The United Way of America has released its annual “State of Caring Index” based on two-dozen social and economic factors. Iowa ranks as the eighth “most caring” state in the U-S, something to be proud of, according to Chris Coleman, a vice president of the United Way of Central Iowa. The best Iowa has ever placed on the national list was in 1993 at number-four. The lowest is number-ten, both in 1988 and 1995. Coleman says Iowa has risen to number-eight this year from number-nine last year.Factors that go into the survey include: eight-grade math scores, clean air, voter turnout, United Way giving, unemployment rates, number of single-parent families and number of people without health insurance. The top states this year are: Minnesota (1), New Hampshire, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont. The BOTTOM ones are: Nevada, Mississippi, Arizona, Louisiana and New Mexico (50).