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An October report from ConsumerAffairs compared all 50 U.S. states to determine its ranking of the best states to raise a family. The states were analyzed across five weighted categories worth a total of 100 points: Affordability (30 points) Safety (25 points) Education (20 points) Health care (15 points) Quality of life (10 points) ConsumerAffairs did not include Washington, D.C. in this year's ranking. The report found that the best states to raise a family are mainly in the Northeast. Jailyn Rodriguez, lead researcher at Consumer Affairs, tells CNBC Make It that the concentration of top states in the Northeast was not surprising and continues last year's trend. "We know that states in the Northeast generally come with a higher cost of living," she says. "Overall, the states did not perform well when it comes to affordability." What these states lack in affordability, they do make up for in other areas, Rodriguez notes. "Families in the Northeast are going to benefit from lower crime rates. They are going to benefit from stronger access to quality education, health care and a higher quality of life." A 2023 study by LendingTree estimated that the average annual cost of raising a child has climbed to $21,681, a 19% increase from 2016, bringing the total estimated cost per child to $389,000 over 18 years. "At the end of the day, you can't just focus on where it's going to be most affordable," Rodriguez says. "There are so many factors that you need to consider that will directly shape a child's life." The Granite State ranked as the best to raise a family, with a total score of 68.98. New Hampshire climbed from No. 4 in 2024, overtaking Pennsylvania, Maine, and Vermont to claim the No. 1 spot this year. New Hampshire ranked No. 1 in safety and No. 3 in quality of life, according to the report. The state came in at No. 34 in the affordability category and no. 22 in education. Rodriguez says that New Hampshire's high safety score helped it win the top spot on the overall ranking. The state also has some of the best air quality in the country, access to parks and one of the strongest public library systems per capita. "Those are all things that ultimately help shape a healthy childhood outside of school," she says. Though the ConsumerAffairs report names New Hampshire as the best state to raise a family, a study by the New Hampshire Fiscal Policy Institute found that over the past 10 years, the state's cost of living has outpaced what most families earn. The typical New Hampshire household now earns nearly $100,000 a year, yet a family of four with this income still falls about $2,000 short of covering basic needs annually, the report states. According to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Living Wage Calculator, the cost of basic living expenses in New Hampshire for a family with two working adults and two children is comparable to the most expensive states like Massachusetts, Vermont, California, Connecticut, New York, Colorado, Oregon, and Alaska, at $129,768 annually. New Hampshire Maine Wisconsin Vermont New York Connecticut Wyoming Virginia Massachusetts Pennsylvania Maine ranked as the No. 2 best state to raise a family for the second year in a row. It scored 66.85 and ranked No. 1 in the quality of life category and No. 2 for safety. The state ranked No. 35 for affordability, No. 19 in education and No. 13 in health care. The report found that it had the lowest rate of children in poverty and the lowest violent crime rate. Maine also offers a state child tax credit. Similar to New Hampshire, Maine also has some of the cleanest air in the nation and one of the lowest violent crime rates in the country. "The state is choosing to invest in community resources and prioritizing learning outside of the classroom. For parents who want to find a state where kids can grow up safe and feel supported, Maine is one of the strongest choices for that," Rodriguez says. In 2025, the Pine Tree State ranked No. 2 for quality of life on CNBC's annual top states for business study. According to the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, based on U.S. Census Bureau data, the median household income in Maine is currently $90,730. Want to level up your AI skills? Sign up for Smarter by CNBC Make It's new online course, How To Use AI To Communicate Better At Work. Get specific prompts to optimize emails, memos and presentations for tone, context and audience. Sign up today with coupon code EARLYBIRD for an introductory discount of 20% off. Offer valid Oct. 21 through Oct. 28, 2025. Plus, sign up for CNBC Make It's newsletter to get tips and tricks for success at work, with money and in life, and request to join our exclusive community on LinkedIn to connect with experts and peers.
