
Settle down, settle down-no seriously-settle down here, Massachusetts. We know some of you are gloating while others are hysterically laughing- but hear us out. The data adds up and shows that compared to all other 49 states, Massachusetts is the best place to raise a family based on the following factors:
- Family fun/quality of life
- Health and safety
- Education and childcare opportunities
- Affordability
- Socio-economics
WalletHub, an industry-leading financial wellness servicer, evaluated each of those five key indicators using 51 sub-metrics, each graded on a 100-point scale. 100 represents the most favorable conditions, and all 51 sub-metrics were then averaged to produce a final score per state.
A total score of 68.88 made Massachusetts WalletHub’s “Number 1 Best State To Raise a Family.”
Within each subcategory, Massachusetts ranked 1 overall in Education and Childcare, 1 in Affordability(questionable), 17 in Socio-economics, 11 in Family Fun(absolutely), and 5 in Health and Safety. All of the New England states made the top 20 as the best places in America to raise a family:
- Massachusetts- 1
- New Hampshire- 5
- Maine- 9
- Connecticut- 10
- Vermont- 14
- Rhode Island- 16
Boston also made the list of world’s best cities with analysis in similar categories. An analysis of the findings summarized the results of Massachusetts’ victory:
Massachusetts is the best state to raise a family, in large part because it provides a good blend of economic opportunities and safe conditions for children. The Bay State has the best job security in the country and the 10th-lowest poverty rate, which increases the likelihood that parents will be able to provide for their children. It’s not the cheapest state, as housing and child care costs are relatively high compared to most of the nation, but residents make up for this with fairly high incomes.
When it comes to health and overall wellbeing, Massachusetts has the best water quality in the country, the highest rate of children with health insurance, and the lowest infant mortality rate. It also has the second-highest overall life expectancy and third-lowest property crime rate.
Education is also one of the most important factors when raising a family. Massachusetts isn’t just famous for universities like Harvard and MIT – it also ranks first among the states with the best public school systems for children.
Tailing Massachusetts is Minnesota as the number 2 best state to raise a family, North Dakota at number 3, and Nebraska at 4, followed by New Hampshire. The lowest ranking state on the list is New Mexico.