Quality Of Life
#2 Best Overall State
Minnesota ranks second-best state in the U.S. & World News report, a familiar spot for the state. Minnesota ranks second in the nation for opportunity metrics. The state has one of the lowest poverty levels in the country, with nine percent of residents living at or below the poverty line. Minnesota also has one of the lowest levels of unemployment and food insecurity and one of the country’s highest levels of homeownership. However, while income inequality is low, Minnesota ranks last in the nation for racial disparity in home-ownership.
Good Business
#1 Fortune 500 Companies Per Capita
Minnesota is home to 16 Fortune 500 Companies, including 3M, Target, US Bank, Ecolab, General Mills, Best Buy, Hormel Foods, and more.
Why are there so many Fortune 500 companies in Minnesota? It’s a question Doug Baker, Chairman and CEO of Ecolab, gets asked a lot. “There’s a lot of conjecture, but the themes that seem to make the most sense to me is, first, talented workforce,” he said. “We have a highly educated workforce; we have a great work ethic.”
Family Values
#2 Best State to Raise A Family
Minnesota ranked highly across WalletHub’s factors of family fun, health and safety, education and child care, affordability, and socio-economics. Minnesota ranked especially high in the subcategories of family poverty percentage and median family income. “To help with the evaluation process, WalletHub compared the 50 states across 51 key indicators of family-friendliness. Our data set ranges from the median annual family income to housing affordability to the unemployment rate.”
Active Lifestyle
#1 Most Active State
Physical activity unlocks several health benefits, and anyone can benefit from some form of it. Exercise and physical activity can help us get in shape and reach our health goals, but they can also improve mental health and cognitive functions. The benefits apply to people of all ages, and everyone can find an activity that suits their interests and abilities. With our endless number of running paths, biking routes, hiking trails, swimming lakes, and sports for all seasons, Minnesota is a hotspot for those seeking an active lifestyle.
In 2022, FitnessVolt.com ranked Minnesota as the Most Active State in the nation.
Chill Out
#1 Least Stressed State
We all deal with a fair amount of stress on a daily basis, from paying the bills and relationships to career demands… even rush hour traffic.
On top of all that, a recent article by the American Psychological Association indicates that 83% of Americans are extra stressed out by the impacts of inflation. How we deal with stress is obviously an important element of happiness and life satisfaction. Well, it appears Minnesotans are coping better than most, if a new report from personal finance website WalletHub is on target. The Gopher state actually graded out as America’s least-stressed state on WalletHub’s 2023 list, which compared all 50 states across 41 key indicators of stress to determine the places to both seek out and avoid to achieve a more relaxing life. Unlike most studies, in this one a lower score is actually better, stress-wise.
Quality Education
#7 Best Overall Education
Education is an extremely important institution around the world. Education is a dominant factor in determining how developed a country is, reduces poverty, boosts the economy, and promote peace. In the United States, the quality of education and educational attainment level one receives strongly correlates with median incomes. In seventh place is Minnesota, which has the highest median SAT score in the country of 1298. Minnesota has the second-highest math test scores in the country. Graduation rates for all student groups have increased in public schools and Minnesota has the second-highest high school diploma attainment rate in the U.S. of 93%.