Cambridge, Mass. (Photo by Michael Baccin on Unsplash)

In A Nutshell

Massachusetts ranks first among the best states to raise a family in 2026, followed by Minnesota and North Dakota, while New Mexico, West Virginia, and Mississippi ranked at the bottom.

WalletHub evaluated all 50 states across 50 different metrics in five categories: family fun, health and safety, education and childcare, affordability, and socioeconomics.

Top-ranked states excel in school quality, healthcare access, and safety but often come with higher housing and childcare costs that families offset with higher incomes and better long-term opportunities.

State-level differences in education, healthcare, and economic conditions can significantly influence child development, affecting outcomes from academic achievement to lifelong health, according to family development experts.

Massachusetts topped the nation as the best state to raise a family in 2026, followed by Minnesota and North Dakota, according to a comprehensive analysis that ranked all 50 states on factors ranging from school quality to housing costs. At the opposite end, New Mexico came in last, with West Virginia and Mississippi also near the bottom.

The rankings, compiled by WalletHub, evaluated states across 50 different measures including public school performance, healthcare access, crime rates, housing affordability, and family economic stability. The results reveal dramatic differences in the environments where American children grow up, differences reflected in measures like graduation rates and job security.

Parents choosing where to settle down face high stakes. A child raised in Massachusetts benefits from the nation’s top-ranked public schools, exceptionally low infant mortality rates, and strong job opportunities for parents. A child in New Mexico faces conditions ranked 50th for education and childcare and lower performance across healthcare and economic measures. Research suggests these disparities can compound over years, influencing outcomes that last into adulthood.

Top 10 Best States to Raise a Family

Massachusetts – Overall Score: 67.60

Minnesota – Overall Score: 63.10

North Dakota – Overall Score: 61.60

Wisconsin – Overall Score: 60.58

Nebraska – Overall Score: 60.41

New York – Overall Score: 59.71

Connecticut – Overall Score: 59.19

New Hampshire – Overall Score: 58.12

Illinois – Overall Score: 58.09

Maine – Overall Score: 58.07

Bottom 10 Worst States to Raise a Family

Georgia – Overall Score: 42.86

South Carolina – Overall Score: 41.73

Oklahoma – Overall Score: 41.51

Arkansas – Overall Score: 38.82

Louisiana – Overall Score: 38.71

Alabama – Overall Score: 38.50

Nevada – Overall Score: 36.78

Mississippi – Overall Score: 35.99

West Virginia – Overall Score: 35.84

New Mexico – Overall Score: 32.69

Why Massachusetts Ranks First for Families

Massachusetts earned its ranking by excelling across multiple dimensions of family life. The state’s public schools rank first in the nation, giving children access to some of the strongest K-12 education available anywhere in the country. Parents benefit from the third-best job security nationwide, and the state recorded the ninth-lowest poverty rate. Massachusetts residents make up for higher housing and childcare costs with fairly high incomes.

Healthcare outcomes in the Bay State also stand out. Massachusetts posted the third-lowest infant mortality rate and second-highest overall life expectancy in America. The state ranks fifth for water quality and fourth-lowest for property crime. Nearly every child in Massachusetts has health insurance: the highest coverage rate in the nation.

The tradeoff comes in expenses. Housing and childcare costs run higher than most of the country. But families offset these costs with better wages and stronger long-term prospects for their children’s success.

New Mexico scored poorly across all considered categories. (Los Alamos, NM. Photo by Yu Wang on Unsplash)

Minnesota claimed second place by combining economic opportunity with exceptional community conditions. The state ranks second nationally for median family income when adjusted for cost of living and second-lowest for family poverty rates.

Children in Minnesota grow up healthier than peers in most states. Life expectancy ranks fifth-highest nationwide, and public hospitals earned the sixth-best quality ratings. The state placed eighth for the percentage of children living near parks or playgrounds. Minnesota families also show strong stability, with the fifth-lowest separation and divorce rate.

North Dakota rounded out the top three, driven largely by housing costs that won’t break the bank. The average two-bedroom apartment consumes just 11.8% of the state’s median income: the lowest percentage in America. Home prices rank ninth-cheapest relative to what families earn.

Moreover, the state’s childcare infrastructure outperforms most of the nation. North Dakota has the second-most daycare centers per capita and fourth-highest daycare quality ratings. Public schools rank 16th, and the state has the fourth-highest share of parents reporting their children attend safe schools.

How State Rankings Affect Child Development

New Mexico struggled across nearly every category measured. The state placed 50th for education and childcare, 47th for health and safety, and 46th for socioeconomic conditions. West Virginia ranked 49th overall with particular weakness in education (45th) and affordability (44th). Mississippi, at 48th overall, posted particularly weak showings in both health and safety (43rd) and education (43rd).

Cassandra D. Chaney, a professor of human development and family science at Louisiana State University, explained that state-level differences shape child development in profound ways. “The state in which a child is raised plays a significant role in shaping both child development and overall family well-being,” she said. “States differ widely in the quality of their education systems, including funding levels, teacher qualifications, curriculum standards, early childhood programs, and special education services, which directly influence children’s academic achievement, long-term employment prospects, and access to enrichment opportunities.”

Healthcare infrastructure creates particularly stark inequalities. “Children in states with stronger healthcare infrastructures are more likely to receive preventive care, early interventions, and consistent medical support, setting the stage for healthier development,” Chaney noted.

Environmental factors and safety conditions shape outcomes in ways that build over time. “Families living in safer states with cleaner environments face fewer stressors and are less exposed to trauma or toxins,” she said. “This supports healthier physical development, stronger cognitive growth, and improved emotional well-being.”

What Families Should Consider When Choosing Where to Raise Kids

Employment conditions play a bigger role in family wellbeing than many parents realize. “In states with higher resignation rates, such as Delaware, Alaska, South Carolina, Montana, and Wyoming, workers often have more leverage to obtain better wages or benefits, which can make these locations appealing for families,” Chaney explained.

Proximity to extended family emerged as another consideration that often gets overlooked. “Living near grandparents can promote strong intergenerational bonds and may also ease childcare challenges, particularly as childcare costs continue to rise,” Chaney said. “Grandparents can provide emotional support and, when available, free or reduced-cost childcare.”

Economic stability affects families across multiple dimensions. “Since financial concerns are one of the greatest stressors for many families, employment entities that offer strong economic support for working parents can help decrease parental stress and hardship, which contributes to stronger marriages, and more nurturing parent-child relationships,” Chaney explained.

Neighborhood safety correlates with outcomes far beyond just crime prevention. Safe neighborhoods link to better physical and mental health, optimal child development, increased social trust, more opportunities for outdoor recreation, higher property values, better school performance, and less exposure to trauma.

State policymakers can make their locations more appealing to families by investing strategically. “Authorities can strengthen family well-being by investing in high-quality education, accessible childcare, and family-friendly policies such as paid leave and flexible work arrangements,” Chaney said. Paid leave and workplace flexibility support both child and parental health by giving families needed time during critical early years, particularly from birth to age five.

When evaluating states to raise a family, five factors stand out as most critical. Education quality (including early childhood program access, test scores, and graduation rates) tops the list. Safety, measured through crime rates and neighborhood security, comes second. Healthcare access, particularly pediatric care and insurance coverage, ranks third. Economic factors, including median income, job opportunities, and housing affordability, place fourth. Family-friendly policies and social supports, such as paid leave and childcare availability, round out the top five.

According to Chaney, children raised in states with stronger education systems, healthier environments, stable economies, and better social supports experience measurably better outcomes throughout their lives. These advantages translate into higher educational attainment, increased earnings, and improved physical, mental, and social health in adulthood.

Full List: Best States for Families Overall Rank StateTotal Score Family Fun Rank Health & Safety Rank Education & Child Care Rank Affordability Rank Socio-economics Rank 

1	MA	67.60	10	3	1	3	21
2	MN	63.10	15	12	14	4	10
3	ND	61.60	32	7	4	22	2
4	WI	60.58	20	17	10	12	7
5	NE	60.41	22	11	6	25	8
6	NY	59.71	5	19	8	9	47
7	CT	59.19	40	10	5	1	17
8	NH	58.12	43	2	7	26	5
9	IL	58.09	3	32	17	16	45
10	ME	58.07	44	6	3	27	6
11	SD	58.02	36	9	12	29	1
12	PA	57.91	8	24	23	17	20
13	WA	57.66	6	33	25	5	44
14	NJ	57.44	29	15	2	6	30
15	CO	57.37	4	40	26	8	35
16	RI	57.31	30	8	9	2	29
17	VT	56.61	48	1	11	23	4
18	UT	55.32	23	13	13	38	11
19	IA	55.02	33	14	18	11	13
20	MD	53.94	25	30	16	7	22
21	OH	53.77	13	20	31	14	42
22	OR	53.61	11	25	30	13	41
23	HI	53.42	18	5	38	41	18
24	WY	53.38	42	4	15	34	14
25	MT	52.95	31	21	20	39	3
26	VA	52.94	26	23	22	20	15
27	MO	52.92	17	27	29	21	16
28	KS	51.13	35	31	19	24	12
29	CA	50.63	1	42	33	19	48
30	ID	50.06	41	16	28	32	9
31	IN	49.50	27	34	21	18	34
32	DE	49.36	45	22	24	10	27
33	TN	48.78	16	38	32	36	19
34	TX	47.18	2	50	41	46	36
35	MI	46.80	38	28	37	15	33
36	NC	46.70	19	36	40	33	26
37	AK	45.73	24	26	39	43	32
38	KY	44.67	37	29	27	31	43
39	AZ	44.24	9	41	48	48	28
40	FL	44.19	12	37	44	50	39
41	GA	42.86	21	44	35	47	37
42	SC	41.73	34	39	42	45	23
43	OK	41.51	28	46	36	30	40
44	AR	38.82	47	45	34	42	24
45	LA	38.71	14	49	47	35	49
46	AL	38.50	46	35	46	28	31
47	NV	36.78	7	48	49	49	50
48	MS	35.99	49	43	43	37	25
49	WV	35.84	50	18	45	44	38
50	NM	32.69	39	47	50	40	46

Note: With the exception of “Total Score,” all of the columns in the table above depict the relative rank of that state, where a rank of 1 represents the best conditions for that metric category.

Study Methodology

WalletHub compared all 50 states across five key dimensions to determine the best places for families. Each dimension received equal weight of 20 points, creating a 100-point total score.

Family Fun (20 points): This category evaluated recreational opportunities and community engagement for families. Metrics included the share of families with young children (full weight, 3.33 points), number of attractions per capita (triple weight, 10.00 points), fitness and recreational sports centers per capita (full weight, 3.33 points), and the percentage of children aged 0-17 living near a park or playground (full weight, 3.33 points).

Health & Safety (20 points): This dimension assessed medical care access, environmental quality, and community safety. Key metrics included the share of uninsured children (full weight, 1.38 points), pediatricians per capita (full weight, 1.38 points), children’s hospitals per child population (full weight, 1.38 points), public hospital quality based on Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services ratings (full weight, 1.38 points), infant mortality rates (full weight, 1.38 points), life expectancy at birth (full weight, 1.38 points), billion-dollar climate disasters in recent decades (full weight, 1.38 points), air pollution levels (full weight, 1.38 points), water quality (full weight, 1.38 points), violent crimes per capita (full weight, 1.38 points), property crimes per capita (full weight, 1.38 points), percentage of children aged 6-17 attending safe schools (full weight, 1.38 points), road safety rankings around schools (half weight, 0.69 points), share of children living in supportive neighborhoods (full weight, 1.38 points), and percentage of children whose parents have emotional support for parenting (full weight, 1.38 points).

Education & Child Care (20 points): This category measured the quality and accessibility of educational resources and childcare options. It included public school quality from WalletHub’s school systems ranking (double weight, 4.00 points), public high school graduation rates (full weight, 2.00 points), child daycare services per capita (full weight, 2.00 points), daycare quality (full weight, 2.00 points), childcare costs adjusted for median family income (full weight, 2.00 points), parental leave policy scores from the National Partnership for Women & Families (full weight, 2.00 points), childcare workers per child population (full weight, 2.00 points), share of children aged 6-17 participating in school extracurricular activities (full weight, 2.00 points), and percentage participating in community service or volunteer work (full weight, 2.00 points).

Affordability (20 points): This dimension examined the financial burden on families. Metrics included housing affordability calculated as housing costs divided by median annual family income (full weight, 1.82 points), median credit scores (full weight, 1.82 points), median mortgage debt as a share of median earnings (full weight, 1.82 points), median non-mortgage debt as a share of median earnings (full weight, 1.82 points), percentage of people saving for children’s college education (full weight, 1.82 points), share of families with problems paying medical bills for children (full weight, 1.82 points), paid family leave policies (double weight, 3.64 points), employer-based retirement plan access and participation (full weight, 1.82 points), median annual family income adjusted for cost of living (full weight, 1.82 points), and average annual family health insurance premiums (full weight, 1.82 points).

Socio-economics (20 points): This category evaluated family stability, economic opportunity, and financial security. It included separation and divorce rates (full weight, 1.67 points), median duration of current marriages (full weight, 1.67 points), share of two-parent families (full weight, 1.67 points), wealth gap between high and low earners (full weight, 1.67 points), percentage of families in poverty (full weight, 1.67 points), share of families receiving food stamps (full weight, 1.67 points), unemployment rates (full weight, 1.67 points), underemployment rates (full weight, 1.67 points), job security measured as employment growth from 2023 to 2024 (full weight, 1.67 points), job opportunities calculated as openings per labor force participant (full weight, 1.67 points), share of work-related stressed tweets based on PlushCare’s analysis (full weight, 1.67 points), and foreclosure rates (full weight, 1.67 points).

Each metric received a score on a 100-point scale, with 100 representing the most favorable conditions for families. States’ weighted averages across all metrics determined their overall scores and final rankings. Data came from the U.S. Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Center for Education Statistics, Child Care Aware of America, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and multiple other authoritative sources, collected as of October 27, 2025.