Study: Michigan's Not Perfect, But It's Better Than Ohio

(WWJ) Cold weather is lingering well into spring for weather-weary Michiganders and winter was even worse ... but at least we've got this going for us.

Michigan is better than Ohio. A new study proves it.

And that's not just due to the football teams, Petoskey stones or our Pure Michigan vistas. The study from U.S. News and World Report ranked every state in the union by  health care, education, crime, infrastructure, opportunity, economy and government.

Michigan came in at 33, which isn't exactly a bragging point -- except that Ohio came in at 35. We're two spots better.

Michigan's highest score came in affordability, where it ranked second. Its worst score was in higher education, where we fell to 45th.

Overall, the state was 34th in health care, 42nd in education, 19th in crime and corrections, 41st in infrastructure, 12th in opportunity, 28th in economy and 22nd in government.

Louisiana fared worst in the study, coming in 50th.

Massachusetts, on the other hand, is the best state, followed by New Hampshire and Minnesota.

"More weight was accorded to some state measures than others, based on a survey of what matters most to people," the study says. "Health care and education were weighted most heavily. Then came the opportunity states offer their citizens, their crime & corrections and infrastructure. State economies followed closely in weighting, followed by measures of government administration.

"This explains why Massachusetts, ranking No. 1 in education and No. 2 in health care, occupies the overall No. 1 spot in the Best States rankings. And it explains why New Hampshire, ranking No. 1 in opportunity for its citizens, ranks No. 2 overall in the Best States rankings."