Friendliest Cities for Families

A new study scores 182 U.S. cities based on family-friendly metrics including affordability, the availability of education and health care, recreation options, and other socioeconomic components.

According to the recent report by personal finance site WalletHub, Overland Park, Kan. is the best for families once again. Real estate agent Carol Chartrand explains that the cost of living and quality of education are the biggest selling factors. Realtor.com senior economist Joseph Kirchner adds, "Folks should consider being close to family, where the job prospects are good, affordability of housing ... For most people it’s the quality of the [local] public schools that matters, because that’s where they’re likely to send their children.” Of the top 10 cities, no one region had a monopoly, though California had the most of all states at one-third: Irvine, Fremont, and Huntington Beach.

Many of the cities that were ranked as some of the worst for raising families earned low marks for affordability and socioeconomic factors (e.g., share of families living in poverty). Some also had higher violent-crime rates per capita. Newark, NJ, shot up from No. 9 last year to the top spot. The city, just outside of New York City, had the fewest playgrounds per capita and the second-lowest median family salary (adjusted for cost of living).

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