Special Report
The Best and Worst Thing About Each State
September 18, 2018 5:24 pm
Last Updated: January 11, 2020 5:42 pm
Montana
Best: High school attainment
Montana has one of the highest high school attainment rates in the country among adults.
Montana
Worst: Dangerous roads
Montana has among the highest driving fatality rate in the country, likely in part due to long drives on dangerous, remote country roads.
Nebraska
Best: officially nonpartisan legislature
Nebraska has the only unicameral — or single chamber — legislature in the country.
Nebraska
Worst: lowest state pre-k spending
Among the states that offer pre-kindergarten programs, Nebraska is the only one that spends less than $2,000 per child in state funding.
Nevada
Best: lowest skin cancer rate
Even though it is hot and sunny in Nevada, its residents are less likely to be diagnosed with skin cancer than those in any other state.
Nevada
Worst: Least Literate State
According to a 24/7 Wall St. index of reading skills, educational attainment, and library prevalence, Nevada ranks as the least literate state in the U.S.
New Hampshire
Best: healthiest senior citizens
Some 83.2% of older adults in New Hampshire reported being in either good, very good, or excellent health — a higher share than all other states.
New Hampshire
Worst: high property taxes
New Hampshire, which once had a reputation as among the most fiscally conservative states, assesses the second-highest property taxes in the nation.
New Jersey
Best: highest state Pre-K spending
New Jersey spends over $12,000 per child enrolled in pre-kindergarten programs. No other state spends even $10,000 per child for pre-k.
New Jersey
Worst: Most hazardous waste sites
Although New Jersey is one of the smaller states, it has 114 hazardous waste sites, the most of any in the country.