Mid-Size Cities Top List of Best Metros for Families

Better housing has been the main driver behind migration in the U.S., with family-related reasons following closely behind. A new StorageCafé study revealed one in three Americans move for family-related circumstances, and the environment helps shape essential family dynamics for generations to come.

Researchers asked what makes a favorable environment for raising children? Safe neighborhoods, access to quality education, and cultural and outdoor opportunities may come to mind, but affordability and a booming job market are also features that can support positive family growth.

Key takeaways:

• Plano emerges as the best city to raise a family, based on a series of metrics including public school ratings, safety, recreation opportunities, and more.
• The South dominates the list of the 20 most family-friendly cities, with Texas grabbing no less than five spots in the ranking.
• Half of the top 20 best cities for families with children are mid-size (200K-300K people).

StorageCafé selected the 100 most populous cities for which data was available and ranked them across a series of criteria touching on public school ratings, safety, socio-economic factors — home prices, rent, income, childcare cost etc. — share of families with children, cultural and outdoor recreation opportunities, and more.

According to the study, Plano, Texas, Virginia Beach, Virginia, and Lincoln, Nebraska, are at the top of the list of the most family-friendly cities, with a great mix of family-oriented amenities, a reasonable cost of living, and good schools. Half of the 20 best cities for families are mid-size, showing that families can find great places to thrive outside of the biggest cities, potentially saving them some money as well.

The 20 best cities to raise a family largely dominated by Texas

Plano, Texas

Beyond the crowded California to Texas migration trend, Texas has become the go-to place for Americans across the country as the income-to-expenses ratio still allows for comfortable living. In addition, the state has many perks in terms of lifestyle amenities as well as great schools and a diverse housing market. It may come as no surprise then that Texas has 5 cities in the top 20 hotspots for family living, with Plano ranking first in the state and nationally among the 100 biggest cities.

Only a 30-minute drive north of Dallas, Plano combines a wealth of urban and suburban amenities to deliver a well-rounded family-lifestyle experience. The city stands out as one of the places offering great chances of top-notch education, with its public-school ratings placing it first overall.

Home prices in Plano sit at around $533K, above the average in our list, but local incomes can offset this higher price tag. As it turns out, the median household income for Plano families is one the highest in the country, inching close to $116K a year.

Residents also have access to premier apartment living as the city came in third nationally for luxury apartment construction over the past decade, with local communities featuring everything from on-site gyms and pools to playgrounds and smart home technology.

Not only is Plano a place where children can easily find playmates, with 33% of households having children, but they can do so while staying safe. The city of Plano has excellent neighborhood safety.

In terms of the healthcare landscape, local households with children can have peace of mind knowing they are well cared for.

Austin, Texas

Austin is the second Texan location in our list of best cities for raising children, earning high marks for its stellar education and excellent amenities including a pool-friendly environment (3.3 pools/100K residents). Austin also ranks second for its public schools.

As one of the favorite moving destinations in the U.S., Austin’s real estate scene is by no means cheap, but compared to other buzzing urban hubs, it still provides access to comfortable living. Zooming in specifically on the cost of homes, prices are in fact above average, hovering at about $642K. However, family incomes are some of the most generous on our list ($121K a year), thanks, in part, to Austin’s status as the tech and innovation hub.

El Paso, Texas

El Paso joins the other Texas hotspots in providing a family-friendly urban scene. The city ranked high for safety, registering the 6^th-lowest crime rate, and has excellent public schools. One of the biggest draws for any family is the city’s affordability, with home prices hovering around $200K, on average. Moreover, El Paso registers the 5^th-lowest rent in our ranking, with renters paying around $980/month. Living here means you also pay less for food, and El Paso boasts the 5th-lowest cost of groceries among the big cities.

Virginia has three top-10 entries for families

The first Northwestern city in our list, Virginia Beach, Virginia took the second position in StorageCafé’s national list of best cities for raising a family. Besides excellent schools, Virginia Beach also has the 7^th-lowest crime rate on our list and the 6^th-best air quality, making it an ideal environment for families to live in. Based on affordability, it is an attractive city to move to, with home prices hovering around $377K and rents of about $1,590/month in the ballpark of the national average figure.

Arlington, Virginia, is the second Northeastern and Virginian city to make it to the list. Thanks to the presence of major companies in the area and the wealth of government employment opportunities in neighboring Washington DC, Arlington families bring home the third-highest median household income among the cities analyzed – slightly surpassing $190K/year. That can help keep expenditures manageable when considering the high cost of living and pricey real estate. Homes in Arlington are among the most expensive in the nation, and only a handful of cities, mostly Californian hotspots, have higher prices than Arlington’s median price tag of $834K.

Overall, Arlington ensures a good environment for bringing up a family, with safe neighborhoods, education-oriented communities, and lots of green space. It has the third-lowest crime rate in our list and the highest percentage of college graduates among the 100 cities analyzed

Bronze winner Lincoln shows Nebraska is not for flying over

The capital city of Nebraska, Lincoln emerges as the third best city to raise a family, sporting its many aces up its sleeve. The city has experienced rapid growth in the past few years, all the while maintaining an affordable status. Housing costs include both home prices ($266K) and monthly rents ($1,150) that are well below the national benchmarks. The median household income stands at $83K, adding to the favorable cost-of-living scenario. Besides excellent living conditions, public schools are highly rated.

Star City is a great place to raise children also thanks to its healthy natural environment, with Lincoln claiming the 11^th best air quality on the list.

The Pacific Northwest offers families Boise and Portland

Boise, Idaho

Much like Texas’ Austin, Boise, Idaho is a fast-growing city whose popularity during the pandemic has tempered its previous claims to affordability. But overall, it still offers great perks to make it one of the best cities for families with children. Most households with kids earn close to $84K a year, while home prices cost, on average, $515K.

The quality of local education recommends Boise to families with children and ranks 7^th among the country’s top 100 cities for its public-school rankings.

Portland, Oregon

Another great place for families that’s also big on the outdoors is Boise’s neighbor to the west, Portland, Oregon. Featuring amazing parks and trails to explore, the city comes first for community garden plots — with 4.5 of them per 1,000 residents — and it gets 10^th place for air quality.

Local public education also stands out, with Portland boasting the 9^th-best public schools on our list. More than half of the adults here have a college degree, with about 20% more having bachelor’s degrees than the national average. Home prices ($582K) might be higher than average, but so is the typical Portland family paycheck that exceeds six figures ($105K a year).

Scottsdale, Arizona, is the Southwest’s most family-friendly city

The first Southwestern city to make the list, Scottsdale, Arizona, has a host of features that recommend it to families looking to raise their children. Scottsdale ranks third for its public schools and is home to some of the best high schools in the state.

The local real estate scene isn’t cheap, with the median home price sitting at around $861K and the cost of groceries and childcare is higher than the 100-city average. However, Scottsdale families make a pretty penny here, bringing home about $140K a year, the 7^th-highest income by familial household.

Thanks to a low crime rate, Scottsdale is a safe place to live, attracting many families with children in the area. Moreover, the city benefits from the proximity of various healthcare providers.

When it comes to raising a family, Americans have many options. Although large metros serve as great areas for work and entertainment, half of the top 20 best cities analyzed for families with children are mid-size with approximately 200K-300K people.

To read the full report, including more data and methodology, click here.