When companies decide where to establish their operations, quality of life is crucial in attracting and retaining skilled employees. CNBC’s annual ranking of state business climates highlights the importance of quality of life among ten categories of competitiveness. This year, quality of life metrics encompass crime rates, health care access, air quality, child care availability, worker protections, and personal freedoms, including reproductive rights. Here, we delve into the ten worst states for quality of life 2025.
Contents
Criteria For Quality of Life Rankings
The rankings consider several critical factors:
- Crime Rates: High crime rates can deter both businesses and employees.
- Health Care Access: Adequate resources are essential for a thriving population.
- Air Quality: Poor air quality affects overall health and well-being.
- Child Care Availability: Access to quality child care is vital for working families.
- Worker Protections: Legal safeguards ensure fair treatment and a safe working environment.
- Legal Safeguards Against Discrimination: Protections against discrimination promote inclusiveness.
- Personal Freedoms: Reproductive rights and personal freedoms contribute to overall quality of life.
Top 10 Worst States for Quality of Life in 2024
Arizona
Arizona’s sweltering heat is not included in the quality of life metrics, but its poor air quality due to rising temperatures is a significant concern. The state also struggles with limited healthcare resources, having fewer than two staffed hospital beds per 1,000 people. Although a near-total abortion ban from 1864 was repealed, the state still imposes a 15-week ban, with the potential for the old ban to return briefly.
2025 Quality of Life Score: 119/325 (Grade: D-)
- Strengths: Crime, Voting Rights, Worker Protections
- Weaknesses: Air Quality, Reproductive Rights, Health Care
Kansas
Kansas lacks quality child care, with only 825 licensed centers for a population of 2.9 million. Child care is expensive, consuming nearly 14% of a married couple’s median income. Despite its idyllic prairies, Kansas reported over 11,000 violent crimes in 2022, keeping its crime rate above the national average.
2025 Quality of Life Score: 113/325 (Grade: F)
- Strengths: Health Care, Reproductive Rights
- Weaknesses: Child Care, Crime, Worker Protections
Louisiana
Louisiana has the fourth-highest violent crime rate in the nation and ranks as America’s least healthy state. High obesity rates and premature deaths plague the state. However, it excels in child care, with over 1,800 licensed facilities serving its population.
2025 Quality of Life Score: 100/325 (Grade: F)
- Strength: Child Care
- Weaknesses: Crime, Health, Reproductive Rights
Missouri
Missouri is one of the most burdensome states for voting, requiring a qualified excuse for mail voting. It also has the sixth-highest crime rate in the country. Despite a decline in violent crime, the state remains plagued by numerous offenses.
2025 Quality of Life Score: 98/325 (Grade: F)
- Strength: Air Quality
- Weaknesses: Voting Rights, Crime, Reproductive Rights
Tennessee
While violent crime rates in Tennessee have declined, the state remains one of the most violent in the nation. Discriminatory legislation has also been a significant issue, with laws targeting the LGBTQ+ community and diminishing human rights protections.
2025 Quality of Life Score: 96/325 (Grade: F)
- Strengths: Child Care, Air Quality
- Weaknesses: Crime, Inclusiveness, Health Care
Arkansas
Arkansas has the second-highest violent crime rate in the nation and weak anti-discrimination laws. However, it offers affordable child care, with families spending just 9% of their income on these services. The state has nearly 1,800 licensed child-care facilities.
2025 Quality of Life Score: 93/325 (Grade: F)
- Strength: Child Care
- Weaknesses: Inclusiveness, Crime, Voting Rights
Oklahoma
Oklahoma’s abortion laws are among the most restrictive in the nation, prohibiting the procedure at any stage except in specific circumstances. The state also faces poor health metrics, with high obesity rates and low physical activity levels contributing to its poor health ranking.
2025 Quality of Life Score: 85/325 (Grade: F)
- Strength: Air Quality
- Weaknesses: Reproductive Rights, Health, Worker Protections, Voting Rights
Alabama
Alabama is one of only three states that do not allow early voting, and new restrictions on absentee voting have recently been passed. The state ranks last for wage policies, with a minimum wage that covers less than 20% of the cost of living for a family of four. Additionally, it lacks public accommodation laws to protect against discrimination.
2025 Quality of Life Score: 83/325 (Grade: F)
- Strength: Child Care
- Weaknesses: Voting Rights, Inclusiveness, Worker Protections
Indiana
Indiana offers the worst access to child care, with just 772 licensed facilities for nearly seven million people. The state has enacted laws targeting the LGBTQ+ community, including bans on gender-affirming care for minors and restrictions on discussing human sexuality in schools.
2025 Quality of Life Score: 78/325 (Grade: F)
- Strength: Crime
- Weaknesses: Child Care, Reproductive Rights, Inclusiveness, Voting Rights
Texas
Despite its population growth, Texas ranks at the bottom in terms of quality of life. The state struggles with poor healthcare access, high numbers of uninsured residents, and significant medical debt. Additionally, it has no public accommodation laws against discrimination and the strictest abortion ban in the nation. New residents face minimal protections and low unemployment benefits, covering less than 10% of the average cost of living.
2025 Quality of Life Score: 75/325 (Grade: F)
- Strength: Air Quality
- Weaknesses: Reproductive Rights, Health Care, Voting Rights, Inclusiveness, Worker Protections
Final Thoughts
The rankings highlight the major factors contributing to poor quality of life in these states, including crime rates, health care access, and personal freedoms. These issues can significantly impact business decisions and the ability to attract and retain skilled workers. Improving livability factors is crucial for enhancing the overall quality of life and fostering a more attractive environment for businesses and employees.
