Idaho is one of the best places to live, study finds. Here’s why it ranked high

A new study says what many Idahoans already know — Idaho is one of the best states to live in.

A recent analysis by WalletHub looked at several factors including cost of living, the economy, education and health care, then ranked Idaho near the top.

“When deciding on a place to move, you should first consider financial factors like the cost of living, housing prices and job availability. 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,” WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo said in the analysis. “If you have children, a robust education system is also key.”

States like Idaho that topped the list scored high in economic factors and safety, but many ranked lower in affordability, according to the study.

Here’s where Idaho ranked:

Why is Idaho a good place to live?

Idaho’s high home ownership rates and low real estate taxes put the state second on WalletHub list of best states to live in.

The state has the lowest property crime rate in the country and ranks fourth in safety, the study found.

Of the top five best states to live in, Idaho is considered the most affordable of the group. Nationally, it ranks No. 11 in affordability based on factors such as cost of living, household income and affordability of housing.

Affording a home in Idaho may be easier compared to other states, the study found. The state has a 0.5% median real estate tax rate and ranks fourth in lowest tax rates overall. Idaho also has the highest median household income growth.

The quality of life, education and health in Idaho rank in the middle of the 50 states, coming in at No. 21 in education and health and No. 24 for quality of life.

Top 10 best states to live in

Massachusetts ranked first in WalletHub’s 2025 list of best states to live in.

From quality health care to the highest-quality school systems, the state has 97.4% of its residents with health care and a high school graduation rate of 90%, according to WalletHub.

Massachusetts’ median household income is also the second highest in the country at $101,000.

Here’s the breakdown of states in the top 10:

1. Massachusetts

2. Idaho

3. New Jersey

4. Wisconsin

5. Minnesota

6. Florida

7. New Hampshire

8. Utah

9. New York

10. Pennsylvania

Which states are the worst to live in?

The lowest-ranking states tend to be in the top 50% of affordable states, but rank lower in the remaining categories of quality of life, health, education, economy and safety.

Here are the worst states to live in, according to WalletHub:

1. New Mexico

2. Louisiana

3. Arkansas

4. Mississippi

5. Alaska

6. Nevada

7. South Carolina

8. Oklahoma

9. West Virginia

10. Alabama

How did WalletHub rank the best and worst states?

The states were graded on a 100-point scale using “51 relevant metrics” determined by WalletHub.

To determine affordability, WalletHub looked at factors such as cost of living, housing affordability and home prices and the median household income.

The quality of the economy was determined by scoring unemployment, the state’s wealth gap and poverty rates, among other factors.

Public school and hospital systems were major factors in determining if a state had good quality education and health care, according to WalletHub’s methodology. The study also looked at the share of residents with health insurance and a high school diploma in addition to other factors.

Safety was scored by crime rates and the number of law enforcement officers compared to residents in the state.

To determine the quality of life in a state, WalletHub looked at these factors:

• Average commute time
• Average hours worked per week
• Bicycle friendliness
• Infrastructure and funding 
• Education and encouragement
• Evaluation and planning
• Public transportation access, discretionary scoring
• Traffic congestion
• Restaurants and bars per capita
• Air quality
• Museums, performing arts centers and fitness centers per capita

Information to determine scores in each of these categories was sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and more on July 14, according to WalletHub.

This story was originally published August 12, 2025 at 4:00 AM.