America’s Best State Capitals
Posted: February 17, 2026 | Source: wallethub.comState capitals are usually some of the best towns to live in, offering better schools, more jobs, more diversity, and more restaurants and activities. But some are better than others. The financial website WalletHub evaluated all 50 US state capitals using 48 different criteria, including “affordability, economic stability, quality of life, education, and health care.” According to their analysis, the top five state capitals to live in are Austin, Texas; Raleigh, North Carolina; Atlanta, Georgia; Madison, Wisconsin and Boise, Idaho. The worst state capital is Jackson, Mississippi.