Utah ranks No. 1 overall state for a 4th year in a row — but it was dinged for its air quality

By: Katie McKellar

Outlets: Utah News Dispatch

Published: July 28, 2026

Words: 1,037

Last Updated: 5 days, 23 hours ago

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For a fourth year in a row, U.S. News & World Report has ranked Utah the No. 1 overall state in the nation, citing high performance in multiple categories including economy, fiscal stability and infrastructure.

However, Utah ranked low, No. 48, in one category — natural environment — due to air pollution and industrial toxin levels that exceed the national average.

The 2026 Best States analysis released Tuesday compared all …

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