Florida is a big winner in the latest U.S. News and World Report state rankings. Their 2024 rankings of the “best states” are based on 70 factors or metrics, including crime rates and corrections, the state’s economy, education system, health care, and natural environments. U.S. News bases its education rankings on statistics and data that measure the performance of each state’s preK-12 schools and higher-education colleges.
In this year’s rankings, Florida’s economy and education systems were ranked No.1 in the country, and the state was named the top state overall in the Southeast. Overall, Florida was ranked No. 9, one rank higher than last year. Utah was named the “best state” overall.
Other factors that U.S. News considers when it assesses how well states are performing for their citizens are the fiscal stability of state government, a state’s economic growth, public safety record, roads and bridges and other infrastructure, and the opportunities it provides its residents.
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In education, Florida captured the national magazine’s top ranking, just as it did in 2023. Our state excels the most in college readiness, which assesses the percentage of 12th-graders who scored highly on the Scholastic Aptitude Test, American College Test, or both. Florida is also ranked well for preschool enrollment and reading and math test scores. It is ranked No. 2 for its timely graduation rates among public school graduates. Students in Florida public, four-year colleges enjoy the lowest national average for in-state tuition and fees.
Florida has focused on core academic subjects in the classroom, becoming a standard-bearer nationally for educational excellence. All this happened while the left cooked up false debates over ill-named “book-bans” and diversity initiatives. “California spends about 45% more per pupil on K-12 education than Florida, but its student test scores are significantly lower”, says the Wall Street Journal. “Only 30% of 4th graders in California rated proficient in math.”
Florida is the fastest-growing state in terms of economic growth. It has also experienced the largest percent increase in population. The top reason Americans move is to improve their quality of life. In 2022, 91,000 of the nearly 550,000 New Yorkers who left that state moved to Florida, more than any other state.
According to IRS annual data on taxpayer migration, California was the biggest income loser ($24B), followed by New York, New Jersey, and Massachusetts. Again, Florida was the top gainer with $36B, with Texas way down the list at $10B. California lost about three times as much income in 2022 to other states as it did in 2019. The “California dream” has turned into a nightmare of crime, vagrancy, violence, and drug addiction.
It’s well-known that the flight from Democrat-run states to Florida and other responsible, well-run states is due to onerous taxes, heavy regulations, ineffective leftist governments that give away the store, and climate.
“Progressive” liberals will not agree, but Florida’s excellent economic and educational performance is mainly due to a state legislature and executive branch that has governed this state quite well over recent years. Florida’s state government does not put up with liberal “woke politics,” DEI and ESG programs, equal outcomes over equal opportunities, and entitlement giveaways to people who haven’t earned them. Florida respects its taxpayers and works hard not to overburden them.
The Florida Legislature protects individual rights by providing a forum above local politics. The ability to circumvent local government by appealing directly to the State prevents narrowly defined minorities from gaining too much control at the local level. This is a nice way of saying that sometimes county commissions and city councils around Florida pass ordinances and taxes that are toxic to good sense and must be reined in.
The U.S. News rankings recognize value and merit and have given Florida a noteworthy distinction. We are the top state overall for education and the economy, and we’re still rising.
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