
Wait…Utah Isn’t the Best Place to Raise a Family?!?
What if I told you that Utah isn’t the best state to raise a family? According to finance website WalletHub, Utah doesn’t even rank in the Top 10.
The article showcasing the results of the study comes from Adam McCann with several metrics dictating what makes the best state for raising a family in 2025.
McCann wrote, “Certain states make it easier than others to raise a family. The ideal state is one that’s affordable to live in that also offers a high degree of safety and good job prospects, on top of quality education, healthcare and entertainment. To help people find cities with the perfect combination of those factors, WalletHub compared the 50 states across 50 key indicators of family-friendliness. Our data set includes factors like the median annual family income, housing affordability, health care quality, crime rate, and school quality.”
Utah didn’t rank too well compared to other states as it was placed in the No. 20 spot with a total score of 54.72. Its highest metric was No. 12 in education and childcare.
In terms of affordability, it only ranked at No. 35. As for the other states and their rankings, let’s go over the Top 3 worst and best states.
Top 3 Best States for Raising a Family in 2025
- North Dakota
- Minnesota
- Massachusetts.
McCann wrote, “Massachusetts is the best state to raise a family, in large part because it provides a good blend of economic opportunities and safe conditions for children. The Bay State has the best job security in the country and the 10th-lowest poverty rate, which increases the likelihood that parents will be able to provide for their children. It’s not the cheapest state, as housing and child care costs are relatively high compared to most of the nation, but residents make up for this with fairly high incomes.”
Top 3 Worst States for Raising a Family in 2025
- West Virginia
- Mississippi
- New Mexico
New Mexico ranked the overall lowest with a score of 32.40. They ranked the lowest in education and childcare and didn’t fare any better in the other designated metrics.
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Gallery Credit: Stacker
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