The good news: Georgia is no longer in the bottom 10 states for raising a family.
The bad news: It’s the 11th worst.
The Peach State has been in the bottom 10 on WalletHub’s annual ranking at least the past four years. Out of 50 states, Georgia finished:
2020: 42 (ninth worst)
2019: 41 (10th worst)
2018: 42 (ninth worst)
2017: 44 (seventh worst)
For 2021, the state climbed a notch, finishing at No. 40 and leaving the bottom 10 behind it.
For its annual ranking, financial website WalletHub compared the 50 states across five key dimensions: family fun; health and safety, education and child care; affordability; and socio-economics.
Those dimensions were then evaluated using 52 relevant metrics. Each metric was graded on a 100-point scale, with a score of 100 representing the most favorable conditions for family life.
Georgia finished with an overall score of 39.9. The best showing was in family fun, in which the state finished No. 26. Family fun’s metrics included share of families with young children, number of attractions, and fitness and recreational sports centers.
In the other four dimensions, Georgia finished:
Health and safety: 33
Education and child care: 40
Affordability: 38
Socio-economics: 40
So, what is WalletHub’s best state in which to raise a family?
That would be Massachusetts, with a score of 60.88. It’s followed by Minnesota (60.57), North Dakota (60.10), New York (59.8) and Vermont (59.16).
Finishing last in 2021 is New Mexico, with a score of 28.95. It is preceded by Mississippi (29.70), West Virginia (33.83), Louisiana (33.83) and Oklahoma (34.49).
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