U.S. News & World Report looked at 70 metrics to determine its annual "Best State Rankings." For the third year in a row, Utah came out on top, leading the pack in many of the data set's indicators.
In addition to the study's data, the Deseret News looked at other research for evidence that corroborates Utah's excellence. We found 12 areas in which Utah excels, including education, infrastructure, economic strength, fiscal stability, upward mobility, health care, charitable giving and overall happiness and well-being.
Two variables, specifically, connect to most of the metrics: faith and family. Experts say, "The percentage of parents who are married in a given state is typically a stronger predictor of the state’s economic mobility, child poverty and median family income than are the education level, racial makeup and age composition of its population."
In relation to charitable giving, WalletHub said, "The state has a high population of religiously devout individuals, and these spiritual beliefs provide the foundation for Utah’s philanthropy."
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