Red Vs. Blue: The Best States For Families
Family Life Decisions: How State Politics Shape Education, Healthcare, And Quality Of Living
Many factors come into play when deciding where to raise a family. One aspect that often influences these decisions is a state’s political classification—whether it’s a “Red” or “Blue” state.
These terms, rooted in politics, reflect different values and policies that may impact aspects of family life. For families, including stepdads like yourself, it’s helpful to understand how these political affiliations relate to critical factors such as education, healthcare, safety, and cost of living.
Definition of “Red” and “Blue” States
Red states are typically conservative, with policies prioritizing individual freedoms, lower taxes, and more minor government involvement. Blue states, on the other hand, tend to lean liberal, emphasizing social welfare programs, progressive taxation, and more extensive government services. These political ideologies often shape policies that affect education, healthcare, and overall quality of life, making them relevant when choosing a family-friendly environment.
What Makes A State Family-Friendly?
Ranking the states is something that lots of people will happily do – but what makes a state good for one person might mean it’s terrible for someone else. For our purposes, we’re only worried about things that impact family life, and we’ll look at how red and blue states measure up in the following categories:
- Education: The quality of public schools varies widely across the country.
- Healthcare: It’s important to consider whether the state you’re considering offers easy access to pediatricians, specialists, and affordable insurance plans.
- Safety: Factors such as crime rates, the availability of community support, and access to emergency services are essential in determining how safe a state is for families.
- Cost of Living: The cost of living, including housing, goods and services, and tax rates, can significantly affect a family’s financial stability.
- Employment Opportunities: Job market conditions and family-friendly workplace policies are essential family considerations.
- Quality of Life: Finally, overall quality of life encompasses recreational opportunities, access to social services, and community within the state. Does your state of choice offer a well-rounded environment for parents and children to thrive?
Reading the Red States
Red states lean toward policies promoting lower taxes and fewer regulations. These values can affect various aspects of family life, from the quality of public services to the affordability of living in these states. These include states like Texas, Florida, and Utah.
Education
Red states typically have lower taxes, which may result in less funding for public schools. However, some red states can still provide quality education, especially in more affluent areas. For example, Florida has been named number one in K-12 education by the US News & World Report two years in a row!
Healthcare
Access to healthcare in red states can vary, with some offering lower costs but fewer services, especially in rural areas. Eight of the top ten worst states for healthcare are red states, with Mississippi having the highest childhood mortality rate in the US.
Safety
There is an impression that red states have lower crime rates, particularly in smaller towns and suburban areas, which can provide peace of mind for families. However, red states have higher rates of certain violent crimes – so what you need to do is look at the specific city or town you plan to move to. State crime rates are much less helpful than specific local crime rates!
Cost of Living
One significant advantage of many red states is the lower cost of living, affordable housing, and generally lower prices for goods and services. All of the top ten lowest cost-of-living states are red states!
Employment Opportunities
Due to pro-business policies, red states often have strong job markets, though family-friendly workplace laws may be less familiar. Additionally, these strong job markets tend to be centered around the cities in these states – so if you plan on moving to a rural location, the job market might not be what you expect!
Quality of Life
Red states offer a mix of outdoor recreational opportunities and a slower pace of life, making them ideal for families who value outdoor activities and a sense of community.
Thinking About Blue States
Blue states like California, New York, and Massachusetts emphasize social programs, progressive taxation, and a more extensive government presence in everyday life. These policies can significantly impact the quality of public services, including education and healthcare.
Education
Blue states often invest more in public education, improving outcomes in many areas, especially early childhood education. However, this can vary highly depending on location and the type of education you pursue for your kids. For example, some cities, like Chicago, have underfunded public school systems but high-performing charter schools.
Healthcare
Access to healthcare tends to be better in blue states, with more comprehensive services and a higher percentage of insured residents. All of Forbes’ top 10 states for healthcare are blue states.
Safety
Crime rates vary widely in blue states, especially in urban areas, but most have robust community support systems and well-funded emergency services. Blue states have less violent crime than red states but more theft. Again, local statistics are more important than state statistics for your choice of location.
Cost of Living
Blue states often have a higher cost of living, especially in metropolitan areas, though wages also tend to be higher.
Employment Opportunities
Blue states are more likely to offer family-friendly workplace policies, such as expanded paid parental leave and flexible work arrangements.
Quality of Life
Blue states offer extensive recreational opportunities, cultural activities, and a wide range of social services that can improve quality of life. The top two outdoor activity states are blue, and most of America’s best-known museums and cultural institutions are in blue states.
Which is Better, Red or Blue?
Both red and blue states have strengths and weaknesses. Red states often offer lower taxes and a lower cost of living but may struggle with providing access to top-tier education and healthcare services. They usually excel in job opportunities and affordability, but families may need to make trade-offs regarding public services. If you have children with complex healthcare or educational needs, a red state could be a difficult place to live.
On the other hand, blue states generally provide better public services, including education and healthcare. Still, they tend to have higher taxes and a higher cost of living, which can price out many families, especially young families. These states often excel in quality of life and progressive workplace policies, but those aren’t helpful if you can’t afford to live there.
So, while it might seem like a cop-out, it’s hard to say that red or blue is better for families. It all depends on what you prioritize and your family’s specific needs. And even within these categories, it’s challenging to compare! Not all red states are the same, and not all blue states are the same.
For example, moving your family to Florida, the number one state in the nation for education and the middle of the pack for healthcare is different than moving to Mississippi, where the state ranked last in education and fourth-last in healthcare. Both are red states in the South, but the resources your family will have access to are completely different. Instead of thinking about state politics, think about the resources individually and make your decision based on your family’s needs.
Where do you think it’s better to raise a family? What has your experience been? Let us know what you like about where you’ve raised your family in the comments, and check out the Support for Stepdads blog for more thoughts about raising a family!
