Best States to Live in 2025: Where Does Kentucky Rank?

With approximately 7.8% of Americans having relocated recently, slightly fewer than the previous year, personal-finance website WalletHub has released its highly anticipated 2025 rankings of the Best States to Live in. Below is a closer look at the rankings and what they reveal about living conditions nationwide and in the Commonwealth.

The comprehensive report evaluates states across key factors, including affordability, economy, education and health, quality of life, and safety. This year’s results uncover a diverse landscape, with Massachusetts claiming the top spot overall, while states like Kentucky struggle near the bottom of the list.

2025’s Best States to Live In: A Comprehensive Look at Livability

To help Americans find the best and most affordable places to live, WalletHub conducted an in-depth analysis of all 50 states using 51 key indicators of livability. These metrics address areas such as housing affordability, income growth, educational attainment, and healthcare quality to assess each state’s overall appeal.

READ MORE: Why Health Care Remains Out of Reach for Many in Kentucky

Kentucky’s Position in the 2025 Livability Rankings

While states like Massachusetts, Idaho, and New Jersey dominate the top spots with strong overall scores and balanced rankings across key factors, Kentucky ranked 37th overall. Despite ranking well in affordability at 10th place, Kentucky struggles significantly in other areas, particularly in its economy, where it ranks near the bottom at 49th. The state also faces challenges in education and health (38th), as well as quality of life (46th). These lower rankings pull down Kentucky’s total score to 47.5,3, showing there is much work to be done to attract new residents to the state.

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“When deciding on a place to move, you should first consider financial factors like the cost of living, housing prices, and job availability. Many states have strong economies, though, so you should also consider a wide variety of other factors, such as how where you live will impact your health and safety, and whether you will have adequate access to activities that you enjoy. If you have children, a robust education system is also key.” - Chip Lupo, WalletHub Analyst

READ MORE: Kentucky Among Top States Facing Financial Trouble

STATE-BY-STATE ANALYSIS