Quality of Life
Alabama vs California: Best State to Live In
California scores higher as a state to live in Alabama.
National Rankings
Where They Rank Nationally
See where both states fall among all 50 states for best state to live in.
Alabama
#41 · 47.01
California
#32 · 50.49
Lowest
Highest
Top 10 States — Best State to Live In
#1
Massachusetts
60.23
Massachusetts
#2
Idaho
60.19
Idaho
#3
New Jersey
59.81
New Jersey
#4
Wisconsin
59.66
Wisconsin
#5
Minnesota
58.69
Minnesota
#6
Florida
58.51
Florida
#7
New Hampshire
58.21
New Hampshire
#8
New York
57.94
New York
#9
Utah
57.94
Utah
#10
Pennsylvania
57.90
Pennsylvania
Selected states
#41
Alabama
47.01
Alabama
#32
California
50.49
California
Alabama ranks 41st and California ranks 32nd nationally for best state to live in.
What this means
Alabama vs California: Best State to Live In in context
California's best state to live in is 50.49, compared with 47.01 in Alabama. Composite living score for comparing states to live in, based on the existing livability score.
Alabama
47.01
California
50.49
Difference
3.48 points
People also ask
Alabama vs California Best State to Live In — common questions
QWhat is Alabama's best state to live in?
Alabama's best state to live in is 47.01.
QWhat is California's best state to live in?
California's best state to live in is 50.49.
QWhich state has a higher best state to live in — Alabama or California?
California scores higher as a state to live in Alabama.
More comparisons: Alabama vs California
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Data source and freshness
Primary source
Data period
Inputs shown on this comparison page
Dataset reviewed
July 23, 2026
Method note
Derived score built from the component metrics described on the page; it is not a government statistic.