CNBC worst states list slammed as red states lead population growth

CNBC faced a wave of mockery online after it aired on Monday annual quality of life rankingIt specifically placed conservative red states in the top 10 spots of “worst places to live” — even official U.S. Census data shows some of these states leading the nation in population growth.

Critics quickly took to social media to point out the origins of what they claimed was the blatant liberal bias in the ranking criteria.

Counting down from tenth worst to first, CNBC listed the bottom ten states as Arkansas, Oklahoma, Alabama, Missouri, Utah, Georgia, Louisiana, Indiana, Texas and Tennessee. All 10 states are Republican-led and voted for President Donald Trump in 2024.

“CNBC is placing increasing emphasis on Quality of Life, one of the 10 categories of competitiveness in our annual report. America’s Best States for Business CNBC’s report says: “This is our annual ranking of each state’s business climate, now in its 20th year. Under this year’s methodology, the category accounts for 11.6 percent of a state’s overall score, compared with about 10 percent last year. We use hard data on factors like crime rates, air quality and health care to score states on quality of life. We also consider the cost and availability of child care, inclusiveness of state laws and reproductive rights.”

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The list is a subset of CNBC’s annual “America’s Best States for Business” survey. The store uses criteria such as crime rates, air quality, healthcare and child care opportunities to determine the “Life, Health and Participation” category. This measure also heavily influences ideological politics and explicitly penalizes states for their lack of protection against discrimination and restrictive abortion laws.

“Some states offer exemplary quality of life. But these ten states fail to reach this level,” the CNBC report said.

“CNBC has released its list of the 10 Worst States to Live in in 2026… and it’s pure farce,” said conservative commentator Rev. Jordan Wells. wrote to x. “Shocking. They’re all deep red, conservative states. But somehow California and New York — with the highest taxes in the country, crazy cost of living, and endless progressive policies — didn’t make the top 10?”

Conservative Newsmax writer Chrissy Clark said, “It’s true. Please believe it. Tennessee is TERRIBLE. You should definitely not move here…” he wrote sarcastically.

The corporate media outlet directly attacked all of the local conservative legislation.

Tennessee was pleased with the state’s “bathroom law,” which requires transgender people to use facilities corresponding to their biological sex at birth, as well as a law that prohibits locals from enacting their own local anti-discrimination ordinances. The publication also took aim at a joint resolution signed by Governor Bill Lee last April designating June as “Nuclear Family Month” and also noted that it ranked low for crime and drug deaths.

Utah, which ranked sixth worst, was hit by its $7.25 minimum wage, scarcity of child care providers and air quality. Georgia, the fifth-worst state in the survey, was publicly called out for “providing too few protections for LGBTQ+ individuals, making it one of the least inclusive states in America.”

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Knoxville, Tennessee Cityscape. The state was listed as one of the “worst places to live” in CNBC’s rankings. (Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)

Democratic California Governor Gavin Newsom immediately went to work, invoking X, indicating that every state on the list was leaning towards red.

“Do you notice anything in common?” Newsom shared. “They are all run by Republicans; many suffer from California Disorganization Syndrome.”

But conservatives and independent commentators noted that ordinary Americans were “voting with their feet” against progressive administration.

“If you hate not paying income taxes, law and order, parental rights, smaller government, school choice, the Second Amendment, and detention of illegal aliens…here’s another list of garbage from the mainstream media!” Rep. Lance Gooden, R-Texas, shared.

“I actually noticed something else: The list is a list of nonsense that has nothing to do with the quality of life of sane people,” the conservative activist said. he protested Robby Starbucka resident of Tennessee. Starbuck, known for successfully leading major corporate boycotts against over-the-top DEI policies, added: “It’s all based on far-left BS… While our states are gaining population, YOUR state has lost record amounts.”

Media personality Patrick Bet-David touched on net immigration gains in states criticized by CNBC, noting that Texas added more than 67,000 residents and Tennessee added more than 42,000 residents. Population influxes were also seen in Georgia and Alabama.

“What are the ’10 worst cases’ based on? CNBC had ‘inclusivity’ as one of their criteria.” Bet-David noted. “The numbers tell a different story.”

The demographic shift highlights a broader post-pandemic exodus from historically blue castles. While regions in the South and Sun Belt are experiencing economic and population booms, large and progressive cities like Boston, Chicago, New York, and Los Angeles continue to hemorrhage their residents through high taxes, rising crime, and astronomical costs of living.

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Los Angeles County’s population has declined in recent years. (Kirby Lee/Getty Images)

U.S. Census Bureau data reveals that Los Angeles County alone’s population dropped from about 10 million in 2020 to about 9.7 million today, losing more than 56,000 residents in just a one-year period. Similarly, a recent study by the Citizens Budget Commission confirmed that New York City continues to be affected by net negative immigration, losing many more native-born residents than it gains.

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Fox News Digital reached out to CNBC for comment but did not immediately receive a response.