Biotech
Monday, July 15th, 2024 3:52 pm EDT
Key Points
- Criteria for Quality of Life Ranking: CNBC’s America’s Top States for Business study ranks states based on multiple livability factors including crime rates, health care, air quality, child care, worker protections, legal safeguards against discrimination, and personal freedoms like reproductive rights.
- Poor Performers: The states ranked the lowest in quality of life are Arizona, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Alabama, Indiana, and Texas, each with various weaknesses such as poor health care, high crime rates, weak worker protections, and restrictive reproductive rights.
- State-Specific Issues: Each of the bottom-ranked states faces unique challenges; for example, Texas has severe health care issues and restrictive laws against LGBTQ+ and reproductive rights, while Indiana struggles with inadequate child care and inclusiveness.
The job market may have cooled, but there are still more job openings nationwide than people available to fill them, making qualified workers a precious commodity. Companies seeking to attract great employees often look for states offering a high quality of life. However, some states do not measure up in this regard. CNBC’s America’s Top States for Business study includes quality of life as one of ten competitiveness categories, counting for 13% of a state’s overall score. The study evaluates multiple livability factors such as crime rates, health care, air quality, and child care, as well as worker protections and legal safeguards against discrimination. Personal freedoms, including reproductive rights, are also considered.
Arizona ranks poorly due to issues such as rising temperatures contributing to poor air quality, healthcare gaps with fewer than two staffed hospital beds per 1,000 people, and legal uncertainties surrounding abortion rights. Kansas struggles with expensive and sparse child care, high crime rates, and worker protection issues, despite strengths in health care and reproductive rights. Louisiana faces high violent crime rates and poor health outcomes, although it excels in child care provision.
Missouri is noted for its burdensome voting regulations and high crime rates, despite good air quality. Tennessee, despite a decline in violent crime, is criticized for discriminatory legislation against LGBTQ+ individuals and poor health care. Arkansas is marked by high crime rates and weak anti-discrimination laws but offers affordable child care. Oklahoma’s stringent abortion laws, poor health outcomes, and limited worker protections make it one of the worst states to live in.
Alabama’s restrictive voting laws, poor wage policies, and lack of anti-discrimination protections place it near the bottom, despite decent child care availability. Indiana has the worst access to child care, expensive services, and laws targeting LGBTQ+ populations. Texas, despite a large influx of educated workers, faces significant issues with health care access, lack of legal protections against discrimination, and strict abortion laws. These factors contribute to its ranking as the state with the worst quality of life in America.
Overall, these states have significant challenges in providing a high quality of life for residents, impacting their ability to attract and retain a skilled workforce.
For the full original article on CNBC, please click here: https://www.cnbc.com/2024/07/13/10-states-worst-quality-of-life-america.html
