2018 Best Cities to Raise a Family

Best for Families

231 results

Economy

Health & Outdoors

Naperville
City in Illinois
507
1 Best Cities to Raise a Family in America
Current Resident: Naperville is an excellent, family friendly city. The schools are top notch with everything in the community is geared towards creating a warm, welcoming environment for new Naperville families as well as Naperville veterans. It is always very safe and I have never felt uncomfortable or out of place even being a young female. There are always community events happening like the Naperville 5K, Ribfest, The Last Fling, or The Chocolate Walk to name a few. There is something for everyone in a community as vast as Naperville. With that, it can be more expensive to live here as the communities are a bit more upscale but there is plenty of affordable housing available. I would not have wanted to grow up anywhere else!
Read 507 Reviews
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Overall Niche Grade
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Public Schools
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Good for Families
146,431 Population
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The Woodlands
City in Texas
312
2 Best Cities to Raise a Family in America
Works Here: Living in the Woodlands and working here was a great experience. Everything is pretty close together, a short drive away. The real estate is getting more expensive, but there are a lot of restaurants and shopping opportunities in the Woodlands and surrounding areas. It's also only 40 minutes from downtown via i45! If coming to live here, a gated community is definitely available, but not needed. Many police are out and about in the Woodlands, and it is a generally very safe community. Public schools are generally very safe, clean, and well-taught as well. Keep in mind the area can be a little pricey. Average cost of a dinner for two is about 25-35$.
Read 312 Reviews
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Overall Niche Grade
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Good for Families
109,608 Population
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Plano
City in Texas
678
3 Best Cities to Raise a Family in America
Current Resident: I moved to Plano about 6 months ago and have had nothing but great experiences. My area is very diverse with pretty friendly people. The grocery stores seem to have better and fresher food, many more choices for dining out, clean neighborhoods and businesses. I enjoy living here and have heard great things about the surrounding schools for my children for when they enroll soon. I don’t see myself moving anytime soon. If I could change anything it would be to have the valet trash available daily in my apartments. They only have two off days so I’m okay with that. I just don’t have anything negative to say right now. Thanks for this opportunity!
Read 678 Reviews
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Good for Families
281,566 Population
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Ann Arbor
City in Michigan
385
4 Best Cities to Raise a Family in America
Current Resident: I love Ann Arbor! It's a lively city with a small-town feel. Having the University of Michigan down the street creates endless opportunities for concerts, events, and night life. The philanthropic scene is booming and small businesses are everywhere! Everyone here is happy and excited about life, passionate about this city and very environmentally-conscious and involved in the community. It is a truly wonderful place.
Read 385 Reviews
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Overall Niche Grade
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Good for Families
119,303 Population
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Arlington
City in Virginia
119
5 Best Cities to Raise a Family in America
Current Resident: Arlington is a mixing bowl of job opportunities, people, and fun! There is incredible cuisine from many countries, authentic and delicious! Downtown has many options such as Ballston, Clarendon, Court House, Rosslyn, and more for exquisite restaurants, shopping, and night life. There are lots of trees despite the urban atmosphere. The school system is top in the state. The communities are diverse and offer a short commute into Washington, D.C.!
Read 119 Reviews
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Overall Niche Grade
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Good for Families
229,534 Population
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Overland Park
City in Kansas
340
6 Best Cities to Raise a Family in America
Current Resident: I've lived in the Overland Park, Kansas area for about 4 years now. Overall it's a great area that has a lot to offer. It's close proximity to Kansas City, Missouri allows you easy access to bigger nightlife and large concerts, events, museums, theater, ballet, and more. Overland Park itself is family friendly with great schools. While we do have some diversity, it isn't nearly as diverse as other areas. However, you can still find some great cultural restaurants that reflect the diversity we do have, such as Indian, Ethiopian, Thai, Korean, and even from El Salvador! Cost of living is on the higher end for the KC Metro area and the housing market is very much a seller's one right now as many homes are being sold for over asking price or without stipulations such as inspections, etc. The public parks, libraries, and community centers are all great and well maintained. They all individually have quite a lot to offer.
Read 340 Reviews
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Overall Niche Grade
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Good for Families
186,147 Population
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Irvine
City in California
278
7 Best Cities to Raise a Family in America
Current Resident: Irvine is probably one of the safest, cleanest, and greenest cities in CA (if not, in the US)! It is located in Orange County, so it's really easy to go up to LA area or drive down to San Diego. Irvine is home to a lot of high-ranking schools like the University of California Irvine (UCI), Concordia University, Irvine Valley College, the Orange County Center of the University of Southern California (USC), and campuses of California State University Fullerton (CSUF), University of La Verne, and Pepperdine University. This city is really beautiful with streets dotted with flowers and trees. It is very quiet and all neighborhoods are well-maintained. There's a lot of opportunities for outdoor activities.
Read 278 Reviews
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Overall Niche Grade
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Good for Families
256,877 Population
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Columbia
City in Maryland
293
8 Best Cities to Raise a Family in America
Nearby Resident: The city is absolutely gorgeous. There is many options of places to dine at, activities to kids and parks/ paths to walk around. It is situated in the Howard County Public School System, which is the best public schools in the entire states, therefore your children will receive an excellent education. The only issue is that it is quite pricey to live her as housing prices are more expensive in this area so expect to pay more rent here. This city gives you the vibes of a city life without being overcrowded and dirty as it has a cozier feel and more plants that surround the city. Overall, Columbia is the best city to consider moving to!
Read 293 Reviews
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Overall Niche Grade
A
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Good for Families
103,170 Population
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Richardson
City in Texas
219
9 Best Cities to Raise a Family in America
Current Resident: Overall Richardson is a great place to live! many things are changing and being improved around the city. There are only a few things that have changed my perspective of Richardson. I have attended some of the city council meetings and learned that the leaders of this great city are fantastic but do not take into consideration minor details that come with the change, for example they are improving one of the high schools in the districts and did not consider the parking problems that would come with that.
Read 219 Reviews
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Overall Niche Grade
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Good for Families
111,055 Population
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Bellevue
City in Washington
71
10 Best Cities to Raise a Family in America
Current Resident: I love Bellevue because of all it has to offer. You have the city life, a 30 min drive from incredible hiking, or if you travel the opposite way you're at the beach. The neighborhoods are safe, well kept up, and a great amount of diverse restaurants to try. The schools are wonderful and the people are even better. With so many different fields of work from medical to tech and everything in between there is plenty of job opportunity. Bellevue will be my forever home!
Read 71 Reviews
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Overall Niche Grade
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Good for Families
139,014 Population
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Cambridge
City in Massachusetts
54
11 Best Cities to Raise a Family in America
Current Resident: Everything about Cambridge is great! It's a very pretty city with remarkable history. It has one of the best colleges in the world; Harvard, which helped the city to be highly educated, even if they weren't Harvard students. There’s a significant number of highly intellectual people all around. Also, the city is rich in museums & galleries that encompasses a significant number historical artifacts & valuable knowledge. I also love how clean and environment friendly the city is. Plastic bags are prohibited & paper ones are charged to minimize waste. Recycling is really emphasized. Restaurants & cafes are endless! There are many highly reviewed places that are worth traveling to. Shopping is great at Cambridge! There are unlimited shopping options and there are many vintage and hand-made gift stores all around. People are nice and super friendly. The MBTA works well in Cambridge and connect it to the greater city of Boston, which makes commuting much easier.
Read 54 Reviews
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Overall Niche Grade
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Good for Families
110,893 Population
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Berkeley
City in California
115
12 Best Cities to Raise a Family in America
Current Resident: Berkeley is a wonderful city full of an interesting, open-minded and intelligent group of people. The city is very culturally diverse and open to accepting anyone from anywhere. The food scene is to die for and if organically grown is what you live by, look no further than Berkeley grocery stores, farmers markets and more. One small down side would be the lack of club life (for the younger folks), there are however many perfectly adequate bars as well a little college student scene on Telegraph Avenue. Overall, I highly recommend living here or going to school here if accepted!
Read 115 Reviews
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Overall Niche Grade
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Good for Families
120,179 Population
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Round Rock
City in Texas
281
13 Best Cities to Raise a Family in America
Former Resident: Round Rock is an excellent place to raise a family! From top-tier schools to a community that is laden with caring people, Round Rock is by far one of the greatest cities in Texas! I was born in Round Rock, and lived there for 15 years. In the 15 years that I lived in Round Rock, Texas, I can honestly say that the city has everything that a person could ask for. The city is filled with delicious restaurants and various forms of entertainment, such as parks and malls. Whether you are a young single person looking for work, or a person who has a family to raise, Round Rock is by far the greatest city to live in! With that being said, the only thing that I would change about Round Rock is the inclusion of more hiking trails!
Read 281 Reviews
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Overall Niche Grade
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Good for Families
116,369 Population
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Rochester
City in Minnesota
183
14 Best Cities to Raise a Family in America
Current Resident: I love Rochester! Personally, I am a big fan of the weather changes and all of the seasons, so I love living in an area where I get to see the leaves change and the snow fall. The downtown area is very pretty and there are resources to many different kinds of people available everywhere. If there was one thing I could change, it would be the amount of activities available to younger people. Adults have the ability to go to bars and restaurants downtown, but students and kids don't have many activities to do. I would like to see more parks, trails, and sport-designated areas around in order to get kids outside and active. Other than that, I love it here!
Read 183 Reviews
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Overall Niche Grade
A-
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Good for Families
112,683 Population
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Boulder
City in Colorado
245
15 Best Cities to Raise a Family in America
Current Resident: Boulder is a splendid place to live. It perfectly mixes together a small town vibe and an urban metropolis. There are always things to do because of the young vibrant university atmosphere, and the multitude of outdoor activities. With the various canyons that have world renowned climbing, 100+ miles of hiking trails, fly fishing in the Boulder Creek; it is an outdoor enthusiasts paradise.

There are tons of options for groceries, housing styles, options for schools, and any and all types of restaurants. It's a town that is small enough to bike to just about anywhere you need to go, and also a magnificent amount of bike trails and lanes throughout the city and suburbs.

If you're looking for a forward-thinking town that is inclusive and pushing the boundaries, Boulder is just the town for you!
Read 245 Reviews
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Overall Niche Grade
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Good for Families
106,271 Population
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Sunnyvale
City in California
192
16 Best Cities to Raise a Family in America
Former Resident: Sunnyvale is a family friendly town with a cute mom and pop downtown full of funky restaurants and stores. The newly developed addition to downtown is more modern, with Philz coffee, luxury apartments and Orangetheory Fitness. The Saturday farmer's market is wonderful with friendly vendors and great quality produce, artisan jewelry and the quaint food trucks that have been in attendance for the past 15 years and some newer ones on the foodie fad.
Read 192 Reviews
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Overall Niche Grade
A
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Good for Families
151,565 Population
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Madison
City in Wisconsin
575
17 Best Cities to Raise a Family in America
Current Resident: I love Madison! I was born and raised here and am going to Edgewood College. The things that I love most about Madison is the community. Everywhere you go you know someone or your meeting someone new. There is often children and family events to goto that are free, and in the summer there are many concerts and events to enjoy your summer. You also can enjoy yourself seeing the capital and going on state-street to enjoy local foods, and great businesses for people that look to support locals.
Read 575 Reviews
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Overall Niche Grade
A
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Good for Families
248,856 Population
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Raleigh
City in North Carolina
915
18 Best Cities to Raise a Family in America
Current Resident: Raleigh is one of the fastest growing cities in America. High tech and information industries are booming, people from all over the country are flocking to NC. We offer great opportunities for all! With beautiful state parks and other natural areas within only a short drive, Raleigh is perfect for those that want to enjoy the outdoors. NC, Raleigh in particular, has some of the nations fast growth in the micro brewery and niche food industry so there a lot to love about this place!
Read 915 Reviews
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Overall Niche Grade
A-
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A
Good for Families
449,477 Population
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Carlsbad
City in California
280
19 Best Cities to Raise a Family in America
Current Resident: I have lived in Carlsbad for two years and attended La Costa Canyon High School. Overall, I have always felt safe in the community and have had many opportunities for education, work and play. I especially love going to the beach and the movie theater on the weekends!
Read 280 Reviews
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Good for Families
113,147 Population
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Fort Collins
City in Colorado
727
20 Best Cities to Raise a Family in America
Current Resident: Active, adorable town. CSU is located here which contributes to many jobs and they have many academic programs. Shopping is great all over town, not to mention great restaurants on just about every corner! It is nestled next to the foothills so there is lots of mountain access for boating, hiking, mountain biking, riding horses, and many other things. There are family friendly activities offered through the city on a regular basis. Healthcare is top of the line and Poudre Valley Hospital a magnet rated hospital also a part of UChealth is amazing and will take care of all your medical needs! There is something for everyone in this friendly town!
Read 727 Reviews
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Overall Niche Grade
A
Public Schools
A
Good for Families
159,150 Population
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Columbia
City in Missouri
362
21 Best Cities to Raise a Family in America
Current Resident: I have been in Columbia since the Spring of 2013. I love what this town has to offer. With big city dreams and a small town feel, Columbia, MO, is my new home. There are amazing eateries, niche shops in the downtown area, and opportunities galore! There is some pretty amazing colleges and universities in the area as well. Also, the hospitals have amazing experiences for those in the health science and business field. Did I mention the cost of living is pretty reasonable as it was rated in the top ten best places to live in America for someone starting out in their young adulthood.
Read 362 Reviews
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Overall Niche Grade
A
Public Schools
A
Good for Families
118,620 Population
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Thousand Oaks
City in California
285
22 Best Cities to Raise a Family in America
Current Resident: My experience with Thousand Oaks is that I'm a local resident of the city, from the people to the atmosphere, to the weather the city in a nutshell is fantastic! I've lived here for nearly fifteen-years and haven't looked back. A slight downside to living in Thousand Oaks is the lack of nightlight, meaning it isn't a great place for having fun late out. Lastly, something I think I'd like to be changed in Thousand Oaks is for better local transportation systems to be implemented on a regular basis, rather than a transportation system with very scarce hours.
Read 285 Reviews
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Good for Families
128,909 Population
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Seattle
City in Washington
557
23 Best Cities to Raise a Family in America
Current Resident: Seattle is a small town big city. Chances are you will know everyone (at least through someone/common connections). We have amazing food, awesome coffee, and great universities. We have professional sports teams of all variety, and soon even a hockey team! We have one of the best public transit systems in the states including busses, trains, trolleys, and even a monorail! Seattle is a booming tech capital and has some of the biggest companies in the world. Capitol Hill is super fun for bar hopping. There are some fun family activities, parks all over, and many fantastic sites to see. There is always something new to do in here. Once you visit most don't want to leave!
Read 557 Reviews
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Overall Niche Grade
A-
Public Schools
A
Good for Families
688,245 Population
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Lincoln
City in Nebraska
622
24 Best Cities to Raise a Family in America
Current Resident: There's always something to do in Lincoln no matter who you are. Downtown Lincoln is quite amazing as it's both antique, and modern. Strolls in the Haymarket are a perfect date, and concerts in the Arena are spectacular experiences. Whether it's for you, a small group, or your family, there's definitely an activity everyone will agree on. Year round is full of fun in the outdoors; from swimming to ice skating, or a nice bonfire with s'mores. Or on the rainy days, head to the theaters for a movie, or the Lied center for a performance. Football is a big deal here in Lincoln, NE, and you're bound to see husker red around every corner!
Read 622 Reviews
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Overall Niche Grade
A
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Good for Families
277,315 Population
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Alexandria
City in Virginia
211
25 Best Cities to Raise a Family in America
Current Resident: Where the quaintness of a small town can be found outside your front door, while history, culture and hustling vibes of the big city are just down the street. Historic buildings combine with young hip singles and large or growing families to create an atmosphere of belonging and hometown nostalgia. Whether you’re visiting or unpacking here, you’ll be glad you came!
Read 211 Reviews
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Overall Niche Grade
B+
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A
Good for Families
154,710 Population
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1 of 10

Economy

Health & Outdoors

Naperville

The Woodlands

Plano

Ann Arbor

Arlington

Overland Park

Irvine

Columbia

Richardson

Bellevue

Cambridge

Berkeley

Round Rock

Rochester

Boulder

Sunnyvale

Madison

Raleigh

Carlsbad

Fort Collins

Columbia

Thousand Oaks

Seattle

Lincoln

Alexandria