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There’s a lot to consider when making a move, and if you have a family (or are planning to in the near future), this rings even truer. If you’re currently weighing the pros and cons of a certain locale, a recent study may shed some light. WalletHub looked at certain factors in each of the 50 states to come up with a list of the best—and worst—places to raise a family.
The survey examined five key factors to determine the list. WalletHub compared family fun (i.e., the number of playgrounds or rec centers), health and safety, education and childcare, affordability, and socio-economics, and then, just to be thorough, it pitted each factor against 49 measurements like median family salary and housing affordability.
50 states and too much math for a Monday later, these are the five best states for raising a family:
- Minnesota
- Massachusetts
- North Dakota
- Vermont
- New Hampshire
Conversely, WalletHub suggests these are the worst five states for young families:
- Alabama
- West Virginia
- Louisiana
- Mississippi
- New Mexico
It’s interesting to note that three of the top five states are in New England—maybe it has something to do with all the picturesque weekend getaway spots the area is known for? We can see why young families, in particular, would want to live there: Parents in need of a respite from diaper changes are mere train rides away from a quiet weekend at the lake.
See more housing stats: Here’s Where Everyone Will Be Moving in 2018 According to Millennials, These Are the Places Worth the Move Move Over, Austin: Millennials Are Buying Homes in These Low-Key Cities