, Culture (think World Heritage Sites, museums and sports teams) and Luxuries (think five-star hotels, top golf courses and award-winning wines). But in the Experience category, which looked at things like air quality, crime rate, cost of living and population density, Utah was the winner, helping it to 10th place overall. Furthermore, a recent ranking of America's most 'liveable' states by US News, which took into account factors such as education, infrastructure and healthcare – in a similar manner to those annual surveys of the world's happiest countries – put it at the very top of the table. So what can the rest of the US (and the world) learn from Utah?){kind=link}
There’s more to Utah than ski resorts and Mormons, with studies suggesting it might be the most contented state in America
Utah has a reputation, and it’s not one of glowing, healthy residents. In fact, if you hear its name and think of megachurches and prayer circles, you’re not wrong: some two million Mormons live in the state, the most in the US. But it is surely deserving of wider recognition for something else: an exceptional quality of life.
This week’s comprehensive Telegraph Travel study sought to apply science to the thorny question of which is the greatest US state. We compared the 50 contenders in 39 criteria across four main categories. California scooped the overall top spot and was also number one for Nature (think national parks, great beaches and birdlife), Culture (think World Heritage Sites, museums and sports teams) and Luxuries (think five-star hotels, top golf courses and award-winning wines). But in the Experience category, which looked at things like air quality, crime rate, cost of living and population density, Utah was the winner, helping it to 10th place overall.
Furthermore, a recent ranking of America’s most “liveable” states by US News, which took into account factors such as education, infrastructure and healthcare – in a similar manner to those annual surveys of the world’s happiest countries – put it at the very top of the table. So what can the rest of the US (and the world) learn from Utah?
Wide open plains, vast canyons, and Hollywood-enticing arches: Utah is crammed full of natural beauty. There are five national parks and a further 46 state parks, which total some 95,000 acres of land. Arches and Zion are among the best in the country, with strenuous hikes in the latter rewarding the visitor with some truly extraordinary views.