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 66.14 made Massachusetts WalletHub’s “Number 1 Best State To Raise a Family.”
Within each subcategory, Massachusetts ranked 2 overall in Education and Childcare, 2 in Affordability(questionable), 22 in Socio-economics, 9 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
- Vermont- 5
- New Hampshire- 6
- Connecticut- 10
- Rhode Island- 11
- Maine- 16
Boston recently 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 topped the list for the best state to raise a family. The New England state earned a total score of 66.14. It ranked second in both education & child care and affordability.
The state is home to some of the country’s best schools, including Harvard and MIT. The public school system is also among the best in the world, according to Niche.
In addition to those schools, others that rank in the top 50 at the undergraduate level in the U.S. News & World Report include Boston College, Boston University, and Tufts University.
Tailing Massachusetts is Minnesota as the number 2 best state to raise a family, New York at number 3, and North Dakota at 4, followed by Vermont. The lowest ranking state on the list is Mississippi which also came in the last spot for the Health and Safety category.