WalletHub just released its "Best and Worst Places to Raise a Family 2023 Report," which ranks the 180 largest cities in the U.S. by analyzing 45 key metrics that matter to parents. These metrics include the quality of local schools, crime rates, economic factors such as income and unemployment rates, and access to child care, healthcare and recreation.
This year's most family-friendly city was Fremont, California, which ranked first in education and child care and second in health and safety. Despite its location in the pricey San Francisco Bay Area, Fremont ranked 18th in affordability, meaning it is a relative bargain in the region.
In fact, five of the top 10 kid-friendly cities are in California. However, decent options are scattered far and wide, with some surprising places making the list, with Overland Park, Kansas, coming in at No. 2.
At the bottom of the list is Cleveland, Ohio, which ranks last in socioeconomic terms and very low in education, health and affordability. Following Cleveland is Memphis, Tennessee, which is ranked as the worst in the data set in terms of violent crime.
These rankings make it very clear that parents who want the best for their children may find they have to make some trade-offs. Overland Park, for example, ranked high in affordability but only 115th in "family fun" - a category that includes access to playgrounds, parks, skating rinks and other amenities.
Meanwhile, Los Angeles ranked first in family fun, but 174th in affordability. High housing costs are a big part of the problem, with Realtor.com® data showing that the median listing price here hovers at $1.2 million.
In addition to housing, taxes, especially for public schools, are another major financial burden families must bear if they want to get the best education and opportunities for their children.
"Quality schooling and affordable housing are key factors that families should consider when putting down roots," said Susan J. Paik, a professor at Claremont Graduate University's School of Educational Studies and one of WalletHub's report experts." Cost of living, especially housing options, is important to growing families."
To learn more about what "family-friendly" costs in terms of housing, here are WalletHub's rankings, along with Realtor.com's data on median home prices in each area.
The 10 most family-friendly cities
Fremont, California: $1.25 million
Overland Park, Kansas: $638,950
Irvine, CA: $1.4 million
Plano, Texas: $550,000
South Burlington, Vermont: $564,000
San Diego, CA: $999,000
San Jose, California: $1,250,000
Scottsdale, Arizona: $939,000
Gilbert, Arizona: $600,000
San Francisco, CA: $1,460,000
Does it matter to family-friendly cities?
Parents have good reason to weigh all relevant factors when deciding where to raise a family, as a growing body of research finds how malleable children's minds are to their surroundings.
"A growing body of research shows that children's development and families' quality of life are heavily influenced by the cities in which they live," said Christina Santamaria Graf, an associate professor of education at Indiana University Purdue and one of the experts consulted for this report." More than ever before, local officials need to consider the well-being of families, including economic, physical, social, emotional and environmental factors."
So, what should parents consider when navigating the WalletHub report?
"Families should strongly reflect on how places connect with and support their values," says Cheryl W. Hayes, dean of the School of Data Science and Analytics at Kennesaw State University in Georgia." This can sometimes be a difficult issue for young parents who may just be figuring themselves out as adults, but location determines access to jobs, activities, educational opportunities, social networks and other intangibles."
