FLORIDA — On Monday, WalletHub released a report highlighting the best and worst states to raise a family and Florida was near the bottom of the list.
The report compared 50 states across 50 indicators: Family-friendliness, including median annual family income, housing affordability, health care quality, crime rate and school quality
"Raising a family has become significantly more expensive in recent years as the cost of living has risen quickly. In fact, it can cost a family as much as $320,000 to raise a child to age 18, according to statistics from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. In light of the expensive nature of being a parent and the responsibility it entails, it’s important to live in a city that is affordable while still providing quality health care, education, safety and opportunities for enrichment," said Chris Lupo, a WalletHub analyst.
Key Florida data from the report:
- Overall rank – 40th
- 49th – Percentage of families with young children
- 42nd – Child-care costs (adjusted for median family income)
- 34th – Infant mortality rate
- 36th – Median annual family income (adjusted for cost of living)
- 20th – Violent crimes per capita
- 33rd – Percentage of families in poverty
- 46th – Housing affordability
- 20th – Unemployment rate
- 46th – Separation and divorce rate
The top five places to raise a family overall, according to the report, were Massachusetts, Minnesota, North Dakota, Wisconsin and Nebraska.
For the full report, click here.
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