National magazine ranks Iowa top state in union

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DES MOINES – According to an article in U.S. News & World Report, Iowa has been rated as the top state in the union, per a ranking system the publication uses. Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds was on CBS This Morning to tout the announcement Tuesday morning.

“Our Best States ranking is a humbling tribute to our people who have proven time and again that in Iowa, if you’re willing to work hard, you can accomplish anything,” Gov. Reynolds said. “My top priority as governor is to build on our current success by bringing new resources and opportunities to every corner of our state. Every Iowan contributes to the success of their community and our state, and we celebrate this honor knowing that our work to build a better Iowa will never be finished.”

U.S. News & World Report is the global authority in rankings and evaluated all 50 states across 77 metrics with thousands of data points in eight categories: health care, education, economy, opportunity, infrastructure, crime & corrections, fiscal stability and quality of life. Health care and education are the most highly weighted factors in the methodology, followed closely by the economy.

Health care: Iowa ranks #3 in healthcare, up two spots from 2017

  • #2 for health care affordability
  • #1 for child wellness visits
  • #2 for low infant mortality rate
  • #3 for Medicare quality
  • #5 for insurance enrollment
  • #5 for health care access
  • #9 for health care quality

Education: Iowa ranks #5 in education, up three spots from 2017

  • #1 public high school graduation rate
  • #3 for four-year graduation rates for four-year public colleges

Economy: Iowa ranks No. 17 in economy, up 13 spots from 2017

  • #10 for labor force participation
  • #6 for low unemployment & GDP growth

Opportunity: Iowa ranks No. 4 in opportunity, up two spots from 2017

  • #3 in affordability
  • #2 in housing

Infrastructure: Iowa ranks No. 1 in infrastructure, up 15 spots from 2017

  • #1 for ultra-fast internet access

Quality of life (new category for 2018)

  • #10 in social environment
  • #18 in natural environment

Iowa ranked #6 in the 2017 Best States ranking.

graduation rates, health care, mortality, Pen City Current, rankings, State of Iowa, top-ranked, U.S. News & World Report

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