Where do you live?

We all work hard for our pay and a big chunk of our money goes to rent or a mortgage. For most people they can work their chosen occupations pretty much anywhere in the United States. So where should you live these days? Everyone wants safety, security and a clean happy environment. We also want the best properties for the best prices. U.S. News & World Report just posted their list of the top 5 states to live in America for 2017. Are you living in one of the best states?

The ranking factors includes education, health care and the economy. The 5^th best state is Washington. #4 is North Dakota. Minnesota is #3. New Hampshire is the second best state and the best state to live in America is Massachusetts. Is Massachusetts the best because they have Tom Brady and the always winning football team the Patriots? Or is it because they have Casey Affleck   the best Oscar winning actor this year? What is Massachusetts doing right? The state has a terrific education policy and some of the best schools in the nation is there. Ivy League Harvard where CEO’s of fortune 500 companies are bread is there with MIT the Massachusetts Institute of Technology just miles away where our top engineers are fostered along with countless other colleges and universities that specialize in creating some of the country’s best professionals in every field.

The test scores for grades kindergarten through seniors in high school   are good. So the state is #1 in educational attainment and college readiness. It ranks #2 in the quality of their Medicare program. Massachusetts General Hospital is excellent. So, the economy is benefitting from all these other good factors. Over 96.4% of residents were insured for health care in 2015. That is the highest amount of people in the country. Industry contributed $19.77 billion dollars to the state’s economy.  So, why are they doing so well? I blame it on the really smart people living and working there. They have no time for gun violence, rapes, robberies   and truancy in schools of any age child. When technology, finance and education are working, it all provides a great environment for all.

North Dakota is ranked in the top five because a lot of eager young people have moved there and has energized the state. The fracking there has given residents an enormous gain in income. North Dakota’s pluses are the growth of a young population, fiscal stability, a good economy and the infrastructure is kept in good functioning order. Yes, their bridges aren’t crumbling and their water mains aren’t always erupting. Their government is good and they do a lot to maintain citizen’s services. They have been doing this good work for a while. The place earns people a good income and they do a lot with their money to help people. So pack your bags and move to one of these places. If you already live in one of these states, be proud because you probably helped to make it a better place to live.