Tennessee ranked worst state to live in for 2026
CNBC ranked Tennessee the worst state to live in for 2026 citing low quality-of-life, excessive crime and drug deaths. The state nonetheless ranked because the Ninth-best for enterprise.
- A latest CNBC evaluation ranked Tennessee because the worst state to live in for 2026.
- The rating is predicated on a low high quality of life rating, citing controversial laws, excessive crime charges and drug-related deaths.
- Despite its low high quality of life rating, Tennessee was ranked No. 9 general for enterprise.
A latest CNBC evaluation ranked Tennessee because the worst state to live in for 2026.
Every 12 months for the previous 20 years, CNBC has ranked America’s Top States for Business, and this 12 months it additionally recognized America’s Worst States to Live In primarily based on these findings.
To decide the very best and worst locations to live, CNBC positioned larger weight on “Quality of Life,” one of many 10 competitiveness classes. The deal with high quality of life within the enterprise rating comes as extra companies reintroduce in-office measures for his or her workers. Under 2026’s methodology, the class accounts for 11.6% of a state’s general rating, up from about 10% final 12 months.
Using these metrics, Tennessee was discovered to be the worst state within the nation to live in, which might have an effect on future enterprise alternatives throughout the state.
What did CNBC say about dwelling in Tennessee?
CNBC ranked Tennessee because the worst state to live in due to its low high quality of life and controversial laws. In 2026, Tennessee ranked No. 50 for high quality of life with a rating of 64 out of 290 factors.
According to CNBC’s evaluation, Tennessee Republicans, led by Gov. Bill Lee, have enacted a number of legal guidelines focusing on the LGBTQ+ neighborhood, together with a “bathroom law” mandating that transgender people use services corresponding to their intercourse at beginning. The state prohibits localities from enacting their very own antidiscrimination legal guidelines.
Lee additionally designated June as “Nuclear Family Month,” emphasizing a conventional household construction consisting of a husband, spouse and youngsters, coinciding with Pride Month for Tennessee’s 300,000+ LGBTQ+ residents.
Additionally, Tennessee struggles with vital points, similar to one of many highest violent crime charges, in accordance to FBI statistics and the third-highest fee of drug deaths within the nation, in accordance to the United Health Foundation.
Where did Tennessee land in CNBC enterprise rating?
Among the very best states for enterprise, Tennessee ranked No. 9 general thanks to its excessive scores within the enterprise and financial system classes.
Here are the state’s rankings:
- Overall: No. 9
- Access to capital: No. 15
- Business friendliness: No. 7
- Cost of doing enterprise: No. 9
- Cost of dwelling: No. 15
- Economy: No. 11
- Education: No. 45
- Infrastructure: No. 6
- Quality of life: No. 50
- Technology and innovation: No. 20
- Workforce: No. 7
What different states ranked among the many worst in CNBC evaluation?
Of the ten worst states to live in due to low high quality of life, eight had been within the South.
“To score the states for quality of life, we use hard data on factors like crime rates, air quality and healthcare,” CNBC wrote. “We also consider the cost and availability of childcare, inclusiveness of state laws, and reproductive rights.”
Here are the worst states to live in, in accordance to CNBC:
- Tennessee: 50
- Texas: 49
- Indiana: 48
- Louisiana: 47
- Georgia: 46
- Utah: 45
- Missouri: 44
- Alabama: 43
- Oklahoma: 42
- Arkansas: 41
Vermont was ranked the very best place to live, with the very best rating for high quality of life; after Vermont had been Maine, New Jersey, Minnesota and Connecticut, in that order.
Jordan Green covers trending information for The Commercial Appeal and Tennessee. She will be reached at [email protected].