State capitals aren’t just for lawmaking and memorization. Often, they’re thriving cities with a lot of economic and cultural value. In fact, they can be some of the best places to live in America. However, not all state capitals are created equal. For example, nearly 27% of the population of Hartford, CT lives in poverty, compared to 11.5% of the entire United States.
In order to determine which state capitals make the best homes, WalletHub compared all 50 across 48 key indicators of affordability, economic well-being, and quality of life, education and health care. Our data set ranges from the cost of living to the quality of K–12 school systems to the crime rate.
Cassandra Happe, WalletHub Analyst
Main Findings
Best State Capitals
Overall Rank* | City | State Capital Index | Affordability Rank | Economic Well-Being Rank | Quality of Education & Health Rank | Quality of Life Rank |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Austin, TX | 64.00 | 12 | 1 | 1 | 9 |
2 | Madison, WI | 61.89 | 14 | 14 | 2 | 3 |
3 | Raleigh, NC | 61.38 | 5 | 10 | 7 | 13 |
4 | Boise, ID | 59.44 | 27 | 2 | 8 | 4 |
5 | Atlanta, GA | 58.11 | 25 | 8 | 11 | 6 |
6 | Lincoln, NE | 57.77 | 7 | 19 | 13 | 20 |
7 | Salt Lake City, UT | 56.94 | 35 | 3 | 4 | 11 |
8 | Columbus, OH | 56.81 | 13 | 18 | 27 | 10 |
9 | Denver, CO | 56.17 | 33 | 5 | 9 | 16 |
10 | Concord, NH | 55.57 | 4 | 23 | 26 | 27 |
11 | Nashville, TN | 55.45 | 20 | 4 | 28 | 18 |
12 | Oklahoma City, OK | 55.04 | 2 | 21 | 30 | 29 |
13 | Pierre, SD | 54.43 | 1 | 32 | 31 | 31 |
14 | Bismarck, ND | 53.73 | 10 | 17 | 20 | 37 |
15 | Des Moines, IA | 53.67 | 3 | 35 | 22 | 34 |
16 | St. Paul, MN | 53.40 | 19 | 28 | 15 | 21 |
17 | Montpelier, VT | 53.37 | 30 | 24 | 3 | 25 |
18 | Annapolis, MD | 52.29 | 29 | 31 | 14 | 19 |
19 | Olympia, WA | 52.04 | 41 | 13 | 10 | 23 |
20 | Boston, MA | 52.02 | 49 | 15 | 5 | 1 |
21 | Cheyenne, WY | 51.48 | 9 | 16 | 35 | 42 |
22 | Helena, MT | 51.24 | 22 | 27 | 12 | 35 |
23 | Phoenix, AZ | 51.13 | 32 | 6 | 32 | 26 |
24 | Sacramento, CA | 51.11 | 46 | 11 | 19 | 14 |
25 | Providence, RI | 50.94 | 47 | 7 | 23 | 7 |
26 | Richmond, VA | 50.72 | 38 | 22 | 39 | 5 |
27 | Jefferson City, MO | 50.52 | 11 | 26 | 45 | 36 |
28 | Albany, NY | 49.97 | 40 | 40 | 16 | 12 |
29 | Salem, OR | 49.92 | 36 | 12 | 21 | 32 |
30 | Springfield, IL | 49.90 | 8 | 44 | 24 | 39 |
31 | Columbia, SC | 49.34 | 34 | 42 | 29 | 8 |
32 | Tallahassee, FL | 49.24 | 39 | 36 | 18 | 17 |
33 | Juneau, AK | 48.87 | 26 | 41 | 17 | 28 |
34 | Honolulu, HI | 48.71 | 50 | 20 | 6 | 2 |
35 | Santa Fe, NM | 48.68 | 37 | 25 | 25 | 24 |
36 | Topeka, KS | 48.03 | 6 | 39 | 37 | 46 |
37 | Frankfort, KY | 48.01 | 15 | 43 | 41 | 30 |
38 | Indianapolis, IN | 47.81 | 24 | 30 | 38 | 33 |
39 | Harrisburg, PA | 47.23 | 23 | 34 | 50 | 22 |
40 | Charleston, WV | 47.12 | 17 | 33 | 34 | 43 |
41 | Carson City, NV | 46.62 | 31 | 9 | 47 | 48 |
42 | Lansing, MI | 46.55 | 16 | 37 | 44 | 41 |
43 | Little Rock, AR | 44.67 | 21 | 29 | 40 | 50 |
44 | Montgomery, AL | 44.00 | 18 | 46 | 43 | 44 |
45 | Dover, DE | 40.93 | 42 | 38 | 42 | 47 |
46 | Hartford, CT | 40.92 | 48 | 48 | 36 | 15 |
47 | Baton Rouge, LA | 40.30 | 43 | 45 | 48 | 40 |
48 | Jackson, MS | 40.24 | 28 | 50 | 46 | 49 |
49 | Augusta, ME | 39.45 | 45 | 47 | 33 | 45 |
50 | Trenton, NJ | 38.66 | 44 | 49 | 49 | 38 |
Note: *No. 1 = Best State Capital
With the exception of “State Capital Index,” all of the columns in the table above depict the relative rank of that state capital, where a rank of 1 represents the best conditions for that metric category.
- Most
- 1. Pierre, SD
- 2. Topeka, KS
- 3. Des Moines, IA
- 4. Springfield, IL
- 5. Jefferson City, MO
- Least
- 46. Richmond, VA
- 47. Honolulu, HI
- 48. Sacramento, CA
- 49. Denver, CO
- 50. Boston, MA
- Highest
- 1. Austin, TX
- 2. Raleigh, NC
- 3. Concord, NH
- 4. Pierre, SD
- 5. Cheyenne, WY
- Lowest
- 46. Baton Rouge, LA
- 47. Augusta, ME
- 48. Trenton, NJ
- 49. Honolulu, HI
- 50. Hartford, CT
- Lowest
- T-1. Bismarck, ND
- T-1. Annapolis, MD
- T-1. Lincoln, NE
- T-1. Helena, MT
- T-1. Jefferson City, MO
- Highest
- 45. Sacramento, CA
- 46. Springfield, IL
- 47. Lansing, MI
- 48. Dover, DE
- 49. Trenton, NJ
- Lowest
- 1. Montpelier, VT
- 2. Juneau, AK
- T-3. Bismarck, ND
- T-3. Cheyenne, WY
- 5. Annapolis, MD
- Highest
- 46. Baton Rouge, LA
- 47. Jackson, MS
- 48. Trenton, NJ
- 49. Harrisburg, PA
- 50. Hartford, CT
- Lowest
- 1. Boston, MA
- 2. Hartford, CT
- 3. Honolulu, HI
- 4. Providence, RI
- 5. Madison, WI
- Highest
- 46. Dover, DE
- 47. Des Moines, IA
- 48. Columbia, SC
- 49. Harrisburg, PA
- 50. Cheyenne, WY
- Lowest
- 1. Providence, RI
- 2. Des Moines, IA
- 3. Indianapolis, IN
- 4. Phoenix, AZ
- 5. Nashville, TN
- Highest
- 46. Tallahassee, FL
- T-47. Olympia, WA
- T-47. Frankfort, KY
- T-47. Pierre, SD
- T-47. Juneau, AK
- Highest
- 1. Montpelier, VT
- 2. Madison, WI
- 3. Atlanta, GA
- 4. Austin, TX
- 5. Denver, CO
- Lowest
- 46. Dover, DE
- 47. Carson City, NV
- 48. Harrisburg, PA
- 49. Hartford, CT
- 50. Trenton, NJ
- Lowest
- 1. Austin, TX
- 2. Boise, ID
- 3. Madison, WI
- 4. Raleigh, NC
- 5. Boston, MA
- Highest
- 46. Little Rock, AR
- 47. Montgomery, AL
- 48. Indianapolis, IN
- 49. Baton Rouge, LA
- 50. Charleston, WV
- Best
- 1. Juneau, AK
- 2. Madison, WI
- T-3. Helena, MT
- T-3. Lincoln, NE
- T-3. Bismarck, ND
- Worst
- 46. Salem, OR
- 47. Little Rock, AR
- 48. Indianapolis, IN
- 49. Richmond, VA
- 50. Charleston, WV
- Lowest
- 1. Tallahassee, FL
- 2. Hartford, CT
- 3. Albany, NY
- T-4. Santa Fe, NM
- T-4. Providence, RI
- Highest
- 46. Austin, TX
- 47. Juneau, AK
- T-48. Denver, CO
- T-48. Atlanta, GA
- 50. Cheyenne, WY
- Most
- T-1. Atlanta, GA
- T-1. Austin, TX
- T-1. Denver, CO
- T-1. Honolulu, HI
- 5. Boston, MA
- Fewest
- 46. Concord, NH
- 47. Juneau, AK
- 48. Augusta, ME
- 49. Montpelier, VT
- 50. Pierre, SD
- Most
- T-1. Honolulu, HI
- T-1. Austin, TX
- T-1. Boston, MA
- T-1. Denver, CO
- T-1. Nashville, TN
- Fewest
- 46. Dover, DE
- 47. Montpelier, VT
- 48. Augusta, ME
- 49. Trenton, NJ
- 50. Pierre, SD
- Highest
- 1. Denver, CO
- 2. Austin, TX
- 3. Boston, MA
- 4. Atlanta, GA
- 5. Richmond, VA
- Lowest
- 46. Trenton, NJ
- 47. Springfield, IL
- 48. Topeka, KS
- 49. Carson City, NV
- 50. Santa Fe, NM
- Lowest
- 1. Concord, NH
- 2. Boise, ID
- 3. Frankfort, KY
- 4. Jefferson City, MO
- 5. Montpelier, VT
- Highest
- 45. Santa Fe, NM
- 46. Salt Lake City, UT
- 47. Baton Rouge, LA
- 48. Denver, CO
- 49. Little Rock, AR
Austin, TX
Austin, TX is the best state capital overall, in part because it has the highest median household income after adjusting for the cost of living, at $78,183. It also provides a good environment for business, with new businesses opening at the third-highest rate in the country.
Austin has a great education system, ranking at the top of the country when it comes to the share of public schools rated as “above average” by Greatschools.org. It has one of the highest high school graduation rates and some of the best universities in the country, too.
Finally, Austin offers both a safe and fun environment, coming in at the top of the list for both how long its residents live and how many attractions they are able to enjoy. It’s no wonder so many people have moved to the capital of Texas in recent years.
Madison, WI
The second-best state capital is Madison, WI, which has one of the lowest unemployment rate in the country, at 2.8%. It also has the lowest foreclosure rate, which indicates that its residents are very stable financially. Madison residents have one of the highest average credit scores in the nation, too, at 749, which is just about excellent.
If you’re a foodie, Madison is a good spot, given the fact that it ranks at the top of the country for the availability of 4.5-star or higher restaurants. Nevertheless, Madison is a very healthy city, with one of the lowest rates of physically inactive adults and one of the highest rates of adults reporting that they are in good health. Residents have a low infant mortality rate and long average lifespan, too.
Raleigh, NC
Raleigh, NC is the third-best state capital, in part because it has a very low unemployment rate (3%) and a very high median household income after adjusting for the cost of living ($75,958). The city is also developing at a fast pace, boasting one of the highest share of new building permits per capita in the country.
In addition, Raleigh has one of the highest shares of residents ages 25+ with a Bachelor’s degree or higher, at 52.4%, and a pretty good high school graduation rate, at over 88%.
To top things off, it’s easy to find restaurants rated at least 4.5 stars in the city. And if you enjoy hockey, Raleigh ranks as the third-best city for hockey fans, too.
Ask the Experts
Living in a state capital offers many perks, but there are tradeoffs as well. For more insight, we asked a panel of experts to weigh in with their thoughts on the following key questions:
- What are the benefits and drawbacks to living in a state’s capital city?
- How have the demographics of capital cities changed in recent years?
- In evaluating the best state capitals to live in, what are the top five indicators?
- How does exempting government buildings from local property taxes affect the fiscal well-being of capital cities?
- Are residents of capital cities more likely to be politically engaged, all else equal?
Ask the Experts
We evaluated those dimensions using compiled 48 relevant metrics, which are listed below with their corresponding weights. Each metric was graded on a 100-point scale, with a score of 100 representing the most livable state capital. Data for metrics marked with an asterisk (*) were available only at the state level. For metrics marked with two asterisks (**), we used the square root of the population to calculate the population size in order to avoid overcompensating for minor differences across cities.
We then determined each state capital’s weighted average across all metrics to calculate its “State Capital Index” and used the resulting indexes to rank-order the states.
Affordability – Total Points: 25
- Cost of Living: Double Weight (~10.00 Points)
- Median Household Income: Double Weight (~10.00 Points)
Note: This metric was adjusted for the cost of living. - Housing Costs: Full Weight (~5.00 Points)
Note: This composite metric was calculated as follows: (Median House Price / Median Annual Household Income); (Median Rent Price / Median Annual Household Income).
Economic Well-Being – Total Points: 25
- Population Growth: Full Weight (~1.85 Points)
- Income Growth: Double Weight (~3.70 Points)
- Median Credit Score: Half Weight (~0.93 Points)
- Income Inequality: Full Weight (~1.85 Points)
- Debt as a Share of Median Income: Double Weight (~3.70 Points)
- Share of Population Living in Poverty: Full Weight (~1.85 Points)
- Unemployment Rate: Full Weight (~1.85 Points)
- Underemployment Rate: Full Weight (~1.85 Points)
- Growth in Number of Businesses (2021 vs 2020): Full Weight (~1.85 Points)
- Foreclosure Rate: Half Weight (~0.93 Points)
- Bankruptcy Rate: Half Weight (~0.93 Points)
- Building-Permit Activity: Full Weight (~1.85 Points)
Note: This metric measures the number of new unit permits pulled per capita. - Share of State, Local & Federal Government Employees: Full Weight (~1.85 Points)
Quality of Education & Health – Total Points: 25
- K–12 School-System Quality: Full Weight (~1.47 Points)
Note: This metric measures the share of public schools rated by GreatSchools.org with an above average score. - High School Graduation Rate: Double Weight (~2.94 Points)
- Average University Score: Double Weight (~2.94 Points)
Note: This metric is based on WalletHub’s “2024 Best Colleges & Universities” ranking. - Number of Universities in Top 857: Full Weight (~1.47 Points)
Note: This metric is based on WalletHub’s “2024 Best Colleges & Universities” ranking. - Share of Adults with at Least a Bachelor’s Degree: Double Weight (~2.94 Points)
Note: “Adults” include the population aged 25 and older. - Share of Population with Health-Insurance Coverage: Full Weight (~1.47 Points)
Note: “Population” includes ages 16 and older. - Quality of Public Hospital System*: Double Weight (~2.94 Points)
Note: This metric is based on data from Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. - Hospital Beds per Capita**: Full Weight (~1.47 Points)
- Premature-Death Rate: Full Weight (~1.47 Points)
Note: This metric measures average years of potential life lost. - Infant-Mortality Rate: Full Weight (~1.47 Points)
- Share of Adults in Good Health: Full Weight (~1.47 Points)
Note: This metric is based on a health survey conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “Good Health” includes responses of “good,” “very good” and “excellent” health. “Adults” include respondents aged 18 and older. - Adult Obesity Rate: Full Weight (~1.47 Points)
- Physical Inactivity: Full Weight (~1.47 Points)
Quality of Life – Total Points: 25
- Share of Millennial Newcomers: Double Weight (~2.13 Points)
- Number of Attractions: Full Weight (~1.06 Points)
Note: “Attractions” include, for instance, zoos, museums and theaters. - Nightlife Options per Capita**: Full Weight (~1.06 Points)
- Restaurants per Capita**: Full Weight (~1.06 Points)
- Affordable Restaurants with Ratings of 4.5+ Stars: Full Weight (~1.06 Points)
- Coffee Shops per Capita**: Full Weight (~1.06 Points)
- Movie Theaters per Capita**: Full Weight (~1.06 Points)
- Fitness Centers per Capita**: Full Weight (~1.06 Points)
- Walkability: Full Weight (~1.06 Points)
Note: This metric is based on data from Walk Score. - Access to Public Transportation: Double Weight (~2.13 Points)
- Average Commute Time: Full Weight (~1.06 Points)
- Driving Fatalities per Capita: Full Weight (~1.06 Points)
- Average Weekly Work Hours: Double Weight (~2.13 Points)
- Mildness of Weather: Full Weight (~1.06 Points)
Note: This metric is based on WalletHub’s “Cities with the Best & Worst Weather“ ranking. - Air Quality: Full Weight (~1.06 Points)
- Sports Fan-Friendliness: Full Weight (~1.06 Points)
Note: This metric is based on WalletHub’s “Best Sports Cities“ ranking. - Violent-Crime Rate: Double Weight (~2.13 Points)
- Property-Crime Rate: Double Weight (~2.13 Points)
- Perception of Safety (Safety walking alone during daylight/at night): Half Weight (~0.53 Points)
Note: These data are based on perceptions of visitors of the Numbeo website in the past 3 years. If the value is 0, it means it is perceived as very low, and if the value is 100, it means it is perceived as very high.
Sources: Data used to create this ranking were collected as of December 20, 2023 from the U.S. Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Council for Community and Economic Research, Chmura Economics & Analytics, ATTOM Data Solutions (RealtyTrac), TransUnion, GreatSchools.org, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Health Resources & Services Administration, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, County Health Rankings, Walk Score, Administrative Office of the United States Courts, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Yelp, Numbeo, United States Environmental Protection Agency, TripAdvisor and WalletHub research.
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