MINNEAPOLIS — Minnesota is known for lots of things - cold weather, mosquitos, people who say "you betcha" too much - but there's now something a bit more positive to brag about.
The state is a great place to raise kids.
New research by the personal finance website WalletHub ranks Minnesota as the third-best state in America to raise a family, bested only by Massachusetts and our neighbor North Dakota. Rounding out the top five are Nebraska and New York.
The rankings were based on data in five key categories.
- Family Fun
- Health and Safety
- Education and Child Care
- Affordability
- Socio-economics
From those categories, researchers graded the states using 50 key indicators, ranging from median annual family income and housing affordability to unemployment rate.
“It’s crucial to consider economic factors when deciding where to raise a family, like the job market, average income and housing costs," explained WalletHub Analyst Cassandra Happe. "It’s also important to look beyond dollars and cents, as things like low-quality schools, a bad healthcare system, natural disasters, or a high crime rate can turn the already-stressful process of parenting into a nightmare.”
Here are some of the categories that earned Minnesota a high ranking as a great place to raise a family.
Minnesota - Ranked 3rd overall
- 6th – % of Families with Young Children
- 5th – Child-Care Costs (Adjusted for Median Family Income)
- 16th – Infant-Mortality Rate
- 2nd – Median Annual Family Income (Adjusted for Cost of Living)
- 18th – Violent Crimes per Capita
- 2nd – % of Families in Poverty
- 17th – Housing Affordability
- 1st – Unemployment Rate
- 6th – Separation and Divorce Rate
"Minnesota is the third-best state to raise a family, at least if you’re not averse to its harsh winters," reads an explainer in the WalletHub report. "Minnesota is a great place to find a job to support your family, as it has one of the highest median family incomes after adjusting for the cost of living and one of the lowest unemployment rates. In addition to good pay and job stability, residents also receive reliable long-term benefits, as Minnesota ranks at the top for employer-based retirement plan access and participation."
Researchers also noted children's health as something Minnesota can be proud of, pointing to the rate of life expectancy at birth and some of the best public hospitals in the country. The study notes that an emphasis on parks in neighborhoods contributes to high fitness and low obesity rates.
The five worst states to raise a family, according to WalletHub, are Arkansas, Alabama, West Virginia, Mississippi and New Mexico.
For more on the study and where states rank, check out the entire report on the WalletHub website.
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