Massachusetts ranks as the No. 6 best state to raise a family, but some places in the state are better places to raise a family than others.
Wallethub.com recently released its list of most family friendly cities in Massachusetts, ranking 86 cities by 21 categories including school quality, housing affordability, family attractions and safety. The majority of the cities ranking as great places for families are in the Greater Boston area (as exemplified by the chart below), except for the city with the number one ranking: Longmeadow.
Nestled on the Connecticut-Massachusetts border just south of Springfield, Longmeadow ranked first in affordability and second in “family life and fun,” according to Wallethub. It also has the highest median family income, according to the financial advice website.
Boston ranked 84th out of 86 in Wallethub’s ranking. It ranked dead last in affordability and near last in education, health and safety. It does, however, have the most family-friendly attractions, though its tied for first in that designation with Cambridge and Salem.
A number of Boston suburbs are in the top 10 places to raise families in the state, including Winchester (3rd), Lexington (4th) and Needham (6th). Many of the other nearby suburbs are too expensive to be high on the list.
Check out the top 10 list below, or visit Wallethub.com for the full list:
