Scored on income, rent affordability, job market, and nightlife. Where should 20-somethings move?
| # | State | YP Score ▼ | Visual | Income | COL | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Alaska | 100/100 | $77,800 | 127 | A+ | |
| #2 | Colorado | 100/100 | $80,200 | 105 | A+ | |
| #3 | Connecticut | 100/100 | $83,800 | 121 | A+ | |
| #4 | Illinois | 100/100 | $72,200 | 93 | A+ | |
| #5 | Maryland | 100/100 | $90,200 | 118 | A+ | |
| #6 | Massachusetts | 100/100 | $89,700 | 135 | A+ | |
| #7 | Minnesota | 100/100 | $77,700 | 97 | A+ | |
| #8 | Nebraska | 100/100 | $66,500 | 91 | A+ | |
| #9 | Nevada | 100/100 | $64,200 | 104 | A+ | |
| #10 | New Hampshire | 100/100 | $83,300 | 112 | A+ | |
| #11 | New Jersey | 100/100 | $87,700 | 121 | A+ | |
| #12 | Pennsylvania | 100/100 | $67,600 | 94 | A+ | |
| #13 | South Dakota | 100/100 | $62,100 | 91 | A+ | |
| #14 | Tennessee | 100/100 | $59,700 | 91 | A+ | |
| #15 | Texas | 100/100 | $67,300 | 93 | A+ | |
| #16 | Utah | 100/100 | $75,600 | 103 | A+ | |
| #17 | Virginia | 100/100 | $80,600 | 103 | A+ | |
| #18 | Washington | 100/100 | $82,100 | 115 | A+ | |
| #19 | Wyoming | 100/100 | $65,000 | 95 | A+ | |
| #20 | California | 99/100 | $84,900 | 142 | A+ | |
| #21 | Florida | 98/100 | $63,100 | 103 | A+ | |
| #22 | Michigan | 98/100 | $63,400 | 89 | A+ | |
| #23 | North Dakota | 98/100 | $64,800 | 93 | A+ | |
| #24 | Wisconsin | 98/100 | $64,800 | 93 | A+ | |
| #25 | Iowa | 97/100 | $63,200 | 90 | A+ | |
| #26 | Delaware | 96/100 | $69,100 | 102 | A | |
| #27 | Kansas | 96/100 | $62,100 | 89 | A | |
| #28 | Rhode Island | 96/100 | $71,200 | 109 | A | |
| #29 | Missouri | 95/100 | $61,000 | 88 | A | |
| #30 | Ohio | 92/100 | $59,300 | 89 | B+ | |
| #31 | Arizona | 91/100 | $65,600 | 103 | B+ | |
| #32 | Georgia | 91/100 | $63,400 | 93 | B+ | |
| #33 | Indiana | 91/100 | $58,600 | 90 | B+ | |
| #34 | Montana | 90/100 | $60,600 | 103 | B | |
| #35 | Oregon | 90/100 | $71,200 | 113 | B | |
| #36 | Alabama | 89/100 | $56,200 | 87 | B | |
| #37 | Idaho | 89/100 | $62,300 | 97 | B | |
| #38 | Oklahoma | 89/100 | $55,800 | 86 | B | |
| #39 | Kentucky | 88/100 | $55,600 | 87 | B | |
| #40 | New York | 88/100 | $75,900 | 139 | B | |
| #41 | North Carolina | 88/100 | $61,000 | 95 | B | |
| #42 | South Carolina | 88/100 | $56,200 | 92 | B | |
| #43 | Maine | 86/100 | $63,200 | 109 | C | |
| #44 | Vermont | 86/100 | $63,400 | 110 | C | |
| #45 | Arkansas | 85/100 | $52,100 | 84 | C | |
| #46 | Hawaii | 84/100 | $84,900 | 190 | C | |
| #47 | New Mexico | 84/100 | $53,000 | 91 | C | |
| #48 | Louisiana | 83/100 | $52,300 | 91 | D | |
| #49 | West Virginia | 80/100 | $48,000 | 84 | F | |
| #50 | Mississippi | 78/100 | $46,500 | 83 | F |
Based on our analysis of young professional living across all 50 states, Alaska ranks #1 with 100/100, while Mississippi ranks last at 78/100. The national average is 94/100.
States with no income tax (Alaska, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, Wyoming) generally perform well on affordability metrics due to higher effective take-home pay.
The gap between the best and worst state is significant: 22/100. This means your choice of state can make a dramatic difference in your young professional living. Use our budget planner calculator to run the numbers for your specific situation.
Alaska ranks #1 with 100/100. Colorado and Connecticut round out the top 3.
Mississippi ranks last (#50) with 78/100. West Virginia and Louisiana are also among the worst.
The average across all 50 states is 94/100. The median is 96/100.
This data is calculated using the latest available median income, housing prices, cost of living indices, tax rates, and expense data for each state. Our methodology uses consistent formulas applied to all 50 states for fair comparison.