WalletHub looked at all 50 states in the U.S., judging them on 50 different factors to determine which are the best and worst states in the country to raise a family. They looked at such key factors as housing affordability, share of families with young children, quality of local schools, and healthcare, as well as if there are opportunities for fun and recreation. For the 2nd year in a row Minnesota tops the list, with an overall score of 63.71 out of 100.
It gets high marks for health and safety, socioeconomic rank, and education and childcare.
When it comes to family fun, New York tops the list, while Vermont is tops for health and safety, North Dakota’s number one for education and childcare and socioeconomic rank and, New Jersey is the most affordable.
When I read NJ was the most affordable I knew this list was total crap. The only people moving to NJ to save money are those in NYC!
Anyways here's their results.
Top Ten Best States To Raise A Family In the U.S.
- Minnesota
- Massachusetts
- North Dakota
- Vermont
- New Hampshire
- New York
- New Jersey
- Nebraska
- Connecticut
- Washington
On the flipside, New Mexico is considered worst state in the U.S. to raise a family, with a total score of just 30.69, coming in dead last for education and childcare and in the bottom ten in all other categories. They clearly have a strong bias against the South.
The Ten Worst States To Raise A Family In the U.S.
- New Mexico
- Mississippi
- Louisiana
- West Virginia
- Alabama
- Arkansas
- Oklahoma
- South Carolina
- Georgia
- Arizona