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10 Great Cities for Raising Families

By Caitlin Dewey, Kiplinger.com
Aug 31, 2010 Provided by:

Buzz up! 151 votes Send Print

Choosing a hometown for your family is a high-stakes game: Not only do the kids need good
schools, safe neighborhoods and parks to play in, but parents also must know they'll be able to
make a good enough living to raise a family.

Here are ten places that pull through on both scores. We

began our search using the same criteria we used to More from Kiplinger.com
select our list of Best Cities for the Next Decade: job
growth, healthy economies and a vibrant local culture. » 10 U.S. Cities With the Lowest
We then fine-tuned our search for places already filled Cost of Living
with families with children, quality of public schools
(ratings are from GreatSchools.org, a nonprofit, with 10 » QUIZ: Find the City That’s Best
being the highest rating), low crime rates (according to For You
the FBI), and lots of parks and recreation.
Search San Francisco Mortgage
» The 10 Best Cities for the Next Rates
Decade
Location San Francisco, CA

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These are not rankings. They are recommendations, based on our reporting and number-crunching. Loan Amount $10000

Take a look, and, please, tell us what you think are great cities for raising your family.
Loan Purpose Purchase

Loan Type Fixed

Ellicott City, Md.
Get Rate
City population: 56,397
Metro population: 2,690,886 (includes Baltimore and Towson) California Mortgage Rates
Mean family income: $138,793 (nat. avg. = $82,719) Updated Friday, September 3, 2010

Median home value: $548,400 (nat. avg. = $192,400) Mortgage Type Today Last Week Change Gra
15 Yr Fixed: 4.112% 4.265% -0.153% gra
Employment growth: -0.1% (2005-2007, Baltimore Metro) 30 Yr Fixed: 4.565% 4.740% -0.175% gra

City school rating: 9 (on a scale of 1 to 10) See more rates

Violent crimes per 100,000 residents: NA

Ellicott City is exemplary of a ring of great communities surrounding Baltimore that combine family- Most Recent Articles by the Experts
friendly living with proximity to big-name employers and attractions for kids (like the popular
Paul Bianchina:
Bubbleman kids' night). It's just 20 minutes from downtown Baltimore (with its Inner Harbor/ Handy at Home
Aquarium complex) and 50 minutes from the nation's capital. Yet the schools are better, the
neighborhoods safer, and the cost of living slightly lower than many suburbs in this region. Howard
County boasts one of Maryland's top school districts. A pro's take on attic ventilation
Fri, Sep 3, 2010

PROS: Great public schools geared toward college prep, high average family income, solid wage 4 steps to hiring a qualified contractor
Fri, Aug 27, 2010
growth, 67 nearby parks.
See all articles from Paul Bianchina »

CONS: Housing costs are relatively high, rush-hour traffic for Baltimore and D.C. workers a way of
See all Expert Advic
life.

Ann Arbor, Mich.

City population: 114,797

Metro population: 347,563
Mean family income: $108,892

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Median home value: $245,000

Employment growth: 0.3%
City school rating: 8
Violent crimes per 100,000 residents: 256
(455 is nat. avg.)
The Ann Arbor Public School District is
consistently ranked one of the best in the
country, and its students score far above
average on state and national standardized
tests. Add that to the city's low crime rate and
high family income, and you have a stable,
Ann Arbor, Mich. / Area CVB
progressive place to raise a family, 40
minutes from Detroit. Plus, it's the home of
the top-ranked University of Michigan, with three museums and great NCAA sports programs.
PROS: Excellent public education, low violent- and property-crime rates, more than 2,000 acres of
city parks (including a nationally noted arboretum), several kid-friendly museums.
CONS: Higher-than-average housing costs, sluggish employment growth, accelerating urban sprawl
and unplanned development, long winters.
College Station, Tex.
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City population: 83,200

Metro population: 203,557
Mean family income: $84,306
Median home value: $165,300
Employment growth: 4.7%
City school rating: 8
Violent crimes per 100,000 residents: 299

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Great public schools and low crime aren't the only draws of this small Texas city. College Station
has also seen steady wage growth and a low unemployment rate of 6.9%. Plus, there are plenty of
cultural and athletic events at Texas A&M University, an interactive children's museum, dozens of
parks, and playgrounds on the shores of nearby Lake Bryan.

PROS: A top-ranked public school system, affordable housing and utilities, safe neighborhoods,
solid wage and employment growth, it's about a two-hour drive from Houston, Dallas, or Austin.

CONS: Unvaryingly hot climate, limited local employment opportunities outside of Texas A&M.

Kennewick, Wash.

City population: 67,953

Metro population: 245,649
Mean family income: $67,799
Median home value: $150,000
Employment growth: 1.0%
City school rating: 6
Violent crimes per 100,000 residents: 373

The Tri-Cities region (which includes

Kennewick, Richland and Pasco) is noted for
its strong, research-based economy. It
weathered the recession with an
Kennewick, Wash. / Mikel Louder
unemployment rate of just 6.2% and plenty of
high-tech jobs pursuing nuclear and other
forms of sustainable energy. Overall the schools here are strong, especially in the Richland School
District, and parks and playgrounds are plentiful. The cities' location at the intersection of the Snake,
Yakima and Columbia Rivers guarantees active families plenty of outdoor fun.

PROS: Low cost of living, affordable housing, a strong science-and-tech-based economy, plenty of
outdoor attractions, falling crime rate.

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CONS: Low family income, proximity to the Hanford nuclear site, locale in south-central Washington
is remote from any major cities.

Huntsville, Ala.

City population: 165,464

Metro population: 406,316
Mean family income: $81,754
Median home value: $138,400
Employment growth: 3.6%
City school rating: 6
Violent crimes per 100,000 residents: 707

If you're after affordability, Huntsville is worth a look: Home prices are 20% below the national
average, and the city's cost of living is 10% below the national norm for medium and large cities.
Huntsville also offers solid public schools, several thousand acres of woodlands and natural parks
and the South's largest children's museum. Consider neighborhoods in the Madison County School
District -- its test scores are considerably higher.

PROS: Extremely affordable housing, low cost of living, solid public schools, traffic-less commutes,
strong wage and employment growth, promising opportunities in aerospace and military tech.

CONS: High summer heat and humidity, high violent crime rate in the city and rising property-crime
rates, lackluster schools in Huntsville proper.

Madison, Wis.

City population: 223,895

Metro population: 570,025
Mean family income: $93,006
Median home value: $219,700

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Employment growth: 0.6%

City school rating: 4
Violent crimes per 100,000 residents: 385

Low crime, top-notch suburban schools and

reasonable housing costs make Madison a
good choice for families. It's also a hub for
biotechnology research and has one of the
lowest unemployment rates in the country. Its
educational focus shows in programs such
as Wisconsin Covenant, which guarantees
students state college placement and
Madison, Wis. / Charles Kenyon
financial aid in return for B-or-better grades
during high school. Madison's lakeside
location offers plenty of recreational activities in its 5,000-plus acres of parks.

PROS: Reasonable housing costs, low crime and unemployment rates, high-paying research and
biotechnology jobs, great health care, progressive education policies.

CONS: Above-average housing costs, uninspiring employment growth, bitterly cold winters,
Madison city schools are weak relative to the suburban schools.

Pocatello, Idaho

City/Metro population: 90,273

Mean family income: $60,620
Median home value: $119,000
Employment growth: 5.6%
City school rating: 6
Violent crimes per 100,000 residents: 337

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Housing and utilities are unusually cheap here -- Idaho's cost of living is very low compared to the
state average nationally. The city also has safe neighborhoods, solid public schools and robust
employment growth, especially in nuclear research. Pocatello can't offer the same range of cultural
attractions as a larger city, but kids will enjoy the Pocatello Zoo, Idaho Museum of Natural History,
and the Ross Park Aquatic Complex, as well as plenty of outdoor activities in the nearby Rocky
Mountains. Salt Lake City and Yellowstone National Park are a day trip away by car.

PROS: Affordable small-city lifestyle, low overall crime rates, solid employment and wage growth,
quality public schools, moderate four-season climate.

CONS: Low family income, limited cultural and religious diversity, growing concerns about
methamphetamine use and gangs.

Rochester, Minn.

City population: 101,659

Metro population: 182,924
Mean family income: $97,178
Median home value: $167,000
Employment growth: 6.2%
City school rating: 8
Violent crimes per 100,000 residents: 162

Rochester earns high ratings in almost every

category, from great schools and low crime
to high-paying jobs and plenty of parks. In
fact, if you can get past the brutal winter
Rochester, Minn.
weather, the so-called "Med City" has plenty
to offer, with a forward-facing economy
anchored by the Mayo Clinic and IBM. As for parks and other kid-friendly spots, look no further than
Silver Lake Park and the Quarry Hill Nature Center.

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PROS: High family income, affordable housing, low violent- and property-crime rates, thousands of
acres of parks and trails, high-ranked, prep-focused public schools, world-class health care,
commuter-friendly traffic.

CONS: Long, bitter winters (which is why many buildings are connected by underground walkways).

West Hartford, Conn.

City population: 63,908

Metro population: 1,190,512
Mean family income: $49,036
Median home value: $195,300
Employment growth: 1.6%
City school rating: 8
Violent crimes per 100,000 residents: 172

The city's crime and property rates are almost low enough to leave doors unlocked, and the West
Hartford School District has earned Department of Education accolades for schools such as the top-
performing, multi-track Hall High. However, the cost of living in West Hartford (which is two hours
from Boston and New York) is 20% more than the national average.

PROS: Low crime, top-ranked schools (public and private), proximity to major cities, a range of
parks and historic sites, up-and-coming downtown with a number of ongoing development projects.

CONS: High cost of living, slow employment growth.

Raleigh, N.C.

City population: 367,959

Metro population: 1,084,404
Mean family income: $94,975
Median home value: $200,900

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Employment growth: 6.4%

City school rating: 7
Violent crimes per 100,000 residents: 578

Employment is up, and the cost of living is

down in North Carolina's capital, a mecca for
stable high-tech jobs. The region is also
home to more acres of parks per capita than
most cities of its size. The Wake County
School District is strong, too, with 77 schools
of excellence and distinction -- the highest
designations in North Carolina. And Tarheel
Raleigh, N.C. / GRCVB/visitRaleigh.com
State residents live in a higher-ed sweet spot
where academic quality meets high levels of
financial aid. The result: The top-notch University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is perennially No.
1 on Kiplinger's list of Best Values in Public Colleges, N.C. State is #10, and other UNC-system
schools dot our top 100.

PROS: High family income, affordable family housing, strong employment growth (especially in
biotechnology, textiles and medical technology), lauded city schools, mild weather year-round,
moderate and falling crime rates.

CONS: Lagging wage growth, blighted downtown in the midst of a stop-and-go redevelopment.

See the Slideshow: 10 Great Cities for Young Families

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