Even Mississippi is ahead of Louisiana on this list. The state—high in poverty and lagging in areas such as well-being, home ownership and education—for a second time is dead last on Politico magazine’s latest power ranking of the 50 states and the District of Columbia.
The magazine released its fourth quasi-annual “States of Our Union” ranking today, ahead of President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address tonight.
The ranking is based on 14 metrics, using data gathered from the U.S. Census Bureau, government agencies and nonprofits.
Louisiana, Politico notes, has a life expectancy of 75.82 years; a poverty rate of 20.2% and graduates about 84.4% of its high school students.
The statewide home ownership rate tops 64.3% and the state scored a 61 in well-being.
Rounding out the ranking’s bottom five: West Virginia (47), Alabama (48), Arkansas(49), and Mississippi (50). New Hampshire tops the list at No. 1.
