Quality of life in America looks very different depending on where you live, and in 2026, some states are struggling more than others.
According to CNBC’s America’s Top States for Business study that’s based on hard metrics (D-minus for the higher-scoring entries in the bottom 10, down to straight F’s for the worst) around crime rates, healthcare, childcare, air quality, worker rights, and inclusiveness, the following are the 10 worst states to call home this year.
10. Arkansas (103/290, D-minus): Arkansas improved its overall ranking this year but remains one of the toughest places to live, with nearly 19% of its households unable to reliably afford enough food. It scores dead last in the nation for food insecurity while high violent crime rates and weak anti-discrimination protections pull it down further.
9. Oklahoma (103/290, D-minus): Tied with Arkansas on points, Oklahoma runs one of the country’s strictest abortion bans, which matters beyond the obvious, since research last year linked such bans to more people leaving. Its $7.25 minimum wage covers just about 19% of what a family of four needs, and the state law blocks cities from setting higher local wages. Voters had a shot at raising it last month, but the measure failed.
8. Alabama (99/290, D-minus): Alabama is the bottommost dweller when it comes to mental health providers per capita, a troubling shortfall given that nearly a quarter of residents have been told they have a depressive disorder. Worker protections here are also the weakest in the nation, hitting just two of the 16 benchmarks Oxfam America keeps track of.
7. Missouri (98/290, D-minus): With 462 violent offenses per 100,000 people in 2024 Missouri is among the most violent states in the country, and it even made the top 10 for firearm deaths last year. Lawmakers responded in June when the governor signed a broad crime bill to try to curb these issues.
6. Utah (95/290, F): Pretty as it is, Utah struggles with healthcare access, ranking 47th for primary care providers per capita while also grappling with high ozone levels. The state’s $7.25 minimum wage covers only about 16.5% of a family of four’s costs, and it has just 513 licensed childcare centers for 3.5 million people.
5. Georgia (89/290, F): Inclusiveness remains Georgia’s primary weakness with little protection for LGBTQ+ people. In April, Governor Brian Kemp signed a religious freedom bill, declaring, “Georgia still remains a state where there is no place for hate.” Critics argue that the bill could open the door to discrimination, especially since Georgia is one of five states with no public accommodation law protecting non-disabled people.
4. Louisiana (89/290, F): Tied with Georgia, Louisiana has the fifth-highest violent crime rate in the country and the second-highest firearm death rate, behind only Mississippi. The state’s abortion ban is enshrined in its constitution, while Governor Jeff Landry has been going hard against diversity and inclusion policies, removing affirmative action from the state’s civil service code in favor of hiring “strictly on the basis of merit.”
3. Indiana (82/290, F): Indiana finishes last in the country for childcare availability per capita, with just 779 licensed facilities available for nearly 7 million people. What little exists eats up about 15% of a typical two-earner household’s income. The state also faces challenges with air quality and health access, though it performs better on crime metrics.
2. Texas (78/290, F): Texas continues to lead the nation at drawing in workers yet struggles to support them once they arrive. The state posts the country’s highest uninsured rate at 16.7%, more than double the national average. It is also the lowest rung in the ladder for primary care doctors per capita. Addressing part of the gap. Governor Greg Abbott announced $56 million in grants to rural hospitals in May which is roughly $1.80 per resident in a state of 31 million people.
1. Tennessee (64/290, F): Tennessee ranks as the worst state to live in for 2026, by the study’s math. The state has passed a run of laws targeting the LGBTQ+ community, including a bathroom law and a ban that bars localities from adopting their own anti-discrimination rules. Meanwhile, Governor Bill Lee signed a resolution this year naming June “Nuclear Family Month,” timed to overlap with Pride Month. These social policies, along with one of the country’s highest violent crime rates and the third-highest drug death rate, contribute to the state’s low standing.
Source: CNBC, News From The States, USAFacts, Texas Governor’s Office, TN SOS, LegiScan, USAFacts, CDC