CONCORD - Gov. John Lynch announced today that for the fourth straight year New Hampshire has been named the "Most Livable State" in the nation.

In its annual report, Morgan Quinto Press listed New Hampshire as No. 1 in its most livable state rankings by taking into account a broad range of economic, educational, health-oriented, public safety and environmental statistics.

"The report reaffirms what the citizens of our state already know - New Hampshire is a great place to live and work," Gov. Lynch said. "We must continue to work to make sure New Hampshire continues to lead the nation by focusing on what's important to our families and businesses - improving the quality of education, strengthening our economy, making health care more accessible and affordable, protecting our natural resources and ensuring the safety of all our citizens and visitors."

For 17 years, Morgan Quinto Press has issued its "Most Livable State Award." The 2007 award is based on 44 factors including median household income, crime rate, state business tax climate, employment and several educational factors. New Hampshire again beat out Minnesota to take top honors by scoring high in each of those categories.

"Capturing this prestigious honor for four consecutive years is outstanding, but even more telling is the fact that we've been named 'Most Livable State' in the nation seven times over the past 17 years," said State Department of Resources and Economic Development Commissioner George Bald. "It speaks well of our high tech entrepreneurial nature as well as our unparalleled quality of life. We are truly 'the' state to work, recreate and raise a family."