A lot of people think about moving to a different city when they start thinking about raising a family. And there are plenty of reasons to do this. Not everyone wants to live the same and not everyone is comfortable with the place they are currently living in. Whatever the reason is, you probably want to pick the best option for your family. And we are lucky that we live in a huge country with plenty of states, cities, towns, and villages. You can choose from thousands of places across the country. From mountain villages to beach towns, you have it all in the US. But not all cities are good for raising a family. There are some that are better than the others and it’s exactly what I am here to tell you more about. I am here to tell you about some of the best and the worst cities in the US to raise a family in.
The best cities in the US to raise a family in
I want to focus more on the cities you should consider moving to and less on the cities you should avoid. This is why I want to start off by talking about all the lovely towns and cities that you can move to. And if moving long-distances with children is something that you are scared of
you should definitely help your kids accept the idea of moving by talking to them openly about it. Telling them months in advance that you are planning on moving to a different city or state is very important. That is if your children aren’t toddlers. If yes, the only way to make moving with very young children easier is to hire a professional moving company. Do this no matter how big or small your move is. Moving without a moving company’s help is simply absurd.
Rockville, Maryland – number one among the cities in the US to raise a family
The first town I want to tell you more about is Rockville in Maryland. This is actually a suburb of Washington, DC. And there are plenty of reasons that make Rockville one of the best cities in the US to raise a family in. The fact that this is a suburb and a very small one should be more than enough. Everyone knows that small towns and suburbs are the best for living with children.
But I want to tell you more about what makes Rockville so amazing for families. The first thing is that it has a high percentage of school-age children and excellent science and technology-focused schools. Not just anyone can tell this about their city. This is also a very safe city to live in. In fact, the overall crime rate in Rockville is 45% lower than the national average. Lots of local amenities and a stable housing market are just two more things that make Rockville a great place to move to.
Other good cities in Maryland:
- La Plata
- Glenarden
- Brunswick
- Bowie.
Bad cities in Maryland:
- Salisbury
- Hagerstown
- Riverdale Park
- Cumberland
- Elkton.
Mount Pleasant, South Carolina
The second town to consider moving to is Mount Pleasant. Just the name tells you a lot about this place – it’s very pleasant. It is located just across the bridge from downtown Charleston which means that it also has a nice location. This is a very family-friendly town to live in which is why it found its place on my list. Good schools and plenty of outdoor activities to keep kids busy and entertained are just two things that make is so suitable for raising a family. Mount Pleasant’s crime rate is 37% lower than the national average which means that it is also very safe.
A lot of retirees move here too which is also a good sign. One of the reasons why is the fact that multiple top hospitals and health care providers are located very close. And if moving while pregnant, this is very important for you. If you have children, this is also a thing to pay attention to when choosing a city to live in. As you never know what can happen, living near hospitals makes life less stressful. The only reason why one would consider Mount Pleasant to be a bad city to move to is the fact that it is a bit more expensive than the national average. But here is also where income per capita is high so you have to take that into consideration too.
Other good cities in SC:
- Newberry
- Aiken
- Bluffton
- Lexington.
Bad cities in SC:
- Marion
- Walterboro
- Cheraw
- Greenwood.
Irvine, California
Even though California is a very expensive state, I have to mention one of the best cities in California to raise a family. This is because a lot of people dream of living in California. But it is also because Irvine is an amazing place to live in. Not only is the weather nice most of the time, but Irvine was rated as the third happiest place to live in the US. Irvine is safe, it has dozens of highly-rated public schools, there are plenty of family-friendly activities in the city. One of them is the Pretend City Children’s Museum. You can also spend a lot of time looking at the stars and learning about space at the UCI observatory. Need I say more about Irvine and why moving here would be a great idea?
Other good cities in CA:
- Folsom
- El Dorado Hills
- Los Altos
- Palo Alto.
Bad cities in CA:
- Hemet
- San Jacinto
- Adelanto
- Wasco
- Mendota.
Highland Park, Texas
A very small town with less than 10,000 residents makes a perfect place for raising a family. A lot more people would like to live in Highland Park but the only reason why they don’t is the fact that it is a very high-end town to live in. Texas is known for being one of the more affordable states in the country but Highland Park is much different. Here everything costs more but for a reason.
Highland Park has a large number of amenities which is very important when you have children. Some top-rated schools are also located in this area. In fact, Highland Park’s public schools are some of the best in the state of Texas. The housing market is very stable and will continue to be stable in the future too. But housing is expensive. You will be shocked to find out that the median home price in Highland Park is around $600,000. Having a real estate agent when buying a home here is a good idea. But have in mind that the median household income in Highland Park is 243% higher than the national average.
Other good cities in TX:
- Sachse
- Lockhart
- Hutto
- Wylie
- Southlake
- Mansfield.
Bad cities in TX:
- Laredo
- Hempstead
- Livingston
- Port Arthur
- Palmview.
Cary, North Carolina
No list of “best cities” would be complete without mentioning North Carolina. And Cary is just one of many cities in North Carolina where raising a family is a good idea. This is a suburban city we’re talking about. But it still has all the amenities you need. It is known for great public schools but it also has a couple of private ones close by. Cary has an amazing location. It is located near Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill.
The overall crime rate is 59% lower than the national average making Cary a very safe city to live in. Cary also offers easy access to several of the country’s top health care providers. But living in Cary comes at a high price. This isn’t a cheap city at all. The overall cost of living is 116% higher than the North Carolina average. But living in Cary means living your best life and I think that paying the price is definitely worth it. Also have in mind that you can easily cut the cost of your move and save some money that way if you really want to live in Cary.
Other good cities in NC:
- Concord
- Davidson
- Holly Springs
- High Point
- Apex
- Huntersville.
Bad cities in NC:
- Selma
- Reidsville
- Henderson
- Albemarle
- Monroe
- Wadesboro