When people ask for best states to raise a family; Massachusetts has ranked as the best state to raise a family in the United States for the fourth consecutive year, earning the top position in WalletHub’s 2026 analysis of all 50 states with an overall score of 67.60 out of 100. The ranking, released in January 2026 and based on 50 individual metrics across five dimensions, confirmed what migration data, school quality studies, and healthcare outcome reports have pointed to consistently: the states that serve families best are the ones that score well across multiple dimensions simultaneously rather than topping one category while struggling in others.
A state can have the lowest housing prices in the country and still fail families if the schools are underfunded, violent crime is elevated, and the healthcare system lacks pediatricians. The best states for families in 2026 are the ones that achieve a balanced score across safety, education quality, healthcare access, economic opportunity, and everyday affordability.
This guide covers the 2026 rankings in full, with detailed profiles of the top 15 states, an honest assessment of the bottom 10, category-by-category performance data, and the specific metrics that drive each state’s position on the list. The primary source is WalletHub’s January 2026 report, which is the most comprehensive annual ranking available for this topic, drawing on data from the US Census Bureau, the National Center for Education Statistics, the CDC, the FBI Uniform Crime Report, and the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Secondary sources include World Population Review’s 2026 Best States to Raise a Family index, Moishes Moving’s February 2026 state-by-state analysis, CNBC’s reporting on WalletHub’s methodology and expert commentary, and the Newsweek and Yahoo Finance coverage of the full 50-state ranked list.
Key Points: Best States for Families 2026
- #1 Best State: Massachusetts is the 4th consecutive year at #1; WalletHub score 67.60; best in education and childcare; 3rd best job security; 9th lowest poverty rate; second highest life expectancy
- #2: Minnesota has the highest median family income adjusted for cost of living; low poverty; excellent healthcare and parks infrastructure; among the lowest violent crime rates nationally
- #3: North Dakota has the strongest affordability metrics for housing and childcare; low divorce rate; high graduation rates; lowest unemployment in the country
- #4: Wisconsin with low grocery costs (lowest in analyzed states); low property crime at 12.2 per 1,000; strong economic stability and community character
- #5: Nebraska — top affordability scores; strong family entertainment access; reliable healthcare infrastructure; Omaha and Lincoln anchor the state’s family-friendly metro areas
- Top 10 complete: Massachusetts, Minnesota, North Dakota, Wisconsin, Nebraska, New York, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Illinois, Maine (WalletHub 2026)
- Worst state: New Mexico scores 32.69; high poverty; elevated violent crime; underfunded education; high divorce rate; lowest-ranked state for the second consecutive year
- Bottom 10: New Mexico, West Virginia, Mississippi, Nevada, Alabama, Louisiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Georgia
- Safest states by crime data: Maine and New Hampshire are both record violent crime below 1 incident per 1,000 residents; Maine ranked #1 in Public Safety by WalletHub
- Most affordable for families: Nebraska, Wisconsin, North Dakota are great for housing, grocery, and childcare costs consistently below national averages
- WalletHub’s five evaluation dimensions: Health and Safety; Family Fun and Recreation; Education and Childcare; Cost of Living; Socioeconomic Factors
How the 2026 Rankings Were Built
WalletHub’s 2026 ranking evaluated all 50 states across five dimensions using 50 individual metrics drawn from federal data sources. Each dimension was scored on a scale of 100, and the five scores were combined into an overall state score. The five dimensions and their key underlying metrics are described below so you can use the methodology to evaluate trade-offs for your own situation rather than simply accepting the overall ranking at face value. A family that earns remotely and prioritizes school quality will weigh these dimensions very differently from a family that is budget-constrained and values safety above all other factors.
How the 2026 Rankings Were Built
To determine the top states for families in 2026, we analyzed 51 key metrics across five essential dimensions. While some states like Massachusetts dominate in education and health, others like North Dakota offer the financial breathing room many families prioritize. Below is the technical breakdown of the metrics that fueled this year’s rankings.
2026 Family-Friendly State Rankings: The Full List
Prioritizing Your Child’s Education?
For most families, the quality of local school districts is a top priority in any relocation. To see which states are leading the way in academic performance and school safety, check out our report on: States Ranked by Education in 2025.
Top 10 States: Detailed Profiles
1. Massachusetts – Best State for Families 2026
Massachusetts earns its fourth consecutive number one ranking with a WalletHub score of 67.60, driven by the strongest combination of school quality, healthcare outcomes, and child safety metrics of any state in the country. Its public school system ranks first nationally on WalletHub’s education and childcare dimension. Its healthcare metrics are exceptional across the board: the state has the fifth-best water quality nationally, the highest percentage of children with health insurance coverage, the third-lowest infant mortality rate, the second-highest overall life expectancy, and the fourth-lowest property crime rate. Job security is the third best in the country, and the ninth-lowest poverty rate confirms that the state’s high income levels extend meaningfully across the income distribution rather than pooling only at the top. CNBC’s coverage quoted WalletHub financial writer Adam McCann: “Massachusetts demonstrates consistency, offering a strong mix of job security and an outstanding educational system. Although taxes are high and childcare costs can be steep, the state’s very high median annual income compensates for these expenses, a trend that has remained stable in recent years.” The honest limitation of Massachusetts for families is cost. The state is one of the most expensive in the country for housing, childcare, and general living expenses, and families below the median income level may find the state’s financial advantages harder to access.
Best cities for families in Massachusetts: Lexington (top-ranked schools); Needham (suburban, safe, excellent schools); Natick (walkable, family-friendly, Metro West commute corridor); Newton (diverse neighborhoods, excellent school system, close to Boston)
Best for: Professional families with strong incomes; families prioritizing school quality and healthcare access above all other variables; households with children who benefit from Massachusetts’ exceptional pediatric healthcare network
2. Minnesota – Best for Balanced Family Economics
Minnesota ranks second nationally with the highest median family income adjusted for cost of living of any state, combining economic strength with low poverty rates, an excellent public healthcare system, and an abundant parks and recreational infrastructure that distinguishes it from other high-ranked states. The Twin Cities metro offers a depth of professional employment, cultural programming, and school quality that consistently draws families from other Midwest states, while Greater Minnesota provides lower-cost community options with the same safety and school quality metrics. Minnesota’s violent crime rate is among the lowest nationally, and WalletHub rates it among the safest states for family living in 2026. The Minnesota Department of Education’s investment in early childhood education programs and pre-K enrollment reaches a higher percentage of eligible children than most comparable states. The limitation that keeps Minnesota from the top spot is a cost of living that, while well below Massachusetts and New York, runs above the national average in the Twin Cities metro, and a winter climate averaging minus 4 to minus 15 degrees Fahrenheit in January that requires meaningful lifestyle adjustment for families relocating from warmer regions.
Best cities for families in Minnesota: Edina (top-ranked suburban schools; affluent; family amenities); Woodbury (fastest-growing suburb; family-oriented; excellent schools); Plymouth (safe; diverse; strong parks); Rochester (Mayo Clinic employment anchor; excellent family services)
Best for: Families seeking the best combination of income, safety, and school quality in the Midwest; outdoor recreation families (10,000 lakes, skiing, cycling trails); healthcare professionals (Mayo Clinic, Allina, M Health Fairview)
3. North Dakota – Best for Affordable Family Living
North Dakota earns the third position nationally with the strongest cost metrics for family living in the country: the lowest unemployment rate of any US state, the best combination of housing affordability and childcare affordability on WalletHub’s cost of living dimension, and a low divorce rate that reflects broad family stability across the state’s population. The state’s economy is anchored by energy and agriculture, producing a stable employment base that is less subject to the boom-bust cycles that affect technology and finance-heavy states. Public schools earn strong ratings and maintain above-average graduation rates with consistent investment in local education infrastructure. Safety metrics are excellent, with violent crime rates far below the national average and a community character that multiple independent surveys describe as genuinely family-oriented. The honest limitation is geographic: North Dakota’s winters are severe (Bismarck averages minus 7 degrees Fahrenheit in January), the state has limited cultural and entertainment infrastructure compared to larger metros, and families accustomed to urban amenity density will find the adjustment significant. For families who can embrace the lifestyle, North Dakota offers a financial and safety combination that no coastal state can match.
Best cities for families in North Dakota: Bismarck (state capital; best family services; growing restaurant and cultural scene); Fargo (largest city; university anchor; more diverse employment base; warmer relative to western ND); Mandan (safe suburb of Bismarck; lower cost; established family communities)
Best for: Energy industry families; families prioritizing affordability and financial security; households leaving high-cost states seeking maximum take-home pay retention
4. Wisconsin – Best for Affordable Midwestern Family Life
Wisconsin combines the lowest grocery costs of any state in WalletHub’s 2026 analysis with strong school investment, low property crime at 12.2 incidents per 1,000 people, and an economic stability that gives families a predictable financial foundation across both urban and rural communities. The state’s blend of Milwaukee and Madison metro resources with genuinely affordable small-city and rural communities throughout gives Wisconsin a range of family living options that few states can match at its price point. Madison, anchored by the University of Wisconsin, consistently ranks among the best mid-size cities in the country for family quality of life. The Green Bay and Fox Valley corridor offers strong manufacturing employment with school systems that outperform their income brackets. Property values are moderate across most of the state, and the absence of the extreme property tax burden that characterizes Illinois and New Jersey keeps the total monthly ownership cost manageable. The limitation is climate: Wisconsin winters are cold and snowy statewide, and the state’s location on Lake Michigan and Lake Superior creates significant lake-effect precipitation events in eastern communities.
Best cities for families in Wisconsin: Madison (exceptional school system; University anchor; walkable; family progressive culture); Waukesha (safe Milwaukee suburb; strong schools; affordable); Appleton (Fox Valley anchor; mid-size city feel; top-rated school systems); Eau Claire (growing city; affordable; outdoor recreation; quality schools)
Best for: Families leaving Chicago or the Twin Cities for lower costs; manufacturing and technology industry families; outdoor recreation families (door County, lake access, skiing)
5. Nebraska – Best for Family Affordability and Safety
Nebraska earns the fifth position with the strongest affordability-to-safety ratio in the central United States, combining low housing prices, low grocery costs, a low crime rate, and a reliable healthcare infrastructure into a package that serves families earning at the median income level better than almost any other state. Omaha and Lincoln both rank consistently among the most family-friendly mid-size cities in national surveys, with school systems that produce strong NAEP outcomes relative to their cost per pupil, active youth sports and recreation infrastructure, and neighborhoods with the community character that family-focused surveys consistently identify as a driver of long-term residential satisfaction. The state ranks fourth overall for families on WalletHub’s composite index. The limitation for Nebraska is the same one that applies to most Great Plains states: limited cultural and entertainment depth outside of Omaha and Lincoln, a flat and agriculturally-dominated landscape that does not appeal to families prioritizing natural scenery and outdoor recreation variety, and a limited airport hub structure that makes domestic travel more time-consuming than from larger metro states.
Best cities for families in Nebraska: Papillion (Omaha suburb; consistently ranked top 10 safest small city in the US; excellent schools); Elkhorn (growing Omaha suburb; new construction; A-rated schools); Lincoln (state capital; University of Nebraska anchor; diverse economy; strong family services); Bellevue (Offutt AFB anchor; military family community; affordable; good schools)
Best for: Budget-conscious families seeking top-quartile safety and school quality; military families (Offutt AFB); remote workers seeking low cost of living with urban Omaha or Lincoln amenity access
6. New York – Best for Urban Family Depth
New York earns sixth place nationally, driven by a top-10 K-12 school system, a child tax credit that provides meaningful financial support to working families, the most comprehensive hospital and pediatric care network in the country, and a family recreation and cultural infrastructure that no other state can match in breadth. The important nuance in New York’s ranking is the gap between the state’s overall score and the experience of families in New York City’s five boroughs versus the state’s suburban and upstate communities. Long Island (Nassau and Suffolk Counties), Westchester County, and the Hudson Valley suburbs consistently deliver the state’s best combination of school quality, safety, and family amenity access. Upstate cities like Albany, Syracuse, and Rochester offer genuinely affordable family living with the same state-level healthcare and education infrastructure at a fraction of the cost of the metro area. The honest limitation is a cost structure in the New York City metro that prices out most middle-income families who do not have the benefit of equity from a prior home sale or a dual income exceeding $150,000 per year.
Best cities for families in New York: Saratoga Springs (upstate; safe; excellent schools; nationally recognized quality of life); Manhasset (Long Island; top school district; family character); Pelham (Westchester; Amtrak commute to NYC; excellent schools; strong community); Albany suburbs (Guilderland, Bethlehem; affordable; strong schools; state employment anchor)
Best for: High-income professional families with NYC metro employment; families with equity from prior home sales entering Westchester or Long Island markets; remote workers seeking upstate New York affordability with state-level education quality
7. Connecticut – Biggest Mover in the Top 10
Connecticut is the most notable mover in the 2026 top 10, climbing significantly from its prior-year ranking into seventh place nationally. The improvement reflects sustained investment in public health infrastructure, a very low rate of uninsured children that now matches or surpasses the historically dominant New England states in that specific metric, and a continued commitment to school quality in communities throughout the state. WalletHub’s analysis identifies Connecticut as having achieved a “healthy balance between safety and infrastructure” that makes it one of the great states to raise a family for parents who prioritize their children’s education and healthcare access simultaneously. Connecticut’s median household income is among the highest in the country, and its suburban communities in Fairfield County, Hartford County, and New Haven County offer access to both New York City employment (via Metro-North and I-95) and genuinely high-quality local school districts. The limitation is a cost of living that is among the top five most expensive in the country, property taxes that are elevated even by New England standards, and a state fiscal situation that has required significant budget management over the past decade.
Best cities for families in Connecticut: Glastonbury (Hartford suburb; consistently top-ranked in CT; safe; excellent schools); Wilton (Fairfield County; top schools; NYC commute; strong community); Avon (Hartford suburb; highly rated schools; safe; affluent); Madison (shoreline; excellent schools; small-town coastal character)
Best for: Families with NYC or Hartford employment who want top New England suburban school quality; families with strong incomes who prioritize education and healthcare access above cost factors
8. New Hampshire – Safest Tax-Friendly New England State
New Hampshire combines one of the lowest violent crime rates in the country, at approximately 150 to 170 incidents per 100,000 residents (roughly 1.5 per 1,000), with no state income tax, no state sales tax, excellent parks and recreational infrastructure, and strong civic engagement in educational and community life. The combination of no income tax and no sales tax gives New Hampshire households among the highest effective take-home pay of any state, and the state’s proximity to Boston (most of southern New Hampshire is within 90 minutes of the Boston employment core) means professional families can access major-market salaries while living in a low-tax, low-crime state with strong schools. The state parks system provides more than 6 parks per 100,000 residents, and public library access runs above 15 libraries per 100,000 residents, supporting a community infrastructure unusually rich for a state of its size. The limitations are predictable: limited public transit statewide, car dependency in most communities, and a winter climate that is genuinely cold and snowy in the northern and western portions of the state.
Best cities for families in New Hampshire: Bedford (consistent #1 ranked town in NH; top schools; safe; affluent; Manchester employment proximity); Windham (southern NH; excellent schools; Boston commute accessible; growing); Londonderry (balanced affordability and school quality; family-oriented; Manchester-Boston Regional Airport proximity); Keene (southwestern NH; Keene State anchor; small-city character; lower cost)
Best for: Boston-area professional families seeking no-income-tax living with commute access; remote workers maximizing take-home pay; families prioritizing outdoor recreation in White Mountains or Lakes Region
9. Illinois – Best Midwest Large-State Option
Illinois earns ninth place nationally with strong scores in health, safety, and education driven primarily by the Chicago metro’s exceptional healthcare system, school quality in the northern suburbs, and the depth of cultural and recreational programming that gives Chicago-area families access to world-class museums, professional sports across all major leagues, and one of the best urban park systems in the country. The honest challenge with Illinois’s ranking is that it reflects a state whose performance is heavily weighted toward the Chicago corridor: downstate Illinois communities score far lower on most metrics than the northern suburbs and the city itself, and the state’s fiscal challenges and high property tax burden are real limitations that the state ranking understates for individual households. Families considering Illinois for its ranking should research specific communities with the same parcel-level diligence they would apply to any state with wide internal variation.
Best cities for families in Illinois: Naperville (nationally recognized schools; district 203; family character; Metra access); Barrington (District 220; wooded suburban character; nationally recognized academic programs); Lake Forest (North Shore; top schools; Lake Michigan access; affluent); Champaign-Urbana (most affordable quality option; University of Illinois anchor; tech growth)
Best for: Professional families with Chicago metro employment; families who use the city’s cultural infrastructure regularly; children enrolled or planning to enroll in top-ranked Illinois suburban school programs
10. Maine – Safest State in America for Families
Maine earns the tenth position nationally and the number one ranking in WalletHub’s Public Safety dimension, with a violent crime rate under 1 incident per 1,000 residents, the safest figure of any state in the country. Only 5 percent of children in Maine live below the poverty line, the state offers a child tax credit that provides meaningful financial support to middle-income families, and the combination of natural environment quality, clean air, and well-organized small communities creates a standard of daily living that no crime statistic or income figure fully captures. Maine’s southern coastal communities, the greater Portland metro, and the Kennebec Valley all provide genuine family quality across school, safety, and community dimensions. The limitation for Maine is the same that applies to all northern New England: a job market that requires either remote work or tolerance for a Portland or Boston commute for most professional careers, and a winter climate that averages 70 inches of snow annually in the interior and 60 inches in the Portland area.
Best cities for families in Maine: Cape Elizabeth (Portland suburb; top schools in ME; coastal; safe; family-oriented); Falmouth (Portland suburb; excellent schools; water access; community character); Yarmouth (small town; top school system; trails and nature access; Portland proximity); South Portland (affordable Portland alternative; good schools; urban amenities)
Best for: Remote workers seeking the safest possible family environment; families leaving Massachusetts or Connecticut for lower cost with retained New England quality; retirees with grown children returning to New England roots
Finding Your First Family Home?
Choosing the right state to raise your children often goes hand-in-hand with finding a market where you can actually afford to buy. To see where your budget goes furthest in today’s market, explore our guide to the Best States for First-Time Homebuyers.
Safest State to Raise a Family
When looking at 2026 crime data, Maine and New Hampshire are the definitive leaders for family safety. While most states struggle to lower their crime rates, these two have set a national benchmark with violent crime rates below 1 incident per 1,000 residents.
Maine currently holds the #1 spot in Public Safety. It is the only state in the country that consistently reports the lowest number of assaults and property crimes per capita, making it the most secure choice for parents this year.
2026 State Safety Rankings: Lowest Violent Crime Rates
| State | Safety Rank | Violent Crimes (per 1,000) |
|---|---|---|
| Maine | #1 | 1.0 |
| New Hampshire | #2 | 1.1 |
| Connecticut | #3 | 1.5 |
| Vermont | #4 | 1.7 |
Bottom 10 States: What Drives the Low Rankings?
The ten lowest-ranked states in 2026 share three structural issues: high poverty rates that limit school funding, crime rates above the national average, and limited access to specialized healthcare. However, understanding these gaps allows families to identify specific local “pockets of excellence” that defy the statewide average.
Important: Don’t Judge a Neighborhood by its State
State rankings mask enormous local variations. For example, Arkansas (44th) contains the Bentonville metro, which rivals the Top 10 states in economic vitality. Similarly, Georgia’s (41st) Johns Creek is consistently one of the safest cities in America. Always look at the city-level data before crossing a state off your list.
Find Your Match: Best States by Priority
Every family has a different “must-have.” Use this breakdown to see which states lead the nation in the categories that matter most to your household.
Note: “Top States” are determined by 2026 weighted data across infrastructure, legislative funding, and cost-of-living adjustments.
Planning a Move for Your Family?
Relocating your household to one of the best states for families involves a lot of moving parts. Whether you’ve picked your next home or are still weighing your options, our team specializes in the logistics of seamless family relocations. Let us handle the heavy lifting so you can focus on getting your kids settled.
Speak with our family relocation experts: 888-316-8329
FAQ
What is the best state to raise a family in 2026?
Massachusetts is the best state to raise a family in the United States in 2026 for the fourth consecutive year, earning a WalletHub score of 67.60 out of 100. It leads the nation in education and childcare quality, has the third-best job security nationally, the ninth-lowest poverty rate, the highest percentage of children with health insurance, the third-lowest infant mortality rate, and the second-highest life expectancy. The primary limitation is a high cost of living, but the state’s equally high median household income and wage levels mitigate that disadvantage for most working families.
What is the safest state to raise a family in 2026?
Maine is the safest state to raise a family in 2026, earning WalletHub’s number one ranking in the Public Safety dimension with a violent crime rate under 1 incident per 1,000 residents, the lowest of any state in the country. New Hampshire is the runner-up with approximately 150 to 170 violent incidents per 100,000 residents, also well below the national average. Both states are consistently the safest in the country by FBI crime data and produce the lowest child poverty rates and highest family stability metrics in New England.
What is the most affordable state to raise a family in 2026?
North Dakota and Nebraska are the most affordable states for family living in 2026 based on WalletHub’s cost of living dimension, which measures housing costs, childcare costs, grocery prices, healthcare expenses, and overall tax burden relative to median family income. North Dakota leads on housing and childcare affordability specifically and has the lowest unemployment rate in the country. Nebraska leads on the balance of grocery costs, low crime, and school quality relative to total family expenditure. Both states deliver top-quartile safety and school quality at cost levels that no coastal state approaches.
What is the worst state to raise a family in 2026?
New Mexico is the worst state to raise a family in 2026 with a WalletHub score of 32.69, the lowest of any state in the country for the second consecutive year. The state struggles across all five evaluation dimensions simultaneously: the highest poverty rate in the nation, soaring separation and divorce rates, elevated violent crime, an underfunded education system, and the highest childcare cost burden relative to median income of any state. Families considering New Mexico should evaluate specific communities carefully, as Albuquerque’s northeast heights communities and Santa Fe’s upper school zones perform meaningfully better than the statewide average suggests.
How did WalletHub rank the best states to raise a family in 2026?
WalletHub evaluated all 50 states using 50 individual metrics across five dimensions: Health and Safety, Education and Childcare, Socioeconomic Factors, Cost of Living, and Family Fun and Recreation. Each dimension was scored on a scale of 100, and the five scores were combined into an overall state score. Key data sources include the US Census Bureau, the National Center for Education Statistics, the CDC, the FBI Uniform Crime Report, and the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The report was released in January 2026 and represents the most comprehensive publicly available annual ranking for this topic.
Which states are best for families moving from a high-cost state?
Families relocating from high-cost states like California, New York, New Jersey, or Massachusetts for financial reasons will find the best combination of quality and affordability in Wisconsin, Nebraska, North Dakota, and Virginia. Wisconsin delivers the lowest grocery costs in the analyzed states, low property crime, and strong school quality at home prices well below the national average. Nebraska offers the best overall affordability-to-safety-to-school-quality ratio in the central US. North Dakota has the lowest unemployment rate and best housing affordability relative to income. Virginia provides the best organized public education system in the South with low pollution, stable jobs, and home prices significantly below the Northeast states it competes with on school quality.
References
- CNBC: Massachusetts is the best US state to raise a family for the fourth year in a row
- Yahoo Finance: The 10 best and 5 worst states to raise a family in 2026
- Newsweek: Map Reveals Best and Worst States to Raise a Family
- Parents.com: Here Are the 10 Best States to Raise Your Family in 2026
- Social Good Moms: Best and Worst States to Raise a Family in 2026
- Mental Floss: The Best and Worst States to Raise a Family in 2026
- The State: South Carolina among worst states to raise family in 2026
- World Population Review: Best States to Raise a Family 2026
- Moishe’s Moving: Best States to Raise a Family in the US 2026
- New American Funding: These Are the 10 Best States to Raise a Family in 2026
