Is Ohio one of the worst states to raise a family? Here’s what a new report says
Despite the presence of around 3 million families in Ohio, new data reveals it is one of the worst states to raise a family.
WalletHub recently published the Best and Worst States to Raise a Family in 2026 and based on 50 metrics across five categories, the state of Georgia is in the bottom ten.
Ohio ranks 21st
Ohio ranked 21st overall in WalletHub’s 2025 “Best States to Raise a Family” analysis, dragged down by middling affordability, uneven education access, and stubborn poverty pockets hitting kids hardest.
Problem areas:
- Above-average childcare costs (around $10,688 yearly per kid, straining family budgets)
- Uneven school quality (rural districts lag, while urban ones grapple with funding gaps)Safety metrics like higher violent crime rates in cities such as Cleveland and Cincinnati
- Lagging infant health outcomes (elevated child poverty at 18% under 18, worse than national average)
Strengths
- Socio-economic environment (decent job market, low unemployment for parents).
- Affordability (cheaper homes, utilities, and groceries than national averages).
- Safety for kids (lower rates of certain crimes outside urban cores).
How the ranking works
Researchers evaluated states on a 100-point scale across five categories, with lower scores indicating weaker performance.
The categories:
- Family fun
- Health and safety
- Education and child care
- Affordability
- Socio-economics
Most and least family friendly states
Best states
- Massachusetts: 67.60
- Minnesota: 63.10
- North Dakota: 61.60
- Wisconsin: 60.58
- Nebraska: 60.41
- New York: 59.71
- Connecticut: 59.19
- New Hampshire: 58.12
- Illinois: 58.09
- Maine: 58.07
Worst states
- New Mexico: 32.69
- West Virginia: 35.84
- Mississippi: 35.99
- Nevada: 36.78
- Alabama: 38.50
- Louisiana: 38.71
- Arkansas: 38.82
- Oklahoma: 41.51
- South Carolina: 41.73
- Georgia: 42.86
Do you agree with these findings? Has Ohio been good for your family?