Where Can You Raise Your Children in the US?

For most people travelling to the US, there’s great value in keeping to the cities. For one thing, it would be easier to get employment or move your business forward in a city than in a small town. Moreover, cities might be more welcoming for immigrants than small towns.

Moving to the US might be very great for you and your family, but there are genuinely a lot of figures involved. And sometimes in the midst of all these, it is understandable if the best place you can raise your children isn’t at the top of your mind.

However, you should do your best and spare some time to consider this. Cities like New York, San Francisco, and Chicago, while being great options for immigrants, have become challenging locations for families, and may frankly be downright unsuitable for your family – especially your kids. I mean, hopefully you give enough thought to what’s best for them.

Apartments in these cities are small. Rents are high. The public schools are often less than your kids deserve. Private schools and child care are expensive. And walking or biking can be hazardous. Some of these issues only got worse post-coronavirus.

In light of that, we’ve done our research and questioning, judging the best place for you to raise your family in 2021. The metrics to be considered are:

• Family fun—this includes weather, walkability, number of families with children, and the number of fun things like parks, sports, ice rinks, and mini golf
• Health and safety—air and water quality, crime rates, homelessness rate, pedestrian fatalities, hospital rankings and Covid numbers
• Education and child care—the quality of school systems, high school graduation rates, child care costs and summer learning opportunities
• Affordability, which includes median family incomes, cost of living and housing costs, and
• Socio-economics, which includes divorce rates, the share of two-parent families, the number of families living in poverty, and employment and debt rates.

Best cities to raise a family in the US in 2021

Where can you raise your children in the US? We’ve highlighted the standout options:

Naperville, IL

Sorry if you really love Chicago but it came up short.

However, there is another city in the state of Illinois on our list—Naperville. With a population of 147,501, Naperville is one of the best places to live in Illinois. It is actually in the Chicago area and is in fact considered a suburb of Chicago.

Living in the city offers residents a dense suburban feel. Most residents own their homes as well.

In Naperville, there are a lot of restaurants, coffee shops, and parks. Many families and young professionals live there and residents tend to have moderate political views. The public schools are also highly rated.

Arlington County, VA

Arlington is a county in Virginia, close to the US capital of Washington DC.

Arlington is one of the best places to live in Virginia and a good spot where you can raise your children. It is the perfect mix of urban and suburban, so there is plenty of outdoor space to enjoy. Living in Arlington offers residents an urban feel, yet it has the coolness that is suitable for raising a family. The county has lots of bars, restaurants, coffee shops, and parks. Many young professionals live in Arlington and the public schools are highly rated.

However, it is expensive to live in Arlington, so if you’re on a budget it might not be the most suitable for you.

Ann Arbor, MI

Also known as Tree Town, Ann Harbor, Michigan has over 160 parks and has a lot of great places for walking and hiking along nature trails. The city is home to the University of Michigan, and its public schools were recently called the second-best in the United States.

The presence of the university and all the students makes it a very lively city to live in. It is definitely a great place to raise a family in.

Overland Park, KS

Overland Park is a lovely city in Kansas. With a terrific family atmosphere and plenty of kid-friendly places to eat and shop, the suburb of Kansas City has been ranked among the top ten cities in the US to raise children.

Overland Park also has great sports facilities including a world-class youth soccer complex as well as several top-notch sports academies.

Columbia, MD

Columbia is a planned community in Maryland that offers a great atmosphere for family life.

It has lovely parks and outdoor recreational fields, with nice restaurants, coffee shops, and cosy bookstores. The community itself is very safe. The library system has educational resources and free programs for children/teens, and more than half of the population own their homes.

Bellevue, WA

Bellevue is a city in the state of Washington. There are many interesting malls where you can spend time out with your family. With a short car ride, you can go swimming in a relaxing lake or trekking through a forest.

Bellevue is also close enough to the tourist activities, sports venues, and concerts held in Seattle and yet far enough not to be affected by the busy traffic. The public schools are also incredibly diverse, with students from diverse backgrounds. This diversity allows young people to have a more open view of the world

Cambridge, MA

Cambridge, Massachusets is a university city, the site of the famous Harvard and MIT.

Cambridge is a very safe and family-friendly town. Due to the diversity, it feels very inclusive. The public schools are amazing, and there are many universities in the area so it’s a great place to be for young adults

Plano, TX

Plano, Texas is a quiet place to raise a family. The community is diverse, inclusive and welcoming enough to be ranked among the top ten cities in the US for raising families.

There is good public education, a friendly environment, and good food. There are many malls for shopping and restaurants for eating out, and many parks surround the city where you can spend time with your family.

Irvine, CA

Irvine is a very wealthy city in California. Besides being a great place to raise children, it is also an amazing place for those trying to network and establish themselves or trying to further advance their business and career.

Just check your pockets though. Irvine is quite on the top side!

Final note…

So there you have it, best cities to raise children in the United States. A caveat: this list is by no means conclusive. We have only highlighted standout options that you could easily put into your considerations. As you make your plans to move to the US, you could come across many other great options that will be suitable for your family.

Credit: Niche.com