Comparing All 50 States by the Numbers

Everyone has opinions about which states are “the best.” Best for jobs, best for families, best climate, safest, cheapest. These conversations usually devolve into anecdotes and vibes. Basecamp takes a different approach: we measure 13 metrics across all 50 states, normalize them statistically, and let you decide which ones matter most.

There is no single “best state.” But there is a best state for you, given what you value. The ranking system we built makes that tradeoff visible and adjustable.

The 13 Ranking Metrics

Every state is measured on 13 dimensions drawn from authoritative public datasets: the US Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, NOAA, the Tax Foundation, and state-level statistical offices. The metrics span the categories people actually weigh when comparing states:

• Population — total headcount from the most recent Census estimate
• GDP — gross domestic product, a measure of economic output
• GDP per capita — economic output adjusted for population size
• Median household income — the income at the 50th percentile, a better measure of typical prosperity than averages
• Unemployment rate — from BLS monthly surveys
• Violent crime rate — FBI UCR data, per 100,000 residents
• Property crime rate — also from FBI UCR
• Cost of living index — relative to the national average (100)
• State tax burden — effective combined state and local tax rate
• High school graduation rate — from the National Center for Education Statistics
• Bachelor’s degree attainment — percentage of adults with a four-year degree
• Average temperature — annual mean from NOAA weather stations
• Population density — people per square mile

For each metric, every state gets a rank from 1 to 50. Some metrics are “higher is better” (income, graduation rate) and some are “lower is better” (crime rate, unemployment). The system handles this automatically.

Sigma Scoring: Beyond Simple Ranks

Raw ranks treat the gap between #1 and #2 the same as the gap between #25 and #26. In reality, the differences are often wildly uneven. California’s GDP is 15 times Wyoming’s, but ranked sequentially they’re just one spot apart from their neighbors.

Sigma scoring fixes this. Each metric is z-normalized: the state’s value minus the national mean, divided by the standard deviation. A sigma score of +2.0 means a state is two standard deviations above average. A sigma of −1.5 means 1.5 standard deviations below. This preserves the actual magnitude of differences, not just the ordering.

In Basecamp’s Rankings tab, you can view both raw ranks and sigma scores, and toggle between them to see which states are genuinely exceptional versus merely above average.

Custom Weights

The default ranking weights all 13 metrics equally. But nobody cares about all 13 equally. A retiree prioritizes climate and cost of living. A software engineer cares about income and education levels. A family with young children weighs crime rates heavily.

Basecamp provides weight sliders for every metric. Drag income to 30%, crime to 25%, cost of living to 20%, and everything else to the remaining 25%—the ranking recalculates instantly. The result is your ranking, not a one-size-fits-all list.

Spatial Clustering: Moran’s I

One question the rankings reveal is whether high-performing states cluster geographically or are scattered randomly. We answer this with Moran’s I, a spatial autocorrelation statistic. A positive Moran’s I means similar values cluster together (e.g., high-income states tend to neighbor other high-income states). A value near zero means no spatial pattern.

For most economic metrics, the answer is strong clustering. The Northeast corridor dominates income and education. The Sun Belt clusters on climate. Crime rates show moderate spatial autocorrelation, with higher rates concentrating in specific regions. This analysis runs live in Basecamp—pick any metric and the Moran’s I updates with a significance test.

State DNA: The 6-Axis Profile

Beyond rankings, every state gets a “DNA”—a six-axis radar profile that captures its overall character. The six axes are:

1. Prosperity — GDP per capita, median income, employment
2. Affordability — cost of living, tax burden, housing costs
3. Safety — violent and property crime rates
4. Opportunity — education levels, job growth, economic diversity
5. Climate — temperature, extreme weather frequency
6. Culture — arts, recreation, national parks, university density

Each axis is scored 0–100 based on the underlying metrics. The resulting radar chart gives you an instant visual read on a state’s strengths and weaknesses. In the Versus tab, you can overlay two states’ DNA profiles to see exactly where they differ.

The Quiz: Test What You Know

Basecamp also includes an adaptive quiz system with 11 question modes: state capitals, flag identification, map placement (click where the state is), abbreviations, population ranking, and more. The quiz uses a study allocation algorithm that prioritizes states you’ve gotten wrong recently and spaces out states you’ve mastered—similar to spaced repetition in language learning apps.

Data Sources

All data in Basecamp comes from public, authoritative sources: the US Census Bureau’s American Community Survey, Bureau of Labor Statistics, FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program, NOAA National Weather Service, the Tax Foundation, and the National Center for Education Statistics. No proprietary data, no paywalled APIs. Every number is verifiable.

Explore the full ranking system, adjust the weights, and find your best-fit state at geo.terranalytics.com.