Best places to raise a family: A complete guide

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Apr 15, 2024

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7-minute read

There are many great places in America for families to live, including kid-friendly towns and affordable cities where everyone can create and enjoy a good quality of life. But when it comes to the best places to raise a family, nothing beats the cities listed below.

What Are The Best Places To Live For Families?

Choosing a place to live might not always be easy due to multiple like schooling and affordability.

The following table is a list of the 10 best cities to raise a family in the U.S. based on various factors, including cost of living, public school options, unemployment and crime rates and housing costs.

Rank	City, State	Population
1	Peoria, Illinois	151,400
2	Olathe, Kansas	145,597
3	Bloomington, Illinois	185,300
4	Cheektowaga, New York	174,100
5	Naperville, Illinois	148,508
6	Ankeny, Iowa	300,600
7	Arlington Heights, Illinois	426,300
8	Columbia, Maryland	478,000
9	Elk Grove, California	177,558
10	Fremont, California	223,859

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The 10 Best Cities To Raise A Family

When you’re thinking about buying a house, the location where you choose to live matters quite a bit. Your location determines your school district, level of access to public transportation and the resale value of your home, among many other factors.

1. Peoria, Illinois

Peoria is consistently named as one of the best cities in America to live. The city has an excellent zoo, many high-quality museums and plenty of outdoor activities. The cost of living is 10% below the national average, and Peoria has the seventh-lowest median sale price among U.S. cities.

Here’s what you need to know about buying a home in Peoria:

Median home sale price: $127,753
Total households with children: 25,816
Median family household income: $74,512

2. Olathe, Kansas

Olathe is a suburb of Kansas City, and it comes with a highly-rated public school system, affordable housing and access to a diverse community. Olathe residents also have access to 1,367 acres of parks and hiking trails, so it’s a good option for outdoor enthusiasts.

Overall, Olathe is ranked No. 7 in the nation for households with children per capita. Here’s what you need to know about buying a home in Olathe:

Median home sale price: $447,329
Total households with children: 38,697
Median family household income: $114,305

3. Bloomington, Illinois

Bloomington is home to two major universities, and several large companies are headquartered there, including State Farm, Country Financial and OSF HealthCare. There are also lots of interesting boutiques and restaurants.

The Constitution Trail is one of Bloomington’s main attractions, featuring 37 miles of trail where people can walk, run, cycle or skateboard. Residents will also have access to a highly rated public school system.

Here’s what you need to know about buying a home in Bloomington:

Median home sale price: $239,882
Total households with children: 18,573
Median family household income: $93,169

4. Cheektowaga, New York

Cheektowaga is located just outside of Buffalo, and it’s one of the most affordable options in the New York region. The city is located just 30 minutes from Niagara Falls, and residents can access a large park system with outdoor fields, courts and walking trails.

Plus, Cheektowaga has the best-ranked public school system in our top 10 list. Here’s what you need to know about buying a home in Cheektowaga:

Median Home Sale Price: $216,379
Total Households With Children: 18,863
Median Family Household Income: $82,442

5. Naperville, Illinois

Naperville is a suburb west of Chicago that has an excellent public school system, a diverse community and lots of outdoor activities. Families can visit Riverwalk Park, the Morton Arboretum or one of the many parks and public trails located in and around the city.

Naperville is the number one city in terms of the number of households with children per capita, and it has the highest median income for cities on this list. Here’s what you need to know about buying a home in Naperville:

Median home sale price: $536,059
Total households with children: 41,947
Median family household income: $167,129

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6. Ankeny, Iowa

Ankeny is a suburban community with a small-town feel. Residents will enjoy a well-rated public school system, access to lots of jobs and affordable housing. If you’re looking for something to do, you can visit the District, which has tons of restaurants, shops and other activities.

Families can head to the farmers market, aquatic center and annual summer festival. Here’s what you need to know about buying a home in Ankeny:

Median home sale price: $320,179
Total households with children: 19,603
Median family household income: $125,783

7. Arlington Heights, Illinois

Arlington Heights is one of the best places to live in the U.S. for families. The city has excellent schools and many places to go for education and recreation, like the Arlington Heights Memorial Library, Lake Arlington and the Ned Brown Preserve – also known as Busse Woods.

Here’s what you need to know about buying a home in Arlington Heights:

Median home sale price: $410,000
Total households with children: 19,878
Median family household income: $149,175

8. Columbia, Maryland

Columbia is part of the Baltimore metropolitan area and is the second-most-populated community in Maryland. The city has invested a lot in downtown Columbia, and residents can enjoy access to parks, museums and lakes.

The public schools are well-rated, and you’ll be joining a diverse community of people. Here’s what you need to know about buying a home in Columbia:

Median home sale price: $454,512
Total households with children: 26,478
Median family household income: $151,994

9. Elk Grove, California

Elk Grove is a suburb of Sacramento and one of the best places to live in California. The city has top-rated schools, a thriving economy and beautiful weather year-round. Elk Grove is also features an historic main street, filled with boutiques, antiques shops, cafes and restaurants. Here’s what you need to know about buying a home in Elk Grove:

Median home sale price: $669,375
Total households with children: 44,292
Median family household income: $117,192

10. Fremont, California

Fremont is located in the heart of Silicon Valley and is the fourth largest city within that region. Residents have access to tons of local parks and hiking trails, and there are many family-friendly amenities available, including three different farmers markets, a three-acre waterpark and 60 public art installations scattered around town.

The median home price in Fremont is more expensive than any other city listed, but it’s still a great option for anyone who wants or needs to live in this area. Here’s what you need to know about buying a home in Fremont:

Median home sale price: $1,360,685
Total households with children: 57,848
Median family household income: $186,111

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The 5 Best States To Raise A Family

Here are some of the best states to raise a family in:

Illinois: Illinois is one of the best places to live for families, thanks to its excellent public schools, family-friendly activities and local attractions.
California: California is a great place to live thanks to its beautiful weather year-round, abundance of outdoor activities and high quality of life for residents.
Kansas: Kansas is a good option for families thanks to its highly rated public school system, general affordability and abundance of family-friendly activities.
Maryland: Maryland is a good choice for families thanks to the abundance of jobs available, local attractions and outdoor activities.
Iowa: Iowa offers families low housing costs, excellent public schools and tons of local attractions.

The Bottom Line: There Are Many Great Cities To Raise A Family In The US

For home buyers trying to figure out where to raise your family, the U.S. offers tons of great places for people to live beyond just the locations discussed in this article. The 10 cities we highlighted are just a few examples of the many nationally ranked locations in the U.S. Those ready to take the next step toward homeownership can begin a mortgage application today.

Methodology

Our friends at Rocket HomesSM collected and analyzed the most recent data – from the 478 cities across the U.S. with Rocket Homes listings – on 13 key metrics to create our rankings for the best places to raise a family in the U.S. Here are the metrics Rocket Homes focused on, their weight in the ranking, the level of data Rocket Homes collected and the sources for each metric.

Metric	Weight	Level	Source
5-year population growth	5%	City	U.S. Census American Community Survey
Median home sale price	6%	City	Rocket Homes (December 2023)
Percentage of income spent on housing related costs	8%	City	U.S. Census American Community Survey
Unemployment rate	9%	City	U.S. Census American Community Survey
Cost of living index	8%	Metro	Council for Community and Economic Research
Public school score	9%	State	RocketHomes.com
Climate score	7%	City	BestPlaces.net
Well-being index	9%	State	Sharecare
Households with children per capita	7%	City	U.S. Census American Community Survey
Median family household income	8%	City	U.S. Census American Community Survey
Children enrolled in school per capita	7%	City	U.S. Census American Community Survey
Percentage of population under 18	7%	City	U.S. Census American Community Survey
State maternity law quality score	10%	State	Paycor

Other metrics considered without weight:
Violent crime rate		City	Best Places
Property crime rate		City	Best places
Monthly homeowner costs		City	U.S. Census American Community Survey

These metrics were chosen based on public data availability and topical relevance. State-level data was used for metrics without consistent city-level data. Metrics from the U.S. Census are based on 2022 ACS 1-year estimates. State maternity law quality score was based on a 0 to 1 score, with no state maternity laws scoring a 0.

Our dataset contained 478 cities with Rocket Homes listings. These cities account for 71% of the U.S. population. Cities with violent crime rates greater than or equal to 55 and property crime rates greater than or equal to 65 were removed from the rankings.

Jamie Johnson

Jamie Johnson is a Kansas City-based freelance writer who writes about a variety of personal finance topics, including loans, building credit, and paying down debt. She currently writes for clients like the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Business Insider, and Bankrate.

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