Stunning northeastern state brimming with history and gorgeous beaches tops the list for best places to live in 2024

The top five best states to live in for 2024 have been named - and the number one location is brimming with history and beauty.

In order to identify the most wonderful states to call home, WalletHub compared the 50 states based on 51 indicators of livability - and Massachusetts ranked the highest overall. 

Such factors ranged from housing costs and income growth - to education rate and quality of hospitals. 

An expert financial analyst said, 'When deciding on a place to move, you should first consider financial factors like the cost of living, housing prices and job availability.'

So with that in mind, here are the very best states to live in - for your wallet and your happiness.  

The top five best states to live in for 2024 have been named - and the number one location is brimming with history and beauty

1. Massachusetts 

Massachusetts took the top spot on the list - with high rankings all across the board, but especially for education and health care. 

The New England state is known for being historically dense - as a site of early English colonization. 

But the state is also known for stunning beaches - like Cape Cod, Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard. 

Massachusetts is highly regarded for education - and boasts two of the world's most prestigious institutions for higher education: Harvard and MIT. 

2. Florida

The Sunshine States comes in second on the list of places to live in 2024.

With gorgeous weather year-round, it's no surprise that Florida is ranked so highly.

Florida is among the best states for the economy, quality of life and safety.

3. New Jersey

New Jersey comes in third place of best state to live in. 

The Mid-Atlantic state was not ranked well in terms of affordability, but made up for it with quality of life - as well as education and health.

New Jersey is home to the Ivy League institution of Princeton University -  and also the prestigious Rutgers University. 

The state also boasts famous boardwalk beaches  - like the Jersey Shore and the Atlantic City Boardwalk. 

New Jersey came in third place of best state to live in 2024

4. Utah

Utah is the first Western state on the list - coming at at fourth place. 

Known for incredible mountains for snow spots and multiple national parks - it's no wonder the state is ranked so high. 

It scored well in affordability (coming in third place overall) and was also ranked highly for the economy and education and health.  

5. New Hampshire 

New Hampshire is the second New England state to rank in the top five, along with Massachusetts.

The state is known for its quaint towns and large wilderness areas - and also boasts beaches like Hampton, as well as lakes. 

New Hampshire came in second place for best economy - and education and health.

It also ranked highly for safety.