Best Places To Raise A Family: A Complete Guide

There are many great places in America for families to live, including kid-friendly towns and affordable cities where everyone can create and enjoy a good quality of life. But when it comes to the best places to raise a family, nothing beats the cities listed below.

What Are The Best Places To Live For Families?

The 10 Best Cities To Raise A Family

6. Ankeny, Iowa

Ankeny is a suburban community with a small-town feel. Residents will enjoy a well-rated public school system, access to lots of jobs and affordable housing. If you’re looking for something to do, you can visit the District, which has tons of restaurants, shops and other activities.

Families can head to the farmers market, aquatic center and annual summer festival. Here’s what you need to know about buying a home in Ankeny:

• Median home sale price: $320,179
• Total households with children: 19,603
• Median family household income: $125,783

7. Arlington Heights, Illinois

Arlington Heights is one of the best places to live in the U.S. for families. The city has excellent schools and many places to go for education and recreation, like the Arlington Heights Memorial Library, Lake Arlington and the Ned Brown Preserve – also known as Busse Woods.

Here’s what you need to know about buying a home in Arlington Heights:

• Median home sale price: $410,000
• Total households with children: 19,878
• Median family household income: $149,175

8. Columbia, Maryland

Columbia is part of the Baltimore metropolitan area and is the second-most-populated community in Maryland. The city has invested a lot in downtown Columbia, and residents can enjoy access to parks, museums and lakes.

The public schools are well-rated, and you’ll be joining a diverse community of people. Here’s what you need to know about buying a home in Columbia:

• Median home sale price: $454,512
• Total households with children: 26,478
• Median family household income: $151,994

9. Elk Grove, California

Elk Grove is a suburb of Sacramento and one of the best places to live in California. The city has top-rated schools, a thriving economy and beautiful weather year-round. Elk Grove is also features an historic main street, filled with boutiques, antiques shops, cafes and restaurants. Here’s what you need to know about buying a home in Elk Grove:

• Median home sale price: $669,375
• Total households with children: 44,292
• Median family household income: $117,192

10. Fremont, California

Fremont is located in the heart of Silicon Valley and is the fourth largest city within that region. Residents have access to tons of local parks and hiking trails, and there are many family-friendly amenities available, including three different farmers markets, a three-acre waterpark and 60 public art installations scattered around town.

The median home price in Fremont is more expensive than any other city listed, but it’s still a great option for anyone who wants or needs to live in this area. Here’s what you need to know about buying a home in Fremont:

• Median home sale price: $1,360,685
• Total households with children: 57,848
• Median family household income: $186,111

These metrics were chosen based on public data availability and topical relevance. State-level data was used for metrics without consistent city-level data. Metrics from the U.S. Census are based on 2022 ACS 1-year estimates. State maternity law quality score was based on a 0 to 1 score, with no state maternity laws scoring a 0.

Our dataset contained 478 cities with Rocket Homes listings. These cities account for 71% of the U.S. population. Cities with violent crime rates greater than or equal to 55 and property crime rates greater than or equal to 65 were removed from the rankings.