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Mass. named the best state to raise a family
Four others New England states made the top 10.
Massachusetts is the best state to raise a family, according to a new report.
WalletHub’s “Best & Worst States to Raise a Family (2024)” suggested Wednesday that Massachusetts offers the best combination of economic and educational opportunities, safe conditions, and health care when it comes to raising children.
The rankings were based on five key factors that contribute to family-friendliness: family fun, health and safety, education and child care, affordability, and socio-economics. These dimensions were evaluated using 50 relevant metrics and graded on a 100-point scale, with 100 representing the most favorable conditions. Each state’s weighted average was then calculated and ranked based on overall score.
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These states made the top 10:
| RANK | STATE | POINTS |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Massachusetts | 66.97 |
| 2. | North Dakota | 62.15 |
| 3. | Minnesota | 62.00 |
| 4. | Nebraska | 58.96 |
| 5. | New York | 58.46 |
| 6. | Maine | 58.36 |
| 7. | New Hampshire | 57.92 |
| 8. | South Dakota | 57.83 |
| 9. | Rhode Island | 57.53 |
| 10. | Vermont | 57.23 |
Connecticut landed at No. 12.
The Bay State ranked third for affordability, fifth for health and safety, ninth for family fun, third for affordability, and 21st for socio-economics. It came in first for education and child care, topping other states in quality of water, rate of insured children, and low infant mortality rate.
The report also suggested that Massachusetts has one of the lowest unemployment rates, an abundance of job opportunities, and the best school systems in the country. Though “not the cheapest state” when it comes to housing and childcare, according to the report, residents are able to make up for it with high incomes.
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“The ideal state is one that’s affordable to live in during this time of high inflation and also offers high safety and good job prospects, on top of quality education, health care and entertainment,” the report read.
According to LivingCosts.org, the cost of living (with rent) in Massachusetts is $2,689 for one person per month and $6,151 for a family of four. The cost of living for a single person is 1.24 times more expensive than the U.S. average, according to the site. The average salary after taxes in Massachusetts is $4,943.
New Mexico ranked last on WalletHub’s list, brining up the rear on median family income and education and child care.
Here’s the rest of the bottom 10:
| RANK | STATE | POINTS |
|---|---|---|
| 50. | New Mexico | 30.47 |
| 49. | Mississippi | 32.87 |
| 48. | West Virginia | 36.18 |
| 47. | Alabama | 38.86 |
| 46. | Arkansas | 39.40 |
| 45. | Louisiana | 39.51 |
| 44. | Nevada | 39.83 |
| 43. | Oklahoma | 39.90 |
| 42. | South Carolina | 41.03 |
| 41. | Arizona | 41.19 |
These were the highest-ranked states in each category:
Family fun: California
Health & safety: Vermont
Education & child care: Massachusetts
Affordability: Minnesota
Socio-economics: North Dakota
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