Moving can be a stressful endeavor, but sometimes it's a necessary one. Your needs change as your family grows. Sometimes, you outgrow the space you're in. Other times, you decide on a whole other direction. Always at the heart of these decisions is the best interest of each member of your family.
If you're picking a place to live with children in mind, there's a lot to consider. Determining how family-friendly an area is can be hard, especially if you don't know anyone who lives there.
WalletHub's latest resource might be a pretty big help. The personal finance website compared all 50 states based on 52 key indicators of family-friendliness. Based on its data, it determined which states were the best and worst raise a family in.
#1 Best: Massachusetts
Massachusetts was found to be the best state to raise a family in, with both urban and suburban options for families to choose from. The state ranked in the top 10 across several categories: family fun (9), health and safety (10), education and child care (3), and affordability (6). It didn't rank as highly in socioeconomics, however, coming in 21st.
#2 Best: Minnesota
Minnesota came in second by a pretty slim margin. There's so much to do outdoors, regardless of the season, which is a huge draw for many families. It ranked in the top 15 across several categories: family fun (14), health and safety (5), education and child care (8), affordability (11), and socioeconomics (5).
#3 Best: North Dakota
North Dakota boasts the second-highest-ranking education system in all the states surveyed. It's No. 1 in socioeconomics thanks to a rapidly changing landscape. Families will love watching their kids flourish in this safe, learning-friendly state.
#4 Best: New York
New York ranked second in family fun, and it's no wonder why. Whether you're looking for bustling life in the city or slow life in the sleepy towns upstate, there are countless attractions to bring you to the Empire State. On the downside, it ranks 47 in socioeconomics.
#5 Best: Vermont
Vermont was ranked first in health and safety, which is a huge draw for many growing families. The state also has great education and child care to add to its thriving socioeconomic landscape. Unfortunately, the family fun factor was on the low side, coming in at 40.
#5 Worst: Oklahoma
Oklahomans have a lot of love for their state, but it was determined to be one of the least family-friendly. It ranked in the bottom 10 in family fun, health and safety, education and child care, and affordability.
#4 Worst: West Virginia
West Virginia ranked lowest of all states in family fun. It fared better in other categories, however. It ranked 29th in socioeconomics.
The setup seems to be unattractive to families with young kids. The state has the lowest percentage of families with little ones in the entire country.
#3 Worst: Louisiana
Louisiana ranks lowest in socioeconomics, which is concerning for both prospective families and families that already live there. It also ranked in the bottom 10 for health and safety and education and child care. The state has one of the highest percentages of separation and divorce in the US.
#2 Worst: Mississippi
Mississippi ranked low in three crucial categories. The state was the lowest in health and safety, second lowest in family fun, and third lowest in socioeconomics. The state also has the highest percentage of families in poverty.
#1 Worst: New Mexico
New Mexico has a lot of strikes against it. It has a low family income rate with some of the highest child care costs. The state also has a lot of areas experiencing poverty and violent crime, which may explain the high separation and divorce rate. Altogether, it seems like a stressful environment, though it surely varies from area to area throughout the state.
