When deciding to start a family, the proper location can help ensure that children can have a safe upbringing at an affordable cost.
A recent study by iSharing ranked the best states for raising children based on factors such as childcare costs, education, wages and employment, as well as safety factors. These values were then compiled into a composite score to determine the ranking.
Read more: How Mattel's child care center has supported working parents for 30 years
Wisconsin is the top state for raising children. It has some of the lowest annual childcare costs at $10,536 per year. The state also ranks in the middle of the top ten states for vehicle accident fatalities and unemployment.
Other top states include New Hampshire and Hawaii. New Hampshire has the lowest violent crime rate at 125.6 per 100,000 residents and an education attainment rate of 94.4%. Hawaii has an uninsured children rate of 2.4% and a median wage of $47,700.
"For parents, looking beyond basic metrics like education and affordability to consider factors such as road safety, access to healthcare, and community crime rates can make a big difference," a spokesperson from iSharing said in a release.
Read more about the best states for raising children.
Best states for raising children
| Rank | States | Score | Annual childcare
costs |
10
| Virginia
| 62.51
| $10,451
|
9
| Rhode Island
| 65.07
| $11,700
|
8
| Pennsylvania
| 65.26
| $10,050
|
7
| Minnesota
| 65.59
| $12,954
|
6
| North Dakota
| 65.81
| $8,624
|
5
| Massachusetts
| 66.90
| $16,781
|
4
| Vermont
| 70.32
| $12,835
|
3
| Hawaii
| 72.08
| $12,040
|
2
| New Hampshire
| 74.14
| $11,114
|
1
| Wisconsin
| 75.29
| $10,536
|
