Best- and worst-run states: a next-door neighbor is number 2

The website 24/7 Wall Street has analyzed all 50 states "on financial health, standard of living and government services by state to determine how well each state is managed. While Wyoming comes out at number one, for best-run and California--no surprise here--comes out in last place at 50, what's maybe most noteworthy in the list is that neighbor Nebraska is 2nd best: "The state has the fourth lowest debt per capita, and it is one of 13 states with a perfect AAA credit rating. Besides being financially sound, Nebraska also has an unemployment rate of 4.2%, the second lowest rate in the country. The state also has relatively low poverty, high graduation rates and the seventh lowest rate of foreclosures last month." Heads up, Missouri--maybe we can learn things here. Other mentions are that there are plenty of midwest states in the top group, too, with North Dakota at 3, Minnesota, 4 and--again--next-door neighbor Iowa at 5. Kansas came in at a very respectable number 9. Good on you, Jayhawks. Mizzou? Well, not bad but you're at 20. At least you're more than in the top 1/2. The highlights on Missouri: "Missouri has moved up five spots from last year’s rank of 24 partly because its unemployment rate has decreased from 9.3% to 8.7%. The state also boasts a AAA credit rating from S&P thanks to state efforts to fund its debts. Yeehaw for us midwesterners, eh? "Flyover country" has good things going for it after all. Link: http://247wallst.com/2011/11/28/best-and-worst-run-states-in-america-an-analysis-of-all-50/