While we’re biased and would rank the Commonwealth as the best state, we’ll take #7, which is where the U.S. News & World Report ranked Virginia in its annual “Best States” survey.
The survey ranks states based on 70 metrics, including education, health care, the economy, public safety, roads and the state government’s fiscal health.
Most impressively, Virginia placed 20th in 2018, meaning the state jumped 13 spots in this year’s rankings.
Virginia’s placement is thanks to is largely due to its comparatively strong educational system, availability of opportunities, and fiscal stability.
Areas for improvement include its healthcare system, as 12% of adults in Virginia are uninsured. That number is expected to fall thanks to the state’s recent Medicaid expansion.
The state’s infrastructure was also poorly ranked, though that’s likely to change thanks to the recent I-81 funding deal and additional efforts by legislators to get more funding for infrastructure.
As for the rest of the country, Washington state ranked number one on the list, while New Hampshire, Minnesota, Utah and Vermont rounded out the top five.

VIDEO: Your support matters!
Your support matters! Donate today. @vadogwoodnews Your support matters! Visit our link in bio to donate today. #virginianews #virginia #community...

Op-Ed: Virginia’s new Democratic majorities pass key bills to improve your lives, but will Youngkin sign them?
The 2024 Virginia General Assembly regular session has wrapped up. It was a peculiar session from the outset, with Democratic majorities in the...

Op-Ed: Why Virginia Needs A Constitutional Amendment Protecting Reproductive Freedom
Virginia’s recent election season in 2023 drew in eyes from all over the country. Reproductive freedom was on the line and Virginia remained the...

From the state rock to the state flower, here’s how Virginia got its symbols
Have you ever wondered why the Dogwood is the state flower? Or how the cardinal became the state bird? We’re here to answer those questions and more...

VIDEO: Second-gentleman Douglas Emhoff gives speech on reproductive freedom
Second gentleman, Douglas Emhoff touched on reproductive freedom not only being a woman's issue but "an everyone's issue" during the Biden-Harris...

Glenn Youngkin and the terrible, horrible, no good, very bad night
Election Day 2023 has come and gone, and while there are votes to be counted, one thing is perfectly clear: Virginians unequivocally rejected Gov....