A landlocked state famed for its parks, pine forests and fry sauce has stunned everyone by ranking as America’s best place to live

It is known for its breathtaking views, thrilling ski slopes and as the headquarters of the Mormons.

But in a surprising turnaround, Utah is now also known as the best state to live in America.

That is according to Consumer Affairsa data and assessment platform that examined each state’s economy, education and healthcare systems, quality of life, safety and affordability.

New Hampshire, Idaho, Minnesota and Massachusetts rounded out the top five.

For people planning to move, the researchers also assessed which states to avoid.

Domestic migrants should avoid California, New Mexico and Texas

California ranks at the bottom of the list due to poor scores in education, health, quality of life and safety.

Golden State was followed at the bottom of the rankings by New Mexico, Texas, Louisiana and Alaska.

Cassidy McCants, a researcher, said, “Utah should be the first choice for a new home base.”

“It ranked first in affordability, third in economy and third in quality of life,” McCants added.

The Beehive State’s approximately 3.4 million residents have easy access to pine forests, ski slopes and the so-called “Mighty Five” national parks: Arches, Bryce Canyon, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef and Zion.

But they also live in some of the most affordable parts of the United States, the report said.

That’s because Utah’s property taxes are relatively low, while households average a high income of about $80,000.

Although the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is based in this state, the number of practicing Mormons today has dropped to about four in ten.

Utah is also known for its local foods, particularly honey, cheese, raspberries, the state’s own version of scones and a variety of dips for fries.

Utah was closely followed by New Hampshire, which scored highly for its strong economy, good education and health care systems, and safety.

Park City, Utah, offers visitors the largest ski area in the United States

The Beehive State’s 3.4 million residents have easy access to pine forests and the so-called “Mighty Five” national parks

The residents of this city have one of the lowest crime and poverty rates in the country.

In third place was Idaho, which McCants said “generates interest” among residents elsewhere who are considering relocating.

“Idaho has the highest possible score for health care quality … lowest crime rates and the lowest property crime in the U.S.,” she added.

The study used data from the U.S. Census Bureau, the Bureau of Economic Analysis, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Tax Foundation, and Zillow.

Meanwhile, researchers from real estate technology company ProptechOS 2024 have released their public assessment of America’s “smartest, tech-friendly cities.”

Seattle, Washington, ranked number one, followed by Miami, Florida, and Austin, Texas.

According to the researchers, the cities were assessed based on their tech infrastructure and connectivity, sustainability, and the tech job market, as well as their readiness for a smarter future.

Seattle, home to tech giants Amazon and Microsoft, achieved a winning overall score of 75.7 out of 100, making it best prepared for a smarter future.

The Emerald City has a robust technological infrastructure with 34 companies specialized in artificial intelligence (AI) and 13 companies specialized in the Internet of Things (IoT) per 100,000 inhabitants.

They were also known for their sustainability, as their tree cover increased to a staggering 137,000 hectares in a decade — from 2010 to 2020 — about 340,000 acres.

Seattle ranks number one among the ‘smartest (tech) cities’ in the US and is home to tech giants Amazon and Microsoft

PropTechOS Map Shares Smartest Tech-Friendly Cities in the US

According to the report, they also built the equivalent of 10 electric vehicle charging stations per 100,000 residents.

Next were Miami 75.4, Austin 72.7, followed by San Jose 71.6 and Oakland 70.8; Boston 70.2; San Francisco 69.5; New York City 65.5, Los Angeles 65.2 and Atlanta 64.3.

Last year, Austin, Texas, was ranked number one as the smartest city in the US, but this year the city was beaten by just a few points by Seattle.

Still, the Texas city still ranks first when it comes to smart city infrastructure, scoring 86.2 out of 100 in the 2024 study (Seattle was a close second at 85.7).

This ranking was attributed to the high broadband download speed of 275.60 Mbps, which is higher than the US average of 217.14 Mbps, and the concentration of 337 AI companies, or 35 per 100,000 people.