Although the U.S. News Best States rankings listed the usual (cold) New England states as the overall “best” in their annual rankings, the influential publication listed Florida highly when it comes to the economy, jobs, and economic growth.
Florida ranked in the top five for average annual job gains between 2012 and 2015. The Sunshine State also made the top 10 for states with the highest economic growth between 2014 and 2015.
When it comes to education and health care, Florida still has a ways to go, according to the rankings, which factored in a total of 68 metrics across seven categories.
Top-ranked states overall include the New England states of Massachusetts, Vermont, and New Hampshire, as well as Washington in the Pacific Northwest. North Dakota and Minnesota (brrrr!) also topped the list.