Arizona was ranked as one of the worst U.S. states to move to, largely due to high crime and arrest rates, according to a recent study.
The ranking from immigration and employment law firm Manifest Law analyzed the best and worst states to emigrate to based on 50 factors, including arrest rates, available housing, pupil-to-teacher ratios, and cost of living.
The study calculated a score for each state based on six categories, grouping the 50 indicators: crime and arrests, economic indicators, educational indicators, housing availability and costs, living costs, and safety and infrastructure. Negative variables like crime and arrests and living costs were inverted, meaning a higher rank is better. Analysts then calculated an overall score based on cities' ranking in the six categories.
“The study provides a clear look at which states are the best for relocating for anyone potentially thinking of doing so," said immigration attorney Simon Craven. "Considering a wide range of factors, the results show how different states excel in areas like quality of life and economic opportunities, while some may fall short in others."
Here's a roundup of the ranking's best and worst states to move to in the U.S., as well as a dive into what you need to know about immigration in Arizona, from the state's performance on the list to how many people are moving into the state and where in the U.S. they are coming from.
These are the 10 worst states to immigrate to, along with their overall ranking score, according to Manifest Law.
- Hawaii: 38.29
- Mississippi: 42.10
- Louisiana: 43.96
- New Mexico: 44.65
- South Carolina: 44.77
- Nevada: 47.11
- Arizona: 47.21
- Arkansas: 48.02
- Delaware: 48.40
- California: 48.44
Top 10 best states to move to
These are the 10 best states to immigrate to, along with their overall ranking score, according to Manifest Law.
- Wyoming: 66.77
- Minnesota: 65.92
- Illinois: 64.79
- North Dakota: 64.07
- Iowa: 63.80
- Nebraska: 63.06
- Washington: 62.84
- Connecticut: 62.19
- New Hampshire: 61.76
- South Dakota: 61.38
Arizona ranked as the 7th worst state to move to in the U.S.
Arizona ranked in seventh place, with a score of 47.21 out of 100. The state underperformed in most categories, ranking in the bottom half in five out of the six study categories.
Arizona especially floundered in the crime and arrests category, placing in the 47th spot among the 50 states. The state also ranked 38th for safety and infrastructure, 36th for economic indicators, 35th for educational indicators, and 31st for housing availability and costs.
The category where the state performed best was in the living costs, ranking right in the middle at No. 25.
How many people moved to Arizona in 2023?
Metro Phoenix added 49,240 people between July 2022 and July 2023. That’s less than each of the two previous years, during which the region’s population grew by more than 70,000 residents a year.
More people moved to Arizona than moved out in 2023, meaning the state saw positive net domestic and international migration, according to census statistics.
Still, net migration — the number of people who moved into the state minus those who moved out — shrank markedly compared with the two previous years. In both 2020 and 2021, net migration hovered about 90,000 people. In 2023, that figure dropped to about 58,000.
Which states are new metro Phoenix residents coming from?
According to a recent study from U-Haul, these are the states where the majority of new Arizonans are coming from.
- California
- Texas
- Colorado
- Nevada
- Washington
- New Mexico
- Utah
- Oregon
- Florida
- Illinois
Which cities are new metro Phoenix residents coming from?
According to a recent study from U-Haul, these are the cities where the majority of new Arizonans are coming from.
- Los Angeles
- Las Vegas
- Denver
- Dallas/Fort Worth
- Albuquerque
- Portland, Oregon
- El Paso, Texas
- Houston
- Bay Area, California (San Jose/San Francisco/Oakland)
- San Diego