CNBC has ranked this year’s ten worst states in America to reside in, and Tennessee tops the list.
Following mostly southern and midwestern states like Texas, Indiana and Louisana, Tennessee ranked as the worst state in America, posting a Quality of Life score of just 64 out of 290 points, marking a strong F grade. While CNBC praised “The Volunteer State” for its air quality, they counted crime, inclusiveness and worker protections among their weaknesses.
The study looked into all 50 states for the study, with quality of life carrying a weight of 11.6% of a state's total score in 2026, up from roughly 10 percent the previous year. The evaluation reflects a growth in attention towards on livability and economic competitiveness.
“Quality of place, especially investing in quality of place, is the top thing you can do for talent attraction and retention,” stated site selection consultant Larry Gigerich, managing executive director of Ginovus in Indianapolis and chairman of the Site Selectors Guild.
Ranked last on the list is Arkansas, and despite scoring higher at 103, the state draws negative attention for its food insecurity crisis, along with crime, health and lack of inclusivity. The study highlights how mainly red states continue to be impacted with livability metrics ranging from lack of health and childcare resources, access to economic mobility and food security.
