Des Moines is One of the Best State Capitals to Live In
Good news, Iowa! Out of all 50 states, we have one of the best capitals to live in!
This is according to WalletHub, who ranked all 50 state capitals based on 49 "key indicators." Some of those indicators include affordable housing, household income, unemployment rates, debt percentages, health conditions, and crime rates.
Des Moines, Iowa was number 13 on the list, ranking 5th for affordability, 18th for quality of education & health, and 22nd for economic well-being. The only overall category we didn't do so hot in was quality of life. We were ranked 32nd out of all 50 states. I'm also happy to report that we came in 4th place for most affordable housing and were tied for 3rd for the highest percentage of state, local, and federal government employees.
Two Midwest cities made the top 5 for the best U.S. capitals to live in. The winners are:
- Austin, Texas
- Raleigh, North Carolina
- Madison, Wisconsin
- Denver, Colorado
- Lincoln, Nebraska
On the other hand, the worst capitals in the U.S. are:
- Trenton, New Jersey
- Charleston, West Virginia
- Carson City, Nevada
- Baton Rouge, Louisiana
- Hartford, Connecticut
Check out more results from the WalletHub study HERE.