U.S. News & World Report names North Dakota among best in the nation

North Dakota has been recognized as the No. 4 state in the country by U.S. News & World Report, moving up significantly from its No. 12 ranking in 2025. The 2026 Best States rankings evaluate all 50 states across a wide range of categories, including health care, education, economy, infrastructure, opportunity, fiscal stability, crime & corrections and natural environment.

"North Dakota's continued success reflects the hard work, resilience, and forward-looking spirit of people across our state," said Gov. Kelly Armstrong. "We remain committed to strengthening our communities, expanding opportunities and supporting long-term prosperity for all North Dakotans."

In addition to its No. 4 overall ranking, North Dakota earned top tier positions across several key categories:

• No. 2 in Employment
• No. 3 in Fiscal Stability
• No. 5 in Energy
• No. 7 in Infrastructure
• No. 7 in Opportunity

"Our progress this year demonstrates the strength of North Dakota's economic foundation," said North Dakota Department of Commerce Commissioner Chris Schilken. "Continued growth in our energy sector, strong fiscal stability and a resilient workforce have helped position North Dakota for long-term success. These rankings highlight the commitment of partners across the state who work every day to support responsible development and expanded opportunity."

U.S. News' Best States rankings draw upon 71 metrics and thousands of data points to measure how well U.S. states are performing for their citizens. In addition to healthcare and education, the metrics take into account economic growth; roads, bridges, internet access and other infrastructure; public safety; fiscal stability of state government; and overall opportunity afforded to residents. More weight was given to certain metric categories based on surveys of what matters most to residents.

To view the full report on North Dakota, visit https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/north-dakota.