Louisiana ranked worst state as pollution, poverty, violence among factors in U.S. News report

Louisiana is ranked last - again - in the U.S. News and World Report's 2024 Best States report, which for the second consecutive year cited an atmosphere of violent crime, poisonous industrial pollution, poverty and a dwindling population among the state's hardships.Utah was ranked as the top state. Texas was No. 29 as Louisiana's highest-ranking contiguous neighbor, while Mississippi ranked No. 48 and Arkansas No. 47.The U.S. News report ranked Louisiana in the following categories: crime/corrections, 50; economy, 49; education, 47; fiscal stability, 41; healthcare, 46; infrastructure, 49; natural environment, 49; and opportunity, 44.Among the most alarming statistics:∎ Residents suffer 629 violent crimes per 100,000 people, 65% higher than the national average.∎ Louisiana has a net migration of negative 0.6%, while the average state is attracting 0.3% more population.∎ Preventable hospital admissions are 27% higher in Louisiana than the national average, while nearly half of the popu...