Physicians Practice digital edition: Best States to Practice 2025

Physicians Practice Digital Edition September 2025

Physicians Practice today released its latest Digital Edition, anchored by the annual Best States to Practice project. The rankings, one of the publication’s most widely read features, highlight the varying conditions physicians face across the country and how those differences shape both professional opportunities and quality of life.

Each year, the Best States project examines a range of factors that influence the practice environment, from economic pressures and regulatory burdens to lifestyle considerations. The goal is to provide physicians with a comprehensive picture of how states compare, offering insights that can guide career decisions, relocation planning and long-term practice strategies.

This year’s project marks an evolution in the way Physicians Practice measures what makes a state a strong environment for physicians. In addition to established categories such as cost of living, business climate, malpractice costs and quality of life, the 2025 rankings introduce a new measure: physician happiness with pay. The inclusion of this factor reflects the growing importance of compensation satisfaction in determining whether physicians feel supported and fairly valued in their work.

The rankings not only identify the best states overall but also offer a closer look at how states perform in individual categories. That level of detail allows physicians to weigh the factors most relevant to their personal and professional priorities. For some, low malpractice insurance rates may be the deciding factor; for others, it may be taxes, quality of life or pay satisfaction.

The project also underscores how quickly states can rise or fall in the rankings. Shifts in economic conditions, policy changes or workforce trends can alter a state’s outlook for physicians within a single year. For that reason, the Best States to Practice list has become an important tool for physicians who want to stay informed about how their state stacks up — and what options might exist elsewhere.

The new Digital Edition is available starting today, featuring the full Best States to Practice rankings, category breakdowns and methodology.

Find out more in the digital edition here.