Politico: Minnesota Is Best State In The Nation

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Politico.com has ranked Minnesota the top state in the nation in their second-annual poll that coincides with President Obama's State of the Union address.

The poll is "an appraisal of the state of the states of the union," according to author Margaret Slattery, and is inspired by the 1931 series "The Worst American State" by legendary journalist H.L. Mencken.

The data used to rank the 50 states include the percent of the population that's unemployed, below the poverty level and obese, the annual per capita income, the rate of home ownership, the percent of high school graduates, the violent crime rate per 100,000 residents and life expectancy at birth.

Minnesota was tied with New Hampshire for the top spot, with Minnesota trumping its rival in lower levels of unemployment and obesity, and more home ownership, high school graduates and better life expectancy.

Mississippi was ranked last for the second year in a row, as it was in Mencken's rankings more than eight decades ago.

Minnesota was ranked seventh by Mencken.

Click here to see the complete ranking.