Louisiana is again ranked last in the U.S. News and World Report’s 2026 Best States report, which cites poverty, poisonous industrial pollution and obesity among the among the state’s hardships.
It’s the fourth straight year Louisiana has ranked 50th.
The U.S. News report ranked Louisiana in the following categories: education (46th); healthcare (45); economy (49); opportunity (45th); fiscal stability (43rd); natural environment (49th); and crime and corrections (50th).
The report doesn’t yet reflect recent gains Louisiana has made with job growth during an ongoing industrial boom driven by data centers and other projects, leading the nation in academic growth for reading and second in math improvement in 2026 or stemming its longstanding population decline.
Utah was ranked the top state for the fourth straight year, while among Louisiana’s border neighbors Arkansas ranked 45th, Mississippi ranked 48th and Texas ranked 26th.
Among the most alarming metrics for Louisiana in the U.S. News report:
Among the few bright spots in the report is Louisiana’s No. 5 ranking for affordability with a low cost of living index.
“The U.S. News & World Report Best States rankings serve as a critical tool for understanding what drives long-term success in states across the country,” said U.S. News CEO Eric Gertler in a statement. “These rankings objectively evaluate performance, identify opportunities for improvement and ways to learn from the successes of other states. By translating data into actionable insights, the rankings help policymakers, business leaders and residents make informed decisions to improve their lives.”
For the full report go to https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states?src=usn_pr.
Greg Hilburn covers state politics for the USA TODAY Network of Louisiana. Follow him on Twitter @GregHilburn1.