Top 10: Best of the Midwest for Families

For Americans looking to settle down and raise a family, a new ranking offers the 10 best cities in the Midwest, based on housing costs versus income, child care costs, unemployment rates, and more.

According to SmartAsset's research, cities that are great for families are spread throughout the region, with the top 10 cities located in 9 states. In all top 10 cities, households pay an average 17.58 percent of their annual income on housing costs, more than 12 percent below the threshold for cost-burdened housing (30 percent). Top 10 cities also have a combined average household income of $84,127.

If you’re looking to raise a family, the city you call home can affect many parts of your life. It potentially impacts the jobs available to you, how much you earn, how much it costs to live comfortably and how easy it is to build savings. Other factors like local schools and population also play a large role. Using data across 12 states in 10 metrics, we ventured to find the best places in the Midwest to raise a family.

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