CNBC is sparking backlash as people notice that its list of “worst” places to live shares one glaring common thread.
The outlet released its annual quality of life index for 2026, which ranks the top 10 “worst states to live in” using factors such as “crime rates, air quality and healthcare … cost and availability of childcare, inclusiveness of state laws, and reproductive rights.”
Conveniently, all of the states listed are red states, despite many of them leading the nation in population growth according to U.S. Census data.
Look:
10 worst states to live in for 2026, per CNBC:
1. Tennessee
2. Texas
3. Indiana
4. Louisiana
5. Georgia
6. Utah
7. Missouri
8. Alabama
9. Oklahoma
10.Arkansas— Leading Report (@LeadingReport) July 12, 2026
According to the article, the reasons for each state being included are as follows:
- Arkansas: Weak on crime, health and inclusiveness
- Oklahoma: Weak on reproductive rights, worker protections
- Alabama: Weak on worker protections, health and inclusiveness
- Missouri: Weak on crime, health and inclusiveness
- Utah: Weak on health, childcare, worker protections and air quality
- Georgia: Weak on inclusiveness, health and worker protections
- Louisiana: Weak on crime, inclusiveness and reproductive rights
- Indiana: Weak on childcare, air quality and health
- Texas: Weak on health, crime, inclusiveness, worker protections and reproductive rights
- Tennessee: Weak on crime, inclusiveness and worker protections
X users were quick to react:
Texas is awful y’all should def stay away from it
— Donut Operator 🍩 (@DonutOperator) July 12, 2026
Yes, the worst places to live are where everyone is moving and the best places to live are actually the left-wing socialist states everyone is moving out of or something. pic.twitter.com/vxzUyJs5A4
— John Hawkins (@johnhawkinsrwn) July 12, 2026
Yes, please believe this and don’t move to Tennessee!
— Scott Morefield (@SKMorefield) July 13, 2026
All of these reasons they didn’t score well is why I want to move to those places.
— Wade Miller (@WadeMiller) July 13, 2026
I agree 100% Oklahoma is the worst. Please don’t move here lol
— Sandy 🙏❤️🇺🇸 noDMs!👩🦯🦮 (@SandraW12208) July 13, 2026
Reasons states wind up on this list (not exaggerating)
1. Not enough abortions
2. Not gay enough
3. “food insecurity”
4. Not enough HR rules
5. Not enough gun laws
6. Not enough therapists
7. Not enough working moms
8. Not enough affirmative action https://t.co/b1AGjDCh12— Bennett’s Phylactery (@extradeadjcb) July 12, 2026
I can already imagine the process used to generate this list. A 25 year-old in NYC came up with things that are important to them – high culture, transit, density, diversity, social spending, and scored states.
They generated a list that is exactly opposite to internal migration https://t.co/nYFhMPtbtD
— Overeducated Gibbon (@MostlyMonkey) July 12, 2026
Writers and editors can be contacted at [email protected] with feedback, tips, or corrections.
Sierra Marlee is a millennial whose hunger for the truth in a world of fake news has led her to write. Marlee also contributes to BizPac Review.
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