Even with two incomes, Charity Pallum said she and her husband would not be able to afford child care for their 1-year-old twins. But because of federal child care subsidies, both Pallum, a teacher, and her husband, who works at a car dealership, are able to work full time.
The Health and Human Services seal is seen at the Hubert Humphrey Building Auditorium in Washington.
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How do you find a good city to raise a family? The most ideal spots provide safe neighborhoods, quality education, recreation opportunities, and affordability. Weighing all those factors and more and finding the right locale among nearly 20,000 incorporated cities, towns, and villages across America can be daunting, so Stacker collected 2020 data from the national review and ranking site Niche to compile a list of the top 100 locations to raise a family.
Some criteria considered in ranking the best 100 cities included crime rates, public school rankings, college graduation rates, cost of living, family amenities, outdoor recreation, transportation, diversity, and walkability. While Niche primarily sourced data from the U.S. Census Bureau data, other city details came from the U.S. Department of Education, the FBI, and other specific programs and demographics links.
- TravnikovStudio // Shutterstock
- Population: 197,958
- Median home value: $167,600 (55% own)
- Eduardo Medrano // Shutterstock
- Population: 102,037
- Median home value: $85,200 (57% own)
- Chuck W Walker // Shutterstock
- Population: 400,317
- Median home value: $749,000 (49% own)
- Leigh Trail // Shutterstock
- Population: 104,777
- Median home value: $135,900 (56% own)
- James.Pintar // Shutterstock
- Population: 890,467
- Median home value: $173,200 (56% own)
- ESB Professional // Shutterstock
- Population: 132,301
- Median home value: $141,800 (69% own)
- barteverett // Shutterstock
- Population: 864,447
- Median home value: $137,000 (53% own)
- James Kirkikis // Shutterstock
- Population: 325,780
- Median home value: $141,100 (57% own)
- Sean Pavone // Shutterstock
- Population: 1,330,612
- Median home value: $188,100 (41% own)
- Eric Urquhart // Shutterstock
- Population: 389,877
- Median home value: $133,400 (59% own)
- Sean Pavone // Shutterstock
- Population: 643,692
- Median home value: $158,500 (59% own)
- Sean Pavone // Shutterstock
- Population: 663,750
- Median home value: $239,000 (54% own)
- Sean Pavone // Shutterstock
- Population: 142,135
- Median home value: $236,900 (61% own)
- Chuck Wagner // Shutterstock
- Population: 246,500
- Median home value: $335,000 (48% own)
- travelview // Shutterstock
- Population: 402,324
- Median home value: $139,900 (51% own)
- inlikeflinn // Flickr
- Population: 126,666
- Median home value: $195,400 (57% own)
- Jacob Boomsma // Shutterstock
- Population: 301,394
- Median home value: $138,000 (38% own)
- Canva
- Population: 113,159
- Median home value: $749,400 (38% own)
- Arne Beruldsen // Shutterstock
- Population: 269,702
- Median home value: $224,100 (50% own)
- Sean Pavone // Shutterstock
- Population: 1,508,083
- Median home value: $146,400 (54% own)
- f11photo // Shutterstock
- Population: 120,194
- Median home value: $246,400 (45% own)
- Canva
- Population: 464,871
- Median home value: $269,800 (59% own)
- John Hoffman // Shutterstock
- Population: 280,832
- Median home value: $240,000 (35% own)
- Songquan Deng // Shutterstock
- Population: 200,232
- Median home value: $769,900 (33% own)
- Michael Gordon // Shutterstock
- Population: 155,146
- Median home value: $364,800 (58% own)
- Arina P Habich // Shutterstock
- Population: 133,273
- Median home value: $181,100 (46% own)
- Sean Pavone // Shutterstock
- Population: 488,800
- Median home value: $290,400 (44% own)
- f11photo // Shutterstock
- Population: 395,477
- Median home value: $170,700 (55% own)
- CK Foto // Shutterstock
- Population: 1,027,690
- Median home value: $864,600 (57% own)
- Uladzik Kryhin // Shutterstock
- Population: 152,934
- Median home value: $154,300 (53% own)
- SannaBlue // Shutterstock
- Population: 261,940
- Median home value: $373,700 (29% own)
- Brian Logan Photography // Shutterstock
- Population: 2,310,432
- Median home value: $171,800 (42% own)
- Sean Pavone // Shutterstock
- Population: 113,381
- Median home value: $444,800 (65% own)
- Time Stood Still Photo // Shutterstock
- Population: 135,637
- Median home value: $444,400 (66% own)
- ZikG // Shutterstock
- Population: 198,401
- Median home value: $143,400 (55% own)
- Malgosia S // Shutterstock
- Population: 141,258
- Median home value: $785,700 (42% own)
- Idealphotographer // Shutterstock
- Population: 253,851
- Median home value: $140,800 (51% own)
- Grossinger // Shutterstock
- Population: 111,997
- Median home value: $155,200 (75% own)
- Noah Densmore // Shutterstock
- Population: 302,205
- Median home value: $125,000 (47% own)
- ESB Professional // Shutterstock
- Population: 197,756
- Median home value: $314,500 (48% own)
- Andrew Zarivny // Shutterstock
- Population: 244,115
- Median home value: $147,900 (53% own)
- Sean Pavone // Shutterstock
- Population: 261,338
- Median home value: $205,000 (60% own)
- ESB Professional // Shutterstock
- Population: 291,303
- Median home value: $156,300 (50% own)
- Kevin Ruck // Shutterstock
- Population: 136,195
- Median home value: $218,800 (49% own)
- Jo Hunter // Shutterstock
- Population: 645,291
- Median home value: $412,000 (53% own)
- zhu difeng // Shutterstock
- Population: 191,279
- Median home value: $203,800 (40% own)
- Todd Taulman Photography // Shutterstock
- Population: 135,257
- Median home value: $330,600 (56% own)
- f11photo // Shutterstock
- Population: 486,404
- Median home value: $154,600 (53% own)
- TommyBrison // Shutterstock
- Population: 692,683
- Median home value: $601,500 (42% own)
- Orhan Cam // Shutterstock
- Population: 226,115
- Median home value: $253,400 (61% own)
- Charles Knowles // Shutterstock
- Population: 304,547
- Median home value: $208,000 (50% own)
- KARI K // Shutterstock
- Population: 132,127
- Median home value: $161,900 (39% own)
- Leigh Trail // Shutterstock
- Population: 1,409,573
- Median home value: $602,600 (47% own)
- f11photo // Shutterstock
- Population: 8,419,316
- Median home value: $606,000 (33% own)
- IM_photo // Shutterstock
- Population: 684,379
- Median home value: $532,700 (35% own)
- Sean Pavone // Shutterstock
- Population: 121,889
- Median home value: $212,100 (44% own)
- Guy RD // Shutterstock
- Population: 177,117
- Median home value: $189,800 (61% own)
- Steven Frame // Shutterstock
- Population: 239,783
- Median home value: $177,500 (37% own)
- Trong Nguyen // Shutterstock
- Population: 387,916
- Median home value: $238,900 (49% own)
- VIAVAL // Shutterstock
- Population: 103,703
- Median home value: $730,100 (42% own)
- Lux Blue // Shutterstock
- Population: 129,309
- Median home value: $532,700 (52% own)
- Picture2Remember // Shutterstock
- Population: 136,366
- Median home value: $238,000 (52% own)
- Zack Frank // Shutterstock
- Population: 857,425
- Median home value: $220,300 (53% own)
- digidreamgrafix // Shutterstock
- Population: 420,324
- Median home value: $251,600 (47% own)
- Checubus // Shutterstock
- Population: 250,602
- Median home value: $475,300 (66% own)
- Cre8 design // Shutterstock
- Population: 320,601
- Median home value: $189,800 (54% own)
- Stephen Bailey // Shutterstock
- Population: 165,609
- Median home value: $367,900 (53% own)
- marekuliasz // Shutterstock
- Population: 950,807
- Median home value: $337,400 (45% own)
- Roschetzky Photography // Shutterstock
- Population: 196,219
- Median home value: $182,900 (57% own)
- Philip Arno Photography // Shutterstock
- Population: 283,839
- Median home value: $169,800 (57% own)
- Katherine Welles // Shutterstock
- Population: 450,201
- Median home value: $280,800 (64% own)
- Sherry V Smith // Shutterstock
- Population: 127,873
- Median home value: $726,100 (70% own)
- Steven Guo // Shutterstock
- Population: 475,862
- Median home value: $159,700 (59% own)
- EQRoy // Shutterstock
- Population: 107,072
- Median home value: $471,800 (48% own)
- Rob Hainer // Shutterstock
- Population: 874,961
- Median home value: $1,097,800 (38% own)
- javarman // Shutterstock
- Population: 113,686
- Median home value: $241,600 (38% own)
- Tricia Daniel // Shutterstock
- Population: 115,557
- Median home value: $200,100 (68% own)
- IMG_191 // Shutterstock
- Population: 121,230
- Median home value: $191,800 (47% own)
- Ken Wolter // Shutterstock
- Population: 157,613
- Median home value: $572,900 (43% own)
- Bob Pool // Shutterstock
- Population: 127,721
- Median home value: $1,034,000 (43% own)
- Mariusz S. Jurgielewicz // Shutterstock
- Population: 145,492
- Median home value: $762,700 (56% own)
- trekandshoot // Shutterstock
- Population: 724,305
- Median home value: $663,100 (46% own)
- Anthony Ricci // Shutterstock
- Population: 124,434
- Median home value: $244,300 (60% own)
- Roschetzky Photography // Shutterstock
- Population: 114,253
- Median home value: $814,700 (65% own)
- Lester Balajadia // Shutterstock
- Population: 106,392
- Median home value: $700,000 (48% own)
- Arina P Habich // Shutterstock
- Population: 254,977
- Median home value: $246,300 (47% own)
- Paul Brady Photography // Shutterstock
- Population: 152,770
- Median home value: $1,223,600 (45% own)
- Sundry Photography // Shutterstock
- Population: 116,432
- Median home value: $274,200 (59% own)
- Trong Nguyen // Shutterstock
- Population: 464,485
- Median home value: $248,300 (52% own)
- ESB Professional // Shutterstock
- Population: 116,632
- Median home value: $768,300 (35% own)
- Joseph Sohm // Shutterstock
- Population: 273,157
- Median home value: $838,000 (47% own)
- LunaseeStudios // Shutterstock
- Population: 287,064
- Median home value: $320,100 (59% own)
- ulkare // Shutterstock
- Population: 120,735
- Median home value: $323,400 (45% own)
- Paul Brady Photography // Shutterstock
- Population: 191,011
- Median home value: $276,100 (63% own)
- City of Overland Park // Wikimedia Commons
- Population: 103,991
- Median home value: $378,300 (65% own)
- Andrea Izzotti // Shutterstock
- Population: 144,403
- Median home value: $809,200 (54% own)
- Russ Heinl // Shutterstock
- Population: 233,464
- Median home value: $705,400 (43% own)
- Jon Bilous // Shutterstock
- Population: 113,819
- Median home value: $374,200 (71% own)
- thierry dehove // Shutterstock
- Population: 147,501
- Median home value: $416,700 (76% own)
- James Andrews1 // Shutterstock
50 best cities to raise a family
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50 best cities to raise a family
How do you find a good city to raise a family? The most ideal spots provide safe neighborhoods, quality education, recreation opportunities, and affordability. Weighing all those factors and more and finding the right locale among nearly 20,000 incorporated cities, towns, and villages across America can be daunting, so Stacker collected 2020 data from the national review and ranking site Niche to compile a list of the top 100 locations to raise a family.
Some criteria considered in ranking the best 100 cities included crime rates, public school rankings, college graduation rates, cost of living, family amenities, outdoor recreation, transportation, diversity, and walkability. While Niche primarily sourced data from the U.S. Census Bureau data, other city details came from the U.S. Department of Education, the FBI, and other specific programs and demographics links.
- TravnikovStudio // Shutterstock
- Population: 197,958
- Median home value: $167,600 (55% own)
- Eduardo Medrano // Shutterstock
- Population: 102,037
- Median home value: $85,200 (57% own)
- Chuck W Walker // Shutterstock
- Population: 400,317
- Median home value: $749,000 (49% own)
- Leigh Trail // Shutterstock
- Population: 104,777
- Median home value: $135,900 (56% own)
- James.Pintar // Shutterstock
- Population: 890,467
- Median home value: $173,200 (56% own)
- ESB Professional // Shutterstock
- Population: 132,301
- Median home value: $141,800 (69% own)
- barteverett // Shutterstock
- Population: 864,447
- Median home value: $137,000 (53% own)
- James Kirkikis // Shutterstock
- Population: 325,780
- Median home value: $141,100 (57% own)
- Sean Pavone // Shutterstock
- Population: 1,330,612
- Median home value: $188,100 (41% own)
- Eric Urquhart // Shutterstock
- Population: 389,877
- Median home value: $133,400 (59% own)
- Sean Pavone // Shutterstock
- Population: 643,692
- Median home value: $158,500 (59% own)
- Sean Pavone // Shutterstock
- Population: 663,750
- Median home value: $239,000 (54% own)
- Sean Pavone // Shutterstock
- Population: 142,135
- Median home value: $236,900 (61% own)
- Chuck Wagner // Shutterstock
- Population: 246,500
- Median home value: $335,000 (48% own)
- travelview // Shutterstock
- Population: 402,324
- Median home value: $139,900 (51% own)
- inlikeflinn // Flickr
- Population: 126,666
- Median home value: $195,400 (57% own)
- Jacob Boomsma // Shutterstock
- Population: 301,394
- Median home value: $138,000 (38% own)
- Canva
- Population: 113,159
- Median home value: $749,400 (38% own)
- Arne Beruldsen // Shutterstock
- Population: 269,702
- Median home value: $224,100 (50% own)
- Sean Pavone // Shutterstock
- Population: 1,508,083
- Median home value: $146,400 (54% own)
- f11photo // Shutterstock
- Population: 120,194
- Median home value: $246,400 (45% own)
- Canva
- Population: 464,871
- Median home value: $269,800 (59% own)
- John Hoffman // Shutterstock
- Population: 280,832
- Median home value: $240,000 (35% own)
- Songquan Deng // Shutterstock
- Population: 200,232
- Median home value: $769,900 (33% own)
- Michael Gordon // Shutterstock
- Population: 155,146
- Median home value: $364,800 (58% own)
- Arina P Habich // Shutterstock
- Population: 133,273
- Median home value: $181,100 (46% own)
- Sean Pavone // Shutterstock
- Population: 488,800
- Median home value: $290,400 (44% own)
- f11photo // Shutterstock
- Population: 395,477
- Median home value: $170,700 (55% own)
- CK Foto // Shutterstock
- Population: 1,027,690
- Median home value: $864,600 (57% own)
- Uladzik Kryhin // Shutterstock
- Population: 152,934
- Median home value: $154,300 (53% own)
- SannaBlue // Shutterstock
- Population: 261,940
- Median home value: $373,700 (29% own)
- Brian Logan Photography // Shutterstock
- Population: 2,310,432
- Median home value: $171,800 (42% own)
- Sean Pavone // Shutterstock
- Population: 113,381
- Median home value: $444,800 (65% own)
- Time Stood Still Photo // Shutterstock
- Population: 135,637
- Median home value: $444,400 (66% own)
- ZikG // Shutterstock
- Population: 198,401
- Median home value: $143,400 (55% own)
- Malgosia S // Shutterstock
- Population: 141,258
- Median home value: $785,700 (42% own)
- Idealphotographer // Shutterstock
- Population: 253,851
- Median home value: $140,800 (51% own)
- Grossinger // Shutterstock
- Population: 111,997
- Median home value: $155,200 (75% own)
- Noah Densmore // Shutterstock
- Population: 302,205
- Median home value: $125,000 (47% own)
- ESB Professional // Shutterstock
- Population: 197,756
- Median home value: $314,500 (48% own)
- Andrew Zarivny // Shutterstock
- Population: 244,115
- Median home value: $147,900 (53% own)
- Sean Pavone // Shutterstock
- Population: 261,338
- Median home value: $205,000 (60% own)
- ESB Professional // Shutterstock
- Population: 291,303
- Median home value: $156,300 (50% own)
- Kevin Ruck // Shutterstock
- Population: 136,195
- Median home value: $218,800 (49% own)
- Jo Hunter // Shutterstock
- Population: 645,291
- Median home value: $412,000 (53% own)
- zhu difeng // Shutterstock
- Population: 191,279
- Median home value: $203,800 (40% own)
- Todd Taulman Photography // Shutterstock
- Population: 135,257
- Median home value: $330,600 (56% own)
- f11photo // Shutterstock
- Population: 486,404
- Median home value: $154,600 (53% own)
- TommyBrison // Shutterstock
- Population: 692,683
- Median home value: $601,500 (42% own)
- Orhan Cam // Shutterstock
- Population: 226,115
- Median home value: $253,400 (61% own)
- Charles Knowles // Shutterstock
- Population: 304,547
- Median home value: $208,000 (50% own)
- KARI K // Shutterstock
- Population: 132,127
- Median home value: $161,900 (39% own)
- Leigh Trail // Shutterstock
- Population: 1,409,573
- Median home value: $602,600 (47% own)
- f11photo // Shutterstock
- Population: 8,419,316
- Median home value: $606,000 (33% own)
- IM_photo // Shutterstock
- Population: 684,379
- Median home value: $532,700 (35% own)
- Sean Pavone // Shutterstock
- Population: 121,889
- Median home value: $212,100 (44% own)
- Guy RD // Shutterstock
- Population: 177,117
- Median home value: $189,800 (61% own)
- Steven Frame // Shutterstock
- Population: 239,783
- Median home value: $177,500 (37% own)
- Trong Nguyen // Shutterstock
- Population: 387,916
- Median home value: $238,900 (49% own)
- VIAVAL // Shutterstock
- Population: 103,703
- Median home value: $730,100 (42% own)
- Lux Blue // Shutterstock
- Population: 129,309
- Median home value: $532,700 (52% own)
- Picture2Remember // Shutterstock
- Population: 136,366
- Median home value: $238,000 (52% own)
- Zack Frank // Shutterstock
- Population: 857,425
- Median home value: $220,300 (53% own)
- digidreamgrafix // Shutterstock
- Population: 420,324
- Median home value: $251,600 (47% own)
- Checubus // Shutterstock
- Population: 250,602
- Median home value: $475,300 (66% own)
- Cre8 design // Shutterstock
- Population: 320,601
- Median home value: $189,800 (54% own)
- Stephen Bailey // Shutterstock
- Population: 165,609
- Median home value: $367,900 (53% own)
- marekuliasz // Shutterstock
- Population: 950,807
- Median home value: $337,400 (45% own)
- Roschetzky Photography // Shutterstock
- Population: 196,219
- Median home value: $182,900 (57% own)
- Philip Arno Photography // Shutterstock
- Population: 283,839
- Median home value: $169,800 (57% own)
- Katherine Welles // Shutterstock
- Population: 450,201
- Median home value: $280,800 (64% own)
- Sherry V Smith // Shutterstock
- Population: 127,873
- Median home value: $726,100 (70% own)
- Steven Guo // Shutterstock
- Population: 475,862
- Median home value: $159,700 (59% own)
- EQRoy // Shutterstock
- Population: 107,072
- Median home value: $471,800 (48% own)
- Rob Hainer // Shutterstock
- Population: 874,961
- Median home value: $1,097,800 (38% own)
- javarman // Shutterstock
- Population: 113,686
- Median home value: $241,600 (38% own)
- Tricia Daniel // Shutterstock
- Population: 115,557
- Median home value: $200,100 (68% own)
- IMG_191 // Shutterstock
- Population: 121,230
- Median home value: $191,800 (47% own)
- Ken Wolter // Shutterstock
- Population: 157,613
- Median home value: $572,900 (43% own)
- Bob Pool // Shutterstock
- Population: 127,721
- Median home value: $1,034,000 (43% own)
- Mariusz S. Jurgielewicz // Shutterstock
- Population: 145,492
- Median home value: $762,700 (56% own)
- trekandshoot // Shutterstock
- Population: 724,305
- Median home value: $663,100 (46% own)
- Anthony Ricci // Shutterstock
- Population: 124,434
- Median home value: $244,300 (60% own)
- Roschetzky Photography // Shutterstock
- Population: 114,253
- Median home value: $814,700 (65% own)
- Lester Balajadia // Shutterstock
- Population: 106,392
- Median home value: $700,000 (48% own)
- Arina P Habich // Shutterstock
- Population: 254,977
- Median home value: $246,300 (47% own)
- Paul Brady Photography // Shutterstock
- Population: 152,770
- Median home value: $1,223,600 (45% own)
- Sundry Photography // Shutterstock
- Population: 116,432
- Median home value: $274,200 (59% own)
- Trong Nguyen // Shutterstock
- Population: 464,485
- Median home value: $248,300 (52% own)
- ESB Professional // Shutterstock
- Population: 116,632
- Median home value: $768,300 (35% own)
- Joseph Sohm // Shutterstock
- Population: 273,157
- Median home value: $838,000 (47% own)
- LunaseeStudios // Shutterstock
- Population: 287,064
- Median home value: $320,100 (59% own)
- ulkare // Shutterstock
- Population: 120,735
- Median home value: $323,400 (45% own)
- Paul Brady Photography // Shutterstock
- Population: 191,011
- Median home value: $276,100 (63% own)
- City of Overland Park // Wikimedia Commons
- Population: 103,991
- Median home value: $378,300 (65% own)
- Andrea Izzotti // Shutterstock
- Population: 144,403
- Median home value: $809,200 (54% own)
- Russ Heinl // Shutterstock
- Population: 233,464
- Median home value: $705,400 (43% own)
- Jon Bilous // Shutterstock
- Population: 113,819
- Median home value: $374,200 (71% own)
- thierry dehove // Shutterstock
- Population: 147,501
- Median home value: $416,700 (76% own)
- James Andrews1 // Shutterstock
