Luck is a tricky concept to get a handle on. Some people seem to always manage a free ride on their way to striking gold, while others appear to forever be walking under a raincloud. Why is that the case? Could where a person lives possibly be a factor? To find out, at Best Life, we crunched the numbers to determine the unluckiest state in America.
To quantify how much—or how little—luck each state has, we looked at five key metrics, which we gave a weighted value, and then applied to our proprietary algorithm to see how each state scored on our 100-point scale Unlucky Index.
First, we looked at accident mortality by state according to the most recent statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The rate of accidental death measures death from unintentional injuries stemming from incidents like drug overdoses, vehicular accidents, and falls—which as a category is one of the leading causes of death in the United States, researchers found.
Next, we turned our focus to natural disasters, using data gathered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for the number of official natural disasters that have occurred in each state since 1953.
And, since you just can’t analyze luck without mentioning the lottery, we gathered data on the number of Powerball jackpot winners in all 45 states where the game is available—from 1992 to the most recent winning jackpot in Florida on March 27, 2021. (The five states that don’t participate were not penalized, as we adjusted the weighted algorithm to account for their lack of data in this category.)
Finally, we collected and analyzed data on each state’s unemployment rate as tracked by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, as of February 2021. Of course, we recognize that there are myriad contributing factors to a state’s unemployment rate, but we can’t imagine that anyone in the unfortunate position of being unemployed wouldn’t question whether plain old dumb luck didn’t have something to do with it.
Read on to discover the unluckiest state in America, and see if your state measures the way you expect it would. And for the places where people aren’t lucky enough to give less to Uncle Sam, This State Has the Highest Taxes in America, According to Data.
50 | Utah
ShutterstockRate of accidental deaths: 45.2 percent
Number of federally declared natural disasters: 47
Number of Powerball winners: N/A
Unemployment rate: 3 percent
Unlucky Index Score: 0.00
49 | Indiana
iStockRate of accidental deaths: 56 percent
Number of federally declared natural disasters: 51
Number of Powerball winners: 39
Unemployment rate: 4 percent
Unlucky Index Score: 8.02
48 | Nebraska
iStockRate of accidental deaths: 40.1 percent
Number of federally declared natural disasters: 72
Number of Powerball winners: 10
Unemployment rate: 3.1 percent
Unlucky Index Score: 12.11
47 | Minnesota
ShutterstockRate of accidental deaths: 44.9 percent
Number of federally declared natural disasters: 74
Number of Powerball winners: 22
Unemployment rate: 4.3 percent
Unlucky Index Score: 15.47
46 | Iowa
ShutterstockRate of accidental deaths: 42.3 percent
Number of federally declared natural disasters: 72
Number of Powerball winners: 9
Unemployment rate: 3.6 percent
Unlucky Index Score: 17.03
45 | Kansas
ShutterstockRate of accidental deaths: 48 percent
Number of federally declared natural disasters: 79
Number of Powerball winners: 11
Unemployment rate: 3.2 percent
Unlucky Index Score: 20.16
44 | Idaho
ShutterstockRate of accidental deaths: 51.2 percent
Number of federally declared natural disasters: 50
Number of Powerball winners: 5
Unemployment rate: 3.3 percent
Unlucky Index Score: 20.37
43 | Maryland
ShutterstockRate of accidental deaths: 36.6 percent
Number of federally declared natural disasters: 36
Number of Powerball winners: 3
Unemployment rate: 6.2 percent
Unlucky Index Score: 20.79
42 | Missouri
iStockRate of accidental deaths: 61 percent
Number of federally declared natural disasters: 74
Number of Powerball winners: 31
Unemployment rate: 4.2 percent
Unlucky Index Score: 23.05
41 | New Hampshire
iStockRate of accidental deaths: 58. 8 percent
Number of federally declared natural disasters: 55
Number of Powerball winners: 11
Unemployment rate: 3.3 percent
Unlucky Index Score: 24.27
40 | Georgia
ShutterstockRate of accidental deaths: 42.2 percent
Number of federally declared natural disasters: 70
Number of Powerball winners: 6
Unemployment rate: 4.8 percent
Unlucky Index Score: 24.28
39 | Wisconsin
ShutterstockRate of accidental deaths: 61.1 percent
Number of federally declared natural disasters: 54
Number of Powerball winners: 18
Unemployment rate: 3.8 percent
Unlucky Index Score: 24.33
38 | South Dakota
ShutterstockRate of accidental deaths: 53.3 percent
Number of federally declared natural disasters: 64
Number of Powerball winners: 3
Unemployment rate: 2.9 percent
Unlucky Index Score: 24.43
37 | Alabama
ShutterstockRate of accidental deaths: 54.1 percent
Number of federally declared natural disasters: 93
Number of Powerball winners: N/A
Unemployment rate: 4 percent
Unlucky Index Score: 25.24
36 | Vermont
ShutterstockRate of accidental deaths: 56.4 percent
Number of federally declared natural disasters: 50
Number of Powerball winners: 0
Unemployment rate: 3.1 percent
Unlucky Index Score: 26.64
35 | Michigan
kenny_j/ShutterstockRate of accidental deaths: 50 percent
Number of federally declared natural disasters: 42
Number of Powerball winners: 5
Unemployment rate: 5.2 percent
Unlucky Index Score: 27.09
34 | Hawaii
iStockRate of accidental deaths: 39.2 percent
Number of federally declared natural disasters: 58
Number of Powerball winners: N/A
Unemployment rate: 9.2 percent
Unlucky Index Score: 28.15
33 | North Dakota
ShutterstockRate of accidental deaths: 45 percent
Number of federally declared natural disasters: 64
Number of Powerball winners: 0
Unemployment rate: 4.7 percent
Unlucky Index Score: 28.31
32 | Virginia
ShutterstockRate of accidental deaths: 43.8 percent
Number of federally declared natural disasters: 69
Number of Powerball winners: 1
Unemployment rate: 5.2 percent
Unlucky Index Score: 30.34
31 | Arkansas
iStockRate of accidental deaths: 48 percent
Number of federally declared natural disasters: 78
Number of Powerball winners: 1
Unemployment rate: 4.5 percent
Unlucky Index Score: 32.34
30 | South Carolina
ShutterstockRate of accidental deaths: 62.1 percent
Number of federally declared natural disasters: 38
Number of Powerball winners: 6
Unemployment rate: 5.2 percent
Unlucky Index Score: 35.67
29 | Montana
silky / ShutterstockRate of accidental deaths: 55.4 percent
Number of federally declared natural disasters: 91
Number of Powerball winners: 4
Unemployment rate: 3.9 percent
Unlucky Index Score: 36.63
28 | Rhode Island
ShutterstockRate of accidental deaths: 56.4 percent
Number of federally declared natural disasters: 25
Number of Powerball winners: 8
Unemployment rate: 7.3 percent
Unlucky Index Score: 37.35
27 | Nevada
ShutterstockRate of accidental deaths: 44.1 percent
Number of federally declared natural disasters: 96
Number of Powerball winners: N/A
Unemployment rate: 8.3 percent
Unlucky Index Score: 38.03
26 | New Jersey
ShutterstockRate of accidental deaths: 49.2 percent
Number of federally declared natural disasters: 53
Number of Powerball winners: 11
Unemployment rate: 7.8 percent
Unlucky Index Score: 38.36
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25 | Wyoming
ShutterstockRate of accidental deaths: 63.1 percent
Number of federally declared natural disasters: 37
Number of Powerball winners: 30
Unemployment rate: 5.3 percent
Unlucky Index Score: 40.32
24 | Alaska
iStockRate of accidental deaths: 62.2 percent
Number of federally declared natural disasters: 71
Number of Powerball winners: N/A
Unemployment rate: 6.6 percent
Unlucky Index Score: 40.32
23 | North Carolina
ShutterstockRate of accidental deaths: 56.1 percent
Number of federally declared natural disasters: 70
Number of Powerball winners: 6
Unemployment rate: 5.7 percent
Unlucky Index Score: 40.34
22 | Illinois
ShutterstockRate of accidental deaths: 45 percent
Number of federally declared natural disasters: 63
Number of Powerball winners: 2
Unemployment rate: 7.4 percent
Unlucky Index Score: 40.42
21 | Massachusetts
f11photo / ShutterstockRate of accidental deaths: 53.3 percent
Number of federally declared natural disasters: 54
Number of Powerball winners: 6
Unemployment rate: 7.1 percent
Unlucky Index Score: 41.44
20 | New York
ShutterstockRate of accidental deaths: 34.3 percent
Number of federally declared natural disasters: 101
Number of Powerball winners: 12
Unemployment rate: 8.9 percent
Unlucky Index Score: 41.63
And for the place where you better have plenty of cash to spend, This Is the Most Expensive State in America.
19 | Kentucky
anthony heflin / ShutterstockRate of accidental deaths: 68.1 percent
Number of federally declared natural disasters: 80
Number of Powerball winners: 18
Unemployment rate: 5.2 percent
Unlucky Index Score: 42.98
18 | Pennsylvania
ShutterstockRate of accidental deaths: 61.2 percent
Number of federally declared natural disasters: 62
Number of Powerball winners: 18
Unemployment rate: 7.3 percent
Unlucky Index Score: 43.72
17 | Delaware
iStockRate of accidental deaths: 73.9 percent
Number of federally declared natural disasters: 23
Number of Powerball winners: 10
Unemployment rate: 6.3 percent
Unlucky Index Score: 45.27
16 | Connecticut
ShutterstockRate of accidental deaths: 56.2 percent
Number of federally declared natural disasters: 36
Number of Powerball winners: 8
Unemployment rate: 8.5 percent
Unlucky Index Score: 45.65
15 | Ohio
iStockRate of accidental deaths: 67.7 percent
Number of federally declared natural disasters: 59
Number of Powerball winners: 3
Unemployment rate: 5 percent
Unlucky Index Score: 45.80
14 | Maine
Shutterstock/Jennifer Yakey-AultRate of accidental deaths: 66.8 percent
Number of federally declared natural disasters: 62
Number of Powerball winners: 0
Unemployment rate: 4.8 percent
Unlucky Index Score: 46.49
13 | Tennessee
iStockRate of accidental deaths: 67.8 percent
Number of federally declared natural disasters: 76
Number of Powerball winners: 7
Unemployment rate: 4.9 percent
Unlucky Index Score: 46.82
12 | Oregon
ShutterstockRate of accidental deaths: 46.1 percent
Number of federally declared natural disasters: 133
Number of Powerball winners: 5
Unemployment rate: 6.1 percent
Unlucky Index Score: 48.72
11 | Colorado
iStockRate of accidental deaths: 51.9 percent
Number of federally declared natural disasters: 96
Number of Powerball winners: 3
Unemployment rate: 6.6 percent
Unlucky Index Score: 48.95
10 | Florida
mginley / ShutterstockRate of accidental deaths: 55.6 percent
Number of federally declared natural disasters: 160
Number of Powerball winners: 15
Unemployment rate: 4.7 percent
Unlucky Index Score: 49.76
And for the place where people are the most upset overall, check out This Is the Angriest State in America, According to Data.
9 | Arizona
iStockRate of accidental deaths: 58.7 percent
Number of federally declared natural disasters: 98
Number of Powerball winners: 13
Unemployment rate: 6.9 percent
Unlucky Index Score: 50.65
8 | Louisiana
iStockRate of accidental deaths: 62.3 percent
Number of federally declared natural disasters: 90
Number of Powerball winners: 17
Unemployment rate: 7.6 percent
Unlucky Index Score: 52.99
7 | Mississippi
ShutterstockRate of accidental deaths: 61.2 percent
Number of federally declared natural disasters: 83
Number of Powerball winners: 0
Unemployment rate: 6.3 percent
Unlucky Index Score: 54.04
6 | Washington
ShutterstockRate of accidental deaths: 43.4 percent
Number of federally declared natural disasters: 177
Number of Powerball winners: 1
Unemployment rate: 5.6 percent
Unlucky Index Score: 56.19
5 | Oklahoma
ShutterstockRate of accidental deaths: 58 percent
Number of federally declared natural disasters: 210
Number of Powerball winners: 4
Unemployment rate: 4.4 percent
Unlucky Index Score: 67.94
4 | West Virginia
ShutterstockRate of accidental deaths: 96.9 percent
Number of federally declared natural disasters: 73
Number of Powerball winners: 9
Unemployment rate: 6.2 percent
Unlucky Index Score: 75.68
3 | New Mexico
iStockRate of accidental deaths: 77.8 percent
Number of federally declared natural disasters: 100
Number of Powerball winners: 5
Unemployment rate: 8.3 percent
Unlucky Index Score: 78.71
2 | California
iStockRate of accidental deaths: 35.9 percent
Number of federally declared natural disasters: 336
Number of Powerball winners: 9
Unemployment rate: 8.5 percent
Unlucky Index Score: 95.34
And for the states suffering another misfortune at the moment, These 9 States Are Seeing the Worst COVID Spikes Right Now.
1 | Texas
iStockRate of accidental deaths: 39.7 percent
Number of federally declared natural disasters: 360
Number of Powerball winners: 2
Unemployment rate: 6.9 percent
Unlucky Index Score: 100.00
And for the place where other serious risks abound, check out This Is the Most Dangerous City in America, According to Data.
