The Best State to Raise Kids in Is …

August 1, 2014

Minnesota and Iowa rounded out the top five places for raising kids. Coming in at the bottom of the list: Arizona, Louisiana, Nevada, New Mexico, and Mississippi.

The rankings look at educational indicators, including preschool attendance, reading proficiency by grade four, math skills by grade eight, and high school graduation percentages. Economics factor in as well; the foundation considers the number of children living in poverty, those…

Vicki Clinebell majored in journalism at the University of Colorado and headed to an advertising agency before beginning a long career in broadcasting, spanning production and copywriting to Sales and Management for an ABC affiliate station.

Her decision to switch gears to pursue a career in writing fulfilled a lifelong ambition. She started as a blogger for a diverse group of businesses, and now writes for a number of digital publications for companies stationed in her hometown in the Rocky Mountains, and provides advertising copy and media buys for national and regional clients. She finds the research as intersting as the writing—she loves learning about subjects as diverse as construction scaffolding, child safety seats, and the newest trends in beauty and fashion.