STUDY: Dakotas, Region Rank Well in Household Financial Security

(NPN) -- South and North Dakota and other Northern Plains states rank well in a new study examining household financial security across the United States.

The study by Washington-based Corporation for Enterprise Development ranked North Dakota second and South Dakota 12th in household financial security.

According to CFED, the group’s Assets and Opportunity Scorecard assesses the 50 states and the District of Columbia on 133 outcomes and policy measures, which describe how well residents are faring and what states can do to help them build and protect assets. The measurements were then grouped into five issue areas: financial assets and Income, businesses and jobs, housing and homeownership, health care, and education.

South Dakotans ranked seventh in financial assets and income, 19th in businesses and jobs, 13th in housing and homeownership, 18th in health care, and 31st in education. The state received low marks—45th—for economic policy.

North Dakotans ranked first in financial assets and income, eighth in businesses and jobs, sixth in housing and home ownership, 13th in health care and second in education. The state ranked 21st in economic policy.

The overall ratings of other Northern Plains states: Iowa, eighth; Minnesota, seventh; Montana, ninth, Nebraska, 15th; and Wyoming fourth.

Vermont ranked first overall and Mississippi ranked last at 51st.