Minnesota Held Its Ground As One Of The Five Best States In The Country

UNDATED (WJON News) -- Minnesota continues to rank as one of the best states.  That's according to the latest report from U.S. News & World Report.

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It has released its annual "Best States" rankings with Utah listed as the overall #1 state.

Minnesota comes in at #3 on the list, up one spot from #4 last year.

aerial view of city buildings during daytime

The overall top five is heavily favoring the Midwest, with South Dakota climbing from #8 to #2 and North Dakota rising from #12 to #4.  Nebraska rounds out the top five at #5.

The 2026 rankings evaluate all 50 states to capture how they best serve their citizens across a range of categories, including healthcare, education, economy, infrastructure, opportunity, fiscal stability, crime & corrections, and natural environment.

Utah has held the top spot for four years in a row.