We live in an age of big data. And with so many numbers across so many categories getting crunched so many different ways, we also live in an age of wacky state rankings.
The more familiar federal reports have long collected data by state, which made comparisons natural. The Census Bureau rates and ranks states on things like population growth, for example. The FBI does the same thing with its Uniform Crime report data.
But now that technology has advanced exponentially, state rankings have cropped up in all kinds of categories, some crazier than others.
Some outfits now make a living by declaring states "best and worst" or "most and least" in everything ranging from smarts to safety to stress, the latter being one of the most recently published courtesy of career website Zippia.
Let's take a stroll down ranking lane and see where Arkansas lands, and maybe gain a little insight into any meanings and policy implications behind them.
Regarding stress, it turns out we're a pretty laid-back state at No. 31. (As a baseline for comparative measuring, Arkansas ranks 33rd in population.) Surprisingly, eight of the top 11 most stressed states on the list are in the South, including Georgia at No. 2 behind New Jersey.
Here's a rapid-fire rundown on a number of Best and Worst, Most and Least and Highest and Lowest state lists, divvied up by where Arkansas ranks in quintiles, with notations.
Bottom quintile scores:
• Best States to be a Cop: 51st. Ugh, this must improve.
• Best Dental Health: 50th. So must this.
• Highest Credit Score: Arkansas tied for 49th.
• Most Alcohol Consumption: Arkansas 49th. (This is a favorable ranking: we're second in the nation for least consumption.)
• Happiest States: 49th.
• Most Innovative States: 48th.
• Most Fun States: 46th.
• Best States to Have a Baby: 44th.
• Best States for Solar Industry Growth: 42nd.
• Greenest States: 41st.
Those bottom-barrel rankings for Happiest and Most Fun hurt. Clearly, we have to somehow show researchers of such things a better time. Or raise the individual index scores that produce an aggregate total, from which such broad labels are extrapolated.
Middle quintiles scores:
• Highest Voter Turnout: 39th. Our 2014 midterm rate was 30 points less than 2016's 69 percent turnout. It'll be interesting to see whether the Arkansas electorate is more or less energized this November.
• Best States for Tipping: 39th. Come on, Arkies! Most wait staff get paid a mere $2 per hour here. Tips are part of their pay, not padding on top of it.
• Most Bicycle-Friendly States: 35th. There was no information on trends in this report, but I believe many Arkansas communities are moving in the right direction in creating more trails and paths. I also always like to point out that Walnut Ridge is one of the smallest towns in the U.S. with a Rails-to-Trails path, which I especially enjoy riding in autumn. Kudos to Mayor Charles Snapp and other local civic leaders.
• Most Patriotic States: 34th.
• Most Energy-Efficient States: 34th.
• Hardest Working States: 33rd.
• Highest Homeownership Rate: 33rd.
• Most Fantastic Autumn: 33rd.
• Highest Student Debt: 30th.
• Highest Lottery Spending: 29th.
• Worst Infrastructure: 27th.
• Highest Car Insurance: tied 26th.
• Best States to Start a Business: 26th.
• Best States for Doctors: 23rd. With our low scores on almost all health issues, this number is not fully indicative of our need or the opportunities here for physicians.
Top two quintiles:
• Highest Suicide Rate: 14th. This issue has long needed more attention in every way: education, prevention and treatment. It's one that has touched many readers, and warrants necessary focus on improvement.
• Strictest States on Speeding: 12th.
• Most Charitable Giving State: 11th. For a poor state, we've always had rich hearts for supporting worthy causes. But this is curiously incongruous with our crappy rank on tips.
• Best States to Drive In: Ninth.
• Highest Obesity Rate: Seventh. It's more than alarming to be a top 10 leader in a national epidemic health issue like this. Talk to hospital staff at any facility, and they will tell you they routinely treat average-height people who weigh in excess of 300 pounds. Patients weighing 400 pounds are not considered rare. Muscles, joints and connective tissue were not made to handle that kind of weight. And carrying it creates personal difficulty on numerous levels. Obesity is often preventable, controllable and correctable. It needs to achieve a position of greater prominence and priority in the continuing discussions around health care funding.
One encouraging statistic: Among young adults (18-24), Arkansas' obesity ranking dropped all the way to 44th.
• Most Popular State Governors: Sixth.
• Most Purchasing Power of $1: Third.
• Lowest Cost of Living: Second. It offers some comfort to know that while we tend to have fewer dollars here in Arkansas, they do go further.
• Most Third Marriages: First. No way we're going to end on this most dubious of nation-leading measures.
In any "by the numbers" analysis, the final figure might as well be literally the last one: For Highest Life Expectancy among the states, Arkansas tied for 45th.
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Dana D. Kelley is a freelance writer from Jonesboro.
Editorial on 10/12/2018