Parents want the best for their children and entire family, and new research suggests that moving to Minnesota may help out in that department.
WalletHub released its annual report on the best states to raise a family, and the home of the Vikings grabbed the top slot. The research compares America's 50 states across 50 key indicators of family friendliness, ranging from median family salaries and housing affordability to unemployment rate and child care costs. Here are some of the key categories that pushed Minnesota to the top of the list.
Raising a Family in Minnesota (1=Best; 25=Avg.):
- 1st – Median Family Salary (Adjusted for Cost of Living)
- 1st – Unemployment Rate
- 2nd – % of Families in Poverty
- 3th – Infant-Mortality Rate
- 6th – Separation & Divorce Rate
- 9th – % of Families with Young Kids
- 9th – Child-Care Costs (Adjusted for Median Family Income)
- 10th – Violent-Crime Rate
- 18th – Housing Affordability
Rounding out the top 5 on the list were Massachusetts, North Dakota, Vermont and New Hampshire. The worst states to raise a family, according to WalletHub's research, were New Mexico, Mississippi, Louisiana, West Virginia and Alabama.
Wisconsin was ranked 13th best state to raise a family, while South Dakota and Iowa were 11th and 12th, respectively.
For more on the study, its methodology and perspective from experts, check out WalletHub's website.
