tahns now have proof of what we’ve always known—Utah is the best state in America. The incomparable business community and startup culture of the state greatly contribute to Utah’s economic outlook, but Utah also ranks highly in self-reliance, charity, happiness, outdoor recreation, social mobility and more. These national rankings and awards celebrate the place we call home and each citizen’s contribution to the awesome state of Utah.

• No. 1 state in the United States.
• Most charitable state in the nation.
• No. 1 state to start a business.
• No. 1 state economy.
• Most independent state in the nation.
• No. 1 in employment based on job growth.
• Four of the top five best cities to start a business are in Utah (Logan, Cedar City, Washington, St. George).
• Happiest state in the nation.
• No. 1 state for franchising opportunities.
• No. 1 overall economic outlook in 2023.
• Utah ties North Dakota for the No. 1 ranking of the state with the highest percentage of residents with health insurance coverage at 78.4 percent.
• Public health insurance is used by 22 percent of Utahns, and Utah’s public coverage rate is the lowest in the nation.
• Highest labor force participation in the U.S.
• No. 1 state for population growth at 15.05 percent.
• No. 4 state for births per woman.
• Youngest state in the nation.
• No. 1 state for social mobility.
• Powder Mountain is the No. 1 ski resort in the West.
• Salt Lake City is the No. 9 top city in the U.S. for job satisfaction.
• Utah State University has the No. 5 best online bachelor’s degree programs for veterans.
• Utah State University has the No. 5 most engaging University social media accounts.
• No. 4 most physically active state. (83 percent of Utahns exercise outside of their work.)
• No. 1 state for new home construction.
• No. 1 best state for trick-or-treating.
• No. 2 state for overall economy.
• No. 2 state for financial literacy.
• No. 2 state for median household income.
• No. 5 state for transportation.
• No. 15 best state to raise a family.
• No. 20 state for best high schools.
• No. 30 most populous state in the nation.
• No. 40 state for population density.
• No. 50 state for poverty rate.
• No. 50 state for alcohol consumption.
• Provo/Orem ranked No. 1 best-performing large U.S. city three years in a row.
• Provo ranked No. 1 city for job satisfaction.
• One Olympics was hosted in Utah in 2002, and Utah was chosen as the preferred host for the 2034 Winter Olympics.
• Utah has five national parks that generate an estimated $2.6 billion in overall economic output.
• The 15 world-class ski resorts in Utah boast nearly 32,000 skiable acres statewide. In the 2022-23 season, ski and snowboard visitors spent $2.54 billion.
• There are over 20,000 miles of mapped hikeable trails throughout Utah’s stunning scenery.
• The Utah Jazz is celebrating its 50th anniversary and remembering the dynamic duo of John Stockton and Karl Malone who scored 56,085 combined points.
• The newly renovated Salt Lake City Airport has served 26,421,401 travelers between July 2022 and June 2023.