Choosing where to settle down and start your family is no easy task. When you’re single, there are only several variables you have to think of for your solo self (friendly + romantic? check + check!). But when your brood starts expanding, you have to take into account more important things like affordability, education, crime rates — the list goes on — to give your kid(s) the best childhood they can have. While it was interesting to see which cities are the worst for families, we thought it would be a little more beneficial to shout out some of the best of the best. Our parents always did tell us to be fair ;)
Most Kid-Friendly Cities
This top 10 list, compiled by Livability, was determined by a variety of factors — from the usual to the unique. While the outlet did factor in education opportunities, cost of living and more into where each city landed on the list, the judging criteria was also how many restaurants had kids’ menus and how many kid-friendly parks and activities these cities could boast. What the research database discovered was that a majority of the cities on the list are suburbs of larger ones, giving these the perfect small-town feeling for your family, while also offering the perks of city living. Sounds like a win-win to us.
1. Boise, ID
2. Downer’s Grove, IL
3. Overland Parks, KS
4. Cedar Rapids, IA
5. Plano, TX
6. Carmel, IN
7. Brentwood, TN
8. Palo Alto, CA
9. Royal Oak, MI
10. Newton, MA
Best Cities for Young Families
Thanks to Apartment List, the struggle of finding a city that you and your family will love growing into (and be able to afford along the way) has gotten somewhat easier with the help of this top 10. By considering factors like school quality, housing cost and safety, the “rentonomics” site uncovered 100 of the best cities for those newlyweds that happen to already have a plus one. Here’s the top of that roster:
1. Fishers, IN
2. Allen, TX
3. Naperville, IL
4. Castle Rock, CO
5. Frisco, TX
6. Carmel, IN
7. Olathe, KS
8. Ankeny, IA
9. Franklin, TN
10. Lakeville, MN
Most Affordable Cities for Families
Of course, education rankings and crime rates are at the forefront of our minds when it comes to choosing the perfect place for you and the fam to call home, but sometimes the deciding factor is how affordable a specific locale is. Forbescompiled a list of the most budget-friendly options by taking a look at median family incomes and housing prices to see how much take-home families actually get after all the essential costs come out of their paychecks. Our wallets are telling us we need to move.
1. Birmingham, AL
2. Knoxville, TN
3. Buffalo, NY
4. Oklahoma City, OK
5. Cincinnati, OH
6. Memphis, TN
7. St. Louis, MO
8. Dayton, OH
9. Indianapolis, IN
10. Columbus, OH + Detroit, MI (tied)
Best Big Cities for Families
By taking a look at crime, labor and school ratings of some of the larger cities throughout the nation, Parentingproduced a list of 10 of the best big cities for families; because sometimes you just can’t give up that urban life. With a ton of family-friendly activities packed in each and high standings when it comes to education and workforce, children growing up in these 10 locations seem to have it pretty good.
1. Boston, MA
2. Colorado Springs, CO
3. Nashville, TN
4. Dallas, TX
5. Allentown, PA
6. Richmond, VA
7. Worcester, MA
8. Raleigh, NC
9. Virginia Beach, VA
10. Madison, WI
Most Well-Rounded Cities for Families
WalletHub compared the availability of family activities, health options, quality education choices, affordability and the socio-economic environment of 150 of the largest cities in the US to determine the best of the best. With so many factors and cross sections taken into consideration to create this particular list, we’re dubbing these 10 the most well-rounded cities for you and yours.
1. Plano, TX
2. Sioux Falls, SD
3. Overland Park, KS
4. Fremont, CA
5. Irvine, CA
6. Virginia Beach, VA
7. Lincoln, NE
8. Anchorage, AK
9. Gilbert, AZ
10. Amarillo, TX
Best Small Towns for Families
Metro areas aren’t all they’re cracked up to be. That’s whyFamily Circledecided to break from the big names and highlight some of the best small towns in the country for families to raise their children. Deciding factors on the best were the quality of schools, how affordable housing is and the “giving spirit” of these more suburban spots. Aw. You may have even called one of these your hometown in the past.
1. Westborough, MA
2. Camas, WA
3. Franklin, TN
4. Westfield, IN
5. Woodbury, MN
6. Boerne, TX
7. Lake Mary, FL
8. Elmhurst, IL
9. Apex, NC
10. Brecksville, OH
Does your city pop up on one of these lists? Let us know which one in the comments.
(Photos via Bleubird Blog, Thomas Hawk, Scott Morris, Daniel Mennerich, Werner Kunz, Doug Brown + Sam Beebe)
