Georgia landed in the top half of a new nationwide ranking that looks at everything from the state’s economy and education system to healthcare, infrastructure and quality of life.
The 2026 Best States rankings from U.S. News & World Report placed Georgia No. 22 overall among all 50 states.
The rankings evaluate states using thousands of data points across eight categories, including education, healthcare, economy, infrastructure, opportunity, fiscal stability, natural environment, and crime and corrections.
Here’s everything to know.
Georgia’s highest category ranking came in fiscal stability, where the state ranked No. 10 nationwide.
The state also ranked:
U.S. News highlighted Georgia’s growing economy, major corporations and role as a transportation hub.
The state is home to several major companies, including The Home Depot, The Coca-Cola Company, Delta Air Lines and Aflac.
Georgia’s largest city, Atlanta, is also home to Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport, one of the world’s busiest airports, connecting millions of travelers each year.
The state also continues to attract students and businesses with universities such as University of Georgia, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University.
The top 10 states in the U.S. News Best States rankings were:
U.S. News analyzed 71 different metrics across eight categories to determine each state’s score.
The organization also surveyed more than 56,000 people between 2018 and 2025 about how satisfied they were with their state’s performance.
The categories considered factors such as:
While Georgia ranked strongly in areas like fiscal stability and economy, the state scored lower in healthcare and opportunity compared to other states.
For the full report, visit usnews.com/news/best-states/rankings.
Vanessa Johns is the Trending Topics Reporter for the Deep South Connect Team Georgia, covering food and entertainment. Email her at Vcountryman@gannett.com.
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