Overview
- CNBC’s 2026 America’s Top States for Business study released this week included a ‘10 worst states to live in’ list that put Tennessee at the bottom and Texas second-worst.
- Texas received an F in the quality-of-life subscore, earning 78 out of 290 points, with CNBC citing a 16.7% uninsured rate from the United Health Foundation and the fewest primary-care physicians per capita.
- The report gave Texas credit for relatively low childcare costs and solid air quality while penalizing the state for healthcare access, crime and limits on worker and civil-rights protections.
- CNBC increased the quality-of-life component to 11.6% of the total state score in 2026 to place more emphasis on livability when judging economic competitiveness.
- The ranking has drawn partisan pushback from conservative outlets that point to recent net domestic migration gains for many listed states, while analysts say the findings feed policy debates over healthcare, inclusivity and talent attraction.