Families often move for different reasons. The average American can expect to move 11.7 times\u00a0in a lifetime. Moving can indicate opportunities, like a new job or long-term wealth accumulation, but people may also move because of insecurity, such as foreclosure or job loss. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, families will likely be looking for cities that provide the most safety and have the lowest unemployment rates.<\/p>\n
With families in mind, WalletHub compared more than 180 U.S. cities based on 46 key metrics that consider essential family dynamics, like the cost of housing, the quality of local school and health-care systems, and the opportunities for fun and recreation. While not perfect, given personal preferences and the limitations of publicly available data, these findings will hopefully give movers a sense of their options.<\/p>\n
To determine which cities are most favorable to family life, WalletHub compared 182 U.S. cities, including the 150 most populated U.S. cities, plus at least two of the most populated cities in each state, across five key dimensions: family fun, health & safety, child care & education, affordability, and socio-economics. They assessed using 46 metrics. Each metric was graded on a 100-point scale, with a score of 100 representing the most favorable conditions for family life.<\/p>\n
The top ten best places to raise a family are as follows:<\/p>\n