Moving and raising a family can seem like an overwhelming task. With so many cities to choose from, it can be hard to decide which one offers the right combination of safety, healthcare, and overall quality of life. But with so many cities out there competing for your attention, how do you choose one?
In this report, we are going to uncover some of the best cities in the U.S. that make great places for families! We’ll review key factors such as the cost of living and education in each city and eventually crown our top choice.
Whether you’re looking for somewhere safe yet full of culture or an up-and-coming area with excellent employment prospects – we’ve got you covered! So strap yourself in – it’s time to find out which cities might just become home soon…
Main Findings
Category Breakdown
FAQs
What are the best cities to raise a family?
The top 5 best cities to raise a family in the USA are Warwick-Rhode Island, Charleston-West Virginia, Fort Lauderdale-Florida, Yonkers-New York, and Burlington-Vermont. Warwick, Rhode Island was ranked as the best city to raise a child as it stands out as being the safest in the country, with abundant recreational opportunities for the family and exceptional health provisions.
What are the best cities in Florida to raise a family?
The best cities to raise a family in Florida are Fort Lauderdale, Orlando, St. Petersburg, Tampa, and Miami, based on an analysis of 152 cities in the U.S., which has led to these cities being ranked in the top 50.
What are the most affordable places to raise a family in 2023?
The most affordable places to raise a family in 2023 are Cedar Rapids - Iowa, Chesapeake - Virginia, Sioux Falls - South Dakota, Warren - Michigan, and Bismarck - North Dakota.
Methodology
In order to determine the best cities to raise a family, Scholaroo compared the 152 cities across seven categories:
- Safety
- Healthcare
- Finances
- Education
- Leisure
- Quality of Life
- Home Atmosphere
We evaluated those categories using 33 relevant metrics listed below with their corresponding weight. Each metric was graded on a 100 - point scale, with a score of 100 being the max.
Finally, we determined each cities weighted average across all metrics to calculate its overall score and used the resulting scores to rank-order our sample.
Safety (20 points)
Police officers: Regular Weight (4 Points)
The number of police officers per capita.
Firefighters: Regular Weight (4 Points)
The number of firefighters per city per capita.
School Shootings: Half Weight (2 Points)
The number of school shootings registers in the last 10 years per city.
Property crimes: Regular Weight (2 Points)
The number of burglaries, larceny, and motor vehicle theft.
Watch Groups: Half Weight (4 Points)
The number of registered neighborhood watch groups per capita.
Sex Offenders: Half Weight (2 Points)
The number of registered sex offenders per capita.
Violent crimes: Half Weight (2 Points)
The number of murders and nonnegligent manslaughter, rape, robbery, and aggravated assault.
Healthcare (14 points)
Number of Hospitals: Regular Weight (4 Points)
The number of hospitals per capita.
Number of Pediatricians: Regular Weight (4 Points)
The number of pediatricians per capita.
Uninsured residents: Half Weight (2 Points)
The number of residents under 65 without health insurance.
Inpatient beds: Half Weight (4 Points)
The average number of hospital beds used per capita in a week.
Finances (16 points)
Cost of private education: Half Weight (1.23 Points)
The average tuition price for elementary, middle, and high private schools per year.
Median Home Value: Regular Weight (2.46 Points)
The average cost to buy a house.
Homeownership rate: Regular Weight (2.46 Points)
The percentage of housing units in the city occupied by the property owner.
Cost of a nanny: Half Weight (1.23 Points)
The cost of a nanny for one child during 40 hours per week.
Median Household income: Regular Weight (2.46 Points)
The income of all people living in the same household.
Cost of living: Double Weight (4.92 Points)
Cost of living index.
Rent cost: Half Weight (1.23 Points)
The average cost of the rent per city.
Education (18 points)
Number of Public schools: Regular Weight (3.6 Points)
The number of public schools available per capita.
High-School graduation rate: Regular Weight (3.6 Points)
Rate of students graduated from high school.
Number of students/teacher ratio: Regular Weight (3.6 Points)
The average number of students per classroom.
Educational expenditures: Regular Weight (3.6 Points)
How much the city invests in education per student
Classroom Teachers (FTE): Regular Weight (3.6 Points)
The average of teachers working full time.
Leisure Activities (13 points)
Number of Restaurants: Half Weight (2.6 Points)
The number of family-friend restaurants per capita.
Number of Museums: Half Weight (2.6 Points)
The number of family-friend museums per capita.
Number of Movie theaters: Half Weight (2.6 Points)
The number of movie theaters per capita.
Number of Recreational areas: Regular Weight (5.2 Points)
The number of pickleball Courts, Tennis Courts, Volleyball Nets, Basketball Hoops, Beaches, and Community Garden Plots. Cooling Centers. Disc Golf, Dog Parks, Drinking Fountains, Playgrounds, Recreation and Senior Centers, Restrooms, Skate Parks, Splashpads, Swimming Pools, Improved Trails, Nature Trails, Fitness Zones, and Walking Loops / Tracks.
Quality of life (11 points)
Air quality: Regular Weight (3.67 Points)
Level of air quality in 2021.
Water quality: Regular Weight (3.67 Points)
The number of water violations per capita.
Noise pollution: Regular Weight (3.67 Points)
Noise Pollution Rates.
Home atmosphere (8 points)
Divorce: Half Weight (2 Points)
Rate of divorce per city of 15 years and older.
Marriage duration: Half Weight (2 Points)
The average time people stay married.
Alcoholism: Regular Weight (4 Points)
Rates of people with alcohol abuse.