According to WalletHub, Plano is the fourth best place to raise a family in the United States. Comparing over 180 American cities, WalletHub used 45 key metrics in its researching, including cost of housing, local school qualities, and recreation and activities.
"While not perfect — given personal preferences and the limitations of publicly available data — our findings will hopefully give movers a better sense of their options," writes WalletHub.
WalletHub's top five places to raise a family in 2024 are:
1. Fremont, California
2. Overland Park, Kansas
3. Irvine, California
4. Plano, Texas
5. Seattle, Washington
“Finding the best place to raise a family is difficult, between balancing an affordable cost of living with good educational opportunities, safety and enough recreation to keep kids entertained...," said Cassandra Happe, a WalletHub analyst. "Therefore, current or prospective parents can benefit from narrowing down their choices to a few of the best cities that are within a reasonable drive of their family.”
Plano received a family fun score of 74, a health and safety rank of 5, an education and childcare rank of 29, and affordability rank of 7 and a socio-economic rank of 4.
In comparison, Irvine received a family fun score of 21, a health and safety rank of 1, an education and childcare rank of 2, and affordability rank of 49 and a socio-economic rank of 13; Overland Park received a family fun score of 118, a health and safety rank of 21, an education and childcare rank of 13, and affordability rank of 1 and a socio-economic rank of 3; and Fremont received a family fun score of 78, a health and safety rank of 3, an education and childcare rank of 1, and affordability rank of 11 and a socio-economic rank of 1.
Below is a breakdown of the metrics used:
Family Fun – Total Points: 20
Playgrounds per Capita**: Full Weight (~1.11 Points)
Ice Rinks per Capita**: Half Weight (~0.56 Points)
Skate Parks per Capita**: Half Weight (~0.56 Points)
Bike Rental Facilities per Capita**: Half Weight (~0.56 Points)
Mini Golf Locations per Capita**: Half Weight (~0.56 Points)
Parkland Acreage per Capita: Half Weight (~0.56 Points)
Walkability: Full Weight (~1.11 Points)
Bike Score: Full Weight (~1.11 Points)
Number of Attractions: Full Weight (~1.11 Points)
Note: “Attractions” include, for instance, zoos, museums and theaters.Recreation-Friendliness: Double Weight (~2.22 Points)
Note: This metric is based on WalletHub’s “Best & Worst Cities for Recreation” ranking.Sports-Fan-Friendliness: Double Weight (~2.22 Points)
Note: This metric is based on WalletHub’s “Best Sports Cities” ranking.Ideal Weather: Quadruple Weight (~4.44 Points)
Note: This metric is based on WalletHub’s “Cities With the Best & Worst Weather” ranking.Share of Families with Young Children: Triple Weight (~3.33 Points)
Note: “Young children” include the population aged 0 to 18.Average Commute Time: Half Weight (~0.56 Points)
Health & Safety – Total Points: 20
Air Quality: Full Weight (~1.43 Points)
Water Quality: Full Weight (~1.43 Points)
Limited Access to Healthy Foods: Full Weight (~1.43 Points)
Pediatricians per Capita: Full Weight (~1.43 Points)
Share of Uninsured Children: Full Weight (~1.43 Points)
Note: “Children” include the population aged 0 to 18.Public Hospitals Ranking*: Full Weight (~1.43 Points)
Infant Mortality Rate: Full Weight (~1.43 Points)
Pedestrian-Fatality Rate: Full Weight (~1.43 Points)
Driving Fatalities per Capita: Full Weight (~1.43 Points)
Violent-Crime Rate per Capita: Double Weight (~2.86 Points)
Property-Crime Rate per Capita: Double Weight (~2.86 Points)
Family Homelessness: Full Weight (~1.43 Points)
Note: This metric measures the number of homeless people in families per total homeless population.
Education & Child Care – Total Points: 20
School-System Quality: Double Weight (~6.15 Points)
Note: This metric is based on GreatSchools.org average score.High School Graduation Rate: Half Weight (~1.54 Points)
Child-Care Costs*: Half Weight (~1.54 Points)
Note: This metric was adjusted for the median family income.Child Day-Care Services per Capita: Full Weight (~3.08 Points)
Childcare Workers per Total Number of Children under 14 Years: Full Weight (~3.08 Points)
Parental-Leave Policy Score*: Full Weight (~3.08 Points)
Note: This metric is based on the report card from Expecting Better: A State-by-State Analysis of Laws That Help Expecting and New Parents.Summer Learning Opportunities per Capita**: Half Weight (~1.54 Points)
Affordability – Total Points: 20
Cost of Living: Full Weight (~6.67 Points)
Note: This metric was calculated as follows: Median Annual Family Income / Cost-of-Living Index.Housing Affordability: Full Weight (~6.67 Points)
Note: This metric was calculated as follows: Median Annual Family Income / Housing Costs (accounts for both rent and home-sales prices).Wallet Wellness: Full Weight (~6.67 Points)
Note: This metric is based on WalletHub’s “Best & Worst Cities for Wallet Fitness” ranking.
Socio-economics – Total Points: 20
Share of Two-Parent Families: Full Weight (~2.35 Points)
Separation & Divorce Rate: Full Weight (~2.35 Points)
Share of Families Living in Poverty: Full Weight (~2.35 Points)
Share of Families Receiving Food Stamps: Full Weight (~2.35 Points)
Unemployment Rate: Full Weight (~2.35 Points)
Underemployment Rate: Full Weight (~2.35 Points)
Debt per Median Earnings: Full Weight (~2.35 Points)
Wealth Gap: Full Weight (~2.35 Points)
Foreclosure Rate: Half Weight (~1.18 Points)
The data was collected from sources including the U.S. Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, United States Environmental Protection Agency, County Health Rankings, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Council for Community and Economic Research, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, National Partnership for Women & Families and more.
To see the more, including details about the findings, check WalletHub.
