Study: Washington Ranks Among Handiest States

According to a recent study by comparison-research platform What Are the Best, Washington ranked eighth on a list of America’s handiest states.

The study analyzed Bureau of Economic Analysis data on housing expenditures as a percentage of state income, combined with Google Trends search interest for DIY terms and the prevalence of painting and maintenance jobs in each state, using data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Based on the findings, Washington ranked eighth with a score of 62.56, despite residents having the highest per capita income, at $85,187, among the top 10 states. According to the study, Washingtonians spend 14.40% of their income on housing and show moderate DIY search interest, scoring 80 and 81 out of 100.

Maine ranked No. 1. Per the research, Maine residents spend $11,321 per capita annually on housing and utilities, which is 16.42% of their average personal income of $68,932. The state also recorded search scores of 93 and 94 out of 100 for “DIY” and “home DIY” terms, respectively, and has the highest concentration of painters and maintenance workers at 3.068 per 1,000 jobs.

New Jersey was ranked the least handy. The Garden State scored 17.11 out of 100 and showed some of the lowest interest in general DIY searches at just 56 out of 100.