lowest percentage of adults in fair or poor health and the lowest percentage of people without health insurance.

Minnesota was 11th in the country for affordability. Affordability was calculated by comparing the median home and rent price against the median annual household income, median annual property taxes, cost of living, and homeownership rate.

The state ranked 21st for our economy. The study looked at unemployment rates, economic security, which is compiled by measuring employment, the insurance rate and other financial stability factors, plus the share of those living in poverty, median debt to earnings ratio, population and income growth, wealth gap, and general tax friendliness. WalletHub recently ranked Minnesota eighth highest for overall tax burden.

We were ninth best for education and health, which studied the quality of public schools, hospitals, premature death rates, life expectancy, high school graduation rates, and the share of the population over 25 with at least a high school diploma.

Minnesota ranked eighth for quality of life. That area measured average hours worked per week, average commute time, quality of roads, traffic congestion, accessibility of beaches, weather and miles of trails for walking and biking.

We were 32nd for safety. Researchers looked at the violent crime rate, property crime rate, traffic-related fatalities per capita and total law enforcement employees per capita.

See the study by clicking here.

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