Georgia rises two spots in ranking of best states for raising a family

The good news is Georgia rose two spots in WalletHub’s annual ranking of the best and worst states to raise a family. The bad news is we are still close to the bottom on the list.

“It’s crucial to consider economic factors when deciding where to raise a family, like the job market, average income and housing costs,” WalletHub analyst Cassandra Happe said on the website. “It’s also important to look beyond dollars and cents, as things like low-quality schools, a bad healthcare system, natural disasters, or a high crime rate can turn the already-stressful process of parenting into a nightmare.”

To determine the best states to raise a family, the financial website compared all 50 states across five key dimensions: family fun, health and safety, education and child care, affordability, and socio-economics.

It then evaluated those dimensions using 50 relevant metrics, each graded on a 100-point scale, with 100 representing the most favorable conditions for family life.

With an overall score of 42.27, Georgia ranked No. 40 this year, up two spots from 2023 and no longer in the bottom 10.

In each key dimension we ranked:

So what factors should families consider when choosing a place to raise their family?

According to Priscilla Blanton, professor emerita at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville: “Perhaps most important is the quality and accessibility of educational opportunities available. The availability and quality of other community services are also important (physical and mental health, supportive services for families, community engagement, etc.)”

Julie C. Parker, an associate professor at Mississippi State University, told WalletHub there are many factors that can influence a child’s early development.

“Families with young children must consider what support they need to provide their children with the most enriched experiences,” she said. “Most notably, a family with young children will want to assess the quality of and access to early childhood education programs, the availability of services for young children with special developmental needs, and the accessibility of extracurricular activities or safe environments that support overall development.”

If you’re mobile and looking for the best place to bring up baby, head to Massachusetts, which was No. 1 overall, No. 1 for education and child care, No. 3 for affordability, and No. 5 for health and safety.

“When it comes to education, Massachusetts isn’t just famous for universities like Harvard and MIT — it also has a reputation for good school systems for children, and it ranks first in that category,” WalletHub wrote. “In addition, the state is a good place for safeguarding children’s health, offering the best water quality in the country, the highest rate of insured children, and one of the lowest infant mortality rates.”

Rounding out the top five best states were North Dakota, Minnesota, Nebraska and New York, in that order.