Rhode Island Named Among Best States To Raise A Family

When it comes to finding the best place to raise a family, there are a lot of factors to consider, from the cost of childcare to the quality of public education. In a new ranking from WalletHub, Rhode Island was named among the best states to raise a family, coming in at number 14 out of 50.

To determine the ranking, WalletHub considered several factors: family fun, health and safety, education and childcare, affordability and socioeconomics, ranking states in each category and determining an overall score out of 100. Rhode Island fared best in affordability, ranking second in the country.

Minnesota came in first, with an overall score of 63.71. Rhode Island neighbor Massachusetts was close behind in second place with 63.22 points.

The interactive map below shows how states across the country ranked.

Here's how Rhode Island fared in each of the categories:

• Overall Rank: 14
• Overall Score: 56.15
• Family Fun: 24
• Health and Safety: 8
• Education and Childcare: 14
• Affordability: 2
• Socioeconomics: 36

"The state in which [families] live significantly influence children’s development and a family’s quality of life," said Kelly Chandler, an associate professor at Oregon State University. "Raising a healthy, stable family sometimes requires moving to a new state. And the reasons for moving are often similar: career transitions, better schools, financial challenges or a general desire to change settings."

See the full ranking on WalletHub.