Where is the best place in the United States to raise a child?

The Washington Post ranked counties on a scale of 0 to 100 based on how much it costs to raise a child, the quality of education in an area, the crime risk in an area, and state policies on personal liberties and parental support, writes  Youyou Zhou for The Washington Post.

Affordability

Delaware County is right in the middle when it comes to the affordability of having children, at 51 out of 100. Compared to surrounding counties, Chester County ranked 49, Montgomery County ranked 46, Bucks County ranked 50, and Philadelphia County ranked 49. 

Farther out, Lancaster County came in at 46, Berks County came in at 48, and Lehigh County was 53 out of 100.

Quality of Education

For quality of education, Delaware County scored higher, at 66 out of 100.  It still trailed Chester County, at 75, Montgomery County at 74, and Bucks County at 71. It did outscore Philadelphia County, which came in at 50. 

Farther out, Lancaster County tied with Delco at 66. Berks County came in at 56, and Lehigh County came in at 62.

Safety

For neighborhood safety, Delaware County scored high at 75, but still not as high as Chester County at 87, Montgomery County at 82, and Bucks County at 85. It scored significantly better than Philadelphia, which came in at 30. 

Farther out, Lancaster County came in at 83. Berks County came in at 84, and Lehigh County came in at 80.

Policy Support

Delaware County scored a 75 on policy support. It tied with Chester, Montgomery, Bucks, Philadelphia, Lancaster, and Lehigh Counties. Berks County scored 76.

Read more about the best places to raise a child in the United States in The Washington Post.