The 15 Worst States to Raise a Family

WalletHub's recent study examined what the best and worst states in America are to raise a family.

The 15 Worst States to Raise a Family

Looking to raise a family, but haven’t yet figured out where to put down your roots? Then, one of these states … probably isn’t the best option for you. WalletHub recently released a study examining what the best and worst states in America are to raise a family. To do so, the company weighed these factors, among others — family fun, health and safety, education and childcare, affordability and socio-economics.

Each category was graded on a 100-point scale, with 100 being the best. Then, those scores were calculated to give the state a final score, again on a 100-point scale. The best state received a 65.32, while the worst received a 31.69. Intrigued about which one received the worst? We are, too...

A Closer Look at the Factors

Before we begin, though, here’s a closer look at exactly what was factored into each of the major categories the study examined:

• Family Fun: Number of attractions, share of kids who live in neighborhoods with a park or playground, and share of families with young children

• Health and Safety: Crime, water and air quality, healthcare, infant mortality rate, major climate disasters and share of children who go to safe schools

• Education and Childcare: Good public schools, graduation rates, daycare quality, parental leave in the workforce, number of kids who go to extracurricular work and number of children who participate in community service or volunteer work

• Affordability: Housing affordability, credit scores, mortgage debts, non-mortgage debts and paid family leave

• Socio-economics: Divorce rates, length of marriage, share of two-parent families, wealth gap, share of families living in poverty and/or receive food stamps, employment rates and job opportunities, and foreclosure rate

With all of this in mind, here are the 15 states that fared the worst.

15. Alaska

Alaska received meandering scores across the board, although it did shine in two areas. The state ranked fifth in the lowest percentage of families in poverty and was the third state with the most families and young kids. However, its scores for education and childcare were the seventh-worst in the nation, and its socio-economic score ranked as the third worst.

It also ranked very high for most violent crimes per capita, with 829 violent crimes per 100,000 inhabitants in 2017, according to the FBI. Another WalletHub study on happiest states ranked Alaska as the second state with the highest suicide rate, after Montana.

State Score Card

• Total Score: 45.06

• Family Fun Rank: 14

• Health and Safety Rank: 31

• Education and Childcare Rank: 43

• Affordability Rank: 27

• Socio-economics Rank: 47

14. Tennessee

The Volunteer State may not be the best area to start a family — it tied for third place among states with most violent crimes per capita along with New Mexico and Alaska, and the state also ranked as the fourth-worst place in affordability. And you better have good car insurance: Tennessee’s drivers are ranked second-worst in the country by SmartAsset.

But there’s no denying that Tennessee has culture — Nashville, Memphis and Bristol have contributed an enormous amount to music worldwide.

State Score Card

• Total Score: 45.05

• Family Fun Rank: 17

• Health and Safety Rank: 38

• Education and Childcare Rank: 37

• Affordability Rank: 46

• Socio-economics Rank: 23

13. North Carolina

North Carolina ranked as the seventh worst in the affordability category. And if you’re a teacher, you really might want to rethink either your living here or your profession — North Carolina ranked as one of the worst states for teachers in another WalletHub study.

A fifth of all public school teachers quit their jobs by the end of the first year. But the state has some of the most beautiful coastal areas you’ll ever see, so that’s something.

State Score Card

• Total Score: 44.45

• Family Fun Rank: 24

• Health and Safety Rank: 37

• Education and Childcare Rank: 29

• Affordability Rank: 43

• Socio-economics Rank: 27

12. Florida

Florida came in third in both highest divorce rates and fewest families with young kids, and it scored the second-worst spot in affordability by WalletHub. (A study by Zippia ranked it as the fifth worst state for income inequality). Thrillist ranked Florida as the worst state ever in a completely unscientific, albeit amusing, article.

On the bright side, the sunshine state ranked 11 in the family and fun category, and the amount of joy the “Florida Man” meme has brought the world is incalculable.

State Score Card

• Total Score: 44.40

• Family Fun Rank: 11

• Health and Safety Rank: 40

• Education and Childcare Rank: 36

• Affordability Rank: 49

• Socio-economics Rank: 44

11. Arizona

Arizona ranked third for the worst state in WalletHub’s affordability category, and it’s tied with Alaska in ninth place for having the nation’s worst drivers, according to SmartAsset.

It’s also a worse place for teachers than North Carolina, and ranked 47th for public school systems in another nationwide WalletHub study.

State Score Card

• Total Score: 42.97

• Family Fun Rank: 12

• Health and Safety Rank: 36

• Education and Childcare Rank: 47

• Affordability Rank: 48

• Socio-economics Rank: 31

10. Georgia

Georgia has an alarmingly high maternal mortality rate. Women giving birth in Georgia are more likely to die there than in Uzbekistan, according to a report by Amnesty International.

The Peach State came in 44th place for the education and childcare category, and 46th in health and safety. However, the citizens are pretty happy — another WalletHub study says Georgia ranked as the 19th happiest state. (And residents here do have the best accents.)

State Score Card

• Total Score: 40.84

• Family Fun Rank: 22

• Health and Safety Rank: 44

• Education and Childcare Rank: 46

• Affordability Rank: 35

• Socio-economics Rank: 42

9. Oklahoma

Oklahoma has recently received bottom-barrel rankings for child well-being, healthcare and women-friendliness. WalletHub gave Oklahoma middling scores across the board, and it scored 48th place for health and safety. It came in 46th place on WalletHub’s happiest states report.

However, the Sooner State has a rich Native American culture that celebrates diversity.

State Score Card

• Total Score: 39.73

• Family Fun Rank: 39

• Health and Safety Rank: 48

• Education and Childcare Rank: 40

• Affordability Rank: 31

• Socio-economics Rank: 35

8. South Carolina

South Carolina is a beautiful state with an incredible college football team, but it certainly has problems. It ranked eighth worst for healthcare, its public school are among the worst in the country, and it ranks dead last in protecting against elder abuse.

But it has the third-lowest childcare costs in the nation, and we’d be remiss not to mention the state’s incredible barbecue.

State Score Card

• Total Score: 39.32

• Family Fun Rank: 38

• Health and Safety Rank: 41

• Education and Childcare Rank: 42

• Affordability Rank: 42

• Socio-economics Rank: 38

7. Arkansas

Arkansas has some beautiful scenery and awesome state parks — including the Crater of Diamonds, where you can hunt for diamonds and keep them — but it ranks pretty low for a place to raise families.

It limped in at 48th place for the family fun rank, although it received a decent socio-economics ranking with a 24th placing. It had the third-highest rate of all states for infant mortality and “Business Insider” placed Arkansas at 43 in its state economy ranking.

State Score Card

• Total Score: 38.89

• Family Fun Rank: 48

• Health and Safety Rank: 47

• Education and Childcare Rank: 33

• Affordability Rank: 32

• Socio-economics Rank: 24

6. Nevada

Nevada placed dead last for its education and childcare ranking, and the state has an astoundingly high divorce rate. According to the CDC, for every 1,000 marriages, almost 29 end in divorce. That’s more than triple of most states — although it probably has to do with those drunken Las Vegas weddings.

And while Nevada scored low overall (its total score was 39.56 out of 100), the state isn’t boring — WalletHub gave the state eighth place in its family fun ranking category. But it also scored last place — at 50 — in its affordability category.

State Score Card

• Total Score: 38.56

• Family Fun Rank: 8

• Health and Safety Rank: 45

• Education and Childcare Rank: 50

• Affordability Rank: 50

• Socio-economics Rank: 46

5. Alabama

The Yellowhammer State has its charms, with coastal cities like Fairhope being a hub for famous creatives, but Alabama is not without its problems. WalletHub ranked it the worst state for infant mortality — however, that rate is gradually getting better. As of 2017, the mortality rate was 7.4 deaths for every 1,000 live births, the lowest it has ever been.

Alabama ranked fourth worst for WalletHub’s family fun ranking and ninth worst in the health and safety category.

State Score Card

• Total Score: 37.67

• Family Fun Rank: 47

• Health and Safety Rank: 42

• Education and Childcare Rank: 39

• Affordability Rank: 34

• Socio-economics Rank: 40

4. West Virginia

The country roads of West Virginia aren’t lined with family activities, according to WalletHub: The state ranked dead last in its family fun rank. West Virginia also came in 46th place for lowest median family salary and came in last place for the fewest families with young kids. It also has the highest mortality rate for drug overdoses in the nation and ranked last in WalletHub’s happiest states study.

Yet, the Mountain State has beautiful scenery, with lush rolling hills and soaring mountains, which is why it’s also called “The Switzerland of the United States.” The state is also rich in American history.

State Score Card

• Total Score: 37.05

• Family Fun Rank: 50

• Health and Safety Rank: 32

• Education and Childcare Rank: 32

• Affordability Rank: 41

• Socio-economics Rank: 33

3. Louisiana

Louisiana was ranked fourth-worst state for infant mortality and most violent crimes per capita. It was also ranked by WalletHub as the third least-happy state in the nation and a terrible place for teachers. Its public schools are awful and “Business Insider” ranked the Pelican State as the state with the second-worst economy. WalletHub previously ranked Louisiana as having the worst financial literacy rate in the country, and the state is notoriously prone to natural disasters and flooding. And U.S. News and World Report crowned Louisiana as the worst state in the country in its 2018 state rankings report.

But it’s not all bad down by the bayou. Louisiana’s wetlands are both incredibly important and beautiful, while the state has given us innumerable musicians, from Louis Armstrong to Lil Wayne. Plus, everyone loves Mardi Gras in New Orleans.

State Score Card

• Total Score: 36.14

• Family Fun Rank: 20

• Health and Safety Rank: 49

• Education and Childcare Rank: 48

• Affordability Rank: 38

• Socio-economics Rank: 49

2. Mississippi

Mississippi had the second-highest infant mortality rate, the highest percentage of families living in poverty and the third-highest divorce rate in America. U.S. News and World Report listed Mississippi as the second worst state, while other WalletHub studies put Mississippi as the second worst state for jobs and the least-educated state. It also has the worst drivers in the nation.

But there are some bright spots. The Magnolia State had the lowest childcare costs, and U.S. News and World Report says the state has the sixth highest quality of life ranking. Plus, the state gave us blues music.

State Score Card

• Total Score: 32.40

• Family Fun Rank: 49

• Health and Safety Rank: 46

• Education and Childcare Rank: 41

• Affordability Rank: 44

• Socio-economics Rank: 48

1. New Mexico

New Mexico came in dead last in WalletHub’s public school rankings, had the second-highest percentage of families living in poverty and ranked fourth in states with the lowest median salary. U.S News and World Report’s rankings placed it as the worst state and ranked it dead last in education, and the 2018 Kids Count report ranked New Mexico as the worst state for child well-being.

But you can’t deny New Mexico’s strong Hispanic and Latino heritage, which brings a ton of amazing food and beautiful artwork. There are 23 Native American tribes located in New Mexico as well, and U.S. News and World Report ranked New Mexico as having the eighth best in quality of life. Also, it’s where “Breaking Bad” was filmed — that alone is worth some points, right?

State Score Card

• Total Score: 31.69

• Family Fun Rank: 36

• Health and Safety Rank: 43

• Education and Childcare Rank: 49

• Affordability Rank: 45

• Socio-economics Rank: 50