The best states to raise a family, ranked

Thu, 01/11/2024 - 11:38

A young girl in Boston, Massachusetts. — Massachusetts was ranked the best state to raise a family.
Jaclyn Vernace/Shutterstock

WalletHub released a report ranking the best US states to raise a family.
States were ranked across 50 metrics including public school quality and housing affordability.
Massachusetts took the top spot, followed by North Dakota and Minnesota.

When deciding where to settle down and raise a family, there are many important factors to consider.

The personal-finance website WalletHub released a new report ranking the best states to raise a family, evaluating states according to 50 metrics across five categories: family fun, health and safety, education and childcare, affordability, and socioeconomics.

By examining factors such as infant mortality rates, housing affordability, and public school quality, WalletHub scored all 50 states to determine the most family-friendly states.

Here are the 10 best states to raise a family.

10. Vermont

Montpelier, Vermont.
Sean Pavone/Shutterstock

Vermont earned the highest health-and-safety ranking out of any state and featured the second-lowest infant mortality rate. It also ranked 46th in family fun, 14th in education and childcare, 27th in affordability, and third in socioeconomics.

9. Rhode Island

Newport, Rhode Island.
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Rhode Island had the fourth-lowest violent crimes per capita, contributing to its health-and-safety ranking of sixth out of the 50 states. It ranked fifth for affordability, 19th for education and childcare and socioeconomics, and 27th for family fun.

8. South Dakota

Aerial View of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, at Sunset. — Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
Jacob Boomsma/Shutterstock

WalletHub found that South Dakota had the lowest childcare costs of any state. It ranked ninth in both health and safety and affordability, and second in socioeconomics. Its family fun ranking was 29th and its affordability ranking was 33rd.

7. New Hampshire

new hampshire fall train — A historic train during colorful fall foliage in New Hampshire.
Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

New Hampshire was found to have the lowest percentage of families in poverty and the second-fewest violent crimes per capita, contributing to its second-place health-and-safety ranking and ninth-place socioeconomics ranking. It was eighth in education and childcare, 23rd in affordability, and 39th in family fun.

6. Maine

Portland, Maine.
Sean Pavone/Shutterstock

Maine featured the fewest violent crimes per capita, helping it score third place in WalletHub's health-and-safety ranking.

WalletHub ranked the state fourth in education and childcare, sixth in socioeconomics, and 22nd in affordability, but it came 45th in family fun, with the fourth-lowest share of families with young children.

5. New York

Central Park New York City — Central Park in New York City.
GagliardiImages/Shutterstock

New York, which was ranked 48th in socioeconomics, came second-to-last for affordable housing and featured the highest childcare costs, but still ranked seventh in affordability. It placed 20th in the health-and-safety and education-and-childcare rankings, and it ranked third in family fun.

4. Nebraska

Downtown Omaha — Omaha, Nebraska.
Davel/Getting Images

Nebraska featured the second-most affordable housing of any state, which was offset by its fifth-highest childcare costs. It also featured the fifth-lowest divorce rate and fourth-highest share of families with young children.

Overall, Nebraska's scores put it fifth in both socioeconomics and education and childcare, 12th in health and safety, 20th in family fun, and 24th in affordability.

3. Minnesota

Aerial view of a large Public University near Downtown Minneapolis in the Twin Cities of Minnesota — Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Jacob Boomsma/Shutterstock

Minnesota had the second-lowest percentage of families in poverty and the second-highest median family income, making it the most affordable state for families overall. It ranked 10th in socioeconomics and health and safety, 15th in family fun, and 18th in education and childcare.

2. North Dakota

Fargo in North Dakota — Fargo, North Dakota.
Sanghwan Kim/Getty Images

North Dakota achieved the No. 1 spot in socioeconomics and No. 2 in education and childcare thanks to its second-lowest divorce rate, lowest infant mortality rate, and third-most affordable housing. It also ranked seventh in health and safety, 18th in affordability, and 32nd in family fun.

1. Massachusetts

Boston, Massachusetts skyline at dusk. — Boston, Massachusetts.
Sean Pavone/Shutterstock

WalletHub named Massachusetts the best state to raise a family, citing its low unemployment rate, good school systems, and safety for children's health and well-being.

Overall, the state ranked first in education and childcare, third in affordability, fifth in health and safety, ninth in family fun, and 21st in socioeconomics.

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Parenting, Real Estate, Wallethub, state-rankings, Families, Children, raising-children

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The best states to raise a family, ranked