The Granite State continues to collect top rankings as one of America’s best places to live, and now Consumer Affairs has joined in, declaring New Hampshire the best state in the country to raise a family.
“New Hampshire boasts a low rate of violent crime (1.1 crimes per 1,000 people), a low rate of childhood poverty (7 percent), low food costs (an average of $371 per week), and a whole lot of state parks and libraries (6.6 and 15.6 per 100,000 people, respectively). All of this made it 2025’s top state to raise a family in,” the Journal of Consumer Research reports.
“New Hampshire checks all the right boxes for families,” said Rebecca Sowell, lead researcher at Consumer Affairs. “From safe neighborhoods and accessible health care to abundant outdoor spaces and strong public schools, the state offers a well-rounded environment where families can truly thrive.”
In the past year, New Hampshire has been named #1 in return on taxpayer investment, personal safety, and economic freedom. It’s also been named the state with the nation’s best healthcare quality.
New Hampshire residents already know it is the best place to live, work, and raise a family, Gov. Kelly Ayotte said. She wants to make sure New Hampshire keeps on being great.
“It’s a testament to our independent, hardworking people and the work we’ve done to give families and businesses the freedom to thrive. We’re going to continue protecting our amazing quality of life, putting public safety first, and fighting for an even brighter future for everyone in our state,” Ayotte said.
NHGOP Chairman Jim MacEachern said Republican leaders, like Ayotte, who fight to keep New Hampshire, well, New Hampshire, are the reason for the success.
“This ranking proves what Granite Staters already know: strong Republican leadership works,” MacEachern said. “Gov. Ayotte and Republicans have made New Hampshire the safest, most affordable, and most family-friendly state in the country.”
And while costs in New Hampshire have risen, particularly in the wake of the nine percent inflation spike during the Biden administration, they haven’t gone up as quickly as in some other states.
For example, the average cost of rent in New Hampshire increased by 36 percent since 2019, to $1,833 per month for a two-bedroom apartment including utilities.
But in Arizona, Georgia, Maryland, New Mexico, and Tennessee, rent is up more than 60 percent over that same period.
In fact, in May, Consumer Affairs ranked New Hampshire as the ninth-best state for renters in the U.S.
