Housing News

Here are the Best States to Raise a Family in 2025

Raising a family can be challenging, but it can also be one of life’s most rewarding endeavors. Where you choose to put down roots can significantly impact your family’s well-being, happiness, and quality of life.

The best place to raise a family is Massachusetts, according to a recent report from WalletHub. All the top states for families were in the Northeast and Midwest.

The personal finance site analyzed 50 different criteria in family fun, health and safety, education and childcare, affordability, and socio-economics, for each of the 50 states to determine which ones are best for families. 

The Bay State outranked all other states in affordability, education, and childcare, according to WalletHub.

“Raising a family has become significantly more expensive in recent years as the cost of living has risen quickly,” said WalletHub Analyst Chip Lupo.

“In fact, it can cost a family well over $300,000 to raise a child to age 18, according to statistics from the U.S. Department of Agriculture,” Lupo added. “In light of the expensive nature of being a parent and the responsibility it entails, it’s important to live in a city that is affordable while still providing quality health care, education, safety and opportunities for enrichment.”

WalletHub notes that Massachusetts is far from the cheapest state to live in, with housing and childcare costs that are “relatively high” compared to the rest of the country. The median home price in the state was $630,200 in November, according to the most recent Redfin data.

But residents make up for these higher costs with “fairly high” incomes, helping the state rank #1 in affordability. The median household income was $101,341 from 2019 through 2023, according to U.S. Census Bureau data.

Massachusetts also boasts a top public school system, ranks high in job security, and has the second-highest overall life expectancy.

Here are the 10 best states to raise a family:

1. Massachusetts
2. Minnesota
3. North Dakota
4. Nebraska
5. New Hampshire
6. New York
7. Illinois
8. Wisconsin
9. Maine
10. Connecticut

The location of where children grow up can have a sizable impact on their development, according to Kendal Holtrop, associate professor, human development and family studies – Michigan State University.

“Access to health services, high-quality and affordable childcare, safe schools, and inclusive public spaces directly affect the developmental trajectories of children and families,” Holtrop said.

While some states ranked highly across the board, there were others that didn’t rank quite as high.

Here are the 10 states that ranked the lowest in WalletHub’s rankings:

50. New Mexico

49. Mississippi

48. West Virginia

47. Nevada

46. Oklahoma

45. Alabama

44. Arkansas

43. Louisiana

42. South Carolina

41. Arizona