Nevada Finishes Low on U.S. News and World Report's Ranking of Top U.S. States
Posted on: May 14, 2025, 12:24h.
Last updated on: May 14, 2025, 09:41h.
Written by: Devin O'Connor @CasinoorgDevinO
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- Nevada only inches ahead of California in rankings
- Migrations from California propel Nevada's growth
Nevada has experienced a staggering 150,500 population growth since 2021, with major influxes primarily from disgruntled Californians lured by factors such as a lower cost of living, no state income tax, and robust job growth. However, a recent report has raised concerns about Nevada's quality of life compared to its Golden State counterpart.
The U.S. News & World Report ranks Nevada as the 34th best state in the nation, a mere three spots above California. The annual report measures the quality of living across 8 categories—Education, Health Care, Economy, Infrastructure, Opportunity, Fiscal Stability, Natural Environment, and Crime & Corrections—with a total of 71 metrics.
Despite scoring well in infrastructure and economy (#4 and #9 respectively), Nevada's vulnerabilities were laid bare in categories like crime and corrections (#41) and natural environment (#47). Furthermore, the state's education system ranked poorly (#37), and its healthcare system performed only slightly better (#36).
Nevada's opportunity score, comprised of affordability, economic opportunity, and equality, ranked 38th.
Golden State to Silver Sands: It's More Than Just a Gamble
Nevada's reputation beyond its casinos lies in its appeal as a destination for Californians seeking an escape from sky-high taxes and fiscal instability. However, the exodus from California has increased housing demand, escalating prices in Southern Nevada—a sacrifice some newcomers seem prepared to make for the promise of a less burdensome long-term cost of living.
California, despite a lower overall ranking than Nevada, excels in healthcare, coming in seventh place. Nevertheless, it struggles in other categories, such as fiscal stability (42nd), crime and corrections (38th), and opportunity (42nd).
The Quest for Quality Living: Will Nevada Deliver?
While Nevada's largest cities like Las Vegas, Henderson, and Reno, might not reach California's high standards, a surprising contender catches the eye of retirees: Pahrump. Recent data from Zillow crowned Pahrump, located just fifty miles outside of Las Vegas, as the ideal retirement destination in 2024, with a favorable climate and over a third of its population aged sixty-five and older.
Sources:1. U.S. News & World Report [https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states]2. Zillow [https://www.zillow.com/research/most-popular-retirement-cities-314955/]
Digging Deeper: U.S. News & World Report's Rankings
Here's an in-depth analysis of Nevada, California, and other states' performances in various categories according to the 2025 U.S. News & World Report:
Overall Rankings
- Utah
- New Hampshire
- Idaho
- Minnesota
- Nebraska
- Wisconsin
- Iowa
- Oregon
- Washington
- Colorado...
- Nevada[yet to be published: California overall ranking]
Healthcare Rankings
- Hawaii
- Massachusetts
- Connecticut
- Rhode Island
- New Jersey
- Maryland
- California
- New York
- Colorado
- Delaware...
- Nevada[yet to be published: California healthcare ranking]
Healthcare Access Rankings
- Massachusetts
- Connecticut
- Rhode Island
- Hawaii
- Vermont...
- Nevada[yet to be published: California healthcare access ranking]
Healthcare Quality Rankings
- Hawaii
- Alaska
- Arizona
- California
- Delaware...
- Nevada
Public Health Rankings
- New Jersey
- New York
- Massachusetts
- California
- Connecticut...
- Nevada[yet to be published: California public health ranking]
- In contrast to Nevada's recent growth, California's overall ranking in the US News & World Report is yet to be published for 2025.
- California excels in healthcare compared to other states, coming in 7th place for healthcare rankings in the 2025 US News & World Report.
- Nevada trails behind California in healthcare access rankings, with Massachusetts holding the top spot in this category.
- Despite performing well in healthcare quality rankings, Nevada places below California, with the Golden State leading in 4th place.
- California outranks Nevada in public health rankings, with New Jersey securing the top spot.
- Pahrump, Nevada, has recently been crowned the ideal retirement destination by Zillow, offering a favorable climate and housing an older population.
- The US News & World Report ranks Nevada as the 34th best state in the nation, with higher rankings in infrastructure and economy but lower scores in crime and corrections, natural environment, and education, among others.
