Best Places to Raise a Child in The US of March 2024

ElitePersonalFinance
Last Update: March 11, 2023 Living

Building a career has become a staple of western society, with more and more people leaning toward an individualistic approach to their existence. Sooner or later, most people begin to think of settling down, getting married, and starting a family. Apart from the fact that it is an innate biological need of all humans, it is even more important to feel emotionally accomplished, nurtured, and loved.

The point in our lives when we decide to settle down is different for each individual. It can happen before, during, or after building our career, but the steps we need to take to live a happy life with our family are the same in most cases: finding your beloved one, getting married, having a child, etc. But one particular step that has a great impact on how safe your family will be is choosing the city that will be the best for you, your partner, and especially your children.

That is where ElitePersonalFinance enters the stage. This time, we decided to help you choose the best place to raise a child in the United States. We hope this article will make it easier for you to decide where to start building your future.

Ranking Criteria

We took the data from the FBI Crime Report. Then we analyzed the data, particularly crimes that hurt children most, such as car accidents, child abduction, child sexual abuse, etc., and made a list of places with the lowest rates of these crimes.

As you will see, we decided not to include big cities on our list, but rather smaller places. This is because cities with a large population are much more dangerous when it comes to crime, and they are certainly not among the places where you would like your child to grow up.

Besides safety, we considered additional factors, such as education, recreational area, and cultural scene.

Best Places to Raise a Child in the US of March 2024

Glastonbury, Connecticut

Glastonbury was founded as early as 1693 by the settlers and was named after a town in England. Located in Hartford County, on the Connecticut River banks, it is home to 34,606 people. Glastonbury has six elementary schools, two middle schools, and one high school, Glastonbury High School. Every October, this beautiful town organizes a three-day Apple Fest, a one-of-a-kind event with many attractions and interesting activities. Also, Cotton Hollow Nature Preserve is a great place for all those into hiking and fishing. There are also many parks and sports facilities where you can enjoy various types of physical activity.

Merrimack, New Hampshire

Merrimack is another relatively small town on our list, with 25,675 residents. It is situated in Hillsborough County. Similar to Glastonbury, it was in the 17th century when European settlers came to this town. This town has received numerous awards, among which the most important is 2013 twenty-third best place to live in the United States by CNN Money Magazine. This town’s residents are very grateful to Merrimack Police Department for maintaining safety at a high level for years. When it comes to sports, Merrimack High School has been very successful, winning state championships in baseball, softball, soccer, indoor and outdoor track, etc. Merrimack is also a host of the Ribfest, a barbecue festival where many competitors from the north-eastern part of the US prepare their own barbecue.

Berlin, Maryland

This is one of the smallest towns on our list, with only 4,628 residents. It is situated in Worcester County, and it is a very peaceful town, which is completely understandable when we consider the number of its residents. Furthermore, it is rather close to Ocean City, which is definitely a great advantage when planning a summer vacation with your family. Also, schools in Berlin offer a great education to all their students, and your child will successfully learn and grow in this town.

West Hartford, Connecticut

West Hartford is located in Hartford County, only 17 miles away from Glastonbury. It seems that this area is a very safe one. With 62,812 residents, it is rather big when compared to many towns on our list. Downtown, or ‘The Center’, is very popular among people, especially Blue Black Square, including book stores and a movie theater. It is a favorite gathering place for locals. To show how great this place is, it should be noted that Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine proclaimed West Hartford as one of the nation’s 10 great cities for raising a family in 2010. In addition to many elementary, middle, and high schools, Westford has three universities: the University of Hartford, the University of Saint Joseph, and the University of Connecticut Greater Hartford Campus.

Ankeny, Iowa

Home to 61,090 Americans, Ankeny is located in Polk County. Its population increased by 68% from 2000 to 2010, solid proof of its attractiveness. It is also very developed economically, with numerous businesses that provide great job opportunities. Apart from the many different schools this town offers, it is also beautiful for recreational areas and events that serve as a great asset to its tourism.

Narragansett, Rhode Island

Narragansett, or Gansett, as locals like to call it, is a town in Washington County stretching from the Pettaquamscutt River to Narragansett Bay, and it is home to 15,556 people. However, it is popular among the tourists of this area, so in the summer its population doubles to over 30,000. This town is a paradise for all summer lovers due to its beaches and summer recreation. Narragansett Town Beach, Scarborough State Beach, and Roger Wheeler State Beach are definitely some of the greatest advantages of Narragansett, and nobody who has seen them has remained indifferent. Many historical places, cultural events, and education opportunities make this town a rather serious competitor on this list.

West Linn, Oregon

Situated in Clackamas County, West Linn has a population of over 25,000. The rich history of this place has left marks in each corner of the town and makes you feel grounded in the events that its founders and fathers experienced to establish such a lovely community. West Linn High School and Columbia Academy are education leaders, whereas cultural events often gather locals in the streets and make them feel like a true American community.

Miami Lakes, Florida

With a population of 31,110, this place wonderfully meets all the criteria for a typical American town, full of hospitable people and interesting parts to visit. Miami Lakes is located in Miami-Dade County and is a suburb of Miami. The local government has striven to make this town the best home for all its residents, promoting core values such as public accessibility, customer satisfaction, responsibility, and cost-effectiveness. This lovely place is also very typical of the Veteran’s Memorial. It is located at the Royal Oaks Park Community Center, which serves as a reminder of patriotic values in a very artistic way.

Maple Valley, Washington

Located in King County, Maple Valley is home to 26,214 people. King County Sheriff’s Office’s dedication to working makes this town a safe place for all the families living there. There are many beautiful areas in and around the town, such as the Cedar River, Lake Wilderness, and the areas in the immediate vicinity, which can be one-of-a-kind natural playgrounds for children and their parents to enjoy time spent together.

Wake Forest, North Carolina

This town’s population was 30,117 in 2010, a 30% increase compared to the number of people who lived here in 2000. Today, the population is 42,019. Wake Forest was awarded in 2007 by Forbes magazine as the 20th fastest growing suburb in America. Located in Franklin and Wake County, this town has many pre-college education facilities, Wake Technical Community College, and Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. Falls Lake State Recreation Area and many different parks offer amazing possibilities for all nature lovers to enjoy themselves and relax in the evening, looking at the star-lit sky.

Tips on How to Be a Great Parent

Sometimes it can be tough and demanding to balance your professional and private life, and having a child can only make the situation even more difficult. Nevertheless, there are numerous things you can do to give your child everything they deserve, and by this, we don’t mean material things.

Here are some essential tips on parenting by ElitePersonalFinance:

  • Spend time with your child

You have come home exhausted by your job duties and unwilling to move. But your child has been waiting to see your entire day. Make sure that you dedicate enough time to them.

  • Make it quality time

Another thing, maybe even more important than the first tip, is to have a great time with your kid. Don’t just spend time with them in the same room. Instead, tell or read them a bedtime story, make them laugh, let them talk to you and listen to them carefully, eat, and play with them. Quality over quantity. Make it count.

  • Be adamant

Although you want to show love to your kid, you definitely don’t want to spoil them. Be strict and let them know you are a strong individual. That way, not only will they respect you more, but they will also follow your example and grow into a better person.

  • Prepare your child for the world

This might be the most difficult thing for all parents. It is a cruel world out there, and you don’t want your child to repeat the mistakes you made. The world is constantly changing, and you can never perceive it the same way your child does. No matter what you do, you will always lag. That is why you have to understand that you cannot teach your child every single thing, nor you should. You can teach them how to learn from their mistakes and that this is the best thing they can do to grow and develop constantly. Let them learn. Let them be.

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