Massachusetts Ranked Best Place To Raise A Family

What makes an area a good place to raise a family? Cost of living, career opportunities, and school systems are some of the main selling points for people when they are looking to move. WalletHub's recent report ranked the state of Massachusetts as the best state to raise a family.

In order to compile all 50 states into a ranking, WalletHub examined 51 different criteria points. They were categorized into the following groupings; family fun, health and safety, education and child care, affordability and socio-economics. From there a point system was applied and then totaled to determine what was highest to lowest on the scale. A score of 100 represented the most favorable condition to raise a family.

The Bay State finished with the highest score, coming in at 66.14 points. Education and Child Care was a top category where Massachusetts thrived. In addition, so was health and safety conditions in the state.

Niche recently compiled a similar report and took it a step further by identifying Cambridge as a top city to raise a family. "Living in Cambridge offers residents an urban feel and most residents rent their homes. In Cambridge, there are a lot of bars, restaurants, coffee shops, and parks. Many young professionals live in Cambridge and residents tend to be liberal. The public schools in Cambridge are highly rated," they state.

In general, all of New England scored quite well with WalletHub. Vermont finished fifth, and New Hampshire finished sixth. Furthermore, Connecticut rounded out the top 10. Overall, all of New England was in the top 20 with Rhode Island claiming the 11th spot, and Maine being number 16.

The details WalletHub are sharing are aimed at helping families consider what is most important to them when looking for a place to build their lives. Massachusetts clearly has a lot to offer.

North Shore, South Shore, Cape Cod, Nantucket, Martha's Vineyard. There certainly is no shortage of shoreline in the Bay State. Two Massachusetts towns were selected as a USA Today top 10 coastal town.

10 Best is USA Today's travel coverage series highlighting attractions, destinations, and food items around the county. They look for unique charm with homegrown flavors. Furthermore, they were looking for "waterfront charm." Not only is Massachusetts the home to two of the selections, but it was also the only state in the Northeast to get the nod. According to the final rankings, these two towns are both in the top five!

Provincetown and Marblehead are each considered a Massachusetts top coastal town. The tip of Cape Cod and North Shore shipyard landmark. 10Best calls out Provincetown's spread of galleries and museums as main attractions. In addition, Marblehead Neck Wildlife Sanctuary was listed as part of Marblehead's nature-friendly environment.

Looking at the history of these two summer hot spots, it's no surprise that their quaint appeal led them to landing on the top 10 coastal town list.

Provincetown is 17.5 miles of unique beachfront and harbor-side living. Often called P-Town, the year-round living population is roughly 3,600 people, while the seasonal population can reach as much as 60,000. Commercial Street is known for its Cabaret establishments, restaurants, and art shops.

Marblehead is about three hours north of Provincetown. You can actually take a boat back and forth. On a map it looks like these two destinations are staring at each other. Marblehead is about 19 square miles with a population of over 20,000. One of the main tourist attractions here are the numerous sailing options out of Marblehead harbor. Finally, it is infamous for its commercial fishing wharfs, thus there are also six yacht clubs spread throughout the area.