Michigan in bottom 10 among states in new report
U.S. News puts Great Lakes State in 41st place, with failing grades in crime, fiscal policy, infrastructure
Michigan ranked 41st among 50 states in U.S. News & World Report’s 2023 Best States list. Utah took the No. 1 spot.
The list ranks states on eight criteria: crime and corrections, education, health care, natural environment, economy, fiscal stability, infrastructure, and opportunity.
Only in health care (20) and opportunity (21) did Michigan crack the top half of states.
It’s a consensus in Michigan that education is essential to the state’s future. Yet Michigan ranks 37th. Infrastructure, the crown jewel in Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s first campaign platform, was Michigan’s worst individual ranking, at 43rd.
Michiganders cite the state’s beauty as one of the things they enjoy most. Yet even in natural environment Michigan ranked 36th. Natural environment is based on two factors: air and water quality, and pollution. Michigan ranked poorly on both: 34 and 37, respectively.
In both economy (36) and fiscal stability (36) Michigan received low grades.
Read the rankings for yourself
Michigan Capitol Confidential is the news source produced by the Mackinac Center for Public Policy. Michigan Capitol Confidential reports with a free-market news perspective.