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Minnesota Listed As 2nd Strongest State In The Union

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – Minnesota is one of the strongest states in the country.

That's according to the website Politico, which released its quasi-annual "State of our Union" rankings Tuesday, ahead of President Donald Trump's State of the Union Address.

Minnesota earned the No. 2 spot on the list, which ranks states based on a number of criteria, such as crime rates, income inequality, wellbeing and student test scores.

For the fourth straight year, New Hampshire topped the list, although it tied with Minnesota in 2016.

According to Politico, the Land of 10,000 Lakes' high ranking is due to its low unemployment, high per capita income, high life expectancy and low rates of violence crime.

Areas where Minnesota lagged behind a bit were in obesity and infant mortality rates.

In response to the No. 2 ranking, Gov. Mark Dayton (D) said that Minnesotans already know their state is one of the best in the country.

"However, we have much more work to do to ensure that Minnesota is a place where everyone can succeed," he said, adding that he wants state lawmakers to work with him on education, health care, infrastructure and addressing racial disparities.

At the bottom of Politico's list was Louisiana, as well as several other southern states.

Two of Minnesota's neighbors also cracked the Top 10: Wisconsin came in at 10th and Iowa was listed as seventh.

To see the full list, click here.

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