John S Kiernan, Managing Editor

Jul 23, 2019

Families move often and for various reasons. In fact, the average American can expect to move an estimated 11.4 times during his or her lifetime. Moving can be a sign of opportunity, such as a new job or long-term wealth accumulation. But also move because of instability such as foreclosure or job loss. The key in either case is to choose an area that’s both economically prosperous and a pleasant place to live.

With that in mind, WalletHub compared more than 180 U.S. cities based on 47 key metrics that consider essential family dynamics, such as the cost of housing, the quality of local school and health-care systems, and the opportunities for fun and recreation. While obviously not perfect — given personal preferences and the limitations of publicly available data — our findings will hopefully give movers a sense of their options. This study aims to reveal the areas that offer the greatest opportunity to achieve Wallet Fitness and live a long and happy life. Read on for the results, additional insight from experts and a detailed description of our methodology.

Main Findings

Best Places to Raise a Family

Overall Rank

(1 = Best) City Total Score ‘Family Fun’ Rank ‘Health & Safety’ Rank ‘Education & Child Care’ Rank ‘Affordability’ Rank ‘Socio-economics’ Rank 1 Overland Park, KS 71.76 94 10 11 1 5 2 Fremont, CA 70.59 82 1 2 41 1 3 Irvine, CA 70.38 22 2 4 44 4 4 Plano, TX 67.88 101 3 40 7 2 5 South Burlington, VT 67.04 181 15 1 30 7 6 Bismarck, ND 65.77 141 22 27 6 16 7 Gilbert, AZ 65.26 56 13 44 15 11 8 Fargo, ND 65.25 104 20 10 22 34 9 Scottsdale, AZ 64.42 54 24 55 19 10 10 Boise, ID 64.20 17 17 166 5 40 11 Madison, WI 64.15 79 27 68 3 27 12 Seattle, WA 64.04 51 60 5 26 62 13 Columbia, MD 63.92 70 51 67 4 42 14 Lincoln, NE 63.55 55 28 64 12 36 15 Huntington Beach, CA 63.17 95 16 9 80 9 16 San Jose, CA 63.13 47 7 14 79 12 17 Chandler, AZ 62.34 60 37 74 25 13 18 San Diego, CA 62.21 4 21 18 96 59 19 Cheyenne, WY 62.18 120 84 70 11 22 20 Sioux Falls, SD 61.86 151 31 30 16 45 21 Virginia Beach, VA 61.82 133 4 45 31 24 22 Cedar Rapids, IA 61.80 137 44 100 2 52 23 Henderson, NV 61.08 48 14 103 49 18 24 Austin, TX 60.89 80 65 24 14 90 25 Colorado Springs, CO 60.66 28 78 113 27 57 26 Warwick, RI 60.56 182 26 39 13 15 27 Peoria, AZ 60.50 62 45 98 35 38 28 Billings, MT 60.20 139 119 17 18 49 29 Omaha, NE 59.91 74 69 49 20 71 30 Burlington, VT 59.64 168 5 8 62 91 31 Nashua, NH 59.45 161 35 94 23 26 32 Charleston, SC 59.43 45 43 122 36 66 33 Pembroke Pines, FL 59.17 121 36 13 98 14 34 Raleigh, NC 59.03 129 49 51 8 102 35 Pearl City, HI 59.01 178 33 3 93 6 36 Santa Rosa, CA 58.89 64 9 59 108 28 37 Juneau, AK 58.87 180 135 19 34 3 38 Minneapolis, MN 58.48 11 123 93 9 143 39 Santa Clarita, CA 58.47 88 6 42 110 54 40 San Francisco, CA 58.30 36 53 12 114 81 41 Rancho Cucamonga, CA 58.27 58 63 69 94 8 42 Chesapeake, VA 57.90 117 23 110 37 56 43 Honolulu, HI 57.76 39 18 36 141 17 44 Sacramento, CA 57.72 3 54 73 74 132 45 Portland, OR 57.67 46 105 15 58 110 46 Lexington-Fayette, KY 57.63 138 66 46 21 93 47 Portland, ME 57.54 157 11 34 60 94 48 Oklahoma City, OK 57.41 49 141 105 28 43 49 Denver, CO 57.12 13 58 132 48 114 50 Casper, WY 57.11 71 102 62 69 29 51 Salt Lake City, UT 57.10 53 130 128 38 37 52 Missoula, MT 57.08 109 111 6 71 96 53 Durham, NC 56.91 158 77 43 10 105 54 Pittsburgh, PA 56.80 106 86 28 29 138 55 Tampa, FL 56.67 5 75 112 54 150 56 Charlotte, NC 56.67 125 107 63 24 70 57 Aurora, IL 56.65 103 12 88 89 68 58 Columbus, OH 56.51 67 93 84 33 99 59 Las Vegas, NV 56.09 2 55 172 97 109 60 Chula Vista, CA 56.00 97 8 31 142 30 61 Grand Prairie, TX 55.94 44 76 111 85 39 62 Des Moines, IA 55.77 130 94 83 17 133 63 St. Paul, MN 55.72 75 80 104 32 122 64 Rapid City, SD 55.21 108 128 117 42 53 65 Lewiston, ME 55.20 149 41 59 75 75 66 Spokane, WA 55.09 78 112 51 53 129 67 Reno, NV 55.03 24 71 92 113 64 68 Vancouver, WA 54.42 147 52 21 112 95 69 Huntsville, AL 54.39 93 104 163 40 82 70 Orlando, FL 54.36 6 146 97 67 130 71 Modesto, CA 54.23 9 129 140 77 55 72 Fort Worth, TX 54.15 50 110 125 61 84 73 Garden Grove, CA 54.02 30 46 32 170 20 74 St. Petersburg, FL 54.02 87 109 141 39 92 75 Nampa, ID 53.92 12 34 181 76 83 76 Louisville, KY 53.75 152 82 89 43 80 77 New York, NY 53.67 8 32 7 177 125 78 Amarillo, TX 53.32 83 145 129 68 32 79 Tacoma, WA 53.18 170 115 25 50 136 80 Washington, DC 53.15 57 120 16 66 171 81 Glendale, CA 53.14 68 19 48 171 23 82 Tempe, AZ 53.12 35 127 136 72 85 83 Arlington, TX 52.92 92 95 99 88 61 84 Yonkers, NY 52.86 179 25 33 121 89 85 Jersey City, NJ 52.85 159 30 20 124 87 86 Oceanside, CA 52.67 113 40 78 147 35 87 Buffalo, NY 52.56 98 99 38 57 164 88 Jacksonville, FL 52.50 91 134 90 55 116 89 Salem, OR 52.49 144 61 77 105 69 90 Grand Rapids, MI 52.45 166 62 167 46 100 91 Atlanta, GA 52.44 15 163 102 47 161 92 Mesa, AZ 52.43 107 83 143 83 50 93 Nashville, TN 52.12 102 133 157 56 60 94 Tallahassee, FL 52.02 124 138 85 59 118 95 El Paso, TX 51.92 20 68 126 143 88 96 Los Angeles, CA 51.88 1 70 72 176 124 97 Anaheim, CA 51.77 34 39 81 174 25 98 Cape Coral, FL 51.67 153 59 135 107 51 99 Long Beach, CA 51.56 10 38 58 175 72 100 Boston, MA 51.50 73 42 26 144 156 101 Irving, TX 51.49 164 64 156 87 21 102 Kansas City, MO 51.46 59 172 86 45 142 103 Cincinnati, OH 51.43 27 136 57 73 173 104 Chicago, IL 51.28 23 100 65 131 155 105 Anchorage, AK 51.25 148 160 66 84 19 106 Manchester, NH 51.20 172 122 107 64 74 107 West Valley City, UT 51.09 31 142 176 100 44 108 Bakersfield, CA 51.00 19 156 147 103 78 109 Phoenix, AZ 50.85 7 147 155 92 144 110 San Antonio, TX 50.67 76 131 106 111 73 111 Worcester, MA 50.65 171 91 56 90 131 112 Fort Wayne, IN 50.17 173 87 159 52 79 113 Greensboro, NC 50.14 116 144 50 95 112 114 Port St. Lucie, FL 50.08 175 47 160 120 47 115 Tulsa, OK 50.02 52 174 138 65 108 116 Garland, TX 49.97 143 89 114 119 46 117 Albuquerque, NM 49.85 18 177 168 70 115 118 Fontana, CA 49.79 25 101 173 160 31 119 Oxnard, CA 49.78 21 29 144 173 65 120 Riverside, CA 49.67 61 98 142 148 41 121 Brownsville, TX 49.62 69 103 23 167 101 122 Newport News, VA 49.28 145 56 161 117 103 123 Fort Smith, AR 49.16 81 148 101 128 77 124 Charleston, WV 49.09 177 171 115 51 97 125 Tucson, AZ 49.02 16 140 127 136 134 126 Philadelphia, PA 48.82 32 85 71 145 172 127 Chattanooga, TN 48.81 155 154 137 63 98 128 Glendale, AZ 48.80 40 132 154 125 111 129 Aurora, CO 48.56 154 72 158 101 86 130 Oakland, CA 48.40 123 121 22 153 119 131 Providence, RI 48.39 77 81 54 155 158 132 Rochester, NY 48.23 132 73 37 99 179 133 Dallas, TX 48.21 84 90 108 138 140 134 Lubbock, TX 48.14 127 152 134 91 76 135 North Las Vegas, NV 48.04 37 88 182 139 106 136 Knoxville, TN 47.89 150 155 121 86 117 137 Ontario, CA 47.86 38 108 170 168 33 138 Winston-Salem, NC 47.86 105 114 118 118 121 139 Las Cruces, NM 47.85 14 157 150 129 126 140 Houston, TX 47.65 65 149 109 127 137 141 Corpus Christi, TX 47.64 134 159 120 116 58 142 Moreno Valley, CA 47.62 29 113 175 165 63 143 Laredo, TX 47.37 72 124 80 159 120 144 Springfield, MO 47.34 111 175 82 109 113 145 Fresno, CA 47.33 41 116 145 146 145 146 Dover, DE 47.20 176 57 148 115 128 147 Columbia, SC 46.88 33 125 178 106 163 148 Little Rock, AR 46.57 169 179 96 81 104 149 Indianapolis, IN 46.25 146 169 162 82 107 150 Santa Ana, CA 46.20 86 50 76 180 48 151 New Haven, CT 46.20 63 96 47 166 167 152 Akron, OH 46.06 160 74 130 132 166 153 Montgomery, AL 45.90 128 118 146 123 151 154 Columbus, GA 45.51 99 137 149 140 139 155 Wichita, KS 45.34 165 164 180 78 67 156 Stockton, CA 45.15 42 173 139 152 123 157 Norfolk, VA 45.11 110 92 164 151 135 158 Huntington, WV 44.94 122 143 169 122 146 159 Milwaukee, WI 44.90 100 153 87 130 168 160 Baton Rouge, LA 44.85 136 165 124 102 152 161 New Orleans, LA 44.79 43 126 171 164 148 162 Fayetteville, NC 44.69 118 166 79 157 127 163 Jackson, MS 44.66 66 139 75 156 175 164 Mobile, AL 43.80 131 150 151 137 147 165 Toledo, OH 43.34 114 170 119 126 162 166 Bridgeport, CT 42.89 140 79 61 172 170 167 Fort Lauderdale, FL 42.85 156 158 91 162 141 168 Gulfport, MS 42.81 119 168 95 158 157 169 St. Louis, MO 42.52 90 181 152 104 165 170 Richmond, VA 42.30 162 106 116 135 169 171 Birmingham, AL 41.98 126 97 133 150 176 172 Miami, FL 41.43 89 67 29 182 174 173 Augusta, GA 41.01 135 161 174 154 149 174 Baltimore, MD 40.58 142 167 131 133 178 175 Hialeah, FL 40.00 174 48 41 181 159 176 San Bernardino, CA 39.91 26 176 165 178 154 177 Wilmington, DE 38.78 115 178 53 163 181 178 Shreveport, LA 38.74 112 180 177 149 160 179 Memphis, TN 38.32 167 182 153 134 153 180 Cleveland, OH 38.10 85 162 123 169 180 181 Newark, NJ 37.79 163 117 35 179 177 182 Detroit, MI 37.28 96 151 179 161 182

Ask the Experts

Raising a family is a tall order. And with so many important decisions to make, it’s often difficult to determine where to turn for help with family matters. We turned to experts in the fields of family studies, psychology and household finance for tips, insights and a few cautionary tales. Click on the experts’ profiles below to read their bios and thoughts on the following key questions:

To what degree is child development and a family’s quality of life influenced by the city they live in? How? What advice do you have for young families looking to start their lives together on the right foot financially? How can local officials make their cities more attractive to young families? What should families consider when choosing a place to set down roots? In evaluating the best cities for families, what are the top five indicators?

Methodology

In order to determine which cities are most conducive to family life, WalletHub compared 182 U.S. cities — including the 150 most populated U.S. cities, plus at least two of the most populated cities in each state — across five key dimensions: 1) Family Fun, 2) Health & Safety, 3) Education & Child Care, 4) Affordability and 5) Socio-economics.

We evaluated those categories using 47 relevant metrics, which are listed below with their corresponding weights. Each metric was graded on a 100-point scale, with a score of 100 representing the most favorable conditions for family life. Data for metrics marked with an asterisk (*) were available at the state level only. For metrics marked with two asterisks (**), we calculated population size using the square root of the population in order to avoid overcompensating for minor differences across cities.

Finally, we determined each city’s weighted average across all metrics to calculate its overall score and used the resulting scores to rank-order our sample. Our sample considers only the city proper in each case and excludes cities in the surrounding metro area.

Family Fun – Total Points: 20

Playgrounds per Capita**: Full Weight (~1.11 Points)

Ice Rinks per Capita**: Half Weight (~0.56 Points)

Skate Parks per Capita**: Half Weight (~0.56 Points)

Bike Rental Facilities per Capita**: Half Weight (~0.56 Points)

Mini Golf Locations per Capita**: Half Weight (~0.56 Points)

Parkland Acreage per Capita: Half Weight (~0.56 Points)

Walkability: Full Weight (~1.11 Points)

Bike Score: Full Weight (~1.11 Points)

Number of Attractions: Full Weight (~1.11 Points)

Note: “Attractions” include, for instance, zoos, museums and theaters.

Recreation-Friendliness: Double Weight (~2.22 Points)

Sports-Fan-Friendliness: Double Weight (~2.22 Points)

Note: This metric is based on WalletHub’s “ Best Sports Cities ” ranking.

Ideal Weather: Quadruple Weight (~4.44 Points)

Note: This metric is based on WalletHub’s “ Cities With the Best & Worst Weather ” ranking.

Share of Families with Young Children: Triple Weight (~3.33 Points)

Note: “Young children” include the population aged 0 to 17 years.

Average Commute Time: Half Weight (~0.56 Points)

Health & Safety – Total Points: 20

Air Quality: Full Weight (~1.43 Points)

Water Quality: Full Weight (~1.43 Points)

Limited Access to Healthy Foods: Full Weight (~1.43 Points)

Pediatricians per Capita: Full Weight (~1.43 Points)

Share of Uninsured Children: Full Weight (~1.43 Points)

Note: “Children” include the population aged 0 to 17 years.

Public Hospitals Ranking*: Full Weight (~1.43 Points)

Infant Mortality Rate: Full Weight (~1.43 Points)

Pedestrian-Fatality Rate: Full Weight (~1.43 Points)

Driving Fatalities per Capita: Full Weight (~1.43 Points)

Violent-Crime Rate per Capita: Double Weight (~2.86 Points)

Property-Crime Rate per Capita: Double Weight (~2.86 Points)

Family Homelessness: Full Weight (~1.43 Points)

Note: This metric measures the number of homeless people in families per total homeless population.

Education & Child Care – Total Points: 20

School-System Quality: Double Weight (~5.71 Points)

Note: This metric is based on GreatSchools.org average score.

High School Graduation Rate: Half Weight (~1.43 Points)

Day-Care Quality*: Half Weight (~1.43 Points)

Child-Care Costs*: Half Weight (~1.43 Points)

Note: This metric was adjusted for the median family income.

Child Day-Care Services per Capita: Full Weight (~2.86 Points)

Childcare Workers per Total Number of Children under 14 Years: Full Weight (~2.86 Points)

Parental-Leave Policy Score*: Full Weight (~2.86 Points)

Note: This metric is based on the report card from Expecting Better: A State-by-State Analysis of Laws That Help Expecting and New Parents

Summer Learning Opportunities per Capita**: Half Weight (~1.43 Points)

Affordability – Total Points: 20

Cost of Living: Full Weight (~6.67 Points)

Note: This metric was calculated as follows: Median Annual Family Income / Cost-of-Living Index.

Housing Affordability: Full Weight (~6.67 Points)

Note: This metric was calculated as follows: Median Annual Family Income / Housing Costs (accounts for both rent and home-sales prices).

Wallet Wellness: Full Weight (~6.67 Points)

Note: This metric is based on WalletHub’s “ Best & Worst Cities for WalletFitness™ ” ranking.

Socio-economics – Total Points: 20

Share of Two-Parent Families: Full Weight (~2.11 Points)

Separation & Divorce Rate: Full Weight (~2.11 Points)

Share of Families Living in Poverty: Full Weight (~2.11 Points)

Share of Families Receiving Food Stamps: Full Weight (~2.11 Points)

Unemployment Rate: Full Weight (~2.11 Points)

Underemployment Rate: Full Weight (~2.11 Points)

Debt per Median Earnings: Full Weight (~2.11 Points)

Wealth Gap: Full Weight (~2.11 Points)

Foreclosure Rate: Half Weight (~1.05 Points)

“Social Ties” Ranking: Full Weight (~2.11 Points)



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Sources: Data used to create this ranking were collected from the U.S. Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Child Care Aware of America, Environmental Protection Agency, County Health Rankings, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Council for Community and Economic Research, The Trust for Public Land, Sharecare, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Department of Housing and Urban Development, National Partnership for Women & Families, TripAdvisor, Walk Score, Renwood RealtyTrac, Chmura Economics & Analytics, TransUnion, Yelp, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, GreatSchools.org and WalletHub research.

Image: Monkey Business Images / Shutterstock.com

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