Massachusetts

Mass. Named Best State to Raise a Family in US; NH, Vermont Not Far Behind

All six New England states ranked in the top 20 in WalletHub's list

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If you're thinking of starting a family and are looking for good places to raise kids, you could do a lot worse than New England

In fact, Massachusetts was named the best state in the U.S. to raise a family, according to a WalletHub study. Comparing categories such as family fun, health & safety, education, affordability and socio-economics, the Bay State ranked first in the nation, beating out Minnesota and New York.

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In all, WalletHub rated what it called "51 key indicators of family-friendliness." Everything from median family income to housing affordability to unemployment rates were used to determine the list, according to the personal finance site.

Massachusetts scored well in education & child care (second), affordability (second) and health & safety (fifth). It also ranked ninth for family fun. The worst category for Massachusetts? Socioeconomics, where the state ranked 22nd.

Source: WalletHub

While Massachusetts residents might get bragging rights, the rest of the New England finished very high as well, with both Vermont and New Hampshire finishing in the top five. Vermont was fifth, immediately followed by New Hampshire at sixth.

Connecticut and Rhode Island came in at 10th and 11th, respectively, and Maine slotted in at 16th.

Vermont ranked first for health & safety and second for socioeconomics, while New Hampshire was third in health & safety. Connecticut was ranked first for affordability.

Other states in the top 10 include North Dakota, New Jersey, Nebraska and Iowa.

Many of the states toward the bottom of the list are in the south and southwest. Rounding out the bottom of the list were South Carolina, Louisiana, West Virginia, New Mexico and Mississippi.

Here's a look at the whole list, according to WalletHub:

  1. Massachusetts
  2. Minnesota
  3. New York
  4. North Dakota
  5. Vermont
  6. New Hampshire
  7. New Jersey
  8. Nebraska
  9. Iowa
  10. Connecticut
  11. Rhode Island
  12. Washington
  13. Illinois
  14. South Dakota
  15. Utah
  16. Maine
  17. Wisconsin
  18. Pennsylvania
  19. Maryland
  20. Colorado
  21. Virginia
  22. California
  23. Hawaii
  24. Oregon
  25. Montana
  26. Texas
  27. Wyoming
  28. Missouri
  29. Kansas
  30. Delaware
  31. Ohio
  32. Florida
  33. Tennessee
  34. Indiana
  35. Idaho
  36. Michigan
  37. Kentucky
  38. Alaska
  39. North Carolina
  40. Nevada
  41. Arizona
  42. Georgia
  43. Oklahoma
  44. Arkansas
  45. Alabama
  46. South Carolina
  47. Louisiana
  48. West Virginia
  49. New Mexico
  50. Mississippi
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