If you’re looking to move this year, California and Texas may not be your first choices. A study by Consumer Affairs ranked the states at the top of the list of worst states to move to in 2024.

What You Need To Know

  • California was the No. 1 worst state to move to in a study by Consumer Affairs. Texas was No. 3

  • Both states received poor scores in education and health and safety

  • Several states bordering both California and Texas also ranked in the top 10 worst states to move to

The customer review and consumer news platform compared all 50 states and Washington D.C. based on five categories, each worth 20 points each: affordability, economy, education and health, quality of life and safety. California and Texas both received some of the lowest scores in most of the categories.

The study named California as the No. 1 worst state to move to with a score of 49 in education and health, 42 in quality of life and 42 in safety.

“California’s poor scores in education and health, quality of life, and safety make it the worst state to move to, our research suggests,” the study reads.

Texas wasn’t far behind with a ranking of No. 3. The Lone Star State received an affordability ranking of 41, 37 in economy, 51 in education and health and 38 in safety.

Earlier this month, CNBC named Texas as the worst state in America for quality of life due to discrimination, lack of health insurance, poor unemployment benefits and a lack of reproductive and voting rights.

In May, Forbes Advisor ranked Texas as the worst state for mental health care for the second year in a row.

Several states bordering both California and Texas also ranked in the top 10 worst states to move to.

Here is the full list:

  1. California

  2. New Mexico

  3. Texas

  4. Louisiana

  5. Alaska

  6. Washington

  7. Oklahoma

  8. Washington, D.C.

  9. Oregon

  10. Mississippi