Suzanne Thurman, the director of the Marine Education, Research & Rehabilitation Institute, recently discussed a fin whale that was beached in Delaware Seashore State Park on May 5, 2024. In other news, Delaware has been ranked as the 21st best state in the nation by U.S. News & World Report. This ranking places Delaware just behind Connecticut and ahead of Maryland.
The rankings are based on 71 different metrics across eight broad categories including fiscal stability, crime and corrections, education, health care, opportunity, economy, natural environment, and more. The data is primarily sourced from government agencies and weighted based on resident surveys.
Delaware performed well in several categories, earning its highest marks in fiscal stability where it ranked fourth nationally. It also ranked ninth for health care overall, with healthcare quality specifically ranked sixth in the country. The state also did well in the business environment category (third), healthcare access (tenth), and transportation (tenth).
However, there were areas where Delaware did not perform as well. The state’s lowest rankings were in the natural environment category, where it placed 43rd overall. Specifically, when it came to pollution, Delaware ranked 47th in the nation. The state produces significantly more industrial toxins than the national average
