LINCOLN, Neb. – Nebraska jumped six spots this year in the annual U.S. News and World Report “Best States” ranking, released recently.
The state is ranked No. 7 in the country, moving up from last year’s No. 13 ranking, according to the report. Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts credited local communities, along with efforts by state government to improve, with the
rank increase.

“This ranking is evidence of the hard work of Nebraskans in communities across our state who are working every day to create new opportunities,” Ricketts said. “From balancing our budget and investing in infrastructure to delivering tax relief and launching new workforce initiatives, we continue to build on these strengths, so Nebraska’s families, farmers, and job creators enjoy the Good Life for years to come.”
In overall rankings, Nebraska scored highly in education (#9), infrastructure (#9), and fiscal stability rankings (#11).
In specific categories, Nebraska ranked well in mental health (#5), high school graduation rate (#5), low unemployment rate (#4), high labor force participation rate (#4), housing affordability (#4), power grid reliability (#1), and low pension fund liability (#2) among other things.
Nebraska’s full U.S. News and World Report profile can be found online at https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/nebraska.
U.S. News and World Report partners with McKinsey & Company to compile the annual “Best States” rankings. Rankings in eight categories, ranging from the economy to crime and corrections, were weighted according to preferences from survey participants.