Is Massachusetts the best state for families? WalletHub recently published a comparison chart that rates each state across the U.S. on a proprietary scale to determine which states are the best for families. Now, these types of surveys are released quite often online, but when a substantial presence, such as Wallethub, decides to weigh on and provide some numbers, I always like to review what they have to say.
Each state was graded across 51 key indicators within five primary categories:
- Family Fun
- Health & Safety
- Education & Child Care
- Affordability
- Socio-economics
The findings have concluded that Massachusetts is the number 1 state in the country for family friendliness. Now, I agree with almost all of their findings, some of which are subjective. However, I think most residents who’ve ever lived in Massachusetts or looked for a home in the state would disagree with housing affordability.
I’ve talked about the challenges families face living in a hot real estate market before in my blog, “Middle-Class Income: Renting vs. Owning in a Hot Real Estate Market,” and I think WalletHub has not given the shortage of housing in Massachusetts fair weight on the scale.
What do you think? Has WalletHub got Massachusetts graded correctly, or is there room for improvement? Is Massachusetts the best state for families?
As a family financial planner in MA, I’d love to hear some local opinions on the piece.
