2021 has just begun but Americans are still in the midst of the global coronavirus pandemic. Many people are working from home currently and are not heading back into the office in the foreseeable future. The new normal for work has many people wondering if they still need to live in big cities for their occupation.

The short answer is no. If you're telecommuting to the office every day you don't need to be close to the brick and mortar office. It's the perfect time for a fresh start in a new location, with hopefully a lower cost of living. Personal-finance website WalletHub looked at all 50 states to see which states will be a better fit for an individual or their family's needs and desires.

WalletHub used key indicators to determine what states are best and worst to raise a family in including:

  • Median Family Income
  • Affordable Housing
  • Childcare Costs
  • Number of Families with Young Kids
  • Infant Mortality Rate
  • Violent Crimes per Capita
  • Families in Poverty
  • Separation and Divorce Rate

Using the above criteria, New Mexico was at the bottom of the list coming in as the worst state to raise a family in. Here's how the Land of Enchantment did on the WalletHub report:

  • New Mexico was the state with the second-highest childcare cost
  • Tied with Alaska for the most violent crimes per capita
  • Tied with Louisiana for the 2nd highest percentage of families in poverty
  • Had the 2nd highest rate for separation and divorce
  • Third lowest state for median family income

You can see the entire WalletHub report on the "Best States to Raise a Family" on the WalletHub website.

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