The Best State Capital to Live In Is…

For those who are looking to buy or sell property in their state capital, the number crunchers at WalletHub published their latest data analysis: 2025’s Best State Capitals to Live In.

In this analysis, WalletHub compared the 50 state capitals using 48 metrics ranging from the quality of life and cost of living to the public schools and leisure attractions. This year, the Texas capital of Austin topped the list – the city was also cited for having the highest median household income (adjusted for cost of living), which was 2.1 times higher than Hartford, Connecticut, the city with the lowest.

Austin was followed in the top five by Madison, Wisconsin; Raleigh, North Carolina; Boise, Idaho; and Atlanta, Georgia.

At the other end of the spectrum, the Maine capital of Augusta ranked last, joined in the bottom five by Trenton, New Jersey; Jackson, Mississippi; Baton Rouge, Louisiana; and Dover, Delaware.

Among the key metrics, the South Dakota capital of Pierre was ranked for having the best affordable housing opportunities while Boston, Massachusetts was the capital with the worst affordable housing opportunities. But Pierre also tied with Cheyenne, Wyoming, for the highest average weekly work hours, while Tallahassee, Florida, had the lowest average.

Montpelier, Vermont, had the lowest share of its population living in poverty while Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, had the highest share. Montpelier also had the highest share of adults ages 25 and older with at least a bachelor’s degree, which was 4.2 times higher than Trenton, the city with the lowest.