New Hampshire is No. 1 state to raise a family in 2025

At the beginning of July, I wrote an article titled “30 reasons why New Hampshire stands out.” I guess I have to update it and say, “31 reasons.” The Granite State, as stated in my article, has received many accolades for being one of the best places to live.

An October report from Consumer Affairs came out comparing all 50 states to determine the ranking of the best states to raise a family. Guess what, New Hampshire took the top spot as the No. 1 best state to raise a family.

All of the states were analyzed across five weighted categories: Affordability, safety, education, health care, and quality of life. A point system was assigned to each category. Interestingly, the best states to raise a family were mainly in the Northeast. New Hampshire climbed from No. 4 last year, taking the top spot away from Vermont this year.

The 10 best states to raise a family in were as follows: New Hampshire, Maine, Wisconsin, Vermont, New York, Connecticut, Wyoming, Virginia, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania.

The 10 states ranked at the bottom were: Nevada, Alaska, New Mexico, Louisiana, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Texas, Colorado, and Oklahoma.

By category, New Hampshire ranked number No. 34 in affordability, No. 1 in safety, No. 22 in education, No. 7 in health care, and No. 3 in quality of life. Consumer Affairs noted New Hampshire had low food costs, a large number of public libraries, state parks, and safe neighborhoods. Accessible health care, strong public schools, an abundance of outdoor spaces and recreation, and the best air quality in the country.

You can see our state’s ranking under “affordability” did not come out great because states in the Northeast many times come with a higher cost of living. In fact, New Hampshire’s affordability index is at an all-time low, around 55, which is a result of rising home prices which have outpaced median income growth and higher interest rates. It is an issue all of us are concerned about. However, with New Hampshire’s No. 1 ranking, the state made up for it in the other four categories.

It’s interesting to note that New Hampshire was also ranked the No. 1 best state to retire in 2025 by Bank Rate and ranked No. 2 best state for 2025 by U.S. News and World Report. I’m not surprised that New Hampshire garnered the top spot as the “best state to raise a family in.”

As a native of New Hampshire, I cannot think of a state I’d be happier in. It’s been a wonderful feeling raising a family in the Granite State and now watching my grandchildren enjoy the culture and natural beauty of the Lakes Region. The region has so many activities and recreational activities to enjoy. When you look at some of the large cities across the country and see what they are going through, we certainly are fortunate to be residents of New Hampshire.

• Where do you find lakes, beaches, mountains, forests, rivers, and the ocean all in close proximity?

• Four breathtaking seasons of activities to enjoy.

• 1,300 lakes and ponds cover approximately 280 square miles of New Hampshire. Add to this 10,000 miles of rivers and streams flowing throughout the state.

• Our state is the second most forested state in the country, with 82% of the entire state covered in forests.

• There are over 4,000 miles of hiking trails in the state and 48 mountains that are over 4,000 feet in elevation. It is a hiker’s paradise. The White Mountain National Forest alone is approximately 800,000 acres in size. If you are overwhelmed by the big city and want to spend some time surrounded by nature to escape… New Hampshire offers the perfect setting.

• The state has the lowest poverty and food insecurity level in the nation.

• For families, New Hampshire is ranked the No. 1 safest state in America, so important in today’s day and age.

• They say, “health is wealth,” and New Hampshire has great access to some of the best health care in the country, and according to

Moneygeek.com, New Hampshire is ranked third in the nation for 2025.

• Families look for top-rated schools, and the New Hampshire public school system was ranked fifth best in the U.S. for 2025 by WalletHub and has the second highest median ACT score of 25.1.

• We enjoy environmental safety from earthquakes, tornadoes, forest fires, and major hurricanes. New Hampshire’s air quality is ranked No. 4 in the country.

• Think of the attractions we offer families, many of them natural attractions, and many others like Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion, Canobie Lake Park, Storyland, Santa’s Village, The Hobo railroad, Cog Railroad, The Flume, Funspot, the speedway, Conway Scenic Railroad, the New Hampshire coast, Squam Lakes Natural Science Center, Prescott Farm, Mount Washington Cruises, a multitude of state parks, and so many other attractions.

• There are always country fairs, craft fairs, chowder fests, antique car and boat shows, Christmas fairs, pond hockey tournaments, and fishing tournaments.

• Outdoor sports like mountain biking, hiking, boating, water skiing and wake surfing, camping, horseback riding, snowboarding, skiing, hunting, and all of the great sports programs offered in all the schools throughout the state.

In New Hampshire, we have wonderful people and a slower pace of life. Our residents are genuinely nice and polite. The rural feel of our state is a huge draw. What I love most is that you can explore many different terrains in a short time frame.

From Boston to New Hampshire’s Seacoast, to the Lakes Region, and then the White Mountains … urban to wilderness in short order, everything is so accessible. What is hard to believe in New Hampshire is that it is the fifth smallest state in the nation, and yet it is the 10th least populous … that is a good thing, and that is why we enjoy the best quality of life.

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This article was written by Frank Roche, president of Roche Realty Group with offices in Meredith and Laconia, and can be reached at 603-279-7046. Visit rocherealty.com to learn more about the Lakes Region and its real estate market.