Moving while trying to raise a family can feel like an impossible endeavour. It can be challenging to determine which city offers the ideal balance of safety, healthcare, and general quality of life when there are so many to consider. These are the 15 best cities to raise a family in 2024, to aid you in selecting the ideal metro area for raising your children.
Jacksonville has a population of slightly under a million people and encompasses more than 800 square miles in size. Many children live in the city; 13% of the population is under the age of nine, and 12% is between the ages of ten and nineteen. It is home to a number of notable universities and institutions, including Edward Waters College, Jacksonville University, Florida State College-Jacksonville, and the University of North Florida. Last but not least, the excellence of its hospitals, including Baptist Medical Centre and Mayo Clinic-Jacksonville, makes this one of the best cities to raise a family.
Columbus, Ohio’s largest city, is expanding and is around the same size as Jacksonville, with slightly under 1 million citizens. Children under the age of 10 make up 13% of Columbus’ population, while people aged 10 to 19 make up another 12%. 36% of Columbus’ schools are among the top 25% in the country. The best-rated high school in the city is Bexley. At 114 schools, the Columbus City School District enrols 50,219 students. An additional 19,344 kids are served by the 88 local private schools.
Dallas, the ninth-largest city in the US, is a huge city with all the changes that go along with it. Over 1.3 million people live there, with 7.8 million living in the metro region. According to U.S. News & World Report, 37% of Dallas schools are among the top 25% of schools in the country. Dallas’s 387 public schools are home to around 233,821 kids, and 118 private institutions educate an additional 29,363 youngsters. Dallas is the 21st largest city in terms of population health.
Atlanta is a significant historical city with a population of roughly 507,000 and is expanding swiftly. A sizeable component of the population, 21% of those aged 0 to 19, consists of children. The majority of the city’s children—about 52,000 of them—are educated across 91 educational facilities by the Atlanta Public Schools. Emory University, Georgia State University, and Georgia Institute of Technology are among the nearby educational institutions. Atlanta offers top-notch medical services. It is ranked 19th in overall health among large cities and 14th in terms of hospital quality.
Even though Worcester, Massachusetts is a smaller city than many others on our list, it offers a lot of benefits to the families that live there. It sits in central Massachusetts, about an hour’s drive west of Boston, and has a population of roughly 185,000. The schools in Worcester perform well, with 38% placing in the top 25% nationally. 27,494 pupils are served by its 48 public schools, while 3,579 more are served by surrounding 19 private schools. When it comes to access to care, Worcester ranks first among medium cities and third overall. Definitely, among the best cities to raise a family.
If you can take the high population density and exorbitant expense of living, the Big Apple, with a population of over 8 million, has more to offer than virtually anywhere else in the nation. 38% of the metro area’s schools rank in the top 25% nationwide. In New York, there are 362 public schools with 171,127 students enrolled as of 2021 and an additional 220 private schools with 59,643 students. New York is ranked #6 for local specialists in healthcare among major cities, and #10 for population health.
Denver has 727,211 residents and offers stunning mountain views. Nearly 3 million people live in the greater Denver area, and 44% of them hold a college degree. Denver’s population has a median age of 34.7 and includes 21% of those under the age of 20. With 90,296 students, the Denver Public School District has 207 schools from elementary to high school. Health is a strength of Denver. It is notable for its top-5% national hospital quality rankings and population health rankings.
With a population of slightly under 1 million, Austin is a developing metropolis that draws families from throughout the nation. Austin has a large number of children; 22% of the population is under the age of 19. Austin’s population is 33.9 years old on average. 38% of the schools in Austin are in the best 25% nationwide. The Richards School for Young Women Leaders and Liberal Arts and Science Academy (LASA), two prestigious institutions with 100% graduation rates, are among the best. Austin’s healthcare system is adequate; it ranks 8th among large cities for population health and is one of the top 100 Cities Getting Healthcare Right.
Due to the prestigious universities in the area, Rochester is highly recognised for its educational institutions. Although it only has 206,000 residents, there are over 1 million in the surrounding metro region. It is situated on Lake Ontario’s southern shore. With 46 schools, 55 Pre-K sites, 10 alternative programmes, 21 colleges and institutions, and 46 schools, the city has one of the highest concentrations of schools in the top 25% of the country. In terms of population health, access to care, and availability of local experts, the city stands out among other major cities.
The oceanfront setting gives Virginia Beach its distinct flavour. With 450,000 inhabitants, it is the biggest city in Virginia and has 28 miles of beaches. It is a safe location to reside due to the extremely low level of severe crime. In Virginia Beach, children make up 25% of the population, with 13% of them aged 0 to 9 and 12% from 10 to 19. 36.6 is the median age. 40% of the schools in Virginia Beach are among the top 25% in the country. Among major cities, Virginia Beach ranks 12th for healthcare quality.
Sacramento, the state’s capital and main economic and cultural hub, is located in California. It is a city of roughly 500,000 inhabitants, nearly 100 square miles in size, and lies northeast of the Bay Area. With 43% of its schools making the top 25% nationwide, the Sacramento region has one of the greatest percentages of top-ranked institutions. West Campus High School is the one with the best ranking among all. The metro area stands out among major cities for people’s health, hospital quality, and accessibility to healthcare.
Orlando is a fantastic area for families to reside as well as a fantastic destination for family vacations. Despite being inland and having a population of 287,435 people, this city is surrounded by numerous lakes that are bodies of water. While 10% of the population in Orlando is between the ages of 10 and 19, 14% of the population is under the age of nine. The number of schools in Orlando that are ranked in the top quarter of all schools nationwide includes institutions like AdventHealth University, University of Central Florida, Rollins College, and Stetson University.
Grand Rapids has a population of over 200,000 and is situated in west central Michigan, is a city that values families. Great schools could be found all across Grand Rapids. 45% of the city’s schools are among the top 25% in the country. The educational climate of Grand Rapids benefits from the presence of colleges and universities. Grand Rapids ranks 25th among major cities and among the top 50 cities for healthcare, but it particularly stands out for its access to care, which is ranked 6th nationally among large cities and 8th overall.
The nation’s capital is popular with travellers, similar to Orlando, but it’s also a great area for families to raise a child. There are 705,749 individuals living there, or nearly 50% of the population. There are 4.9 million people living in the metro region, which includes Arlington and Alexandria. Washington, D.C., is a city where adults dominate the headlines, but there are plenty of children here as well; around 21% of the population is under 20. There are many excellent schools in the capital. 48% of the schools in Washington, D.C., are ranked among the top 25% in the country. In terms of healthcare, Washington ranks 20th among major cities.
There are roughly 287,000 people living in Irvine, and 26% of them are under 20. The Irvine Unified School District, which includes 35,903 pupils spread over 42 public schools, provides education to many of these kids. The average math and reading proficiency scores in Irvine public schools are 74% and 77%, respectively, which is much higher than the state average. There is the well-known UC-Irvine for postsecondary education, which draws top-notch academics and provides community outreach. For fifteen years running, Irvine has been rated as the safest city of its size in the United States.
Those are the 15 best cities to raise a family in 2024. Family-friendly communities come in all shapes and sizes, from the biggest cities to the calmest small towns. What they have in common are lots of kids, a commitment to great schools, a strong healthcare system, and lots to do.
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