Best States for Young Professionals (2026)
South Dakota ranks #1 for young professionals with a score of 81.7 out of 100, ahead of Idaho (77.2) and North Dakota (75.9).
Rankings weighted toward job market strength, economic growth, affordable living, transportation, and vibrant community life — the factors that attract ambitious young professionals.
- Economy weight
- 22%
- Growth weight
- 18%
- Affordability weight
- 15%
Top 10 States for Young Professionals
#1 to #5
Score · grade- 1South DakotaEconomy: 70.0 · Growth: 60.3 · Livability: 42.281.7A+
- 2IdahoEconomy: 50.9 · Growth: 72.6 · Livability: 39.677.2A+
- 3North DakotaEconomy: 63.7 · Growth: 51.7 · Livability: 42.175.9A+
- 4New HampshireEconomy: 74.0 · Growth: 49.9 · Livability: 50.174.9A+
- 5MontanaEconomy: 51.5 · Growth: 53.6 · Livability: 61.970.2A
#6 to #10
Score · gradeAll 50 States Ranked for Young Professionals
| # State | Grade | Young Professionals score | Overall | Economy | Growth | Livability | Region | Cities |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1South Dakota | A+ | 81.7 | 79.3 | 70.0 | 60.3 | 42.2 | Midwest | Cities → |
| 2Idaho | A+ | 77.2 | 78.4 | 50.9 | 72.6 | 39.6 | West | Cities → |
| 3North Dakota | A+ | 75.9 | 75.5 | 63.7 | 51.7 | 42.1 | Midwest | Cities → |
| 4New Hampshire | A+ | 74.9 | 83.4 | 74.0 | 49.9 | 50.1 | Northeast | Cities → |
| 5Montana | A | 70.2 | 75.0 | 51.5 | 53.6 | 61.9 | West | Cities → |
| 6Nebraska | A | 69.3 | 71.1 | 56.7 | 45.2 | 32.4 | Midwest | Cities → |
| 7Utah | A | 68.8 | 75.4 | 65.6 | 50.0 | 19.7 | West | Cities → |
| 8Wyoming | A+ | 67.5 | 79.9 | 50.3 | 42.5 | 50.5 | West | Cities → |
| 9Maine | A | 66.4 | 71.6 | 51.1 | 49.2 | 55.0 | Northeast | Cities → |
| 10Vermont | A | 65.8 | 74.0 | 66.5 | 29.9 | 48.5 | Northeast | Cities → |
| 11Minnesota | B+ | 63.9 | 70.4 | 53.1 | 40.7 | 36.5 | Midwest | Cities → |
| 12Wisconsin | B+ | 63.5 | 70.6 | 54.8 | 40.0 | 35.9 | Midwest | Cities → |
| 13Virginia | B+ | 63.4 | 67.7 | 64.6 | 45.1 | 27.3 | South | Cities → |
| 14North Carolina | B | 63.1 | 59.1 | 43.2 | 65.6 | 34.5 | South | Cities → |
| 15Iowa | B+ | 62.7 | 69.2 | 48.8 | 35.0 | 27.6 | Midwest | Cities → |
| 16Tennessee | B | 60.0 | 57.1 | 45.8 | 56.9 | 47.0 | South | Cities → |
| 17Georgia | B | 58.9 | 55.4 | 54.1 | 51.5 | 28.1 | South | Cities → |
| 18South Carolina | C | 58.8 | 49.0 | 31.8 | 71.0 | 41.8 | South | Cities → |
| 19Connecticut | B+ | 56.8 | 66.9 | 59.4 | 31.3 | 35.7 | Northeast | Cities → |
| 20Colorado | B+ | 56.7 | 64.7 | 60.3 | 31.0 | 34.2 | West | Cities → |
| 21Delaware | C+ | 56.2 | 53.6 | 40.6 | 49.9 | 46.4 | Northeast | Cities → |
| 22Alabama | C | 55.2 | 48.5 | 49.8 | 53.6 | 22.8 | South | Cities → |
| 23Indiana | B | 54.1 | 59.2 | 42.9 | 42.7 | 30.0 | Midwest | Cities → |
| 24Florida | B | 53.9 | 59.9 | 45.0 | 44.9 | 26.9 | South | Cities → |
| 25Hawaii | B+ | 53.7 | 64.8 | 86.3 | 25.3 | 34.5 | West | Cities → |
| 26Oklahoma | D | 53.7 | 43.0 | 42.2 | 48.9 | 26.7 | South | Cities → |
| 27Washington | B | 53.3 | 61.8 | 52.3 | 40.8 | 33.9 | West | Cities → |
| 28Texas | C+ | 53.0 | 52.2 | 42.5 | 51.7 | 23.6 | South | Cities → |
| 29Kansas | C+ | 52.1 | 55.1 | 44.6 | 35.6 | 26.0 | Midwest | Cities → |
| 30Rhode Island | B | 51.4 | 62.0 | 41.4 | 27.9 | 48.2 | Northeast | Cities → |
| 31Arizona | C | 51.0 | 47.8 | 42.6 | 48.3 | 24.3 | West | Cities → |
| 32Missouri | C+ | 50.5 | 51.0 | 38.3 | 39.0 | 31.2 | Midwest | Cities → |
| 33Pennsylvania | B | 49.4 | 56.9 | 39.2 | 26.8 | 34.4 | Northeast | Cities → |
| 34Maryland | C+ | 49.1 | 53.6 | 65.3 | 29.8 | 21.7 | Northeast | Cities → |
| 35Massachusetts | B+ | 48.4 | 70.0 | 59.8 | 19.4 | 34.3 | Northeast | Cities → |
| 36Ohio | C+ | 46.4 | 52.1 | 30.3 | 31.0 | 29.8 | Midwest | Cities → |
| 37Nevada | C | 45.7 | 45.8 | 28.0 | 41.9 | 45.7 | West | Cities → |
| 38Arkansas | D | 44.6 | 40.1 | 28.7 | 45.8 | 24.8 | South | Cities → |
| 39Oregon | C | 43.5 | 50.9 | 32.9 | 23.2 | 48.0 | West | Cities → |
| 40New York | C+ | 42.8 | 54.9 | 46.3 | 14.0 | 49.4 | Northeast | Cities → |
| 41West Virginia | D | 41.9 | 42.8 | 26.2 | 31.4 | 29.1 | South | Cities → |
| 42Illinois | C | 41.6 | 47.6 | 39.8 | 20.0 | 31.4 | Midwest | Cities → |
| 43New Jersey | C+ | 41.3 | 55.0 | 49.4 | 19.7 | 25.7 | Northeast | Cities → |
| 44Kentucky | C | 39.5 | 44.8 | 23.7 | 34.9 | 18.3 | South | Cities → |
| 45Alaska | C | 39.2 | 44.3 | 49.1 | 13.4 | 38.2 | West | Cities → |
| 46Mississippi | D | 37.9 | 41.9 | 30.4 | 30.9 | 17.5 | South | Cities → |
| 47Michigan | D | 37.5 | 42.7 | 21.9 | 24.3 | 24.7 | Midwest | Cities → |
| 48New Mexico | F | 34.6 | 30.6 | 32.2 | 23.2 | 22.9 | West | Cities → |
| 49Louisiana | F | 30.0 | 30.0 | 24.9 | 21.1 | 20.3 | South | Cities → |
| 50California | D | 24.3 | 40.2 | 41.5 | 6.1 | 31.7 | West | Cities → |
Best States for Young Professionals in 2026: What the Data Shows
South Dakota leads our rankings for young professionals with a score of 81.7 out of 100. Close behind are Idaho (77.2) and North Dakota (75.9). These top-ranked states consistently score well across the categories that matter most to young professionals: economy, growth, livability.
Key findings
The gap between the #1 and #50 state is 57.4 points — a substantial difference that translates to real quality-of-life differences. The median state scores 53.7/100, meaning the top half of states cluster in the 54-82 range. For young professionals, the most important category is Economy (22% weight), followed by Growth (18%) and Affordability (15%). States that score above 70 in these top categories almost always place in the top 15.
Regional patterns
For young professionals, Midwestern states lead with an average persona score of 58.3, followed by the Northeast (54.8), West (52.7), and South (51).
Surprise rankings
South Carolina jumps from #36 overall to #18 for young professionals — a gain of 18 spots. Meanwhile, Massachusetts drops from #13 to #35, losing 22 spots when young professionals priorities are applied.
States facing challenges
At the bottom of the list, California (24.3), Louisiana (30.0), and New Mexico (34.6) face the biggest challenges for young professionals. Lower scores in economy and growth are the primary drivers.
Methodology
These rankings use the same real government data as our overall state rankings — from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Census Bureau, FBI, CDC and Department of Education — but re-weighted to reflect the priorities of young professionals. The top-weighted categories are Economy (22%), Growth (18%), Affordability (15%). Categories with 0% weight are not included in the calculation. See our full methodology for details.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best state for young professionals in 2026?
South Dakota ranks #1 for young professionals with a persona-weighted score of 81.7/100. The top 3 are South Dakota, Idaho, North Dakota.
What are the worst states for young professionals?
The lowest-ranked states for young professionals are California, Louisiana, New Mexico. These states score lower on the categories most important to young professionals.
How are "best for young professionals" rankings calculated?
We re-weight the 11 scoring categories based on what matters most to young professionals. Rankings weighted toward job market strength, economic growth, affordable living, transportation, and vibrant community life — the factors that attract ambitious young professionals.