Best State To Raise a Family
(WalletHub, 1st in 2020; 2nd in 2021)
3 Apr 2026
News
Answers arrive instantly. Summaries replace chapters. Five-minute explainers stand in for years of study. Artificial intelligence can generate perspectives, synthesize research and present conclusions before we have even fully articulated the question.
From a productivity standpoint, this is remarkable. From a leadership standpoint, it is quietly dangerous. The risk is not that AI will replace thinking. The risk is that we will voluntarily stop thinking deeply.
One of the most important skills leaders are losing in the age of AI is the ability to go deep — to sit with complexity long enough to develop original understanding, independent judgment and nuanced insight.
Best State To Raise a Family
(WalletHub, 1st in 2020; 2nd in 2021)
in Voter Participation
(U.S. Elections Project, 2020)
Best State for Women and for Working Moms and Dads
(Wallethub, 2020)
in Volunteering
(Corporation for National and Community Service)
in Child Well-Being
(Kids Count Report, 2021)
in Healthy People
(2021 Camelot Index)