For the second consecutive year, New Hampshire ranks as the No. 1 state for families to live richer lives, finds a new study by personal finance website GOBankingRates.
Wyoming and Virginia have moved up in the rankings as the second- and third-best states for families. New Mexico saw the most dramatic decline on the list, replacing California as the worst state for families to live richer in 2017.
To identify locations that offer the best quality of life for families, GOBankingRates evaluated all 50 states. The rankings were determined by analyzing 12 key factors grouped into the following five categories:
- Jobs and Income: Median household income and state unemployment rate
- Housing: Median home listing price and state property tax rate
- Lifestyle: State tax rate, annual child care costs, cost of groceries and school district grade
- Healthcare: Average family health insurance premium and percentage of employer contribution to employee health insurance
- Safety: Annual Violent crime rates and property crime rates
For full study results and more details on methodology, visit: Best and Worst States for Families to Live a Richer Life
Best States to Live Richer
1. New Hampshire
- Median Household Income: $66,779
- Median Home List Price: $278,000
- Violent Crimes Per 1,000 People: 1.99
2. Wyoming
- Median Household Income: $58,840
- Median Home List Price: $238,125
- Violent Crimes Per 1,000 People: 2.22
3. Virginia
- Median Household Income: $65,015
- Median Home List Price: $299,950
- Violent Crimes Per 1,000 People: 1.96
4. North Dakota
- Median Household Income: $57,181
- Median Home List Price: $201,500
- Violent Crimes Per 1,000 People: 2.39
5. Delaware
- Median Household Income: $60,509
- Median Home List Price: $260,000
- Violent Crimes Per 1,000 People: 4.99
Worst States to Live Richer
1. New Mexico
- Median Household Income: $44,963
- Median Home List Price: $219,000
- Violent Crimes Per 1,000 People: 6.56
2. Louisiana
- Median Household Income: $45,047
- Median Home List Price: $204,400
- Violent Crimes Per 1,000 People: 5.4
3. California
- Median Household Income: $61,818
- Median Home List Price: $499,000
- Violent Crimes Per 1,000 People: 4.26
4. Texas
- Median Household Income: $53,207
- Median Home List Price: $270,000
- Violent Crimes Per 1,000 People: 4.12
5. Washington
- Median Household Income: $51,062
- Median Home List Price: $344,950
- Violent Crimes Per 1,000 People: 2.84
