Best States To Raise A Family Ranked: See How PA Fared In New Study

PENNSYLVANIA — When it comes to raising a family in 2025, there are few better states to do it than Pennsylvania.

That's the conclusion of Consumer Affairs, a consumer research journal, which recently ranked all 50 states and Washington, D.C. to determine the best places to currently raise a family. Pennsylvania ranked third, behind only behind Vermont and Maine.

The report evaluated states across five key categories: affordability, safety, education, pediatric healthcare, and quality of life. The full methodology is available here.

What impressed Consumer Affairs analysts about Pennsylvania was its impressive scores in public education, safety and pediatric health care. The state ranked fifth in public education, and its 96 percent public high school graduation rate was the nation's second-best.

The state was also lauded for the additional $1.1 billion in additional funding for K-12 public education in the 2024-25 budget.

"These investments reflect the state’s ongoing efforts to improve its education system — an important factor for parents and guardians seeking a supportive environment for their children," the report stated.

Pennsylvania also ranked in the top 10 for the number of pediatricians per 100,000 children (147).

Here is how the state fared in the other key metrics:

• Safety: 10

• Affordability: 19

• Quality of life: 34

Gov. Josh Shapiro said he was pleased with how Pennsylvania fared in the report.

“As I travel all across Pennsylvania — no matter if I’m in a rural, urban, or suburban community — people want the same basic things: great schools for their kids and grandkids, safe places to live, good jobs and economic opportunity, and the freedom to chart their own course through life,” he said in a statement. “We focus everyday on getting common sense stuff done and I’m proud that Pennsylvania is ranked as one of the best places to raise a family."

See the entire report here.