Chron:

CNBC gave each state a “Quality of Life” rating based on several key factors, including issues that have become political flashpoints, such as reproductive rights, LGBTQ+ protections and healthcare.

CNBC:

CNBC is placing increasing emphasis on Quality of Life, one of the 10 categories of competitiveness in our annual America’s Top States for Business study. It is our annual ranking of every state’s business climate, now in its 20th year. Under this year’s methodology, the category makes up 11.6% of a state’s overall score, up from about ten percent last year.

11.6%. Thanks Chron, for underplaying the fact that this wasn’t even a study about the poor QOL in these states, they just happen to have poor QOL. Not to mention in the QOL section there were some pretty important topics, like, you know, ability to put food on the table and violent crime.