I normally enjoy studies that are released by Wallet Hub. I find them interesting and occasionally surprising. But, the most recent one that they've just shared claiming Idaho is not a good place to raise a family has to be wrong.

First, in fairness to Wallet Hub, here is the methodology behind their findings. They include family fun, health and safety, education, affordability and social factors in their number crunching. Before I tear this apart, here's the map showing how Idaho compares to the rest of the country.

Source: WalletHub

So, Idaho is near the bottom at #34 when it comes to raising a family? Give me a break.

I think where I disagree with Wallet Hub on this one is how they determine what ranks high in their individual categories. For example, in the Family Fun category, they include number of fitness and recreational centers, attractions, commute time (?) and number of families with small children. What in the world do commute time and number of small children have to do with an area's ability to be great for a family? I don't get it.

There are also things they factored into the health and economic categories that (to me) don't truly reflect how great an area is to raise a family.

No doubt that Idaho has it's problems. But, I would argue that overall it's a very positive place to raise a family especially if you consider the job growth and all of the outside activities that are available here.

The fact that North Dakota is #1 should tell you all you need to know about the conclusions drawn in this ranking.

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