To quantify how much—or how little—luck each state has, we looked at five key metrics, which we gave a weighted value, and then applied to our proprietary algorithm to see how each state scored on our 100-point scale Unlucky Index. First, we looked at accident mortality by state according to the most recent statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The rate of accidental death measures death from unintentional injuries stemming from incidents like drug overdoses, vehicular accidents, and falls—which as a category is one of the leading causes of death in the United States, researchers found. Next, we turned our focus to natural disasters, using data gathered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for the number of official natural disasters that have occurred in each state since 1953. And, since you just can’t analyze luck without mentioning the lottery, we gathered data on the number of Powerball jackpot winners in all 45 states where the game is available—from 1992 to the most recent winning jackpot in Florida on March 27, 2021. (The five states that don’t participate were not penalized, as we adjusted the weighted algorithm to account for their lack of data in this category.) Finally, we collected and analyzed data on each state’s unemployment rate as tracked by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, as of February 2021. Of course, we recognize that there are myriad contributing factors to a state’s unemployment rate, but we can’t imagine that anyone in the unfortunate position of being unemployed wouldn’t question whether plain old dumb luck didn’t have something to do with it. Read on to discover the unluckiest state in America, and see if your state measures the way you expect it would. And for the places where people aren’t lucky enough to give less to Uncle Sam, This State Has the Highest Taxes in America, According to Data. Rate of accidental deaths: 45.2 percent Number of federally declared natural disasters: 47 Number of Powerball winners: N/A Unemployment rate: 3 percent Unlucky Index Score: 0.00 Rate of accidental deaths: 56 percent Number of federally declared natural disasters: 51 Number of Powerball winners: 39 Unemployment rate: 4 percent Unlucky Index Score: 8.02 Rate of accidental deaths: 40.1 percent Number of federally declared natural disasters: 72 Number of Powerball winners: 10 Unemployment rate: 3.1 percent Unlucky Index Score: 12.11 Rate of accidental deaths: 44.9 percent Number of federally declared natural disasters: 74 Number of Powerball winners: 22 Unemployment rate: 4.3 percent Unlucky Index Score: 15.47 Rate of accidental deaths: 42.3 percent Number of federally declared natural disasters: 72 Number of Powerball winners: 9 Unemployment rate: 3.6 percent Unlucky Index Score: 17.03 Rate of accidental deaths: 48 percent Number of federally declared natural disasters: 79 Number of Powerball winners: 11 Unemployment rate: 3.2 percent Unlucky Index Score: 20.16 Rate of accidental deaths: 51.2 percent Number of federally declared natural disasters: 50 Number of Powerball winners: 5 Unemployment rate: 3.3 percent Unlucky Index Score: 20.37 Rate of accidental deaths: 36.6 percent Number of federally declared natural disasters: 36 Number of Powerball winners: 3 Unemployment rate: 6.2 percent Unlucky Index Score: 20.79 Rate of accidental deaths: 61 percent Number of federally declared natural disasters: 74 Number of Powerball winners: 31 Unemployment rate: 4.2 percent Unlucky Index Score: 23.05 Rate of accidental deaths: 58. 8 percent Number of federally declared natural disasters: 55 Number of Powerball winners: 11 Unemployment rate: 3.3 percent Unlucky Index Score: 24.27 Rate of accidental deaths: 42.2 percent Number of federally declared natural disasters: 70 Number of Powerball winners: 6 Unemployment rate: 4.8 percent Unlucky Index Score: 24.28 Rate of accidental deaths: 61.1 percent Number of federally declared natural disasters: 54 Number of Powerball winners: 18 Unemployment rate: 3.8 percent Unlucky Index Score: 24.33 Rate of accidental deaths: 53.3 percent Number of federally declared natural disasters: 64 Number of Powerball winners: 3 Unemployment rate: 2.9 percent Unlucky Index Score: 24.43 Rate of accidental deaths: 54.1 percent Number of federally declared natural disasters: 93 Number of Powerball winners: N/A Unemployment rate: 4 percent Unlucky Index Score: 25.24 Rate of accidental deaths: 56.4 percent Number of federally declared natural disasters: 50 Number of Powerball winners: 0 Unemployment rate: 3.1 percent Unlucky Index Score: 26.64 Rate of accidental deaths: 50 percent Number of federally declared natural disasters: 42 Number of Powerball winners: 5 Unemployment rate: 5.2 percent Unlucky Index Score: 27.09 Rate of accidental deaths: 39.2 percent Number of federally declared natural disasters: 58 Number of Powerball winners: N/A Unemployment rate: 9.2 percent Unlucky Index Score: 28.15 Rate of accidental deaths: 45 percent Number of federally declared natural disasters: 64 Number of Powerball winners: 0 Unemployment rate: 4.7 percent Unlucky Index Score: 28.31 Rate of accidental deaths: 43.8 percent Number of federally declared natural disasters: 69 Number of Powerball winners: 1 Unemployment rate: 5.2 percent Unlucky Index Score: 30.34 Rate of accidental deaths: 48 percent Number of federally declared natural disasters: 78 Number of Powerball winners: 1 Unemployment rate: 4.5 percent Unlucky Index Score: 32.34 Rate of accidental deaths: 62.1 percent Number of federally declared natural disasters: 38 Number of Powerball winners: 6 Unemployment rate: 5.2 percent Unlucky Index Score: 35.67 Rate of accidental deaths: 55.4 percent Number of federally declared natural disasters: 91 Number of Powerball winners: 4 Unemployment rate: 3.9 percent Unlucky Index Score: 36.63 Rate of accidental deaths: 56.4 percent Number of federally declared natural disasters: 25 Number of Powerball winners: 8 Unemployment rate: 7.3 percent Unlucky Index Score: 37.35 Rate of accidental deaths: 44.1 percent Number of federally declared natural disasters: 96 Number of Powerball winners: N/A Unemployment rate: 8.3 percent Unlucky Index Score: 38.03 Rate of accidental deaths: 49.2 percent Number of federally declared natural disasters: 53 Number of Powerball winners: 11 Unemployment rate: 7.8 percent Unlucky Index Score: 38.36 And for more exclusive rankings sent straight to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter. Rate of accidental deaths: 63.1 percent Number of federally declared natural disasters: 37 Number of Powerball winners: 30 Unemployment rate: 5.3 percent Unlucky Index Score: 40.32 Rate of accidental deaths: 62.2 percent Number of federally declared natural disasters: 71 Number of Powerball winners: N/A Unemployment rate: 6.6 percent Unlucky Index Score: 40.32 Rate of accidental deaths: 56.1 percent Number of federally declared natural disasters: 70 Number of Powerball winners: 6 Unemployment rate: 5.7 percent Unlucky Index Score: 40.34 Rate of accidental deaths: 45 percent Number of federally declared natural disasters: 63 Number of Powerball winners: 2 Unemployment rate: 7.4 percent Unlucky Index Score: 40.42 Rate of accidental deaths: 53.3 percentae0fcc31ae342fd3a1346ebb1f342fcb Number of federally declared natural disasters: 54 Number of Powerball winners: 6 Unemployment rate: 7.1 percent Unlucky Index Score: 41.44 Rate of accidental deaths: 34.3 percent Number of federally declared natural disasters: 101 Number of Powerball winners: 12 Unemployment rate: 8.9 percent Unlucky Index Score: 41.63 And for the place where you better have plenty of cash to spend, This Is the Most Expensive State in America. Rate of accidental deaths: 68.1 percent Number of federally declared natural disasters: 80 Number of Powerball winners: 18 Unemployment rate: 5.2 percent Unlucky Index Score: 42.98 Rate of accidental deaths: 61.2 percent Number of federally declared natural disasters: 62 Number of Powerball winners: 18 Unemployment rate: 7.3 percent Unlucky Index Score: 43.72 Rate of accidental deaths: 73.9 percent Number of federally declared natural disasters: 23 Number of Powerball winners: 10 Unemployment rate: 6.3 percent Unlucky Index Score: 45.27 Rate of accidental deaths: 56.2 percent Number of federally declared natural disasters: 36 Number of Powerball winners: 8 Unemployment rate: 8.5 percent Unlucky Index Score: 45.65 Rate of accidental deaths: 67.7 percent Number of federally declared natural disasters: 59 Number of Powerball winners: 3 Unemployment rate: 5 percent Unlucky Index Score: 45.80 Rate of accidental deaths: 66.8 percent Number of federally declared natural disasters: 62 Number of Powerball winners: 0 Unemployment rate: 4.8 percent Unlucky Index Score: 46.49 Rate of accidental deaths: 67.8 percent Number of federally declared natural disasters: 76 Number of Powerball winners: 7 Unemployment rate: 4.9 percent Unlucky Index Score: 46.82 Rate of accidental deaths: 46.1 percent Number of federally declared natural disasters: 133 Number of Powerball winners: 5 Unemployment rate: 6.1 percent Unlucky Index Score: 48.72 Rate of accidental deaths: 51.9 percent Number of federally declared natural disasters: 96 Number of Powerball winners: 3 Unemployment rate: 6.6 percent Unlucky Index Score: 48.95 Rate of accidental deaths: 55.6 percent Number of federally declared natural disasters: 160 Number of Powerball winners: 15 Unemployment rate: 4.7 percent Unlucky Index Score: 49.76 And for the place where people are the most upset overall, check out This Is the Angriest State in America, According to Data. Rate of accidental deaths: 58.7 percent Number of federally declared natural disasters: 98 Number of Powerball winners: 13 Unemployment rate: 6.9 percent Unlucky Index Score: 50.65 Rate of accidental deaths: 62.3 percent Number of federally declared natural disasters: 90 Number of Powerball winners: 17 Unemployment rate: 7.6 percent Unlucky Index Score: 52.99 Rate of accidental deaths: 61.2 percent Number of federally declared natural disasters: 83 Number of Powerball winners: 0 Unemployment rate: 6.3 percent Unlucky Index Score: 54.04 Rate of accidental deaths: 43.4 percent Number of federally declared natural disasters: 177 Number of Powerball winners: 1 Unemployment rate: 5.6 percent Unlucky Index Score: 56.19 Rate of accidental deaths: 58 percent Number of federally declared natural disasters: 210 Number of Powerball winners: 4 Unemployment rate: 4.4 percent Unlucky Index Score: 67.94 Rate of accidental deaths: 96.9 percent Number of federally declared natural disasters: 73 Number of Powerball winners: 9 Unemployment rate: 6.2 percent Unlucky Index Score: 75.68 Rate of accidental deaths: 77.8 percent Number of federally declared natural disasters: 100 Number of Powerball winners: 5 Unemployment rate: 8.3 percent Unlucky Index Score: 78.71 Rate of accidental deaths: 35.9 percent Number of federally declared natural disasters: 336 Number of Powerball winners: 9 Unemployment rate: 8.5 percent Unlucky Index Score: 95.34 And for the states suffering another misfortune at the moment, These 9 States Are Seeing the Worst COVID Spikes Right Now. Rate of accidental deaths: 39.7 percent Number of federally declared natural disasters: 360 Number of Powerball winners: 2 Unemployment rate: 6.9 percent Unlucky Index Score: 100.00 And for the place where other serious risks abound, check out This Is the Most Dangerous City in America, According to Data.
