The best states to live in — do you agree with NJ’s ranking?

⚫ A new report ranks the 50 states, based on 51 factors

⚫ A northeast state takes the No. 1 spot

⚫ NJ performs better than Pennsylvania and New York

Dozens of measures have been analyzed in order to determine the best places to live in.

The personal finance website WalletHub is out its 2024 list of the best states to live in, and New Jersey fares extremely well.

WalletHub timed its release to coincide with the most popular time of year to move: summer. If you're not tied to one specific state or region in the country, you've got 50 choices.

"When deciding on a place to move, you should first consider financial factors like the cost of living, housing prices and job availability," said Cassandra Happe, WalletHub analyst. "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 have adequate access to activities that you can enjoy."

And if you have kids, Happe said, a robust education system is key as well.

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The key indicators — there are 51 of them — all fit into four broader categories: affordability, economy, quality of life, and education/health.

Best states to live in: 2024

Massachusetts comes in at No.1 on the list, mainly due to high-quality education and a strong health care system.

Boasting one of the lowest unemployment rates, Florida is the second-best state to live in, according to the analysis.

The Garden States takes the No. 3 spot, earning praise from WalletHub on a number of measures.

New Jersey posts the sixth-lowest violent crime rate and ninth-lowest property crime rate, due in part to the fact that the state has the highest number of law enforcement employees per capita.

"When it comes to health, New Jersey residents have the fourth-lowest premature death rate in the nation, the sixth-lowest obesity rate, and the 10th-best overall life expectancy," the analysis says. "One reason for the low obesity rate in particular is the fact that the state has the sixth-most miles of trails and the fifth-most fitness centers per capita, which gives people plenty of opportunities to stay active."

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Also, the analysis shows, New Jersey residents have the second-lowest median debt, and New Jersey posts the eighth-lowest food insecurity rate.

Louisiana took the bottom spot in WalletHub's analysis, followed by New Mexico, Arkansas, Alaska, and Nevada.

Pennsylvania comes in at No. 7 on the list. New York is No. 9.

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