Best states 2017

U.S. News and World Report is revealing its inaugural ranking of the best U.S. states. It gives insight into how state policies and practices affect people’s lives. The 50 states were evaluated across 68 metrics, and rankings were based on seven factors: Health care, education, crime and corrections, infrastructure, opportunity, economy, and government. 

Click through to see which states topped the list. 

10. Vermont

While Vermont ranked 10th overall, the state was No. 1 in the category of crime and corrections, based on factors including public safety and the fairness of its prison system.

9. Colorado

Ninth overall, Colorado ranked first for economy among the 50 states. 

8. Maryland

Ranked eighth overall, Maryland came in fifth for both education and opportunity. 

7. Utah

Ranked seventh overall, Utah was third for infrastructure and government. The state also ranked fourth for economy. 

6. Iowa

Sixth overall, Iowa ranked fifth for health care and sixth for opportunity. 

5. Washington

Ranked fifth overall, Washington state came in second for infrastructure and seventh for education. 

4. North Dakota

Fourth overall, North Dakota ranked second for economy and sixth for infrastructure. 

3. Minnesota

Ranked third overall, Minnesota came in second for opportunity and third for health care. 

2. New Hampshire

Second overall, New Hampshire ranked first for opportunity and third for education. The state also came in fourth for health care. 

1. Massachusetts

Massachusetts ranked first for education, second for health care and fifth for the economy. These and other factors brought the state to the top-ranked position in the U.S News & World Report’s overall rankings. 

See what Brian Kelly, editor and chief content officer for U.S. News & World Report, and Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker had to say about the rankings on “CBS This Morning.”

For more details, visit USNews.com.