The best and worst states to make a living in 2017

Not all states are created equal when it comes to making a living. While your income might be greater in places like New York or California, high tax rates and cost of living can greatly affect your lifestyle.

Personal finance site MoneyRates used several data sources, including the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, to determine the best and worst states for making a living in 2017. The ranking is based on five factors: average wages, state tax rates, cost of living, unemployment rates, and incidents of workplace injuries. (See the full list and methodology.)

Check out the best and worst states below:

Best Worst States 2017_map

(Skye Gould/Business Insider)

With no state-income tax and the fourth-highest median wage in the country, Washington took the No. 1 spot this year, beating out last year's winner, Wyoming.

Best states 2017_list

(Skye Gould/Business Insider)

For the seventh year in a row, Hawaii was named the worst state to make a living for its 67% higher cost of living than the national average.

Worst states 2017_list

(Skye Gould/Business Insider)

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