 highest quality of life, earning 230 out of a possible 325 points in the category, placing us one spot ahead of Oregon and just behind Minnesota. So what makes our quality of life so grand? There is the weather three months out of the year. But seriously, the report cites high minimum wage, worker protections, and good air quality were all factors, as was the state's inclusiveness and its voting rights protections. Brian Calvert, Northwest News Radio.