The Lone Star State was ranked the No. 2 worst state to live in in a CNBC report released in 2026, driven by measures including health insurance coverage, access to primary care, crime, inclusiveness and worker protections.
Key factors behind the ranking
CNBC cited several metrics where Texas scored poorly. The state has the highest share of uninsured residents in the nation at 16.7%, according to the report, drawing on United Health Foundation data. CNBC also noted that more than 17% of Texas adults said they had to skip a needed doctor visit in the past year because of cost. Texas finished last in primary care physicians per capita, the analysis found.
"While Texas continues to lead the nation in attracting workers, those workers are finding a broad array of challenges when they get there," the CNBC report says.
The report assigned the state an overall grade of F for quality of life, while identifying childcare and air quality as relative strengths.
What else the report highlights
- Health coverage: Texas leads the nation in the share of people without health insurance at 16.7%.
- Care access: The state ranks last in primary care physicians per capita.
- Economic and legal environment: CNBC factored in worker protections, inclusiveness and reproductive rights.
The survey placed Tennessee at the top of CNBC's list of worst states, citing recent laws targeting LGBTQ+ protections, including limits on local antidiscrimination ordinances. Texas was second on the list, followed by Indiana, Louisiana and Georgia among the lowest-ranked states.
| Metric | Texas |
|---|---|
| Uninsured rate | 16.7% |
| Adults forgoing needed doctor visit due to cost | More than 17% |
| Primary care physicians per capita | Last in the nation |
| Quality of life grade | F |
Why this matters to Texans
The ranking underscores persistent policy and service gaps that affect everyday life across Texas counties. High uninsured rates and limited access to primary care can strain emergency services and community health systems, particularly in rural areas where physician shortages are often more acute. Questions over worker protections and reproductive and civil-rights measures shape the business climate and residents' daily freedoms. The CNBC list also offers a comparative view that state and local policymakers may use to prioritize interventions aimed at improving health access, public safety and inclusivity.
CNBC’s methodology combined publicly available data and rankings across multiple categories to produce a composite list of best and worst states to live in for 2026. Texas residents and officials now face scrutiny about which policy changes could move the state’s standing in future assessments.
— Alejandro Vega, Texas correspondent
