Quality of life rankings: Minnesota is 4th best state in 2021, CNBC says
Minnesota is among the top five states in the country to live in 2021, according to a new report from CNBC.
The rankings, released Friday, look at factors including environmental health, business landscape, inclusion, voting rights and health outcomes. Minnesota ranked fourth on the list.
Neighboring North Dakota ranked third, behind second-placed Hawaii and first-placed Vermont, while southern neighbor Iowa ranked fifth.
The report found that Minnesota did well in the areas of health, inclusion and air quality, citing the state's lowest-in-the-nation premature death rate. But a lack of public health spending and hospital resources brought the ranking down.
Overall, Minnesota scored a total of 272 points out of a possible 375.
North Dakota’s strong areas were air quality, hospital resources and voting rights, according to the report. The report cites the state’s move towards the use of carbon capture technology, which reduces emissions from coal and natural gas plants.
But the state's biggest detriment is its low COVID vaccination rare, the report notes.
According to the North Dakota Department of Health, around 45.6% of residents age 12 and older have received a full series of the vaccine.
The report also takes into account information from its previous rankings for the best states in the country to do business.
Looking at 85 different metrics across 10 general categories, the report ranked Minnesota in seventh place.
In that report, Minnesota saw high marks in the areas of life and health, technology and innovation, education, and infrastructure.
