The 10 states with the worst quality of life - Yahoo Finance

The 10 states with the worst quality of life - Yahoo Finance: The United States is one of the world’s most prosperous economies, with a gross domestic product that exceeded that of any other country last year. However, a vibrant economy alone does not ensure all residents are well off. In a recent study from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), U.S. states underperformed their regional counterparts in other countries in a number of important metrics that gauge well-being.

The OECD’s newly released study, “How's Life in Your Region?: Measuring Regional and Local Well-Being for Policy Making,” compares nine important factors that contribute to well-being. Applying an equal weight to each of these factors, 24/7 Wall St. rated Mississippi as the worst state for quality of life.

These are the 10 states with the worst quality of life.

10. Georgia

> Employment rate: 64.7% (10th lowest)
> Household disposable income per capita: $26,426 (13th lowest)
> Homicide rate: 5.7 per 100,000 (13th highest)
> Voter turnout: 61.9% (tied-22nd lowest)

Georgia residents have among the worst quality of life, based on the nine well-being factors measured. The state fared particularly poorly on the OECD’s jobs metric, as more than 9% of working-age adults were unemployed last year, among the highest rates nationwide. The high unemployment rate may be due, in part, to poor educational attainment rates -- as was the case with a majority of the states with the worst quality of life. Less than 85% of Georgia's workforce had at least a high school diploma in 2013, among the lowest rates in the country. Many Georgians also struggled with poverty, as 19% of the state’s population lived below the poverty line last year, versus 15.8% of all Americans.

3. Arkansas



> Employment rate: 65.1% (12th lowest)


> Household disposable income per capita: $24,150 (3rd lowest)


> Homicide rate: 5.3 per 100,000 (15th highest)


> Voter turnout: 53.3% (4th lowest)





Like a majority of the states with the worst quality of life, Arkansas residents were relatively poor compared to other Americans. Per capita household disposable income was less than $25,000 last year, nearly the lowest in the nation. Also, nearly one in five state residents lived below the poverty line in 2013, more than in all but three other states. Perhaps due in part to financial burdens, many residents did not participate in politics. Just 53.3% of eligible state residents chose to vote last year, nearly the lowest voter turnout rate nationwide. Arkansas voters may turn out in greater force this election season, as the state’s popular long-time Democratic governor is set to step down due to term limits.



1. Mississippi

> Employment rate: 61.6% (2nd lowest)
> Household disposable income per capita: $23,957 (2nd lowest)
> Homicide rate: 7.3 per 100,000 (2nd highest)
> Voter turnout: 74.5% (the highest)

 

Mississippi had the worst quality of life in the nation. With the exception of civic engagement -- nearly three-quarters of eligible residents voted during the last general election, by far the highest rate nationwide -- the state fared very poorly in nearly every OECD measure. Less than 82% of Mississippi’s workforce had completed at least high school as of 2013, lower than in every state except for Texas. Low educational attainment rates likely make it more difficult for unemployed residents to find a job. Nearly 9.5% of workers in the state were unemployed last year, among the highest rates in the country. Residents also struggled with poverty as 24% of Mississippians lived in poverty in 2013, the highest rate nationwide. Similarly, crime was a problem as there were 7.3 murders per 100,000 residents, the second-highest homicide rate in the country.