In a study released in January, Massachusetts was named Best State to raise a family, based on a number of factors, with an affordability rank of “3rd best”.

Massachusetts affordable? According to a different study, a family of 4 living in Massachusetts needs to earn just over $300k (pre-tax, annually) to live comfortably according to the 50/30/20 budget rule.

The catch is Massachusetts has a low unemployment rate while having high-paying jobs so that you can afford all the things, like taxes, that pay for the country’s best K-12 education, for example. Furthermore Mass ranks high or highest in healthcare outcomes, safety for children, and has the best water quality in the country.

Now I’d really like to know how many families in Massachusetts are hitting the “living comfortably” mark. Also, I would like to see it broken down by region. I doubt it costs the same to live in the Berkshires as it does in eastern Massachusetts (Boston Metro).

Surprisingly North Dakota ranks second best?