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Best and Worst States to Raise a Family

Best and Worst States to Raise a Family

“It takes a village to raise a child” is an old proverb, probably of African origin, that reflects the importance of community for families. Millennialsthe generation born between 1981 and 1996are now at the age when they’re having children and are reassessing where and how they want to live and work, at least in part because of the COVID-19 pandemic and perhaps their newfound ability to telecommute. (Read how every state’s population has changed since 2010.)

24/7 Tempo has developed a list of the best and worst states in which to raise a family, using data compiled by the credit reporting and advice site WalletHub. The site compared states across five key dimensions: family fun; health and safety; education and child care; affordability; and socio-economics. 

The dimensions were evaluated using 52 variously weighted metrics, including share of families with young children, pediatricians per capita, quality of public schools, housing affordability, job opportunities and security, and separation and divorce rate. (Data on the total number of families in each state comes from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2019 American Community Survey one-year estimates.)

The top-ranked states are Massachusetts and Minnesota, both liberal places proud of their civic engagement. Massachusetts has near-universal health insurance, while Minnesota’s politics and culture have been described as “highly progressive by national standards.” Both are among the best-educated states in the nation and are home to numerous universities and colleges. 

The bottom-ranked states are New Mexico and Mississippi ranked last, both of which scored badly when it comes to socio-economics. Nevada did rank fourth in the nation for family fun, but other factors dragged it down to No. 41 overall. (These are the states with the best and worst economies.)

Source: joncutrer / Flickr

50. New Mexico
> WalletHub score: 28.95
> Top metric: Family Fun (#38 best in the nation)
> Families: 496,961 — 15th lowest

Source: emholk / E+ via Getty Images

49. Mississippi
> WalletHub score: 29.70
> Top metric: Affordability (#35 best in the nation)
> Families: 718,382 — 16th lowest

Source: thenationalguard / Flickr

48. West Virginia
> WalletHub score: 33.83
> Top metric: Socio-economics (#29 best in the nation)
> Families: 470,472 — 13th lowest

Source: Page Light Studios / iStock Editorial via Getty Images

47. Louisiana
> WalletHub score: 33.83
> Top metric: Family Fun (#19 best in the nation)
> Families: 1,113,831 — 25th lowest

Source: cstar55 / iStock via Getty Images

46. Oklahoma
> WalletHub score: 34.49
> Top metric: Socio-economics (#37 best in the nation)
> Families: 975,754 — 23rd lowest

Source: dlewis33 / iStock via Getty Images

45. Arkansas
> WalletHub score: 34.83
> Top metric: Socio-economics (#33 best in the nation)
> Families: 755,305 — 19th lowest

Source: ablokhin / iStock Editorial via Getty Images

44. Alabama
> WalletHub score: 36.33
> Top metric: Affordability (#25 best in the nation)
> Families: 1,237,883 — 24th highest

Source: Thomas Northcut / DigitalVision via Getty Images

43. South Carolina
> WalletHub score: 37.97
> Top metric: Socio-economics (#27 best in the nation)
> Families: 1,286,326 — 23rd highest

Source: kapulya / iStock via Getty Images

42. Arizona
> WalletHub score: 38.22
> Top metric: Family Fun (#12 best in the nation)
> Families: 1,740,704 — 14th highest

Source: Page Light Studios / iStock Editorial via Getty Images

41. Nevada
> WalletHub score: 38.52
> Top metric: Family Fun (#4 best in the nation)
> Families: 723,755 — 17th lowest

Source: Serhii Sobolevskyi / iStock via Getty Images

40. Georgia
> WalletHub score: 39.90
> Top metric: Family Fun (#26 best in the nation)
> Families: 2,555,440 — 9th highest

Source: Joel Carillet / iStock Unreleased via Getty Images

39. Tennessee
> WalletHub score: 41.05
> Top metric: Socio-economics (#20 best in the nation)
> Families: 1,727,895 — 15th highest

Source: jjneff / iStock via Getty Images

38. North Carolina
> WalletHub score: 42.69
> Top metric: Family Fun (#25 best in the nation)
> Families: 2,630,365 — 8th highest

Source: Drazen_ / E+ via Getty Images

37. Kentucky
> WalletHub score: 43.17
> Top metric: Education & Child Care (#22 best in the nation)
> Families: 1,129,276 — 25th highest

Source: Image Source / DigitalVision via Getty Images

36. Florida
> WalletHub score: 43.33
> Top metric: Family Fun (#6 best in the nation)
> Families: 5,083,272 — 3rd highest

Source: Elenathewise / iStock via Getty Images

35. Indiana
> WalletHub score: 44.23
> Top metric: Affordability (#9 best in the nation)
> Families: 1,639,230 — 17th highest

Source: BrandyTaylor / E+ via Getty Images

34. Idaho
> WalletHub score: 44.53
> Top metric: Socio-economics (#9 best in the nation)
> Families: 448,979 — 12th lowest

Source: FatCamera / E+ via Getty Images

33. Alaska
> WalletHub score: 44.86
> Top metric: Family Fun (#17 best in the nation)
> Families: 163,134 — 3rd lowest

Source: Robert Kirk / iStock via Getty Images

32. Delaware
> WalletHub score: 45.17
> Top metric: Education & Child Care (#20 best in the nation)
> Families: 242,584 — 6th lowest

Source: huePhotography / iStock via Getty Images

31. Michigan
> WalletHub score: 45.23
> Top metric: Affordability (#8 best in the nation)
> Families: 2,496,550 — 10th highest

Source: huePhotography / iStock via Getty Images

30. Ohio
> WalletHub score: 45.71
> Top metric: Affordability (#13 best in the nation)
> Families: 2,942,581 — 7th highest

Source: mamabug3 / iStock via Getty Images

29. Kansas
> WalletHub score: 46.43
> Top metric: Socio-economics (#11 best in the nation)
> Families: 733,489 — 18th lowest

Source: SDI Productions / E+ via Getty Images

28. Texas
> WalletHub score: 46.91
> Top metric: Family Fun (#5 best in the nation)
> Families: 6,857,641 — 2nd highest

Source: eyecrave / E+ via Getty Images

27. Missouri
> WalletHub score: 48.86
> Top metric: Socio-economics (#17 best in the nation)
> Families: 1,546,045 — 18th highest

Source: MargaretW / iStock via Getty Images

26. Wyoming
> WalletHub score: 49.08
> Top metric: Socio-economics (#13 best in the nation)
> Families: 152,859 — the lowest

Source: Image Source / DigitalVision via Getty Images

25. California
> WalletHub score: 49.57
> Top metric: Family Fun (#1 best in the nation)
> Families: 8,972,643 — the highest

Source: marieclaudelemay / iStock via Getty Images

24. Rhode Island
> WalletHub score: 49.78
> Top metric: Affordability (#3 best in the nation)
> Families: 249,987 — 7th lowest

Source: David Sacks / DigitalVision via Getty Images

23. Pennsylvania
> WalletHub score: 49.94
> Top metric: Affordability (#7 best in the nation)
> Families: 3,228,224 — 5th highest

Source: Jon Feingersh Photography Inc / DigitalVision via Getty Images

22. Maryland
> WalletHub score: 50.36
> Top metric: Affordability (#12 best in the nation)
> Families: 1,462,070 — 20th highest

Source: FatCamera / E+ via Getty Images

21. Oregon
> WalletHub score: 51.12
> Top metric: Health & Safety (#6 best in the nation)
> Families: 1,021,588 — 24th lowest

Source: FatCamera / E+ via Getty Images

20. Hawaii
> WalletHub score: 51.37
> Top metric: Health & Safety (#2 best in the nation)
> Families: 316,206 — 9th lowest

Source: Darrin Klimek / DigitalVision via Getty Images

19. Montana
> WalletHub score: 51.61
> Top metric: Socio-economics (#6 best in the nation)
> Families: 269,009 — 8th lowest

Source: GCShutter / E+ via Getty Images

18. Maine
> WalletHub score: 51.72
> Top metric: Health & Safety (#4 best in the nation)
> Families: 342,894 — 10th lowest

Source: Ariel Skelley / DigitalVision via Getty Images

17. Virginia
> WalletHub score: 51.75
> Top metric: Health & Safety (#13 best in the nation)
> Families: 2,094,763 — 12th highest

Source: Jon Lauriat / iStock via Getty Images

16. Illinois
> WalletHub score: 53.13
> Top metric: Family Fun (#3 best in the nation)
> Families: 3,059,067 — 6th highest

Source: carstensenphoto / Flickr

15. Colorado
> WalletHub score: 53.41
> Top metric: Family Fun (#7 best in the nation)
> Families: 1,421,844 — 21st highest

Source: Nattakorn Maneerat / iStock via Getty Images

14. Wisconsin
> WalletHub score: 54.44
> Top metric: Socio-economics (#14 best in the nation)
> Families: 1,470,116 — 19th highest

Source: NetaDegany / iStock via Getty Images

13. South Dakota
> WalletHub score: 55.17
> Top metric: Socio-economics (#7 best in the nation)
> Families: 223,964 — 5th lowest

Source: FatCamera / E+ via Getty Images

12. Iowa
> WalletHub score: 55.37
> Top metric: Health & Safety (#8 best in the nation)
> Families: 808,802 — 21st lowest

Source: jakesmome / Flickr

11. Nebraska
> WalletHub score: 55.47
> Top metric: Health & Safety (#9 best in the nation)
> Families: 493,013 — 14th lowest

Source: Aaron Hawkins / E+ via Getty Images

10. Utah
> WalletHub score: 55.48
> Top metric: Socio-economics (#2 best in the nation)
> Families: 760,968 — 20th lowest

Source: Alexander Farnsworth / iStock Editorial via Getty Images

9. Connecticut
> WalletHub score: 55.86
> Top metric: Affordability (#2 best in the nation)
> Families: 885,911 — 22nd lowest

Source: RyanJLane / E+ via Getty Images

8. Washington
> WalletHub score: 58.46
> Top metric: Affordability (#4 best in the nation)
> Families: 1,882,896 — 13th highest

Source: Marc Dufresne / iStock via Getty Images

7. New Jersey
> WalletHub score: 58.76
> Top metric: Education & Child Care (#1 best in the nation)
> Families: 2,241,555 — 11th highest

Source: raularosa / iStock via Getty Images

6. New Hampshire
> WalletHub score: 58.85
> Top metric: Health & Safety (#3 best in the nation)
> Families: 346,413 — 11th lowest

Source: Kirkikis / iStock Editorial via Getty Images

5. Vermont
> WalletHub score: 59.16
> Top metric: Health & Safety (#1 best in the nation)
> Families: 156,153 — 2nd lowest

Source: monkeybusinessimages / iStock via Getty Images

4. New York
> WalletHub score: 59.80
> Top metric: Family Fun (#2 best in the nation)
> Families: 4,636,356 — 4th highest

Source: ImagineGolf / iStock via Getty Images

3. North Dakota
> WalletHub score: 60.10
> Top metric: Socio-economics (#1 best in the nation)
> Families: 189,509 — 4th lowest

Source: emholk / iStock via Getty Images

2. Minnesota
> WalletHub score: 60.57
> Top metric: Health & Safety (#5 best in the nation)
> Families: 1,401,623 — 22nd highest

Source: Jupiterimages / Photodisc via Getty Images

1. Massachusetts
> WalletHub score: 60.88
> Top metric: Education & Child Care (#3 best in the nation)
> Families: 1,665,005 — 16th highest

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