Florida ranks as top state for economy, higher education. Where does it sit overall?

U.S. News & World Report this week shared its 2025 ranking for every single state in the country.

The study examined factors like crime, education, economic health, and healthcare to determine which states came out on top.

More specifically, those factors break down as follows:

• Crime & Corrections — Includes corrections outcomes and public safety
• Education — Includes higher education and Pre-K-12
• Health Care — Includes healthcare access, healthcare quality, and public health
• Economy — Includes business environment, employment and growth
• Infrastructure — Includes energy, internet access, and transportation
• Opportunity — Includes affordability, economic opportunity, and equality
• Fiscal Stability — Includes both long-term and short-term fiscal stability
• Natural Environment — Includes pollution, air quality, and water quality

Nationwide, the No. 1 state turned out to be Utah, followed close behind by New Hampshire (No. 2) and Idaho (No. 3).

But Florida didn’t stray too far from the top, coming in at No. 6 overall. It’s a slight boost from the Sunshine State’s ranking last year, which was pinned at No. 9.

In terms of specific metrics, Florida notably took No. 1 for its economy, buoyed primarily by its economic growth.

Experts have commented on the state’s drastic growth in recent years, carried in large part by its lax regulations and massive influx of new residents since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“With millions of visitors each year to its beaches, major amusement parks centered around Orlando and cruise ships departing from ports on both coasts, tourism is a major contributor to Florida’s gross domestic product. The state’s agriculture industry is also robust, with Florida groves producing many of the country’s oranges and a winter vegetable industry that makes agriculture a year-round enterprise.

Tourism, which pays a sizable share of the state’s sales tax, also has enabled Florida to remain among the states without a personal income tax – adding to the allure of the nation’s leading retirement haven."

U.S. News & World Report, "Overview of Florida"

Florida came in at No. 2 for education this year, dropping from its No. 1 spot in 2024.

This minor slide is attributed to its lagging scores in pre-K-12 schooling, as Florida once again topped the country in terms of higher education, the study reveals.

“In higher education, Florida – which is No. 9 in the overall Best States rankings – posted the second-highest rates of timely graduation among students at public institutions pursuing two- and four-year degrees, respectively. Students attending its public, four-year institutions also faced the lowest average amount in the country for in-state tuition and fees.

The state fell in the middle of the pack on two other measures of higher education: the average amount of federal student loan debt held by young adults and the share of those 25 and older in the state with at least an associate degree.”

U.S. News & World Report, "Yes, Florida is No. 1 in the Country for Education. Here's Why."

The rest of Florida’s ranking results are as follows:

Meanwhile, the full state-by-state ranking is as follows: