Revealed: Top 10 Best States To Raise a Family

It's not cheap to raise a family, but which state you choose to live in can make a huge difference.

The average cost of raising a child under 5 has reached $27,743 per year, up 4.5% year over year, according to SmartAsset.

What can help is finding a state that is more affordable. But families will not necessarily want to sacrifice quality schools, safety, and a healthy job economy to be able to afford to live in a particular state.

WalletHub's latest Best & Worst States to Raise a Family list balances affordability with 50 metrics that families would be concerned with such as median family income, cost of child care, quality medical care, employment rate, family recreation, and crime rate.

Each metric was graded on a 100-point scale, with a score of 100 representing the most favorable conditions for family life. WalletHub then determined each state’s weighted average across all metrics to calculate its overall score and used the resulting scores to rank-order the states.

Once again, Massachusetts is ranked No. 1.

Although the state's median home price tag of $699,900 (far above the national median of $399,950) makes it one of the pricier places in the U.S. to raise a family, other factors keep the state top of the list, such as the plethora of excellent schools; the high quality medical facilities; and the high "family fun" factor with plenty of family activities.

"With a median listing price of $699,900, Massachusetts is the second-most expensive state in the country behind only Hawaii," explains Joel Berner, senior economist at Realtor.com®.

What also might surprise you is that Massachusetts ranks No. 3 for affordability, not because housing is cheap but because the families who live there tend to have salaries that make those homes affordable for them.

"Though there are certainly high-paying jobs in the state that make this high cost of homeownership attainable, it still is a struggle for many people to afford a home in Massachusetts. The appeal of the state, beyond career opportunities, is safety and a high standard of living that includes solid educational opportunities and good health care," says Berner.

The biggest mover on the list is Wisconsin.

Ranked No. 8 last year, the Midwestern state jumped four spots to No. 4. This rise is primarily due to its high socioeconomic rank of No. 7. It scores big in metrics such as its share of two-parent families, its low number of work-related stress tweets, high job security, and low unemployment rate.

Wisconsin has a growing and diverse economy with industries ranging from manufacturing to agriculture, health care, and tourism, all of which makes the state a great place for families. After all, a family that can count on a secure, well-paying job is a family that can put down roots for generations to come.

1. Massachusetts

Total score: 67.60

Median home price: $699,900

Despite the high cost of housing, Massachusetts' excellent educational system once again puts it at the top of the list.

Ranked No. 1 in the report's "Education and Child Care" category, this Northeast state can lay claim to not only some of the best colleges in the world—think Harvard, MIT, Boston U—but one of the top public school systems as well.

Author Sasha Brown-Worsham tells Realtor.com of moving her family of five to Acton, a Boston suburb, in 2021, almost solely for the schools.

"The biggest draw is that there is no state that has public schools like Massachusetts," she says.

"The quality of the kids' public education here is unrivaled by even the private schools they attended before," she adds. "My husband and I are constantly in awe of the quality of teaching and general attentiveness of the faculty."

Indeed, given the cost of prep schools, it may be financially savvy to move to a state where you don't need them.

As for any downsides, Brown-Worsham says, "I could do without the winters and incredibly high cost of living, but that's worth enduring for the upsides."

Additionally, the state is a healthy place to live, with the fifth-best water quality in the country, the highest rate of children with health insurance, the third-lowest infant mortality rate, and the second-highest overall life expectancy, says the WalletHub report.

Let's not forget the state's famed beaches in Cape Cod, Nantucket, and Martha's Vineyard.

Elle Lash, of Tea Lane/Forbes Global Properties, suggests that summer vacation haven Martha's Vineyard is the perfect place to raise a family year-round.

"It is a special mix of a warm, close-knit community, natural beauty, and culture," she tells Realtor.com.

George Sarkis, CEO of The Sarkis Team at Douglas Elliman, tells of clients who recently made the move from Seattle to Wellesley, a Boston suburb, because of his job.

"What stood out most wasn’t hesitation, it was excitement," he tells Realtor.com. "Once the decision was made, they were genuinely enthusiastic about everything Boston had to offer."

2. Minnesota

Total score: 63.10

Median home price: $367,000

Minnesota's affordability helped vault it to the No. 2 spot, as it is ranked fourth overall in the "Affordability" category, which weighted metrics such as housing costs (for both rentals and sales prices), median credit score, median mortgage debt, and share of those who save for their children's college education.

At a relatively affordable median home price of $367,000, this snowy state is the fourth-cheapest place on the list to buy a house. Additionally, it is ranked second in the U.S. for median family income, $109,000, adjusted for the cost of living.

The Land of 10,000 Lakes is one of the healthiest states to live in, with the fifth-highest life expectancy at birth and the sixth-best public hospitals in the country, and eighth-highest percentage of children who live in neighborhoods with a park or playground, according to the report.

3. North Dakota

Total score: 61.60

Median home price: $349,950

Affordability is key here: The average annual rent for a two-bedroom apartment costs just 11.8% of the median income in the state, the lowest percentage in the country, says the report.

Additionally, marriages seem to last: The state has the third-lowest separation and divorce rate in the country. Given the well-documented link between divorce and a decline in children's mental and economic health, a long-lasting marriage (provided it is a good one) can only benefit kids.

All that would be enough to make the state an attractive place to raise a family, but additionally, it has high quality public schools and the second-highest number of day cares in the nation.

4. Wisconsin

Total score: 60.58

Median home price: $369,900

Wisconsin jumped four places on the list from last year, the state with the biggest bump.

"Wisconsin doesn’t have any major weak spots dragging down its overall score," explains WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo of the state's rise in the rankings. "It now stands out as one of the most attractive places in the country to raise a family."

Aside from Wisconsin's relatively affordable median home price, the Badger State ranks high (No. 7) in the "Socioeconomics" category. This Midwestern state ranks low in divorce and separation; has a high median duration of current marriage; a high share of two-parent families; and a low percentage of families living in poverty.

5. Nebraska

Total score: 60.41

Median home price: $329,900

With the second-lowest median home price on the list, Nebraska scores high for affordability. And despite competing with education-focused Northeastern states like Massachusetts, Connecticut, and New York, this Midwestern state scores big (No. 6) in the "Education and Child Care" category.

The Cornhusker State, which is home to multibillionaire investor Warren Buffett, has good public schools; plenty of high quality, reasonably priced child care facilities; a high number of child care workers per total child population; and generous parental leave policies.

6. New York

Total score: 59.71

Median home price: $649,000

Although New York City and Westchester push up the median home price to the second highest on the list, the state has many other family-friendly attributes.

It ranks especially high (No. 5) in the "Fun Family" category, which weighted metrics such as share of families with young children, share of children aged 0 to 17 who live in neighborhoods with a park or playground, and number of attractions.

7. Connecticut

Total score: 59.19

Median home price: $486,950

The Nutmeg State isn't cheap but its high median salaries for residents means that the state ranks No. 1 in affordability. So, if you are already living there and have a good job, then enjoy. But don't move to Connecticut seeking affordable pastures.

It also ranked high in quality of education, with good public schools, and of course, the state is known for its excellent universities, such as Yale and the University of Connecticut.

8. New Hampshire

Total score: 58.12

Median home price: $573,050

The Granite State tumbled the most in rank from last year—from No. 5 down to No. 8.

"New Hampshire’s drop reflects relative slippage rather than a collapse in fundamentals," explains Lupo. He notes that the state's "weaker areas" such as its No. 43 rank in "Family Fun" and its middle-of-the-pack rankings for affordability and cost of living pushed the state down from a year ago.

However, the Northeastern state still ranks extremely high (No. 2) in health and safety and socioeconomics (No. 5).

9. Illinois

Total score: 58.09

Median home price: $287,500

Illinois ranks very high (No. 3) in the "Family Fun" category, with high marks in such metrics as share of families with young children, fitness and recreation centers, number of attractions, and share of families who live near a park or playground.

No doubt it is Chicago that is pushing up the rank here: The city has tons of museums, theaters, parks, and live events. Additionally, the Prairie State can boast plentiful forests, farms, and wetlands.

And let's not forget Lake Michigan—the second-largest lake in the U.S.—with over 1,600 miles of shoreline. Bonus: Illinois has the lowest median home price tag on the list.

10. Maine

Total score: 58.07

Median home price: $425,000

This Northeastern state, known for its rugged natural beauty, ranks very high (No. 3) in education, with excellent public schools. Additionally, the state has high scores (both No. 6) in the categories of health and safety and socioeconomics.

People here tend to stay married longer, there is a high percentage of two-parent families, and families tend to make higher salaries that have generous benefits such as parental leave.

While this certainly isn't the cheapest state on the list for housing, the median price tag is still well below some other states on the list.