See how New Jersey ranks compared to all US states, according to US News

NEW JERSEY

See how New Jersey ranks compared to all US states

Tamara WalkerAsbury Park Press
Aug. 2, 2026, 4:46 a.m. ET

U.S. News & World Report released its annual state rankings for 2026

In the report, each location was analyzed on data points to measure how well states are performing for their citizens with top categories that included: Education, health care, economy, infrastructure, opportunity, fiscal stability, natural environment, and crime and corrections

Below is how the Garden State stacked up:

New Jersey: No. 20

Along with notable musicians such as Frank Sinatra, Whitney Houston and Jon Bon Jovi, the state has world class universities, leading technology and biological science firms and one fast turnpike

• No. 2: Education
• No. 6: Healthcare
• No. 11: Crime & Corrections
• No. 12: Infrastructure
• No. 28: Natural Environment
• No. 36: Economy
• No. 44: Opportunity
• No. 49: Fiscal Stability

The states among the top five are Utah, South Dakota, Minnesota, North Dakota and Nebraska. States among the lowest are Arkansas, Michigan, New Mexico, Mississippi, Alaska and Louisiana

Best US 50 States Rankings

1. Utah
2. South Dakota
3. Minnesota
4. North Dakota
5. Nebraska
6. New Hampshire
7. Idaho
8. Florida
9. Washington
10. Vermont
11. Massachusetts
12. Iowa
13. North Carolina
14. Delaware
15. Wisconsin
16. Wyoming
17. Colorado
18. Connecticut
19. Virginia
20. New Jersey
21. Maryland
22. Georgia
23. New York
24. Kansas
25. Tennessee
26. Texas
27. Maine
28. Hawaii
29. Montana
30. Indiana
31. Missouri
32. South Carolina
33. Rhode Island
34. Arizona
35. California
36. Oklahoma
37. Illinois
38. Nevada
39. Oregon
40. Pennsylvania
41. Kentucky
42. Ohio
43. Alabama
44. West Virgina
45. Arkansas
46. Michigan
47. New Mexico
48. Mississippi
49. Alaska
50. Louisiana