Where states rank, at a glance.
A quick mental map of the country (the safest and the highest-crime, the cheapest and the priciest, the best for taxes and incomes) so you have a reference point before you run a full comparison. Tap any state for its guide.
Live federal data · Updated 2 weeks ago
Where states are safest
Reported violent crime per 100,000 residents; lower is safer. This is statewide; big cities can run hotter than their state.
Where a dollar stretches furthest
Overall price level, where 100 is the US average; lower means cheaper day-to-day living across goods, services, and rent.
Where homes cost the least
Typical (median) home value statewide: the clearest read on what it takes to buy in.
Where income tax bites least
Top marginal state income-tax rate. Several states levy 0%, though property and sales taxes can make up for it, so run a full comparison before you decide.
Where households earn most
Median household income: a read on earning power. It tracks cost of living, so the top earners are often the pricier states too.
Where the job market is tightest
Unemployment rate (annual average): lower means a stronger labor market and easier hiring when you land.
Where the sun shows up most
Clear-to-partly-sunny days in a typical year: a baseline climate estimate, not a live feed, for the sun-seekers.
See how two of them actually stack up
Rankings are the headline. A full comparison weighs all 12 categories for your household, income, and budget.
State-level baselines from BEA, the Tax Foundation, BLS, Census ACS, and the FBI, the same federal sources behind every comparison. 50 states shown (DC, a single city, is excluded so the list stays state-to-state). How our data works →