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 select our list of Best Cities for the
Next Decade: job growth, healthy economies and a vibrant local culture. We
then fine-tuned our search for places already filled with families with
children, quality of public schools (ratings are from GreatSchools.org, a nonprofit, with 10 being the highest rating), low crime rates (according
to the FBI), and lots of parks and recreation.
These are not rankings. They are recommendations, based on our reporting
and number-crunching.
Ellicott City is exemplary of a ring of great communities surrounding
Baltimore that combine family-friendly living with proximity to big-name
employers and attractions for kids (like the popular Bubbleman kids'
night). It's just 20 minutes from downtown Baltimore (with its Inner
Harbor/ 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.
2.Ann Arbor, Mich.
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, 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.
3.College Station, Tex.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.
4.Kennewick, Wash.
The Tri-Cities region (which includes Kennewick, Richland and Pasco) is
noted for its strong, research-based economy. It weathered the recession
with an 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.
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.
6.Madison, Wis.
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 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.
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.
8.Rochester, Minn.
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 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.
9.West Hartford, Conn.
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.
10.Raleigh, N.C.
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
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.
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