Idaho remains a safe and shiny gem for many seeking a new place to call home.

At a Glance:
  • Idaho ranked No. 3 best state to move
  • Idaho posted lowest property crime rate nationally
  • Idaho has second-strongest state economy

For a third straight year, the Gem State held tight as the No. 3 destination for best states to move, according to the Consumer Affairs annual report ranking the best and worst states for relocation purposes.

New Hampshire, after being stuck in the No. 2 spot the past two years, and boasting a 2.8% unemployment rate, the fourth lowest nationally, was named the top state for movers this time around.

However, the Gem State still remains a prime new location for many on the move. Based on the yearly study, Idaho placed first for safety, posting the lowest property crime rate nationally. The findings also showed Idaho as having the second-strongest state economy, while being third-best in affordability.

Key factors and data used by the consumer news and advocacy organization to determine the rankings included affordability, safety, economic strength, health care, education and quality of life.

Utah, ranked No. 1 last year, dropped to second in this year’s findings. Between 2019 and 2024, the Beehive State produced the nation’s third-highest job growth.

Virginia and Maine rounded out the top five spots, followed by Massachusetts (No.6), South Dakota, Nebraska, Vermont and Wyoming at No. 10.

On the downside, the three states at the bottom of the rankings, New Mexico (No. 50), Louisiana (49) and California (48), remained in the same spots they occupied last year.

When it comes to safety, New Mexico was also tabbed as the nation’s most unsafe state. California, No. 48 overall, was ranked 49th for safety and last (No. 50) in affordability. Louisiana, was the third least-safe state at No. 48 on the scale.

The remaining bottom-ranked states determined to be the 10 worst destinations for a new move were: Arkansas, Oklahoma, Nevada, Alaska, Mississippi, Oregon and Arizona. Seven of the 10 worst destination states, all located in the South or West, recorded the lowest scores for quality of life while eight of the 10 (80%) were graded poorly for both education and health care.