See Where Connecticut Ranks in Two Lists of Best States to Work and Live

Recent rankings by CNBC and Oxfam were the latest to position Connecticut in the top 10 nationally when it comes to working, a development that’s the result of several developments nationwide.

With the publication itself noting that blue states are gaining ground in many lifestyle and employment metrics as the result of “raging culture wars” in red states, CNBC placed Connecticut ninth overall in its ranking of the best states for quality of life.

The Nutmeg State’s strong health care access, availability and quality were primary reasons for such a strong ranking, with worker job protections, a high minimum wage, pay transparency and low crime rates (in the bottom 5 in the country, per FBI statistics) cited as strong benefits for the state’s residents.

The biggest factor holding the state back in CNBC’s metrics was air quality, which can get poor during summer months due to Connecticut’s many highways and primarily driving-fueled transportation.

CNBC weighed “life, health and inclusion” higher in this year’s metrics, reflecting upon issues ranging from health and child care access to discrimination and state abortion laws; states restricting the rights of their residents or experiencing higher rates of discrimination received lower markings this year.

Much of New England placed highly – Vermont and Maine took first and second spots while Massachusetts and New Hampshire tied Connecticut in ninth. New York and New Jersey also took slots in the top 10.

Comparatively, Texas placed worst for quality of life, with abortion restrictions, weak health care, poor voting rights and poor worker protections contributing to its placement. Nearly every state in the bottom 10 had Republican leadership, with Indiana, Alabama and Arkansas dinged for poor child care access, poor wage policies (a minimum wage of $7.25 per hour in Alabama) and high crime rates, respectively.

A second ranking by Oxfam America, an organization dedicated to fighting inequality, placed Connecticut on its top 10 states to work, with the state landing in ninth place. The state received strong marks regarding wage policies, worker protections and protecting workers’ rights to organize.

All ten states in Oxfam’s rankings, which include the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, are led by Democrats, including California, Oregon, New York and Washington State. Red states placed low on the metric, with states lacking worker protections like North Carolina, Mississippi, Alabama and South Carolina sitting in the bottom tiers.

These new rankings suggest that Connecticut’s policies are increasingly drawing positive attention in the national conversation, with CNBC’s weighing of issues like discrimination and abortion indicative of changing needs and points of emphasis for people in the country. The lists follow recent metrics finding Connecticut’s schools ranking among the best in the country and its residents among the most educated.

By Joe O’Leary