High School students sit in a classroom taking an exam.
(Photo by Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)We all love to boast about all the wonderful reasons why, New Jersey, the state we live in, is the greatest state of all. We even take it a step further and criticize neighboring states. “Pennsylvania drivers are the worst!” Or “New Yorkers are loud and obnoxious.”
We complain about New Jersey too, but we’re allowed to. High property taxes, cost of living, and the traffic is unbearable.
Well, New Jerseyans do have something to be proud of, and it’s not just Bruce Springsteen, Bon Jovi, the Jersey Shore, or The Sopranos.
There’s a new report that gives those of us in the Garden state proof that we’re one of the best commonwealths in the country.
According to a new survey conducted by U.S. News and World Report, New Jersey sits at the top of the heap in one important category.
New Jersey is the Best State in This Category
Based on the U.S. News and World Report’s 2025 Best States rankings, New Jersey took the top spot in education. That’s a big deal!
New Jersey “ranks in the top 5 for all pre-K-12 metrics, including preschool enrollment, standardized test scores, and high school graduation rate.”
The study looked at all 50 states on factors like health care, education, economy, infrastructure, opportunity, fiscal stability, crime and corrections, and natural environment.
It’s important to mention that New Jersey’s overall score wasn’t that impressive.
When they combined scores for all categories, Utah ranked number one on the list. It landed in the top twenty in seven out of eight categories.
Coming in at number two on the report is New Hampshire, with Idaho, Minnesota and Nebraska rounding out the top five.
So, which state is the worst? Louisiana, which ranked in the bottom ten in all eight categories, landed in dead last in two of them.
Check out the complete list and breakdowns at usnews.com.
