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Dominic Castillo
There are a lot of really big decisions that we have to make in this modern life, and one of the biggest is whether to have kids. With America’s birth rate in decline by nearly 1 percent on average every year from 2010—2019, it’s clear that the choice is becoming a more difficult one for young couples to justify.
For those who are hoping to start having kids, settling down in a place well-suited to raising a family could make the decision much easier. What, then, are the best places to raise a family in the country?
To find out the writers at ranking and review site Niche compared American cities using 13 factors, the most important being public schools, higher education rates, cost of living, crime and safety, and housing.
According to the writers, the best city in the country to raise a family in is Naperville, IL, followed by The Woodlands, TX and Arlington, VA.
Virginia Beach is the 32nd best city to raise a family in, according to Niche. While it’s not as high as the 23rd Wallethub gave us earlier last year, Niche did give us a score of “A” overall.
Niche’s city ratings for The Beach show that we received an A- in schools, and an A in diversity. Our cost of living score is a B-, and with a median household income of $76,610 ($14,000 more than the national average) and median home value of $280,000, it can be quite easy to afford a family here.
Our jobs rating is B, with residents raising a family able to count on a favorable market when it’s time for the job hunt. Wallethub called us the 33rd best city for finding a job this year, and the 3rd best city last year. The commute score is B+.
Lastly, when it comes to entertainment Virginia Beach has a wealth of options, and received an outdoor activities score of A. Naturally, our beaches are partly responsible for that high score, but there’s plenty to do away from the surf, as shown by SmartAsset saying we’re the 10th best city to live and work in for outdoors lovers. We also have a great nightlife, with Niche awarding us an A there, too.
Top Cities For Raising A Family
- Naperville, IL
- The Woodlands, TX
- Arlington, VA
- Overland Park, KS
- Ann Arbor, MI
- Columbia, MD
- Bellevue, WA
- Plano, TX
- Cambridge, MA
- Irvine, CA
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Dominic Castillo
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