Methodology

To create the list, WalletHub evaluated the 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia on 19 different metrics across two key dimensions:

• Opportunity and competition, which includes physicians' average annual wage, hospitals per capita, the insured population rate, and current competition in an area (70 points)
• Medical environment, which includes the quality of the public hospital system, the percentage of "A" grade hospitals based on the Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade, and physician burnout (30 points)

Each metric was scored on a 100-point scale, with a score of 100 representing the most favorable conditions for physicians. A weighted average across all the metrics was used to calculate each state's overall score, which was then used to determine the rank order.

Data for the rankings was collected from the U.S. Census Bureau, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Council for Community and Economic Research, the Health Resources & Services Administration, and more.

The best (and worst) states for doctors

According to WalletHub, the top 10 best states for doctors were:

1. Montana (Total score: 66.15)
2. Indiana (Total score: 64.47)
3. Louisiana (Total score: 63.94)
4. South Dakota (Total score: 63.20)
5. Minnesota (Total score: 63.01)
6. North Dakota (Total score: 62.91)
7. Missouri (Total score: 62.65)
8. Nebraska (Total score: 62.37)
9. Iowa (Total score: 62.28)
10. Wisconsin (Total score: 61.43)

WalletHub also reported states' rankings on several different metrics, including:

• Average annual physician wage (adjusted for cost of living): Wisconsin had the highest annual wage while the District of Columbia had the lowest.
• Projected competition by 2032: Rhode Island, the District of Columbia, and New York tied for the highest projected competition while Mississippi had the lowest.
• Punitive state medical boards: Indiana had the least punitive medical board while Ohio had the most punitive.
• Malpractice award payout amount per capita: North Dakota had the lowest malpractice award amount while New Mexico, the District of Columbia, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York all tied for the highest.
• Annual malpractice liability insurance: Nebraska had the least expensive annual malpractice liability insurance while New York had the most expensive.