Media outlets are inundated with rankings throughout the year.
Here are a few that have crossed our desk recently.
State 9th in quality of education
Wallet Hub, which comes out with a tabulation a week, ranked Delaware ninth in the quality of its education system.
Given the many controversies over the quality and what some see as racial and economic disparities of public school districts in Delaware, the ranking will be a head-scratcher for many.
Delaware’s ranking was aided by a No. 2 finish in safety. In quality, the state ranked 15th.
16th in tax burden
Delaware ranked 16th in a tax burden rating from BestPlaces.net.
Best places calculated the taxes for a person with the median U.S. income, which is $60,000. For income tax calculations, they used the tax year 2019 tables and assumed the person is single and took the standard deduction.
Delaware has no sales tax and low vehicle taxes. However, the state’s top income tax rate bracket starts at $60,000.
Click here for a spreadsheet showing the tax rates for all 50 states and more detailed information.
Credit card debt 35th
Here’s one more survey from WalletHub on credit card debt. It turns out that the Delaware is not tapping into the plastic as much as some states.
The state ranks 35th among the 50 states in the amount of time consumers will need to pay off a credit card bill. Delaware consumers will need a year or so to pay off the average credit card debt.
Ranking No. 1 is Alaska, with a payoff timeframe of 18 months.
41st in coronavirus restrictions
WalletHub returned with a ranking on coronavirus restrictions.
Delaware remains on the strict side, ranking 41st out of the 50 states and the District of Columbia.
States surrounding Delaware have a high level of restrictions, a reflection of the severe outbreaks that took place in New Jersey and New York earlier in the pandemic.
South Dakota ranks first with California at 51.
Hospital ratings
One of the more puzzling ratings came from Grand Canyon University on hospital safety ratings.
Delaware did not rank in the top tier in safety ratings, although its hospital systems had relatively high scores, based on ratings from Leapfrog.
ChristianaCare, Nanticoke and Beebe Healthcare hospitals gained A ratings. However Bayhealth earned a B or its two hospitals. Saint Francis declined to participate.
It turns out that the rating is based on the percentage of hospitals earning an A, rather than the percentage of admissions.
Leapfrog is a national watchdog group that rates hospital safety. Hospitals in the past have not always been happy with the paperwork involved in participating in the safety survey.
