“Stick it to the Libs!”, “the radical left”, “libtards”, and many more derogatory phrases are often used to put down Democrats and their policies. On the ground, reality shows a different picture. You are better off by any measure living in a State governed by Democrats. See for yourself!
- Average Live Expectancy as of year 2021
2. Child Poverty, ranked from lowest to highest child poverty rate, as of year 2023.
3. Poverty Rate, ranked by lowest to highest percentage of population living below the poverty line, as of 2023.
4. Maternal deaths and maternal mortality rates (per 100,000 live births) 2018-2022.
- Maternal deaths include deaths of women while pregnant or within 42 days of termination of pregnancy,
irrespective of the duration and the site of the pregnancy, from any cause related to or aggravated by the
pregnancy or its management, but not from accidental or incidental causes.
NOTES: Caution should be taken in interpreting these data and comparing states for the following reasons:
For many states, the data are based on small numbers and are, therefore, statistically unreliable. Statistical
variability in the maternal mortality rate is determined largely by the number of maternal deaths (i.e., as the
number of deaths decreases, the variance, or measure of uncertainty, increases). Rates based on fewer than 20
deaths are suppressed because of reliability and confidentiality.
It is likely that some of the variation in state rates is due to the marked differences in the quality of state
maternal mortality data. Variation in the quality of reporting maternal deaths may be due to differences in
electronic registration systems and differences in policies and programs designed to verify the pregnancy
status of female decendents of reproductive age. These differences may result in underestimates of maternal
deaths in some cases, and overestimates in others.
SOURCE: NCHS, National Vital Statistics System
5. Number of gun deaths per 100,000 residents (2024)
6. Air Quality Index, as of 2024
The Air Quality Index (AQI) is an index calculated for four major air pollutants regulated by the Clean Air Act: ground-level ozone, particle pollution, carbon monoxide, and sulfur dioxide. The AQI runs from zero to 500, with zero representing clean air and 500 being the most hazardous. Values of 100 or below are generally thought of as satisfactory; however, when values are above 100, air quality is considered unhealthy for certain at-risk groups of people and becomes more unsafe as the value increases.
The Air Quality Index has six categories that respond to different levels of health concerns. These are:
- AQI is 0-50. Air quality conditions are good, and this is symbolized by the color green. Air quality poses little or no health risk.
- AQI is 51-100. Air quality conditions are moderate, and this is symbolized by the color yellow. Those who are sensitive may experience some respiratory symptoms at this level.
- AQI is 101-150. Air quality conditions are unhealthy for sensitive groups, and this is symbolized by the color orange. Sensitive groups include older adults, children, and those with lung conditions or diseases.
- AQI is 151-200. Air quality conditions are unhealthy, and this is symbolized by the color red. At this level, everyone may begin to feel the effects of the air quality, and sensitive groups will feel more intense effects.
- AQI is 210-300. Air quality conditions are very unhealthy, and this is symbolized by the color purple.
- AQI is 301-500. Air quality conditions are hazardous, and this is symbolized by the color maroon.
7. Public School Rankings by State 2024
Finding the best public school is a priority for many families. A good education is important to these families, who may even choose where they purchase or rent housing to ensure their children are in the best public school systems.
There are about 51 million public school students in the United States. While far from perfect, public schools play a vital role in their respective communities. Public schools improve their communities and the welfare of children. Public schools welcome all children, no matter their income level, disability, or previous academic performance. Many schools provide school meals, which helps children from food-insecure families get nutritious food every day. The better the public school, the more likely students will achieve higher educational attainment.
While there is no comprehensive way to measure what public schools are the best in the nation, a few surveys look at data, including high school graduation rates and college readiness, to determine which states have the best schools.
States with the Best Public Schools
WalletHub ranked each state’s public schools for “Quality” and “Safety” using 33 relevant metrics. Metrics included high school graduation rate among low-income students, math and reading scores, median SAT and ACT scores, pupil-teach ratio, the share of armed students, the number of school shootings between 2000 and June 2020, bullying incidence rate, and more. Based on these metrics, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and New Jersey have the best public schools in the United States.
