Raising a child properly is based on a lot of factors ranging from economic condition to education and family. A study performed recently by the Annie E. Casey Foundation determined which states in the United States were the best suited to raise kids in. They also identified the worst states. The study analyzed data from the private Population Reference Bureau on the subjects of economic standing, health, education, family, and community.
Best states to raise children in the United States
The results of the study revealed that New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Vermont, Minnesota, Iowa, and Connecticut were the top states in the country in which to raise children.
Researchers revealed that the states that ranked highest tended to be in the Northeast or the upper mid western part of the United States.
The report also details that the health insurance coverage for kids reached an all time high with 95 percent of the children having some kind of coverage, which is a great sign for the country as a whole. This shows that healthcare has at least improved for children throughout the nation. Washington D.C. had one of the highest rates of insured children with over 98 percent of the kids insured.
Worst states to raise children in the United States
Mississippi ranked the lowest in the list and was adjudged the worst state to raise a kid in for the second consecutive year.
Arizona, Nevada, Louisiana, and New Mexico were also among the states ranked worst in terms of Raising Children. CNN noted that South or Southwest states were usually the worst ranked in this regard.
The deciding factor which affected the ranking was the healthcare coverage of children in the states. Researchers revealed that there were many states that did not capitalize on the Medicaid offered in the last five years.
One concerning trend which the study noticed was the increased number of children living in poverty-ridden areas, where the poverty rates have surpassed 30 percent and where these kids have less access to quality education. It was revealed that from 2011 to 2015, 14 percent of the children lived in high poverty regions compared to 13 percent in the previous four-year period.
Researchers have urged the government to extend further help to these economically unstable families so that the children living in these places can get a better opportunity at education and a healthier life. Healthcare coverage for the remaining children is also a very important aspect so that they can enjoy good health while growing up. However, overall the study reports marked a significant improvement in child welfare across the country.
