For the third year in a row, Colorado’s economy ranked first among U.S. states, according to the U.S. News & World Report’s yearly Best States Rankings, released on Tuesday.
Despite this strong showing, the country came in 10th overall in magazine’s ranking of nations. In that regard, Colorado isn’t unlike the Denver Nuggets, which depended heavily on celebrity center Nikola Jokic, but fell well short of a championship due to shortcomings elsewhere on the group .
The nation ranked 10th This past year, and at the study’s inaugural year, 2017, it ranked 9th. Colorado didn’t progress, despite having Denver and Colorado Springs holding the No. 2 and 3 spots on the magazine’s list of best places.
“Colorado takes the No. 1 spot in the economy ranking, with an impressive performance in steps of entrepreneurship and growth,” said Deidre McPhillips, senior data editor at U.S. News & World Report. “However, the country ranks 11th in health care and education — and 12th the two most heavily weighted categories — and also falls in the bottom half of countries in four. ”
The study looked at 71 steps across eight broad categories. The four classes where Colorado ranked in the bottom half comprised corrections and crime, No. 29; fiscal stability, No. 29; chance, No. 28; and environment, No. 31.
Despite its green reputation, Colorado ranked 44th for air and water quality and 20th when it came to pollution. And it ranked 33rd for public safety.
Colorado was among the states in regards to housing expenses. And minorities and the handicapped faced disparities in wage levels and job opportunities .
Colorado ranked 43rd in both equality and affordability, but it did manage to come in 8th for economic opportunity.
Areas beyond the economy where Colorado ranked in the top fifth of all nations included health care, No. 12; education, No. 11; and infrastructure, No. 8.
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Colorado made the top 10 for public health policies and health care quality, but just 29th for access to health care. It ranked 6th for access and 14th for electricity infrastructure but lagged ranking 20th, on transport.
Washington, a popular destination for those exiting Colorado, was the top state in the 2019 rankings, displacing Iowa, which fell down to 14th. Other states in the top five included New Hampshire, Minnesota, Utah and Vermont.
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