Tennessee ranked worst state to live in, CNBC study finds

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) – Tennessee ranked final amongst all 50 states for “quality of life” in CNBC’s annual America’s Top States for Business study for 2026.

The enterprise information channel stated this 12 months’s study had an elevated emphasis on “quality of life,” saying this 12 months’s methodology has this class making up 11.6% of the state’s total rating. That’s up from about 10% final 12 months.

To get a state’s high quality of life rating, CNBC stated it used information on components similar to crime charges, air high quality and well being care as well as to availability of childcare, inclusiveness of state legal guidelines and reproductive rights.

After amassing information on all 50 states, CNBC named America’s 10 worst states to live in based mostly on their “quality of life” scores and listed Tennessee within the No. 1 spot.

The study put Tennessee’s high quality of life rating at 64 out of 100, scoring a grade of F. It stated the Volunteer State’s energy was air high quality and weaknesses had been crime, inclusiveness and employee protections.

When discussing Tennessee’s inclusiveness, CNBC cited a number of the Volunteer State’s legal guidelines that focus on the LGBTQ+ group, together with the brand new “bathroom law,” which requires transgender folks to use restrooms designated for his or her intercourse at beginning, and the state’s restriction on localities from adopting their very own antidiscrimination ordinances.

Additionally, the enterprise information channel talked about the decision Gov. Bill Lee signed earlier this 12 months designating June as “Nuclear Family Month.”

CNBC stated inclusivity just isn’t the one factor that Tennessee falls brief in. Citing FBI statistics, CNBC stated Tennessee additionally has one of many highest violent crime charges within the nation.

According to the United Health Foundation, the Volunteer State additionally has the third-highest price of drug deaths.

Here is the total record of America’s 10 worst states to live in based mostly on their high quality of life scores:

1. Tennessee
2. Texas
3. Indiana
4. Louisiana
5. Georgia
6. Utah
7. Missouri
8. Alabama
9. Oklahoma
10. Arkansas

Despite the low high quality of life rating, Tennessee ranked No. 9 overall in CNBC’s America’s Top States for Business study.