Choosing a family-friendly state can be challenging because a certain area may not meet all your wants and needs.
For instance, one state might offer a low income-tax rate but have an unimpressive education system.
Because there are many factors to consider when deciding where to put down family roots, WalletHub released a report comparing the 50 states to determine how family-friendly each one is.
The report focuses on 51 key indicators of family-friendliness across these dimensions: Family Fun, Health & Safety, Education & Child Care, Affordability and Socio-economics.
Most and Least Family-Friendly States
According to WalletHub, the list of states in the left column, below, are some of the best places for families to call home. And the states listed in the right column are some of the worst.
| Best States for Families | Worst States for Families |
| 1. Massachusetts | 41. Arizona |
| 2. Minnesota | 42. Georgia |
| 3. New York | 43. Oklahoma |
| 4. North Dakota | 44. Arkansas |
| 5. Vermont | 45. Alabama |
| 6. New Hampshire | 46. South Carolina |
| 7. New Jersey | 47. Louisiana |
| 8. Nebraska | 48. West Virginia |
| 9. Iowa | 49. New Mexico |
| 10. Connecticut | 50. Mississippi |
Key Takeaways
Best vs. Worst
- Iowa, Nebraska, North Dakota, Kansas and Ohio have the most affordable housing. Oregon, Nevada, New York, Hawaii and California have the least affordable housing.
- Utah has the lowest separation and divorce rate, whereas Nevada has the highest.
- New Hampshire has the lowest share of families living in poverty, and Mississippi has the highest.
- South Dakota has the lowest average annual cost of early childcare (as a share of median family income), and North Carolina has the highest.
- Maine has the fewest violent crimes (per 1,000 residents), whereas Alaska has the most.
View the full report and your state’s rank here.
