CNBC’s rating of the 10 worst states to reside in 2026—all of them Republican-led—has drawn criticism from conservatives.
The broadcaster gave every state a Quality of Life rating based mostly on components together with crime charges, air high quality, healthcare entry, employee protections and civil rights legal guidelines. The Quality of Life class was one of 10 within the outlet’s annual America’s Top States for Business examine.
Tennessee was ranked the worst state to reside in after receiving a rating of simply 64 out of 290.
CNBC famous that Tennessee had one of the best violent-crime charges within the nation, citing FBI statistics, in addition to the third-highest drug-death charge.
The broadcaster additionally cited state legal guidelines limiting transgender folks’s lavatory entry, limits on native anti-discrimination ordinances and Governor Bill Lee’s designation of June 2026 as “Nuclear Family Month.” June is well known as Pride Month throughout the United States.
CNBC’s backside 10 states for high quality of life, from lowest-scoring upward, had been:
- Tennessee (64 out of 290)
- Texas (78)
- Indiana (82)
- Louisiana (89)
- Georgia (89)
- Utah (95)
- Missouri (98)
- Alabama (99)
- Oklahoma (103)
- Arkansas (103)
Reaction to the Ranking
(*10*)Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, a Republican, known as the rating “nonsense” in a publish on X.
“If Tennessee was really the worst state to live in people wouldn’t be moving there in large numbers, which they are,” DeSantis wrote.
Tennessee’s inhabitants grew to greater than 7.3 million final 12 months, an uptick of 63,785, in accordance to U.S. Census estimates. The 0.9 % inhabitants development within the state outpaced the nationwide inhabitants, which grew by simply 0.5 %.
A recent study found cities in Tennessee, together with Nashville and Knoxville, had been among the many prime locations that Americans are transferring to.
Affordability has more and more been driving migration selections and fueling inhabitants development to states within the Southeast and Southwest, with specialists noting that components driving extra folks to transfer to Tennessee embrace the decrease residing prices and the shortage of a state revenue tax.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s press secretary, Andrew Mahaleris known as the rating “flawed.”
“This ranking is flawed and doesn’t reflect reality,” Mahaleris told Newsweek. “Our low taxes, strong economy, abundant energy, and commitment to freedom deliver the quality of life and opportunity that millions of Americans choose every year. The Governor will continue working to keep Texas the best place to live, work, and raise a family.”
A spokesperson for Georgia Governor Brian Kemp advised Newsweek the rating was “laughable.”
“Instead of publishing baseless and laughable rankings that no one believes, CNBC should talk the hundreds of thousands of Americans who are fleeing Democrat-run states like New York and California for red states like Georgia,” the spokesperson stated. “The continued success of Georgia – and many others on this list – speaks for itself.”
Other conservatives additionally criticized the checklist.
Tom Fitton, the president of Judicial Watch, a conservative group, referred to CNBC’s inclusion of reproductive rights and anti-discrimination protections in its scoring, writing on X that the broadcaster “says the ability to kill unborn babies and engage in woke racism makes states better to live in.”
The press workplace of California Governor Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, identified on X that every one 10 states on the checklist are led by Republicans.
“Notice something in common? All led by Republicans—many suffering from California Derangement Syndrome,” the publish stated.
Newsweek has contacted the governors of all 10 states for remark by way of emails despatched outdoors common enterprise hours.
How CNBC Ranked Worst States to Live
The Quality of Life category was one of 10 in CNBC’s examine to decide one of the best states for enterprise.
To decide a state’s Quality of Life rating, CNBC rated every on “livability” components corresponding to per capita crime charges, environmental high quality and healthcare.
The outlet additionally appeared on the availability and affordability of certified childcare amenities and employee protections, together with wage insurance policies, paid depart, and rights to arrange.
Another issue was the inclusiveness of state legal guidelines, together with protections in opposition to discrimination, voting rights and safe election techniques. CNBC additionally factored reproductive rights into the class, noting that surveys present a large proportion of youthful employees wouldn’t reside in states that ban abortion.
CNBC included high quality of life as a result of states use residing circumstances to appeal to companies and employees.
Quality of Life was one of 10 classes within the broader enterprise examine and was not supposed as a complete evaluation of each side of residing in every state. Several of its measures, together with reproductive rights, employee protections and anti-discrimination legal guidelines, are additionally politically contested.
Contact Newsweek editors for this story: Toby Meyjes, Mike Hirst and Cristina Diciu.