Ranking of 10 worst states to live is entirely Republican, sparks backlash

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

CNBC’s ranking of the 10 worst states to live in 2026—all of them Republican-led—has drawn criticism from conservatives.

The broadcaster gave each state a Quality of Life score based on factors including crime rates, air quality, healthcare access, worker protections and civil rights laws. The Quality of Life category was one of 10 in the outlet’s annual America’s Top States for Business study.

Tennessee was ranked the worst state to live in after receiving a score of just 64 out of 290.

CNBC noted that Tennessee had one of the highest violent-crime rates in the nation, citing FBI statistics, as well as the third-highest drug-death rate.

-snip-

CNBC’s bottom 10 states for quality of life, from lowest-scoring upward, were:

Tennessee (64 out of 290)
Texas (78)
Indiana (82)
Louisiana (89)
Georgia (89)
Utah (95)
Missouri (98)
Alabama (99)
Oklahoma (103)
Arkansas (103)

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/ranking-of-10-worst-states-to-live-is-entirely-republican-sparks-backlash/ar-AA27MWBz

[underpants]

1. Those New York elites 😉 CSNBC don't know nothing bout us!!!

Yes it’s a regular on Twitter

[3_Limes]

2. I guess I can see why they'd be upset, but it seems about right tk me.

You reap what you sow.

[bearsfootball516]

3. As someone who lives in Indiana...

Yes.

The blue enclaves are solid. Indy, Fort Wayne, South Bend, a few more. But as soon as you get outside of those cities, it gets brutal real quick.

[EnergizedLib]

4. I'm also in Indiana

I also spent two years of my life in Oklahoma and enjoy day trips to St. Louis and day trips/overnights to Nashville and Memphis. It’s sad and scary what these legislatures do their residents.

[Chi67]

50. Yep

Back in the 70s/80s, Indiana was actually pretty cool. I have to drive through form time to time and I make I have enough gas so I don’t have to stop. It’s sad.

[EdmondDantes_]

5. If only reality didn't have that stupid liberal bias

But to be honest that list does have a bias. None of the factors they grade it on are things Republicans value. Sure they pay lip service to caring about crime, but not enough to actually do anything about crime.

[DBoon]

9. Here is how Repulicans would rank states:

- Lowest income taxes
- Fewest regulations on business
- Highest percentage of christian fundamentalists
- High teen pregnancy
- Lowest number of college degrees

[jmowreader]

22. Lowest total taxes and laxest gun laws

[CrispyQ]

78. And harshest abortion laws. -nt

[MyOwnPeace]

13. How can they do anything about crime

when their leader is the biggest crime leader of all!

[tikka]

6. Where's Mississipi?

They are usually on any list like this.

[ShazzieB]

25. That was my first thought, too!

What do you want to bet it's number 11?

[biophile]

27. And West Virginia?

[Random Boomer]

72. My very first thought on seeing the list

How are we not in the running for worst state?

[exboyfil]

80. My family us from there

My mom said she would never be back after burying my grandma, and I agree. I have an aunt and two cousins and their families. Other than that keep the state.

[róisín_dubh]

88. Seriously

Worst place I ever lived. I look forward to the day I never have to step foot their again (it can’t come soon enough).

[fargone]

68. Here's to the state of Mississippi

?is=zplwCiA6u0qd1SIG

[fargone]

69. Mississippi?

?is=zplwCiA6u0qd1SIG

[peppertree]

82. It's so bad, they're now counting it as an Argentine province

[LeftInTX]

7. I agree with Texas. We should be the lowest.

[surfered]

42. We're #2, but Abbott is trying hard to get us to #1

[SheltieLover]

46. Amazing the way the red shithole states' leaders are always racing to circle the drain, isn't it?

[bluesbassman]

59. Abbutt's ads and FB posts crack me up.

To be fair they actually piss me off, but the comments do crack me up. He talks about how he and the GOP, who’ve had a stranglehold on the Governor’s mansion and the Statehouse for 30 years, are the only ones who can fix what’s wrong with Texas. The vast majority of comments tear into the fact that as he and his buddies have had thirty years to fix what’s wrong, all of our problems here are their failures.

The bottom line is that they don’t want to “fix” anything; they just want to turn Texas into more of a Gilead than it already is.

[Texasgal]

65. Agree...

But people are still moving here by the thousands! Why? I have no idea! Mind boggling!

[Coventina]

8. Facts and reality have a liberal bias.

[The Madcap]

10. What about West Virginia and Kentucky?

Florida, maybe?

[modrepub]

28. Guessing It's A Reporting Thing

Like a tree falls in the forest does it make a sound question. If no one dares report a crime because they know nothing will be done or worse, the party involved will threaten you with worse, blamo, you get a low crime rate.

Probably need a better gauge using stats that are reliably and more uniformly collected.

[Wonder Why]

11. They left off the states of Misery, Confusion and Disaster, all of which are republican.

[Solly Mack]

12. I don't see why they are upset. They got the kind of states they were hoping to get. Horrible was their goal.

Perhaps it is the telling of it that bothers them and not the fact of it.

They governed to get achieve their worst rankings.

[chowder66]

14. I just love how the best solution is left off of Gov. Mike Kehoe's list (Missouri).

With 462 violent offenses per 100,000 residents in 2024, according to FBI crime statistics, Missouri is among America’s most violent states. The Show-Me State also ranked in the top 10 for firearm deaths last year. In June, Gov. Mike Kehoe signed a sweeping crime bill aimed at helping to get the situation under control. It includes tougher sentences, a greater ability to charge juveniles as adults, and several new offenses involving cyberstalking and the use of drones.


https://www.cnbc.com/2026/07/11/worst-states-to-live-in-america-2026.html

Gotta keep those guns safe.

[stage left]

15. Where is South Carolina?

It must have just missed the top ten.

[SamuelAdams]

16. I'm shocked Mississippi and West Virginia didn't make the list.

[Nasruddin]

17. There's always next year

[danieljsf]

18. next year

Mississippi and Alabama take turns.

[sakabatou]

19. *pretends to be surprised*

[Ol Janx Spirit]

20. We here in Tennessee say, 'hold my beer'. With Marsha at the helm we can get that score even lower....

[Martin68]

21. Reality has a severe liberal bias.

[Ziggy Beans]

23. That's a weird list

[Ilsa]

24. I'd pick Georgia over Florida any day of the century.

Weather and flat geography have a lot to do with it.

Texas belongs on the list.

I've often wondered if I was a New Englander in a previous life, though.

[ShazzieB]

35. Same here.

I interviewed for a job in Atlanta once. Was disappointed I didn't get it.

Weather and flat geography have a lot to do with it.

These are big ones for me, too, along with not being able to get home insurance for when/if my house was destroyed by a hurricane!

[The Madcap]

38. North of the Atlanta metro is pretty nice.

Hilly, green, and interesting to drive. I can't say that for the southern 2/3rds of the state, though.

[Lifeafter70]

49. Lived in Marietta for 4 years

Lots of hiking and lakes.
But my favorite place to visit was Jekel Island. We called it our dogs vacation because it was very dog friendly.

[lark]

53. If you want to live in FL, it pays to be aware.

There are some places, like Jax that almost never gets a direct hit due to our location. We get a lot of fish storms and tropical storms, but those are very survivable and cause reltively little danger. Right now our issue is the drought, totally opposite.

[The Madcap]

36. You probably think culture is more than

guns, wrasslin', and ginormous pickup trucks. So, yeah, you are probably right.

[Ilsa]

85. Weather is a big deal for me, as is the inconvenience

of hurricanes. I hate the power outages, heat, and humidity. I also hate mosquitoes, which are bad in south Texas and Florida.

[3catwoman3]

86. When our older son was 8, he wanted to invent a time machine...

...so he could go back and squash the first 2 mosquitoes that ever existed before they could mate and make more.

[misanthrope]

81. Georgia has actual weather seasons

North Georgia can be beautiful in autumn.

[Ilsa]

83. It is! But we aren't getting snow every year like ten years ago. nt

[SheltieLover]

29. I can attest to TN being a miserable red shithole.

I don't even refer to living here, merely existing.

[NCDem47]

30. The politics in those states are ATROCIOUS.

Very "conform" or leave. Not welcoming AT ALL! Plus, Republican policies in those states are very Hunger Games.

[highplainsdem]

31. These were CNBC's top 11 states for quality of life:

https://www.cnbc.com/2026/07/11/best-states-to-live-in-america-2026.html

1. Vermont (233 out of 290 points.
2. Maine (232 points)
3. New Jersey (223)
4. Minnesota (210)
5. Connecticut (205)
6. Hawaii (191)
7. New Hampshire (189)
8. Virginia (189)
9. North Dakota (186)
10. Massachusetts (184)
11. Nebraska (184)

[FakeNoose]

55. New Jersey is #3. Really?!

I've lived in Pennsylvania, New York and New Jersey. Of those 3 states, New Jersey is the only place I'd never want to go back. I'm sure some people like it though....

And I can believe Vermont is still on top. They do a lot of things right in Vermont.

[oberle]

62. I would add Maryland in there somewhere.

It is expensive here, but I find the quality of life to be excellent.

[Dem_in_Nebr.]

74. Not sure about Nebraska at #11 either.

Pillen's doing his part to make it miserable.

[SheltieLover]

32. Memphis is the only US city to make the World's Top 10 Most Dangerous Cities List

Last edited Mon Jul 13, 2026, 02:46 PM - Edit history (1)

https://wreg.com/news/local/memphis-10th-most-dangerous-city-in-the-world-website-says/



On Edit: Memphis most dangerous city for drivers:

https://www.actionnews5.com/2023/07/22/report-memphis-ranks-most-dangerous-city-america-drivers/

https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/5470828-fbi-data-violent-crime-cities/

https://www.wsmv.com/2025/09/05/this-tennessee-city-has-highest-violent-crime-rate-country-see-where-your-home-ranks/

https://www.wsmv.com/2025/09/05/this-tennessee-city-has-highest-violent-crime-rate-country-see-where-your-home-ranks/

[bottomofthehill]

33. Looks about right to me.

9 of the 10 I would never consider living in. There are a couple cities and suburbs in Georgia I would consider.

[Torchlight]

34. That's a rational list

by all measure, says this Texan.

[UpInArms]

37. Missouri (98)

Once beacon of democracy, the past 30 years have destroyed this state

Nasty freaking republicans have gutted everything that was good

the roads suck
the schools suck
healthcare sucks

they are attempting to destroy women's rights, voters' rights, defund (even more) the schools

The republicans are attempting a power grab and a money grab for the republicans and billionaires

We have been in the streets for months now and it is just getting worse

[The Madcap]

39. KC is ok.

But the rest is pretty darn bad.

[Joinfortmill]

40. It is what is it. Keep voting for these f&cks, people

[pansypoo53219]

43. been years since i have been to mid state tennessee. the boonies don't get much. sales tax was high.

[ShazzieB]

44. Not many surprises here.

I mean, it's a little surprising that neither Mississippi nor West Virginia made the list, but most of the ones that are on the list don't surprise me.

I will admit that I was a little surprised to see Utah on here (and ahead of Missouri, Alabama, Oklahoma, AND Arkansas). I wouldn't want to live there myself, but it has some of the most spectacular scenery in the country, including 5 national parks and 8 national monuments. But it sounds like these ratings were based on things that would affect day to day quality of life more.

[valleyrogue]

70. Utah is absolutely great.

So are all of the western states west of the Great Plains. I don't care what anybody says. The West is the greatest place to live on the face of the earth, politics or not.

The "best" list is largely full of shit and compiled by somebody who has never lived outside the Beltway.

[ShazzieB]

73. I know Utah is gorgeous, and I haven't even been there! 😄

But a survey like this depends on what the ratings are based on, and it says they used things like "crime rates, air quality, healthcare access, worker protections and civil rights laws." I have no idea what any of those things are like in Utah.

Which factors matter the most in choosing a place to live are very subjective anyway. No one ratings scale is going to work for everyone, that's for sure!

[Historic NY]

45. In others words these are the "Shithole States"

Yes. In a 2018 White House meeting with lawmakers, Donald Trump used vulgar language to describe Haiti and various African nations, asking why the U.S. should accept immigrants from "shithole countries". He later confirmed and defended these comments at a 2025 Pennsylvania rally

[Mr.Bee]

47. And The South Shall Rise Agin!

Making America Groan anew

[twodogsbarking]

48. At this point anywhere in the US could be considered a fucked up place to live.

But all my stuff is here.

[Exp]

51. Another blatant example of why Truth Leans Left! eom

[biocube]

52. No way are TX, GA, and UT are behind MS and WV

NM.

[Whyisthisstillclose]

54. Texan here. I am sure we are headed for #1. The Republican candidates for every office are disgusting human beings

and will most likely continue their winning ways. That and the fact that some of the most Draconian laws are just now being implemented give me little hope of heading lower on that list.

[hamsterjill]

60. Seconded by another Texan.

Texas has been the test case for so many of the Republican policies that I can't believe we aren't already #1.

Last week when the SECOND video of Paxton and his mistress hit social media, there were people saying "well, he has a right to travel".

"Uh, yeah, but I think you missed the point, didn't you, idiot?" (My response). SMH...

[state of stupid]

66. Do not fret, you can count on Greg and the boys to get us over the finish line in short order.

Now if you will excuse me, I need to go bang my head into a brick wall so I can
have a reason for a dose of liquid medicine!!! Thank you for your attention to this
matter.

[Pas-de-Calais]

56. I say Misery for 98

[TalenaGor]

57. no wonder they're angry...

I've lived and worked on the west coast my entire life and my 35 year career in human resources, I recently joined a company who has a branch in Texas and as I was reviewing the handbook I learned that you don't even have to give a lunch break in Texas... I didn't even know places like that still existed, in fact there is so few worker protections in Texas that I don't even need a handbook addendum for Texas... all other states I have addendums for..... surreal

[Grokenstein]

58. Of course it pisses off the faux-conservatoid cult.

It's like COVID; if you stop monitoring cases, you get better results! (See also: Screwworm! And cyclosporiasis! And voting fraud!)

And climate change! If you tell yourself--chanting it as a mantra helps--that it's a hoax, there's absolutely nothing to worry about! Look, that senator had a snowball, so there's no heatwave! That tornado barreling down on you? Not real!

In fact, if you cram your head up your ass, everything is awesome and no one needs to do anything!

[miyazaki]

61. Impossible. TN scored In-N-Out now.

wait for it,

[Raftergirl]

63. There is only room for 10.

We have new neighbors, one a family from Iowa and another from Texas. I call them refugees,

They love it here in NYS.

My cousin’s moved from Boston to Austin about 15 years ago to be close to their grandkids - who, of course, are now college age and older, and don’t live there anymore. They hate it there, but are in their 80’s and not moving again.They were just thankful their D congressperson wasn’t gerrymandered out the last time. No idea what was done to their district in latest redistricting move.

[Oppaloopa]

64. Wow Florida will be so disapointed.

[PCB66]

67. I wish Florida had made the list

Maybe it would discourage people from moving here. We have too many people as it is.

I don't know why Florida didn't make the list. We have all the things that counted against the other states. Some things even worse.

[hibbing]

71. Shame

Every state I've been to has their own unique attractions, an interesting mix of both physical and human geography. I've been to many on that list and TN just makes me sad. Such beauty and culture, but horrible representation like so many others on the list.

[SpankMe]

75. Color me surprised. n/t

[Faux pas]

76. The truth hurts

[CrispyQ]

77. I asked a trumper relative,

"If republicans are so good at governance, why don't you move to a red state?" He's lived in three states, all blue.

[Beartracks]

79. Who would've thought lax gun laws, 10 Commandments in the classroom, the right to get fired...

... and hassling minorities could lead to this outcome? Who?????

============================

[Karasu]

84. Deregulation and anti-science/environmental policies decrease quality of life? You don't say. Anyone who expected

otherwise is a dumbass who doesn't know how anything works.

But they are Republicans, for a reason, so...

[progressoid]

87. Trump should send in the National Guard

Tennessee had one of the highest violent-crime rates in the nation, citing FBI statistics, as well as the third-highest drug-death rate.