Best States for Families (2026)
Rankings weighted toward education quality, public safety, affordable housing, healthcare, and community livability — the factors that matter most to families with children.
Top 10 States for Families
All 50 States Ranked for Families
| Rank | State | Grade | Families Score | Overall | 🎓 Education | 🛡️ Safety | 🏠 Affordability | Region |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Hampshire | A+ | 74.0 | 86.6 | 91.8 | 92.0 | 44.3 | Northeast |
| 2 | Maine | A | 69.9 | 76.8 | 75.5 | 93.3 | 56.9 | Northeast |
| 3 | Utah | A+ | 69.7 | 81.5 | 93.9 | 76.3 | 65.0 | West |
| 4 | Connecticut | A | 69.5 | 73.5 | 98.0 | 88.5 | 42.2 | Northeast |
| 5 | Vermont | A+ | 69.2 | 77.5 | 73.5 | 78.9 | 54.4 | Northeast |
| 6 | South Dakota | A+ | 69.0 | 80.2 | 89.8 | 62.7 | 84.5 | Midwest |
| 7 | Minnesota | A+ | 69.0 | 77.1 | 87.8 | 72.5 | 62.9 | Midwest |
| 8 | North Dakota | A | 68.5 | 77.1 | 81.6 | 71.1 | 84.7 | Midwest |
| 9 | Nebraska | A | 67.3 | 74.5 | 83.7 | 68.0 | 82.8 | Midwest |
| 10 | Rhode Island | B+ | 66.7 | 69.3 | 85.7 | 86.1 | 46.1 | Northeast |
| 11 | Virginia | A | 65.3 | 74.3 | 81.6 | 79.9 | 57.4 | South |
| 12 | New Jersey | B | 64.4 | 65.1 | 95.9 | 80.7 | 44.4 | Northeast |
| 13 | Iowa | B+ | 63.8 | 68.7 | 77.6 | 67.3 | 85.0 | Midwest |
| 14 | Massachusetts | B+ | 63.2 | 70.3 | 100.0 | 60.7 | 26.0 | Northeast |
| 15 | Montana | B+ | 61.6 | 70.8 | 61.2 | 56.4 | 71.8 | West |
| 16 | Pennsylvania | B | 58.9 | 58.2 | 79.6 | 64.9 | 68.6 | Northeast |
| 17 | Wyoming | B+ | 58.7 | 68.2 | 36.7 | 79.6 | 72.4 | West |
| 18 | Wisconsin | B | 58.7 | 63.7 | 65.3 | 67.3 | 73.4 | Midwest |
| 19 | Idaho | B+ | 58.2 | 69.2 | 40.8 | 78.1 | 73.4 | West |
| 20 | Colorado | B+ | 57.6 | 67.4 | 73.5 | 51.6 | 50.3 | West |
| 21 | Oregon | B | 57.4 | 60.0 | 63.3 | 67.7 | 50.3 | West |
| 22 | Kansas | B | 57.2 | 59.5 | 69.4 | 58.7 | 82.4 | Midwest |
| 23 | Maryland | B+ | 56.8 | 66.9 | 67.3 | 51.3 | 54.6 | Northeast |
| 24 | Hawaii | B | 55.1 | 64.8 | 65.3 | 70.4 | 9.1 | West |
| 25 | Illinois | C+ | 54.9 | 50.5 | 71.4 | 54.3 | 67.4 | Midwest |
| 26 | Washington | B | 54.0 | 63.2 | 57.1 | 57.1 | 36.3 | West |
| 27 | New York | B | 53.5 | 56.8 | 59.2 | 58.1 | 35.4 | Northeast |
| 28 | Ohio | C+ | 52.0 | 49.1 | 55.1 | 66.3 | 83.8 | Midwest |
| 29 | Delaware | C+ | 49.6 | 52.4 | 49.0 | 50.3 | 67.3 | Northeast |
| 30 | Indiana | C+ | 49.0 | 49.6 | 51.0 | 58.5 | 81.2 | Midwest |
| 31 | North Carolina | C+ | 47.7 | 53.5 | 38.8 | 56.0 | 74.9 | South |
| 32 | Michigan | C | 47.4 | 45.0 | 53.1 | 49.3 | 75.7 | Midwest |
| 33 | Florida | C+ | 47.0 | 51.7 | 57.1 | 55.5 | 59.9 | South |
| 34 | Georgia | C+ | 47.0 | 51.3 | 42.9 | 57.6 | 74.1 | South |
| 35 | Missouri | C+ | 46.1 | 48.7 | 44.9 | 40.7 | 83.1 | Midwest |
| 36 | Kentucky | D | 45.1 | 38.0 | 28.6 | 77.6 | 87.6 | South |
| 37 | Texas | C | 42.2 | 45.9 | 32.7 | 53.2 | 75.8 | South |
| 38 | Oklahoma | C | 41.3 | 41.8 | 22.4 | 48.8 | 90.8 | South |
| 39 | California | C | 40.3 | 42.9 | 46.9 | 48.0 | 7.2 | West |
| 40 | Tennessee | C | 40.2 | 45.3 | 34.7 | 27.7 | 78.7 | South |
| 41 | South Carolina | C | 40.1 | 43.2 | 26.5 | 41.1 | 77.0 | South |
| 42 | Alabama | C | 38.4 | 39.4 | 18.4 | 50.1 | 84.2 | South |
| 43 | West Virginia | D | 38.4 | 32.5 | 6.1 | 68.7 | 87.2 | South |
| 44 | Mississippi | D | 38.2 | 31.4 | 4.1 | 70.7 | 93.9 | South |
| 45 | Arizona | C | 37.7 | 44.3 | 10.2 | 49.3 | 60.7 | West |
| 46 | Nevada | D | 37.4 | 39.2 | 8.2 | 49.2 | 62.0 | West |
| 47 | Louisiana | F | 33.1 | 25.2 | 16.3 | 37.3 | 90.8 | South |
| 48 | Arkansas | F | 32.8 | 29.9 | 14.3 | 29.5 | 92.6 | South |
| 49 | Alaska | D | 30.9 | 39.3 | 0.0 | 10.1 | 45.5 | West |
| 50 | New Mexico | D | 30.8 | 32.6 | 12.2 | 11.1 | 79.5 | West |
Best States for Families in 2026: What the Data Shows
New Hampshire leads our rankings for families with a score of 74.0 out of 100. Close behind are Maine (69.9) and Utah (69.7). These top-ranked states consistently score well across the categories that matter most to families: education, safety, affordability.
Key Findings
The gap between the #1 and #50 state is 43.2 points — a substantial difference that translates to real quality-of-life differences. The median state scores 54.9/100, meaning the top half of states cluster in the 55-74 range.
For families, the most important category is Education (20% weight), followed by Safety (20%) and Affordability (18%). States that score above 70 in these top categories almost always place in the top 15.
Regional Patterns
For families, Northeastern states lead with an average persona score of 63.2, followed by the Midwest (58.6), West (50), and South (42.6).
Surprise Rankings
Some states rank significantly differently under families weights compared to overall rankings, reflecting the unique priorities of this lifestyle.
States Facing Challenges
At the bottom of the list, New Mexico (30.8), Alaska (30.9), and Arkansas (32.8) face the biggest challenges for families. Lower scores in education and safety are the primary drivers.
Methodology
These rankings use the same real government data as our overall state rankings — from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Census Bureau, FBI, and America's Health Rankings — but re-weighted to reflect the priorities of families. The top-weighted categories are Education (20%), Safety (20%), Affordability (18%). Categories with 0% weight are not included in the calculation. See our full methodology for details.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best state for families in 2026?
New Hampshire ranks #1 for families with a persona-weighted score of 74.0/100. The top 3 are New Hampshire, Maine, Utah.
What are the worst states for families?
The lowest-ranked states for families are New Mexico, Alaska, Arkansas. These states score lower on the categories most important to families.
How are "best for families" rankings calculated?
We re-weight the 11 scoring categories based on what matters most to families. Rankings weighted toward education quality, public safety, affordable housing, healthcare, and community livability — the factors that matter most to families with children.