Florida Ranks Low Among Best States To Raise Family: Study

LAKELAND, FL — Despite the absence of a state income tax and our endless summers, Florida ranked low among the best states to raise a family, according to a new study by personal finance website, WalletHub.

"WalletHub compared the 50 states across 50 key indicators of family-friendliness," the website penned. "Our data set ranges from median family salary to housing affordability to unemployment rate."

The Sunshine State ranked 39th overall in terms of the best states to raise a family. Florida ranked last for the percentage of families with young kids and next to last for the state's separation and divorce rate.

"Raising a healthy, stable family sometimes requires moving to a new state. And the reasons for moving are often similar: career transitions, better schools, financial challenges or a general desire to change settings," WalletHub found.

Florida ranked 44th out of the 50 states for housing affordability and 43rd for the median family salary adjusted for cost of living.

"Wants and needs don’t always align in a particular state. For instance, a state might offer a low income-tax rate but have a subpar education system," Wallethub said. "However, families do not need to make these kinds of tradeoffs. They can avoid such problems by knowing which states offer the best combination of qualities that matter most to parents and their kids."

Florida also ranked 34th for child-care costs adjusted for median family income, 30th for violent crime and 34th for the percentage of families in poverty, according to WalletHub.

The worst states to raise a family were New Mexico, Mississippi, Louisiana, West Virginia and Alabama. The best states to raise a family were Minnesota, Massachusetts, North Dakota, Vermont and New Hampshire, according to WalletHub.

Click here to read the complete report.