Are you happiest when in the Land of Lincoln, or have you ever thought about moving out of state?

WalletHub ranked each state in the U.S. to see the best and worst places to raise a family in 2025.

Here’s where Illinois landed.

What is WalletHub?

WalletHub is a website and app that helps people manage personal finances.

How did Illinois stack up?

Illinois is the seventh best state in the U.S. to raise a family, according to the report.

How was the ranking determined?

Authors looked 50 “key indicators” and compared them across the 50 states. Those indicators include Family Fun, Health & Safety, Education & Child Care, Affordability, and Socioeconomics.

“Raising a family has become significantly more expensive in recent years as the cost of living has risen quickly," wrote Chip Lupo, an analyst with WalletHub. "In light of the expensive nature of being a parent and the responsibility it entails, it’s important to live in a city that is affordable while still providing quality health care, education, safety and opportunities for enrichment."

Lupo added that raising a child to the age of 18 can cost well over $300,000, citing the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

In what areas did Illinois score well? Where can it look to improve?

What other states ranked well?

Massachusetts took the top spot for the third year in a row. It took the cake this year because "it provides a good blend of economic opportunities and safe conditions for children," the report read.

Where did the data come from?

Data came from this past September from the following sources, according to WalletHub: U.S. Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Center for Education Statistics, Child Care Aware of America, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Council for Community and Economic Research, Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, National Partnership for Women & Families, TransUnion, The Pew Charitable Trusts, United Health Foundation, Indeed, U.S. News & World Report, Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, National Climatic Data Center, FINRA Investor Education Foundation, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Kaiser Family Foundation, ATTOM, a property data provider - U.S. Foreclosure Market Report, Zendrive, TripAdvisor, PlushCare and WalletHub research.